Meet the Gebhardt Team

Following are some notes about the dogs that will be on Paul Gebhardt's 2008 Iditarod Sled Dog Team.  The primary genetics from this team lead back to the incredible leader, RED DOG - who won the 2000 Iditarod Golden Harness Award.  As a yearling, RED DOG led Paul's team in the Iditarod - an almost unheard of feat given the caliber of competition he was performing at. RED DOG went on to showcase his talents leading the charge to one of the fastest Iditarod races ever, in 2000, when Paul took home his first of two 2^nd place finishes.  RED DOG is still healthy and happy, although at 12 years old, he has retired from the long distance racing of the Iditarod.  Instead, he gets his exercise working with the young pups out of the kennel here in Kasilof, Alaska. 
                     (At right  Red Dog as a baby -  He is the white faced pup)

Paul has established a solid bloodline from our Morning View Kennel, and will only occasionally breed outside of our lines.  In addition to the proven genetics of RED DOG, we are now realizing the equally stellar offspring of another leader, GOVERNOR.  While we mourn the unexpected loss of this phenomenal leader GOVERNOR - who led the team to 2^nd place in 2007, has offspring and siblings in the ranks of the team this year that are some great athletes.
  (Below - Governor in single lead preparing to leave the  White Mountain checkpoint in the 2007 Iditarod)

A couple of key traits that you will see in our team this year include the uniform size.  Each member of the team will be profiled here, but overall, the dogs weigh in around 56 lbs. each.  There are a couple of smaller females that bring the average off a little, but for the most part, the dogs are muscled and built as a well-oiled machine.
     Another trait that our kennel has is the reddish tint to their coat and a distinct "wolf-like" build.  Particularly with the GOVERNOR genetics, we are seeing an amber-gold eye coloration that is beautiful.  Those dogs that carry a stronger genetic tie to RED DOG have thicker, deep coats, while GOVERNOR pups have a tighter base coat with pronounced outer "guard hairs". (at right: Paul with Governor)
    
Some of the notable females in the kennel that have nurtured the litters of puppies are SEAL, SUZIE and TESSA.  Of these, TESSA will be on the 2008 team. Paul's primary leaders in the 2008 race will be HOUSTON and BEAR

Houston, at 7 years, is the oldest dog on the team. He is no stranger to the trail, although a slip on the ice early in the 2006 Iditarod sidelined him just 200 miles into the race. He finished the 2007 Iditarod leading with Governor.  Houston is a steady leader with a hard head.  By this, I am referring to his steadfast determination and ability to navigate in less than ideal trail conditions such as wind.

Bear is a big dark male that weighs in at 63.2 lbs. He crossed the finish line on the 2^nd place team in 2007 in the swing dog position, although he shared the lead position with Governor much of the race.  He is 4 years old this year, and as a neutered male, he is as solid as they come. One unique thing with Bear is that he does not like you to pet his head.  He has a very interesting marking along his head that almost resembles a crown.  You can rub his back and pet him anywhere else 'til the cows come home, but just stay away from the top of his head.  He loves a good massage down the spine and will lean right into it. He also leans right into the harness too!  Bear is a key player on this year's team, and will be in lead

Lieutenant at just a year old is a true rookie when it comes to the Iditarod Trail.  He is a direct Governor offspring, and other than his light colored coat, has many of the same attributes as his father. Lieutenant  weighs 58.2 lbs. and is a lanky, intelligent athlete.  He has been doing quite a bit of leading in training with the other dogs, although at his young age, it is unlikely that he will get to see a lot of that action in this year's race.  Lieutenant has proven himself worthy of  making the team this season, even making the cut over veteran finishers.  I would point out that Red Dog was the same age in his first Iditarod, and he blew the socks off any theories regarding the competitiveness of a team with young dogs.  Lieutenant shows tremendous potential, and with Paul's reputation of excellence in dog care, I don't think he could go wrong.

