Soul Touched by Dogs

Welcome to the Soul Touched by Dogs
Podcast, the show for dog lovers who

see dogs not as toys or tools, but
wise souls worth our respect and care.

I'm an Herrmann, and I'm your host.

I talk to poor some humans, people who
do great work for dogs and their people.

So come and join us for
today's conversation.

Anke: Hello, and welcome, TC.

I'm so excited to hear you.

That's

TC: no joke.

I I'm actually very,
very excited to be here.

Like I said, I've never done anything
like this before, so I'm excited to

share Some of my life with dogs with you.

Anke: Love it.

Love it.

So yeah.

Well, let's just dive straight in.

Where in the lovely world are
you, And, uh, what does your

life with dogs look like?

TC: I am currently, um, outside of
a tiny little town called Willow In

Alaska, which is about an hour and a
half north of Anchorage, um, kind of

between Anchorage and Denali National
Park, if people are familiar with

With, uh, the state at all, and it is
a balmy 12 degrees Fahrenheit today,

which is much warmer than it's been.

The last Couple weeks, we've been down
in the minus 30 to minus 40 range.

Um, so it's nice and lovely and perfect
perfect weather for dog sledding.

Dog sledding.

It's

Anke: like I mean, I always like,
when I hear it, I think of movies.

Right?

So, you know, I'm

TC: curious.

Anke: Well, how did you get started?

And and, you know, and then How
does it like, what do you do?

Like, you're you know, obviously, I
know, like, you're not racing or, like,

there's no sort of Nothing competitive
and and and kind of pushy behind it.

Right?

So so where do you go with the dogs?

TC: Yeah.

Well And what's the So I I
kind of started this adventure.

Um, I've had dogs my whole life.

And, um, you know, we grew up
as kids with Labradors and, you

know, the the classic family dog.

And I've always been quite curious about
sled dogs and the working dog breeds

and and, you know, Traveling through
the woods with your best friends just

always has kind of appealed to me, but,
um, I was always a little cautioned and

and put off by The possibility that it
might not be a a good thing for the dogs.

And so as I as I grew and matured, um, And
finished my master's degree in college.

My mom, my sainted mom, who puts up
with so much from all of us, Asked what

what what I wanted to do to celebrate
that, and I told her, you know, I

really, really wanna go on a dog sled
trip, but not Not the tourist kind

of trip where you're pampered and and
you just go out for a couple hours.

Like, I really wanted to delve into this
and see How the dogs worked and talked

to the people who train them and actually
take a trip from 1 point to another

point To see to see how what it looks
like and how how it feels day after day.

So we went up to the Wind Rivers of
Wyoming and took a week long trip, um,

Um, where we went through the mountains of
Wyoming in January, you know, in the cold.

And I remember 1 night, mom, You know,
was sleeping next to me curled up in

in you know, they they put straw down
to insulate you between the snow.

And she rolled over and her whole
eyelids were you know, her eyelashes

were Frosted over, and she said,
you could have asked for a cruise.

You know?

But by the end of it By the end of that
week, um, both of us were completely

enamored with with everything about
these dogs and the absolute Joy that

they had to be working in harness and
traveling through the backcountry,

and it's So quiet and so peaceful.

It's not like the movies where
the dogs are barking constantly.

Like, they just move so quietly, and
it it's almost like you're Part of a

of a pack moving through the woods,
you know, and you it's just such an old

way to travel and And such a such an
interesting way to to bond with the the

dogs that are moving you through this
wilderness that that it just it just

grew Into a lifestyle, essentially.

So here I am.

So now you

Anke: spent the winter in Alaska.

Right?

And So where do you go with

TC: the dogs?

Yeah.

Well, first of all, like, no sane person
would choose to spend a winter in Alaska.

It's it's Pretty hard.

So, um, you know, between the cold
and the snow and the isolation and the

dark, It it can be pretty rough for a
lot of people, but the dogs, you know,

having sled dogs, and we had Sled dogs
for a number of years in Colorado.

It kind of pushed us to explore
our, You know, our own limits, the

you know, like, what what can I
actually accomplish with these dogs?

