This is what the 24-hour mandatory stop does to the race, it scrambles the leader board in the middle because individuals get to decide when to take it.

Susan Butcher was successful because she understood and bonded with her dogs. The dogs were willing to do whatever she wanted because it was “fun” and there was food at the end of it.

In the 2009 Quest a young musher totally misjudged the food he would need for his team, and they just quit. He understood what happened and told people that he failed the dogs. The dogs didn’t trust him anymore, so they wouldn’t pull. If you don’t make your best effort to understand your dogs, you might finish the race, but you’ll never know how fast those dogs will run, because you gave them no reason to run fast.

Every time they stop, no matter how tired they are, the best mushers take the time to care for their dogs and to praise them all. Dogs don’t need a lot from humans, but they had better get what they need.

Things DO change fast, well, at least from my perspective. I’m sure the mushers would beg to differ…

At least the dogs have better weather for them. Enjoyed reading your take yesterday from the dogs point of view. I could see exactly what you were talking about. I can only imagine the look that some of these dogs must give their mushers, as in “you want me to do WHAT?”.