Tessa (aka TESS) and Thor are the next two dogs in the roster.  I put these together as they are littermate siblings.  At four years of age, Tess has a bright white coat, while Thor has markings and coloration very similar to Red Dog. These pups were from a breeding we had done with a dog from former Iditarod Champion, Dean Osmar's "Cook Inlet Kennels".  Tess and Thor are a couple of athletes that have enthusiasm to spare.  Both of them are versatile team dogs, that run up front or towards the back.  Both have leadership capacity, but what stands out for Tess (Female 58.8 lbs.) and Thor (Male 57.5 lbs.) is an almost uninhibited approach to life.  They are happy, competitive dogs that love people and what they do.  I recall Paul telling of Thor's rookie run to Nome.  At the checkpoints, when the team was supposed to be sleeping, there was young Thor, trying to climb around the snowbanks and play with the children from the villages.  He was the same way when he reached Nome - after having just raced 1100 miles on the 3^rd place team!             (At Right - Paul with Thor)

Black Dog is one of those rare dogs that I can only describe as being "tactile-allergic".  He is a true anomaly coming out of our kennel, because he quite literally does not like to be touched.  He does not like to be pet, he does not like to be massaged - just let him put his harness on and then he has FUN.  It is almost like an alter-ego for him.  There is no apparent reason for this aversion to touch that we can determine, but he will tolerate Paul working on his feet and little else. His littermates were gregarious canines from birth, in the same measure that he was introverted and shy. Fortunately, he puts all of his focus into racing when he is on the trail, and at 5 years of age, Black Dog is a strong foundation to the team. He is not an exceptionally long-legged dog, so his weight of 53.7 lbs. is clearly indicative of a solid muscle mass this season.  Black Dog is 5 years old, and trust me folks, there is no teaching this old dog new tricks - I have spent HOURS AND HOURS trying to change Black Dog's behaviors towards humans, as have many other hopeful individuals, but to no avail. He will concede to let me gently pat him on the head a couple of times and he runs loose and gets hooked up like the other dogs with no problems, but he sure is at the polar end of the spectrum from Tess and Thor in terms of wanting affection!

Goldie too would be an exact opposite from Black Dog.  I think in another life she was a cheerleader.  I will never forget the reaction of the vets when Paul's team had crossed the finish line with yet another Top Ten under their belts.  Down at the Nome dog lot, the vets need to assess all the top teams, in part to determine the recipient of the Humanitarian Award.  Paul had just crossed the finish line in 3^rd place, and Goldie was literally bouncing around like a dog that just ran out the front door to go for a frolic in the park.  The vets were amazed and it was all I could do to get her to settle down and take a nap.  She was, and still is literally a "ball of energy".  I would note that Paul was awarded his second Humanitarian Award in the Iditarod that year.  Goldie was on that team, and weighing in at 54.3 lbs. this year, she will be leaving the starting line at the race-prime age of 6. Goldie did get a sore wrist and was dropped in the 2008 Race at the Ruby checkpoint

Madlin (or sometimes we call her Maddy) is another bubbly little female.  Weighing in at a solid 49.3 lbs., she is 4 years old.  She has a rich chocolate marbled undercoat with reddish highlights that many women would pay a ton of money to reproduce at the salon. Maddy loves to be around people plain and simple.  She thrives on attention and if I could envision any dog sleeping curled up on the pillow next to my head it would be her.  (But sorry guys -  I think our house cat Mrs. Kitty would not agree to it - she draws the line in the sand at the bedroom door for canines!)  Madlin is a good team dog, and can easily run in swing. Madlin was the first dog dropped from the team. She is also already back home at the kennel.

Duke. Now if there were a dog that I would describe as being deliberate, it would be him.  Duke seems to approach this whole mushing thing from an analytical mind that identifies the most efficient way to get the job done.  He is a leader in tandem with other dogs, At 4 years old, he has seen the burled arches quicker than many other teams - crossing the finish line in the 3^rd and 2^nd place teams the past two years respectively. He is a dedicated athlete and the kind of dog that you want pulling for you when the going gets rough. When he looks at Paul, I see the unspoken element of trust.  Duke weighs 58.4 lbs.