And and, you know, how can I grow To help
them do the thing that they love the best?

So, you know, it kind of has evolved
over the years into this, I guess you

could say all consuming lifestyle,
but, you know, it's just what we do.

And no.

We we're not racing.

We don't We don't have a tour
operation or anything like that.

All of our dogs come to us,
um, from different sources.

So we're not breeding them, um, You
know, they they generally are coming

in as older dogs, you know, somewhere
between 6 and 9 or older than that.

Um, Currently, the we only
have 2 of our 15 dogs that

are younger than 10 years old.

And, you know, so so it's kind of
an older group of dogs, which has

its own challenges and benefits.

But just like People, you know, as we
age, keeping active and keeping mentally

happy is a big part of Quality of life.

And and this is what does that
for this particular breed of dog.

Um, and so that that's my goal is to
To get them out, to go explore, um,

to travel the way they like to travel.

Um, you know, our Our philosophy
is we never make any dog we

never make any dog do it.

We walk out.

We ask them if they wanna go.

If they're excited to see their
harness, we put them on them and off go.

And if we get out there, it's not fun,
somebody's not having a good time,

me, 1 of them, whoever, we come back.

It's it's you know, there's no There's if
it's not enjoyable, then we don't do it.

And, um, it it's kind of amazing
how we've grown together as a

team over the years It's ours.

Anke: It sounds like a
retirement home, like, a luxury

retirement home, so let don't

TC: start.

It is what I wish.

You know?

I hope In my old age that
somebody goes, hey, TC.

Wanna go for a hike?

And, you know, if I'm, like, excited
to see my hiking boots, yeah, let's go.

You know?

Getting out.

I don't wanna I don't wanna
be sitting in a house.

I wanna be I wanna be doing
and and exploring and learning.

Anke: And I think that would be
It's probably true for any person or

any dog, but especially sled dogs.

You know, I think you don't
do them any favor if you put

them in a house on a couch.

Do

TC: you?

Well, you have to honor the breed.

Right?

So if you have a dog who has been
bred over generations To fetch and

retrieve, then that's what they wanna do.

They wanna play ball.

They wanna play stick.

They wanna, you know, go get
something and bring it back to you.

If they're bred to herd, then
that you know, that's that's their

genetic component is, you know,
I wanna keep the family together.

I I wanna keep the ducks together.

I wanna keep The socks together,
whatever whatever occupies their

their brain that fills that need.

And so if you have huskies, They are you
know, their breed to honor their breed

is to allow them to run and harness.

You know?

They they want to go explore, and
They're a very high energy dog.

They're you know, I have a 14
year old that is running 25 to 30

miles every day, and he loves it.

He's the first 1 in line to
have his harness put on him

because it's it's what he loves.

And he's happy and he's healthy And
his brain is active and, you know,

he's he's just a very happy dog.

So I think, you know, being able to
give them what it is that They need

to be mentally happy is is important.

Anke: I love that.

I love that.

Actually, now I had a look at,
um, at I took I took a class.

And, um, what surprised me a little bit
as as a, you know, like, as Somebody

who kind of loves no idea, basically.

You know?

Um, they didn't all look like huskies.

So

TC: most people are familiar
with the Siberian husky, which is

the AKC recognized breed of dog.

Um, and they are, you know, they're the
ones that you see in 8 Below or snow dogs

and dog shows where they're They're very
fluffy and off often, you know, black

and white or gray and white with a mask.

Face.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

What we have and we we've had
Siberian huskies, but what we have

right now are all Alaskan huskies,
which is its own breed of dog.

It is genetically different than
a lot of other breeds and that

they have adapted to their job.

Um, but they are strictly
a functional dog.

Um, so they're you know, the the decisions
that are made for breeding an Alaskan

husky is, Do they pull a sled well?

Can they survive the cold?

Do they eat well?

You know, can they maintain
their what they need to do

before you know, to do their job?

So you start seeing dogs that, um, kind
of throwback to gold rush era where, You

know, whatever dog greater than 35 pounds
was basically kidnapped and brought up to

to move materials into the the gold era.

