Thanks For the Help
Hi all. Things are slowing down, blog posts not excluded, now that we are back home. Wnt to start by saying thanks to everyone who came forward or helped find a home for the two Siberians in need. Thy did get a home here in Alaska. I’m told by the owner they went to a recreational musher who maintain free run pens for her dogs, so hopefully they will have a great life.
Thanks also to everyone who has supported us over the season, either through kind words on the blog or by sending finanical or in-kind donations. We’ve been busy making up something to send out to everyone, so please email your adresses to our roguesgallerykennel@gmail account if we don’t already have your address. I have the adresses of people who donated through paypal, but am worried we may have missed some folks who sent snailmail. During the peak of season we were so busy, I’m not sure where we stored the latters with people’s adresses and we don’t want to miss anyone.
Life at the kennel has slowed a bit. We’ve been able to continue putting in small, just a few mile long, fun runs with the dogs due to the winter just not wanting to give in to spring. We still have several feet of crusty, icy snow in the yard and on the trails, but it’s pretty crunchy stuff and a lot of the marshes and ponds are starting to weep overflow, so travelling too far just isn’t an option. I think everyone, humans and dogs, are happy to be putting in some short runs though after all the work a long runs we did together this season.
We also got our Iditarod drop bags back, so this weekend we can look forward to going through dozens of bags filled with soggy booties, dog coats, blankets and other gear, and then washing, drying and putting it all away until next year. The Iditarod is over, yet somehow it keeps making chores for us.
While the race is all still fresh in our minds and the winter chores are wanning and the summer chores of fishing and gardening haven’t yet started to wax, we’ve decided to try and put pen to paper to start writing down some of the amazing adventures we’ve had with the dogs. We’d like to try to get a book out in the next year with some stories about individal dogs, some about dog-related adventures, some photos, and also some of Cole’s poetry, which while few and far between on the blog, is always fantastic.
This may sound odd, since those who read this blog regularly can attest that I write it like a Neanderthal pounding away at the keys. I can assure you I can write well. I tend to not proof read this thing, due to just trying to crank out enough to include everyone before getting out to the dogs, so I hope you won’t judge my writing based on this blog.
This started as a way to keep our families in the lower 48 included in our lives, and it has grown to include kennel friends, school children and many others. I’m often too busy to slopily say more than just the cliff notes of some of our adventures, but they are really worth telling the whole tales in details, so we’re going to try and do that with this book. In the future I may post one or two stories from the book, but I don’t want to give way too much since we aree still hoping to find a publisher.
Anyway, that’s what we’re working on right now. Hope all of you are well, and thanks again for all your support.
April 5th, 2012 at 3:19 pm
I totally LOVE the book idea!
It’s good to hear from you and I’m glad life is getting a little less busy, at least for the time being. Enjoy your much needed rest.
For now,
Amy
April 5th, 2012 at 4:08 pm
When you are done with that one (in a month or so, I’m sure), then on to a kid’s book about rescued and rehabilitated sled dogs. The little team of Rogues that could, did, and will again.
Thanks for the update! If I were around, I’d help with those moldy dog booties but luckily I’m too far away – ha!
April 5th, 2012 at 4:41 pm
Funny, I just wrote on Fan Page you should write a book. Really the blogs make great reading about how you live your life and support your habit of dog mushing. This is so fascinating to anyone outside Alaska. We know nothing of dog mushing or how you live. (I do now, the Iditarod was a college course on mushing & Alaska) I have just started reading MALAMUTE MAN by Joe Henderson. He self published using kickstarter.com to get some of the funding. I feel like a lot of people would be interested in funding a project that would show what you have been doing to rescue dogs and turn them into successful racing dogs. It is very inspiring story and people like to be inspired.
April 5th, 2012 at 7:08 pm
Hey Martha in Juneau:
I just read your comments on the “Back To Work Blog”. Nearly died laughing. I just bet you could be one of those supporters that scare reporters. We will have to work on a PR strategy to woo them next year & then if that doesn’t work turn you loose. I’m still laughing and laughing…
April 6th, 2012 at 7:29 am
Joseph (and Cole and doggies) thanks for the blog. Know you are crazy busy with everything and updating the blog is probably down on the list (after sleep!). But know that you update very well and we don’t mind the occasional misspelled word. Lord knows my replies and posts are full of grammar errors!
