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Shageluk Dog Team Stories and Interviews

by the Innoko River High School

By Geraldine, 10th

I interviewed Victor, Sr. of Shageluk (63) about the old town of Iditarod. He said it was an old mining town. He said growing up with dogs was exciting and a lot of fun.

Victor gave me some advise on how to raise dogs.After six mounths of raising the puppies you can hook them up but you have to have a good lead dog that is well trained. His favorite dogs were Lobo, Holikachuck, Red, and Money Lobo. Holikachuk and Red were his three very best lead dogs that he trained. Money was a house dog that kept him company.

Victor hauled water and wood with his dogs. He said they were good for working. He also said that if you hook them up too early they will stop growing. If the dog won't pull it's not a very good racing dog. If you want to be able to race your dogs it's got to be ready to go and never gets tired; thats a very special dog. He had never heard or seen a dog with one blue eye and one brown eye before. He also said dogs can swim and snowmachines can't.

By Geraldine, 10th

I interviewed Elizabeth (83) about dogs. She said it was a lot of fun growing up with dogs but she didn't have a favorite dog. She favored all of her dogs. She used them for working, and that was about all that she said.

I also interviewed Jimmy D (76). He said it was a lot of fun growing up with dogs. Jimmy was raised in Swiftwater Village where he trained his dogs. He didn't have a favorite dog. He has a dog named "Peaches" now. He went trapping and hauled water with his dogs. He said that a good dog is well trained and is a good lead dog. And that's about all that he could remember.

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by Sheila, 10th

Shirley of Shageluk, Alaska, a former musher got to talk about dogs during my interview. She said she hauled wood, traveled to other villages and raced with her dogs. Her favorite dog was the leader of her pack because it had good cooperation. She also Skied behind one dog with shape like barrel skiies. She said if you look in a dogs mouth and its black or if its a scared dog its a good work dog. A good race dog would have big, long legs, hauls wood, and a dog that will listen to you.

Have you ever wondered what a dog thinks when your in a life threatening situation? Here is a story that Shirley talked about. A story about a dog team saving two peoples life. One day Phillip and Robert were out mushing their dogs. They were crossing the river when suddenly the ice started to break and the sled started to sink but the dogs didn't stop they kept on going. The dog team saved them and the sled from sinking. The last question I asked her was what is better about using dogs fo transportation than using a snowmachine? She said you get to see more of the country and dogs don't break down like snowmachines do.

by Jarrett, 6th

My mom,Flossie said her mom used dogs to get wood long ago and ride place to place. They always use dogs long ago. Her favorite dog was named Sparky. She was a good watch dog. She stayed in the house all the time. They used to have dogs pull them when they were on skis.

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By Anna, 10th

I interviewed Betty Howard about how she use to use dogs. She says it was alot of fun riding in the sled. They used dogs for just about everything hauling wood, ice, traveling between villages, checking traps and snares. Betty used to like skiing behind her dogs and letting them run beside her while she was skiing. Judge, Etheana, Rickeshaw, Recardo and Afrididay were her favorite dogs. When she first ran them they all got tangled up and she let them go while they were still tangled up. I asked her, "How do you know if a dog will be a good work dog?" She says if its easy to train when the dog is young. A good race dog listens good and is able to run long distances without getting tired easy. The last question I asked her was, "Where can dogs go that snowmachines can't?" She responded, "All over."

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By Tracy, 10th

I interviewed Victor Sr. from Shageluk (69). He said he heard some stories about the old town of Iditarod. It was spooky and haunted and \ did not know anything else. Victor Sr. had stories about growing up with dogs. "It's really exciting growing up with little puppies, lots of fun when the puppies get to know them and each other," he said. His favorite dogs were Peaches, Lowbow, Money, Red, and Holikachuk. Holikachuk was one of his favorite leaders. They used to go to 7 mile and Holikachuk by dogs. Anvik people used to invite them over to play fiddling for all the elders,and they'd have lots of fun. They would head over by their dogs. If they hitch the dogs up while they are still young, then they won't grow. When dogs would not pull or go then they are no good. Got to be a good dog to race when the dog is wanting to go, and is not a lazy dog. It is still going even when it is tired. That would make a hard working dog. Thats what makes some dogs so special to people. The dogs will swim through an over flow, and will not sink like snowmachines do. Dogs never break down, they need food like dry fish, and meat to keep them going. They don't need gas or oil or anything. The snowmachines break down because they need gas and oil.

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By Matthew , 9th

Myrtle of Shageluk enjoyed telling us about her dogs. She used to have a team of five dogs. Her use of her dog team was to get wood, ice, and do other fun stuff like go for rides and twenty five mile races. She didn't have a favorite dog because she liked all dogs. If you want to know if you have a good dog you will know if you try it out or if it really wants to go it will be a good dog.

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By Tiffany , 9th

I interviewed my Grandma Katherine. She told me how it was like to grow up with dogs and how they used them was to hawl wood and ice. They also used it to trap and also to go traveling from town to town. She had a favoirte dog named Prince. Some other things they did with dogs was ski behind them and use them to go traveling , too. She told me how a dog would be a good dog. You will have to train them and train a lead dog to be a great leader or race dog. Katherine also told me that dogs with different colored eyes are extra speical. Also a leader dog would know where to go when lost. She remembers her favorite dog , Prince had saved somebody. That dog did save her dad when he fell in the water. Then Prince brought him back to shore. I asked her where can dogs go. She said snowmachines can't go is on rough trail. I also asked her, " What is better, using dogs, or snowmachine?" She said that with dogs you won't run out of gas.