And if if they pulled well, they were
bred and made more dogs to pull well.

And if they didn't pull well,
then they weren't bred, and That

line of dog didn't continue on.

So you do see throwbacks to, you
know, shepherds or Retrievers.

You know, you'll you'll see some of
the the throwback lines, um, you know,

and then they they're bred with the
The village dogs, which are coming

from, you know, as more of a indigenous
background and and bred into that.

So they're They're distinct, but they're
not recognized by AKC because nobody's

bothered showing 1 because they're busy.

They're working.

Anke: So are they actually, um, are
they still like, I remember this

this movie I saw where they where
they were used to, you know, be

the post delivery kind of thing.

And they would kind of even you know,
they would transport and deliver the stuff

when no when, you know, when no other Kind
of means of transport would get through.

Is that still a thing?

Like, is that still

TC: done?

In many, many places, yes.

So, um, Alaska and probably a lot
of kind of the northern part of the

world, um, there's only You can only
drive to about 10 percent of Alaska.

The rest the 90 percent of Alaska is
not accessible by the road system.

You can't drive there.

You have to fly Or snow machine or
ski or walk or use a river or take

a dogs dog team where you wanna go.

So, um, You know, there there's a big
cultural significance in having sled dogs.

And, you know, we we just experienced,
like I was saying, with our cold Nap

or we were down to minus 46 degrees.

Snow machines didn't start.

Cars wouldn't start.

Yeah.

Anything made of plastic
would shatter and fall apart.

Bungee cords, like, lost their bungee.

And but I can go out and and,
You know, hold up a harness,

and my dogs are ready to go.

So, you know, they they still
they still have a purpose.

Um, and I think it was up until the
19 sixties or maybe early 19 seventies

that Mail was still being delivered
in Alaska by dog team to some areas.

Um, so, yeah, there you know,
a lot of people are still

hauling freight with dog teams.

Um, people are working
trap lines with dog teams.

People are going from
place to place by dog team.

It's, you know, it's
by just a way of life.

I love it.

I

Anke: love it.

So how do you so, obviously,
these dogs, they can't,

TC: you know, gin

Anke: like, they're bred to do the thing.

You know?

But there's still an element where they
need to be taught something or not.

Like and how do you go
about teaching these?

I mean, are they easy to teach or
are they, like how do you You know,

like, you always hear about the, you
know, the the the famous lead dog.

Like, how do you teach a dog
to be the lead dog of a of a

TC: Obviously.

Um, you kinda tap into
what's naturally there.

Um, and I you know, we because we get
dogs from a lot of different places,

We work with the dog you know, every
dog gets a chance to be a lead dog,

and sometimes that Works out really
well, and sometimes it's a disaster.

But, you know, we What does it mean?

Anke: Does it mean, like, the the the
the sled flips over because the lead dog

pulls in the wrong direction or what?

Oh, no.

No.

No.

No.

When they're going We have
when it goes well or doesn't.

TC: We have 1 little 1 little dog.

His name is Buttons, which He came to
us with that name, and he he likes it.

That's fine.

He is a wonderful dog.

Beautiful dog.

So happy.

Everything makes him happy.

And he is 1 who is just
not born to be a lead dog.

So if I put him in lead, He turns
around because he's so very, very proud

of himself to look at me and bark at
me about how happy he is that he's in

lead, but he's not actually leading.

That's what I mean by, yeah.

No.

That didn't work out so well.

We'll try it again in a little
while and see if see if he

he can focus a little bit.

But they're just like, You know,
a a classroom full of kids where

some kids are better at 1 thing.

You know, this kid is better at math.

This kid is better at science.

This kid is better at athletics.

And you just, you know, you tap
into that and figure it out.

Um, and we work we work a lot 1
on 1 with them, Um, especially

during the summertime, that's a
great time to give them that mental

stimulation because they're not
running in harness during the summer.

So if you're keeping their brain active,
then they're still Learning and, you

know, having their their world enriched.