Hag (Haglund) is a dog that we did not raise in our kennel, but rather purchased from the Mackey line.  True to his lineage, he is very animated and loud. His deep black coat bears extremely long guard hairs, and he is a leggy male.  He weighs 57.9 lbs. and is running this year's Iditarod as a 3-year old. During the summer months, Hag has a strange habit of turning his dog house over.  I can flip it up correctly so that it stands on its legs, and Hag turns it on its side right away.  We can play this game for hours. Hag can also run for hours.  In the 2007 race, he was part of the team that changed the definition of long distance racing when Paul's strategy proved its self on the Iditarod Trail.  With Hag in the team, Paul tag-teamed much of the race with Lance Mackey's team.  Implementing the strategy that Paul had devised, the two teams gobbled up the competition by reducing their rests and running further.  What is a testament to the level of dog care and the abilities of the dogs, is that not only did they pass the competition, they continued to widen the gap and ended up taking first and second place at the finish line. 

Skunk - tell him he can't do it and by golly, this guy will go out of his way to prove you wrong.  (Hmmmm kind of like Paul!) Seriously though, Skunk is about as a determined and strong-headed dog as they come. He is a 3-year old, that weighs in at 56.3 lbs.  It may be in part due to his age, or genetics (he has the same parents as Governor, just a different year) but one thing Skunk has is a real need to be "top dog".  He may not be the biggest dog on the team, but he likes to think he is and then some. He can be a little bit of a hot-headed dog at times, but when he focuses his energies on the trail, he is a force to be reckoned with.  Whenever he gets back from a run and it is time to head back to his dog house, he always manages to take the long route which affords him the opportunity to be big gruff guy with a chip on his shoulder as he makes his way home.  Paul just keeps him in his place with a quick "knock it off", and then Skunk moves on.  Because of this, it is not likely that Paul will pair him next to one of the females on the team, to mitigate the testosterone driven antics of this young dog.

Cat will probably NOT be the dog next to Skunk.  She is in season now, and will be on the tail end of it when the race starts. This is the cause of much angst and frustration for mushers, as the male dogs in the team will focus far too much on the lovely ladies rather than important things like say…. Eating, sleeping, running… And of course the lovely lady dog will just be keeping her eyes out for the most available bachelor around.   Cat is a 5-year old that has finished multiple times with Paul, so she is very integral to the team, even though she is the smallest dog weighing in at just 41.7 lbs.  I often thought we should have called her Bunny.  She has these tiny little ears, and is the color of the little wild cottontail bunny rabbits I used to see as a kid in Minnesota. (Cat did not go on the 2008 team - only in Anchorage at the Ceremonial Start)

Tinker and Weasel are the other smaller females on the team.  Tinker is 4 and Weasel is 3.  They weigh in at 44.5 and 45.7 respectively, but do not look at all alike.  Tinker closely resembles Cat, although her ears tip down and she has a slightly larger frame. Her coat is rougher than Cat's, or than Weasel’s soft, fine fur.  Weasel actually gained some racing experience last year running on the trail with Andy Angstman of Bethel.  She has been having a good season this year, and only missed the cut from last year's team due to her age. (Tinker only ran in the Ceremonial Start of the race this year.)

Marshall certainly wouldn't be considered one of the smaller dogs on the team. Tipping the scales at 58.3 lbs., he was the littermate brother to Governor.  (as was Madlin). At 4 years, Marshall made his debut on the Iditarod Trail in the 3^rd place team in 2006.  He thoroughly engaged the volunteers in the dog lot in Nome at the end of the race - as he LOVES to have his belly scratched.  He will sprawl out his big black frame to have his belly rubbed any time you are willing.  Sometimes it even makes it hard to get a harness on him, as he would rather spend a couple more minutes doing that instead.  He had a particularly good year working with our great helper, Tyler this season.  Marshall was on Paul's team out in the Kusko 300 in January.  Paul finished that race with 13 of the 14 dogs he started with, which makes Paul very excited about the team that he brings to the Iditarod starting line. Marshall did not run the 2007 Iditarod due to a shoulder that came up sore just before the race start.  Like all the dogs on this year's team, any such incident will sideline a dog again this year before it even leaves the yard to head for Anchorage.