Love the idea of a book of your adventures and life in Alaska. It is fascinating how 2 people who worked with large zoo animals in Florida would move to Alaska to run sled dogs. Think as Martha noted there should also be a childrens book (I’d vote for Mighty Penny…the little sled dog that could).
Once again great to hear from you and if you get internet access you might check out Amy’s facebook page for you. LOL by next season we’re working on everyone knowing Cole and company!
April 6th, 2012 at 7:52 am
As always, I loved the post. I’m not sure you realize it, but I hang on every word. It totally makes my day when there is a new post. And now this blog has livened up with everyone posting.
The book idea is great! I hope it will have lots of your wonderful pictures.
Hugs around,
Susan
April 6th, 2012 at 7:54 pm
It’s great news that these two handsome dogs now have a home and I hope it works out well. Amy, I’ve always loved German Shepherds – how is your Samantha doing? What is her adoption story?
April 7th, 2012 at 2:57 am
Don’t mean to sound stupid but what does “time to drop” mean in mushing?
I found this:
“you know to end a musher party you just have to ask”what time is it”,someone will say ‘time to drop”,and your party is over.”
April 7th, 2012 at 5:10 am
Martha,
Thank you for asking about Samantha. She is doing great. The cats are finally relaxing around her and realizing that she’s not out to get them. She hardly even notices them most of the time. She came with at stuffed duck that quacks. She LOVES it! I have recently started a side business selling homemade dog treats at a local flea market and have expanded to include some new squeaky stuffed bones that a local store had donated to Goodwill and some new dog dishes that I will be decorating. Anyway, I gave her one of the bones and now she is crazy about it too. It is so sweet! But I can tell she is really going to be dipping into my profit margine. :-/
The only issue is about 10 minutes after my husband left for work on Monday morning, (after we had finished fencing the small area that was unfenced late Sunday evening) he returned home to find she had gotten out. He put her back in and went inside to get his phone. He came right back out to find she was out again. He put her back in and told her to stay. We were thrilled when we came home that evening to find her in the fence.
The next day, my 7 year old tells me his friend’s dad and our neighbor told him a funny story about Samantha. He had seen her out most of the day and then he saw her jump back into the fenced yard a little while before we got home. Crazy dog!
I knew when my husband brought home 5 foot chain link that it was going to be a mistake, but, trying to be “the good wife”, I didn’t say anything. Probably should have…but I hate to always say I think he’s wrong.
Other than that, she’s doing great. Now, if I can just get my 18 year old cat to stay out of her food, we’ll be doing good. Crackers, the cat, has lost lots of weight and I decided he must be having trouble with the dry food he has always eaten. I recently started feeding him canned food. Last night I put his fresh new canned food out in the laundry room and put him in there with it and closed the door so Sam wouldn’t get it. As soon as I put Sam’s food out, out the catdoor he came and walked right in front of Sam and started eating out of her bowl. Sam was amazingly tolerant. I put him back in the laundry room twice before I gave up and told him to be warned, “if Sam gets you, it’s not my fault!” Go figure!
April 7th, 2012 at 7:28 am
I forgot to answer the question about Sammie’s adoption story.
We had not planned to get another dog for a long while after our move. We have had 4 animals (2 cats and 2 dogs) in our home since 2002 and honestly were enjoying not having quiet as much mess and quiet as much hair. I’ve never been able to afford to put a dog through obediance school and eventhough I am great at loving animals, I such at training them. So our dogs have always had issues getting stuff out of trash cans, dragging stuff out, chewing stuff up, etc. And in Texas, fleas are a real issue that we would rather not deal with. We missed the dogs themselves, but liked having less mess related to them.
Brian and I had talked recently about this and he mentioned that if a German Shepard came up, he would consider it. And I totally agreed. We each had a German Shepard when we were kids so we are partial to them.
I am a member of freecycle.org looked at my email that morning to find a post that said they had a free 8 year old GS, trained, good with kid, etc, but no picture. I asked for a picture. I opened up the picture just as my dear hubby got up and came strolling out of the bedroom. I told him the story and showed him the picture. He said “call about her” and the rest is history.
As far as her background goes, she had lived with her family for about 3 years. I think there were at least 2 kids and another small dog in the home. Unfortunately, the parents are getting a divorce and she moved to a small apartment and he moved into an RV. They both felt it wasn’t fair for her to be so confined and wanted her to have a yard and to be in a rural setting. I am unsure of her history for the 5 years prior to that. She has obviously been through obedience training and is very well socialized. I think she has been around cats too because she doesn’t bother them, but she had taken off into the woods twice (probably more considering she can get out at will) after a rabbit and some deer.