So that that's when we do a lot of
training them that means left and g

means right and, you know, don't bite
the ropes and don't don't be my friend

and, oh, you know, important important
things for dogs to know, You know, that

the neighbor dog walking back and forth
isn't really a reason to be barking your

head off at, you know, whatever time.

But maybe the bear coming in.

That's okay.

So it it's, you know, it's
always a work in progress.

It's nothing's perfect, but, um, it's
it's a fantastic Adventure for all of us

to to teach a dog to to do something new.

Anke: I love it.

And I mean, I don't know.

At least in my experience, it's like,
it doesn't matter how old they are.

Like, don't really like, this thing, you
can't teach it all, don't new tricks.

I think

TC: that's rubbish.

I'm No.

You know?

No.

No.

And, Morgan, the the 14 year old that
I was telling you about, um, he he has

run-in wheel pretty much his whole Racing
career before we got him, which wheel

is the position right in front of the
sled, and it's an important position

because that is the dog that's doing
the bulk of the steering of the sled

With with you, the human, on the back.

So they're the you know, usually,
the the dogs that that are in charge

of of A heavier amount of that load
and really negotiating a turn because

if you if you cut the turn short,
then you hit the tree or whatever.

You know?

Um, so for years and years and years, that
was that was his position that he ran.

And, randomly, I put him up in
lead At the ripe old age of 12 or

something, and he, you know, he'd been
listening to me talk all that time.

And so he knew what it was when I
said, that that meant to go this way.

And when I say gee, it
meant means to go this way.

So he he's processing all that.

They're very clever.

Wow.

That's fascinating.

Anke: Yeah.

Yeah.

I mean, I guess he would I mean,
you know, he's close to you.

He would have heard you all the time

TC: anyway.

Right?

Yeah.

Yeah.

And, you know, you you work to
establish a a kennel culture.

So So you have a system of, you
know, this is how we behave.

This is what we do.

These are our customs.

These are our traditions.

You know, this is how we work together.

These are the expectations,
that kind of thing.

So, you know, we actually have a little
kennel culture, which is different from

other people's Cultures in their kennels.

And and so when they come in,
they kind of they kinda learn

the rhythm of life with you.

Right?

And so they they figure it all out.

They are clever, aren't they?

They are very clever.

Anke: So you were saying, like, in in
summer, like, They don't like, they

can do they can do cold, but they can't

TC: do heat.

Yeah.

They they're like I said,
they're genetically developed

For this work in cold conditions.

And so, generally speaking, if we get to
around 50 f, um, 50 degrees Fahrenheit,

They they are very prone to overheating,
um, and so we don't ask them to do any

sort you know, they they self regulate.

They have a big yard That they can run
around and play and and they they play

during the the cooler parts of the day,
in the morning and in the evenings.

But during the heat of the day,
uh, you know, I don't ask them, You

know, they get to lay in the shade.

Um, you know, they have water troughs
that they can swim in and and,

you know, Lots of trees that they
can kinda just get out of the sun.

They they dig these big dens and
go underground where it's cool.

So if if you if you don't
want to have big holes dug in

your yard, don't have a husky.

That is

Anke: fascinating.

Actually, reminds me,
like, a friend of mine.

She's got a She's got this dog and,
like, you know, sort of a big breed.

Who knows what?

But the eyes are very much
husky, like, and the fur and

stuff, and she loves digging.

She will always dig a little,
like, under bush or something.

Next thing you know, like,
she's done with something other.

TC: I mean, it's it's a natural
behavior of dogs to dig.

So, you know, they
they're just being dogs.

They're not they're not being naughty.

They're just they're just
digging a hole like you do.

And that's

Anke: the thing.

And she doesn't I mean, with her,
you specifically you kinda you

can see clearly that it's not,
like, a nervous Kind of whatever.

It's like, no.

No.

She digs the hole and
then she lives into that.

Like, she literally does it for herself.

TC: Like, it's not much Yeah.

It's like it's nice Is it cool as well?

Anke: Like, no.

No.

She kind of, like, I wanna be
cool cool in here, and, yeah,

that's exactly what she does.