Crazy - got his name because Paul named him and not Evy. He is just a good young dog, that at 3 years has even tested the waters as a leader in training this season. He weighs in at an even 55 lbs., and is one of those dogs that gives you everything he has all the time.  His coat is a brownish red color, and he has the trademark long legs from our kennel. (As of 3/10/08, I am guessing this is the dog Paul dropped in the Kaltag checkpoint)

Philson is just a clown.  At 7 years of age,  it may be partly due to his lack of intelligence and happy-go-lucky attitude that he is still just hanging in there with the young guys.  He is going blind due to cataracts, but with his anchor spot in the middle to back of the team, he does fine. He just goes with the flow, and is a gifted athlete that moves lightly on his 59.9 lb. frame. Philson has the strangest coat of any dog in our kennel.  Rather than being thick, or glossy, or even pretty, it is actually pretty coarse and homely looking.  The beautiful part of Philson, is that this doesn't matter to him. He has the ugliest tail in the dog lot and he just smiles (REALLY!) and does his thing. He knows that this is the Iditarod and not the Westminster Dog Show. (This is the big dog that Paul carried in his sled going into the Cripple checkpoint.  Philson is already back home in the kennel!)

Vardon  this year's Iditarod Official Race Program has a photo of two strawberry blond dogs nestled together taking a nap.  That would be Vardon, and his sister Dolly (Gee, do you think Evy may have named that pair… dolly vardon….)  Vardon is a stout 5 year old that is from a mixed breeding we did with a male from Dean Osmar's kennel named Shark.  His facial features remind me of a bull dog.  Vardon tips the scales at 59.6 lbs. and after a shoulder that had him sidelined much of the mid distance season, he came back and is looking fantastic now.  Dolly will not be on the team this season, so you won't be seeing any shots of the two of them together in the program next year.

Echo was one of two pups born several years ago when our son in law at the time was serving a tour of duty in Iraq.  In honor of the Alaska Marines Echo Company 4^th Recon Battalion, Echo and Recon were named.  That same year, Paul carried two wooden oars (a symbol of the Marines) strapped to the sides of his sleds his entire way to Nome. The two pups were born late that year to Suzie, and with Red Dog as their father, this makes them the same genetic mix as Governor. (brothers but not littermate brothers)  While Recon is a huge horse of a dog, Echo is 53.9 lbs., and will likely make the cut when Paul selects his final 16 dogs for his team.  Echo shares Governor's coloration and leaner build, and is really coming into his own these last couple of weeks. (only ran the ceremonial start in Anchorage)

Cougar rounds out the list of the 20 dogs that will make the drive up to Anchorage for the start. He weighs 59.8 lbs. Cougar would never win any awards for being the smartest dog, and for whatever reason, the other dogs have very little tolerance for him.  We were discussing this, and one theory that came to light was the primal elements of a pack of wolves that for better or worse, still flow through the veins of these canine athletes. Since Cougar is not a smart dog, it is almost as though as a pack, the rest of them would sooner he not be around them.  Their instinctive selection process has dictated that he is not worthy of them. He is definitely "low man on the totem pole" as far as the rest of the team is concerned, but at 4 years old, he has enough ability and drive to deserve consideration.  At this point, Cougar is purely a back up contingency dog.  For the welfare of the team as a whole, because of their obvious disdain for Cougar, Paul probably will not take him on the final team.  He may make the Ceremonial Start run in Anchorage, but unless some catastrophic tragedy occurs, I don't think it is likely that he will make the "final 16" cut. (he also only ran in Anchorage as well)

The final 16 on the 2008 team:
Bear           Houston
Skunk         Hag
Duke          Marshall
Philson        Black Dog
Crazy         Thor 
Lieutenant   Madlin
Vardon       *Weasel
*Tess         *Goldie
*these are females