Today we went to Dog Mushers camp, and I must say, it was a LOT of fun! As far as the price went, I think it was a little overpriced, $119 US each, but then again, it's not something I imagine I'll do again. And I do love to spend time with dogs.

These dogs are actual Iditarod dogs, and they live here and train during the year. As most people already know, the dogs love their jobs and they just can't wait to start to run. They carry on and howl and yelp until they get to start to run. When they see one of the trainers walk by with a harness, but nearly fall off the roofs of their little houses in excitement...just hoping that they will be the ones to be chosen.

They live in "dog condo's", each has his/her own home and they stay here when they aren't out running. They have their own bit of turf, and while I felt bad for them being chained, they seemed fine and happy. They liked to hop on their roofs and watch what was going on , and they loved to have us come over and give them a scratch. The trainers were always hugging them and talking to them, and nary a dog would cringe or turn away, they loved to make eye contact and smile at us.

There are 16 dogs per team, and during the off season they are hooked up to these carts and they run up the mountain (towing us) and then down again. Their strength is amazing, and while they are Siberian Huskies, they are not the big, fat white fluffy ones that you see in the movies. Well, most of them aren't, there were a few, but generally, a Siberian is smaller, less fluffy and not as "adorable." But these were adorable to me.