That's fine.

TC: Yep.

Yep.

Yep.

Like I said, they're they're not stupid.

No.

Anke: No.

Not at all.

Not at all.

I think I think we often, Yeah.

I think we underestimate what they you
know, how much they pick up and how

much they actually process and learn and

TC: yeah.

Well, and they're they're so much better.

Dogs are so much better at speaking
human, at communicating with humans

than humans are communicating with dogs.

And it it just blows my mind at how
how good they how well they train us.

You know?

Like, it's 6 o'clock.

Where is my dinner?

You know?

They don't have to say
that in English words.

They they're telling you, like,
hey, person with the thumbs,

please put some kibble in my bowl.

That would be great.

Thank you.

I I I don't like, I sometimes

Anke: wonder, like, how on
earth because, like, yeah.

I mean, my dogs know

TC: exactly when it's, Like,

Anke: how do they know?

You know?

How do they know when it's their time?

You know?

TC: It's trying to so well.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

It is.

I you know, they do.

They sit and observe us, And,
you know, they they watch.

They know.

Like, if I go out this door with with the
jacket that I that I wear when I'm taking

them for a sled ride, They know that that
jacket means we're going for a sled ride.

You know?

And and if I walk out in my chore coat,
they know, oh, well, she's just coming out

here to feed us or scoop the yard or play
with us or whatever, but but it doesn't

mean it doesn't mean we're going for it.

Right?

Anke: Yeah.

So where can people go and, um,
you know, connect with you and

find out more about what you're

TC: doing?

Uh, Yeah.

I've got, uh, we have a blog that that
has been going For, I guess, 13 years

now, um, kind of kind of talking about
our life and and, you know, back and

forth between Colorado and Alaska Good.

And how we manage it and kinda get
you familiar with the dogs and and

what we do and some of the some of the
challenges that we face over the years.

Um, and I think you'll you'll link to it,
but we we are the Oda Roloc sled dogs,

um, which is Colorado spelled backwards.

See, I've got my Colorado backwards.

Anke: That's funny.

Obviously, I'm gonna put the link,
you know, if you watch it, and the

newsletter's gonna be below here.

If you listen on the podcast,

TC: Yeah.

Yeah.

And you can also you can you can
also find us off of Facebook.

Um, we do have a Facebook page that
kind of I try to update with with a

lot more day day to day type things.

So, um, yeah, I I would love to love to
hear from people and answer questions

that Folks might have and, um, you
know, really, really, uh, drive home

that the you know, these dogs are
very, very happy with what they do.

I I can't even imagine What job I
would have that every day when I saw

my harness, I would be like, yeah.

We're going again.

Anke: Bring it on.

I don't know what that job is.

Oh, I don't know.

I think it's like to me, it sounds like
you've got the best job in the world.

TC: Well, this This is this is a lot.

It's a lifestyle.

I don't I don't make any money
off of them, you know, but and

and I kind of want it that way.

Like, you know, they're They're my family.

I you know, they're they're my joy.

They're my happy place.

And people sometimes ask, well, you
know, do you consider Alaska home

or Colorado home, and I always tell
them, home is where my dogs are.

You know?

Where wherever they are, I'm home.

If we're out on a sled up the
river somewhere, that's my home,

you know, where my dogs are.

Anke: Love it.

Love it.

Well, thank you so much.

Uh, that was an absolute delight.

And, uh, you know, I'm definitely
gonna follow your Facebook Paige.

And I hope to have you back at some point.

Absolutely.

With your attention.

Yeah.

Very happy to chat with folks,
and, um, thank you so much, Anka.

Awesome.

Thank

you.

Thanks so much for listening.

If you enjoyed the episode, don't forget
to subscribe, and leave a review so

other dog lovers can find the show.

If you haven't already, head
over to soul touched by dogs.

com and sign up for weekly doggy cuteness
tips, recommendations, and personal

stories to warm your dog loving heart.

And if you know a pawsome human
you think I should interview,

I'd love an introduction.

Email me at Anke.

That's A N k E at Soul
touched by dogs.com.