Karla Dann reaches for a dog sled in her backyard and more than two dozen nearby Siberian huskies burst into a chorus of howls and anxious yelps.
Karla Dann reaches for a dog sled in her backyard and more than two dozen nearby Siberian huskies burst into a chorus of howls and anxious yelps.
"They think we're going to hit the trail," she said from her Mackinaw City home.
Dann is one of many organizers of the 17th annual Mackinaw Mush sled dog race this weekend and will enter a four-dog team and race in the competition.
She got hooked on the outdoor sport long ago and since collected 34 racing dogs, though several no longer compete.
"I've probably been running dogs for about 12 years. I went to the Mackinaw Mush and bought her," Dann said while nodding toward a 13-year-old husky named Molly. "She's retired."
Raising dogs takes up most of her time, she said, with rounds of food and fresh water twice a day, along with yard kennel cleanup duty.
Each of the animals has a unique voice that Dann said she can pick out, especially while she's in bed at night.
Dann said it takes a certain amount of passion for the sport and love for animals to keep up with all those dogs.
"It's just being out on the trail with the dogs that does it for me," she said.
About 100 trained dog sled teams will arrive at the Straits of Mackinac and compete in 10 categories, depending on how many and what type of dogs are in the team. Dann said snow conditions are acceptable for races, but additional snow would be great.
The National Weather Service forecasts a 30 percent chance of snow today, with a 40 percent chance Saturday. Colder air will bring increased chances for lake-effect snow, said meteorologist Brian Adam.
Meanwhile, Dann's husband of 10 years, Daniel, said he's busy helping set up for the weekend races and preparing his wife's equipment.
"I'm the support crew. If she needs gadgets fixed or a dog house built, that's what I do," he said.
Races will start after 9 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, with a "Kiddie Mush" at 11 a.m. Sunday for children between three and 12 years. The race site is off Cadillac Street, near downtown Mackinaw City, where all races will both begin and end.
Spectators are encouraged not to bring pets and also not to touch the racing dogs without permission.
Source: Traverse City Record-Eagle
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