Meet
Josi Thyr
A young woman dedicated to her Seppala Siberian Sled Dogs!
| Name: |
Josi Thyr |
| Kennel Name: |
Silver-Sepp Racing Seppala Siberian Sleddogs |
| Home Town: |
Cataldo, Idaho |
| Occupation: |
Home School Student |
|
Published 9/4/2008
[click on any photo on this page
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I am 14 and live on a farm in the mountains of north Idaho. I am home
schooled and enjoy raising 4-H market goats, helping out on my family's 40 acre "Thyr's Timber Top"
Saanen dairy goat/timber land/Boer goat ranch on top of running Seppala Siberian Sled
Dogs.
I serve on the Kootenai County 4-H youth advisory board, am the vice president in the
Coeur D' Alene River Valley 4-H Club and am a customer service/agent's assistant with the
Mark Thyr Farmers Insurance Agency - serving MT and ID.
I am currently a member of the International
Seppala Siberian Sled dog Club (ISSSC) and the Inland Empire Sled Dog Association (IESDA).
My family and I also volunteer weekly at a local soup kitchen. I also have an older
brother and a younger brother and sister who help take care of the dogs when I'm gone at
livestock shows or fairs. They are an award-winning puppy socializing team! Thanks guys!
Dog sledding is "my" sport--my parents don't do it--so I've learned a lot from
my mentors. I also pay for my dogs so I have learned how to be creative at times!
I started out with two Siberian Huskies who quickly got too slow. My first race was at
Priest Lake Sled Dog Races in the 3-dog Novice Class. My first Seppala was Quest who is
still running on my team. Since then I've bred one litter and bought a few more dogs so I
currently have 11 dogs in my kennel. I have also been sponsored by the CKC (Continental
Kennel Club) for the past two seasons (06-07 & 07-08)- Thank You CKC!
What is your primary sled dog activity or area of
interest?
My primary interest is 6-dog mid-distance racing. I am also looking at doing some
stage racing. I would like to run 12-dog races eventually.
Quest |
How long have you been involved with sled dogs?
I have had sled dogs for three years. I got my first Seppala (Quest) in May 2006,
but before that time I helped handle sled dogs at a local kennel and ran a 3-dog sprint
race. I also had two Siberian Huskies for a while before I got my Seppalas.
What sparked your initial interest in sled dogs?
I got a Siberian Husky when I was 10. From then on I dreamed about training her to
pull! I read everything I could find at the library on sled dogs and went to Priest Lake
Sled Dog races to watch and ask questions.
We lived in town at the time so I trained my Siberian to pull me up and down the street
on rollerblades. I also did a 4-H dog sledding project that taught me a lot. Through 4-H I
met several musher's who taught me about sled dogs and various different breeds of sled
dogs.
If you remember your very first time behind a team of dogs, tell
us about it.
My first sled dog ride was when Jim and Suzie Malcolm invited me to take a ride on
a dogsled behind six malamutes. I have been hooked on sled dogs since!
Who have been your mentors?
My biggest mentor has been Doug Willett (Seppalta Kennels). He answered tons of
questions and helped me get started with some really nice dogs. Lanette Kimball (SeppLok
Kennels) has also has been a huge help answering all my questions and especially last year
helping me "fine tune" my training. Thank You!!
What size kennel do you operate?
I currently have eight adults, two yearlings and one puppy. I am trying to keep
small since I pay for my dogs. I think 8-10 dogs is just about perfect for a 6-dog team.
What type of tether/bowl system do you use?
My dogs have 6 ft chains and get out to play in a large yard once or twice a day. I
use plastic barrels and wooden dog houses. I also have a 10 ft x 10 ft kennel for
whelping/puppies. I use 3 quart bowls for water and feed.
What are the most important considerations in housing sled dogs?
Making sure each dog has its own space and can get out of the sun and rain. I don't
have to worry too much about the cold because it doesn't get that cold here and the dogs
tend to sleep outside of their houses in the snow on most days. I do make sure they have
plenty of bedding though. Another thing I've found out is the dogs really like having a
space that is "theirs" were no other dogs can get to them.
Give us an overview of your feeding program.
The dogs have free access to water and I feed once in the evening. The only time I
feed twice is when I have bones which I give to the dogs in the morning. I feed 50% meat
(beef or venison), 50% dog food in water with some minerals (Mainly Kelp and Redmond's
Conditioner.).
I have been feeding Diamond Natural's Extreme Athlete and Pro Pac High Performance
since this spring but have feed Distance Dog Food, Prism Performance and Eagle Pack Power
before that and had good results. Some times, if I have it, I will mix in heart, liver,
tripe, chicken and tongue. I get meat scrapes and bones from a local butcher. I also have
access to goat milk so I sour it and the dogs love it! I've found that the dogs don't mind
a feeding out of the ordinary once in a while-- occasionally the dogs get rice or oatmeal
mixed in their feed or even chicken broth, soup etc.
Summarize your basic kennel management style.
My favorite sayings are: "Quality over Quantity," "Form follows
function," and "Breed the best and leave the rest."
What breed(s) do you work with?
I raise Seppala Siberian Sled dogs. I prefer Seppalas because they are a pretty
uniform breed that has good drive and pulls hard. Most of my dogs are medium sized and are
easy keepers. They also have very few health problems and good feet. I register my
Seppalas with the CKC (Continental Kennel Club).
What physical characteristics do you look for in your dogs?
The first thing I look for in a dog is a good front end. Then the dogs need to be
well balanced. I like dogs that have a long stride and are medium sized (although I also
like to have a few big dogs on the team). I like to have my dogs pretty well matched to
each other in speed and size.
What mental or emotional attributes do you require in your dogs?