My only problem so far is that I am having a horrible time remembering her name. I know it will come with time, but I have to stop and think about it every time. At her age, I wouldn’t dream of trying to change it. However, after my research this morning about training sled dogs, I do wonder if she can learn to gee-haw, hike and whoa. hmmm…
April 7th, 2012 at 6:27 pm
Amy – I changed my adopted dog’s name (an ex-sled dog) when she was around 8 or 9 and she answered to it right away, along with the old one. I mean, instantly – like she knew. Funny story behind why I had to change her name. I’ve changed two rescued dog’s names, both were around 5 I think, and same thing there. I think the dog just knows your voice, and when it means THEM. You might want to try it – and if you’re lucky she’ll answer to both til you get it figured out.
Five foot fence for a GS – HA! You were so nice not to laugh at your thoughtful hubby. Tell him your friends are laughing instead (with him, right?)
April 7th, 2012 at 7:53 pm
I think our networking may be starting to pay off. I think I got Cole an interview with Dog Works Radio. I’ve been seeing links to interviews with some of the other mushers so I emailed them about interviewing her. Unfortunately, I haven’t had a chance to check out their website yet, but here is a link. http://dogworksradio.com/contact/
This is what I sent:
I would love to hear from Colleen Robertia.
She and Joseph do amazing work with “rogues, runts, and rejects” that have been adopted from shelters, individuals or culled from other teams for various reasons. From Penny, the tiny, 30 pound dog with the great big heart, that led the team through the big storm in Shaktoolik, to Wolf, the bionic dog, that was hit by a car, has a reconstructed leg and would “never run again”, the Robertias develop the dogs they have without breeding more dogs only to skim the cream of the crop and discard the rest. Penny and Wolf both made it to Nome this year and Penny finished the 2010 Iditarod and the 2009 Quest.
The dogs at Rogues Kennel are their family. They spend time in the house, the cab of the truck and even in the bed with them. They go swimming together in the summer and have birthday parties with turkey-cake and party hats. The love, care and devotion they have for their dogs (and cat) is evident in every word they speak or write. Yet, few people even know who they are.
Please take time to get to know Colleen and Joseph through the links included. They both work full time jobs, tend the kennel and do all the training themselves with only minimal financial donations. I learned about them and have been following them since she ran the 2010 Iditarod as a rookie. I am trying to get her name out to more people which, hopefully, will lead to some sponsorships and financial assistance for the kennel.
Their website: http://rogueskennel.com/
Their blog: http://rogueskennel.com/blog/
Their facebook fan page: http://www.facebook.com/RoguesKennelFanPage#!/RoguesKennelFanPage
Their email: roguesgallerykennel@gmail.com
Thank you for your time and consideration. If I can be of assistance in anyway, please let me know.
Sincerely,
Amy Gregg
The semi-self appointed Goddess of Marketing for Rogues Gallery Kennel.
Amd this was the reply:
Thank you.
I will check out the links!
Might Colleen be available for an interview next Friday evening?
Let me know,
Robert
I’m in the process of getting Robert and Cole/Joseph together to get it arranged. Yea! I hope it all works out!
April 9th, 2012 at 5:38 pm
So happy to see a new blog and learn that everything is AOK. Life was a bit dull after the Iditarod… A book sounds like such a neat idea. I’m sure we all could learn about the lives of mushers. Is there anything your fans could do to help??? Does anyone have any ideas?
Tulips are in full bloom here in Illinois. Just beautiful!!!
April 12th, 2012 at 6:18 pm
OMG! I got the coolest thing in the mail today from Cole and Joseph! You remember he said they were working on something? Well, all I can say is check your mailboxes!
And in giant 100 pt. font–THANK YOU JOSEPH AND COLE!
April 14th, 2012 at 12:54 pm
Hi all!
Does any of the die hard RGK fans draw? I can’t draw to save my life, but I have a project that I need some help with. It’s for the kennel. Email me if you can help. greggsx3@yahoo.com
Thanks a bunch!
Now, I’ve gotta go check my mailbox!
April 17th, 2012 at 8:46 am
Got a cool gift in my mailbox! Thanks, Cole & Joseph…Go RGK!!!
April 18th, 2012 at 4:22 pm
I, too, owe a giant THANK YOU for what I received in the mail. A treasure…..