What do sled dogs and mushers do during the summer?

A four month old Sobo stretches out across the AC vent in our floor.

We are frequently asked by our clients: What do the dogs do during the summer? Why, they try to stay cool of course. The dogs, especially Sobo, love to lie on the air conditioning vents. We also garden, swim, take in outdoor concerts, visit dog parks, travel with the dogs, and hike during the warmer months. On cool days, we can sometimes squeeze in a very early morning bikejor.

Okemo says: Why don't the rocks float, Mom?

Sobo takes in an outdoor summer concert at Quiet Waters Park in Annapolis.

T-Bone and Sobo romp on the beach at Cape Henlopen State Park during a camping trip.

Sobo and Okemo go for a walk with Eric in Gaysville, Vermont.

So as you can see the dogs stay quite busy during the summer months even if they aren't dog sledding!

As for the mushers, we like to garden, travel, work on our photography skills, and catch up on lost sleep. We are also constantly planning for the upcoming dog sledding season, fixing and maintaining equipment, running pull training clinics, and guiding canicross hikes. Below are some recent photos from our dog yard (aka the garden).

An oak leaf hydrangea in our garden

Evening sunlight illuminates our flagstone wall and a line of hostas.

Lemon thyme growing in the garden

Lettuce growing in the vegetable beds

An ancho pepper plant growing in the vegetable garden

Sobo relaxes under a lilac bush in the garden.

As you can see, both mushers and dogs stay busy during the summer months even if the summer is our "slow" time.