I like dogs that are driven to run fast, pull hard and dogs that are willing to
please. I like my leaders to respond to commands and be able to pick good trails when
running (because some of the trails I run on aren't groomed very well). I like dogs that
are always excited to go and love what they do!
Tell us about an all time favorite dog or two.
Chase |
Wonder |
I like all my dogs but if I had to choose I think my favorite dogs would be my leaders
named Chase and Wonder Woman. I got them as yearlings. Chase was really shy and Wonder was
really outgoing. Chase was pretty much trained to lead by another leader Moonbeam (another
favorite) and has become very bonded to me.
One of my favorite things about Chase is that he will do anything for me! I would have
never thought that he'd make a leader but he has proven me wrong by leading in all my
races last year!
Wonder was a "born leader" and led with Moonbeam my first year racing! My
favorite thing about Wonder Woman is that she is smart and seems to know what I will want
her to do before I give a command!
I have only bred one litter (another one is on the way) but this is what
I did with the first litter:
What criteria do you use for selecting breeding stock?
Any dog I breed must be off a good team and have a proven record. The
parents should both be well built and have good attitudes toward running.
Do you use any pre-training evaluation of puppies?
I free-run the pups as soon as they are old enough to go. I look for speed
and desire to be in front. Another thing I like is the pup to grow pretty evenly and not
have too many "awkward, unbalanced" stages as they grow.
What method do you use for starting pups?
They are tethered before they go on their first run. I hook them up at about 4-6
months in a steady team with good leader (pups running next to each other) and go really
slow on a mile run. By run #10 the pups should be running all the way.
What is the most important thing you look for in a young dog?
The best thing a pup can have is the desire to run (and love to run!) and
to pull hard.
At what point do you decide a youngster is likely to make it in
your team?
Because I need to stay small, I look at the pups during free-running and
narrow it down to about two pups. Then when I harness break I look at them very closely
and pick one or two that seem to be the most promising.
 What is the
training/racing philosophy of your kennel?
I have very demanding (up or down) trails that are pretty technical.
Because of this my dogs must be able to switch leads quickly, be about the same speed down
hill and be agile. I would rather over train than under train but I still must keep it fun
or else the dogs get bored. This means in Oct. I will sometimes go back to 2 mile runs or
take a week off. It is not ideal but I work with it and have been able to get it to work.
I have learned to flexible - to change things if it is too hard for the dogs or too easy!
I also add a little weight during snow training since I run an 8-10 dog team and run back
to back runs frequently.
Do you have specific training goals for your team(s)?
I like to give all my dogs some time in lead during fall training and move
the dogs around quite a bit- figuring out who is best with who and where they run best. I
also try to get to 600 miles on the dogs before the first race.
Once we are on the snow I still rotate them around quite a bit but try to do several
different "race lineups" on the longer runs. About a week from a race I run the
lineup that I will be racing on a short (5-10 mile) run. I also try to get the dogs to
keep tight tuglines and a good pace the whole time- especially at the end on a 20 mile
run!
What do you consider most important to accomplish in training?
Getting a good base on the dogs before the snow hits. You shouldn't be
doing last minute training a few weeks before the race- I learned that by experience my
first year- you don't want the dogs to burn out!
Also I think that you should run back-to-back runs quite a bit all throughout training
- I even have run 3 days in a row and it really helps you decide who to keep if you trying
to decide between two good dogs! Another thing I try to do is keep the dogs focused on
running fast by not running too many slow, long runs.
What is the most indispensable training equipment you use?
I use everything on my sled or 4-wheeler but I really love my flexible
sled! It is so much easier to handle than a stiff sled and much safer.
How do you choose which races to enter?
I try to go to races that are 20-25 miles x 2 days. I also like to go to
races that have a purse. With high gas prices I also look at the traveling distance - I
try to stay within 3-8 hours. My favorite race is Conconully Snow Dog Super Mush in
Conconully, WA.
What are your strengths as a racer?
I do my research.
What do you consider your weaknesses, if any?
I am inexperienced.
Do you have a mushing career goal?
I would like to always get within 110-105% of the winners time at races. I
would also like to run the Jr. Iditarod.
What does it take to win?
I think it takes training, good dogs and good feeding- along with a good
sized kennel with 3 + litters a year. And really good leaders!
What is your vision of the future of sled dog
sports?
I think it will grow as more sports for 1-2 dogs (Canicross, Bikjoring
etc.) continue to be developed.
What can individual mushers do to support and promote the sport?
Take good care of their dogs, make sure people are educated about what
sled dogs really do and how they are cared for. Too many people see sled dog movies and
then think that mushers treat their dogs bad.
What part do clubs and organizations play in sport development?
Help educate the public about sled dogs and the sport of mushing -- school
demonstrations, fair booths, etc.
What advice would you give a beginning musher?
To start out with quality vs. quantity. If you have to spend a little more
up front (whether it is on feed, equipment or dogs) it is worth it in the long run. I was
fortunate to start with several good dogs that are still on my team - even thought I had
no idea of what to look for or what questions to ask!
Also finding a good mentor to answer your questions is a huge help!
Tell us about one or two of your most memorable
sled dog experiences.
One of my most memorable dog sledding experiences was when we went out on
an afternoon run. The dogs were really excited since they hadn't run the day before, so
when my mom and I left the truck the dogs were going really fast. Moose frequent the trail
so as I was looking around for moose in a small river that runs next to the trail I saw
three elk were standing in a perfect line watching us. I wish I had a camera! They started
running up stream, and ran along side us for about ½ mile. I remember thinking "if
we had been on a snowmobile we would have missed the whole thing!"
I would like to see more junior mushers running dogs in 6-dog classes
and 8-dog events.
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