Husky News

NEW BALTIMORE — Sled dogs didn't literally pull the kids into the room, but a 16-dog team likely could have handled the 115 who came to a program Wednesday in MacDonald Public Library.

Two-year-old Siberian husky Avalanche weighs 38 pounds, owner and program presenter Kevin Batchelder said, letting her walk around the stage.

“She can pull 10 times her own weight. Any idea how much that would be?”

There was a long pause as the kids, from preschoolers to older elementary ages, thought.

“Heavy!” one finally said.

Weight limits, dog “jobs” and racing apparel were part of the session in the library's monthly Wonderful Wednesday free kids' program series.

Batchelder of Clay Township has owned sled dogs for nine years and works in the Times Herald's custom-publishing department.

Beth Bagley-Stanton, a community program coordinator at the library, had him do a similar program in 2003.

It's linked with a national “IditaREAD” theme that gives libraries coordinated materials such as bookmarks. The Iditarod sled-dog race is run each March in Alaska.

“The theme of IditaREAD is another way of getting kids to read, and dogs have kind of a natural connection with kids,” Bagley-Stanton said.

Preschoolers such as Trevor Reno, 4, of Ira Township proved that true as they inched up the steps to pet Avalanche and let her sniff and lick their hands.

Trevor came with his grandparents, Frank and Beverly Reno of Ira Township.

“I thought it was marvelous. It was obvious that the children were very interested in it as well. Very educational,” Frank Reno said.

Lucas Schodowski, 11, of New Baltimore said he learned about the commands mushers use and the positions on a team.

“I learned the wheel dogs are the strongest dogs,” Lucas said, referring to the dogs who run closest to a sled.

Contact Hillary Whitcomb Jesse at (810) 989-6277 or hjesse@gannett.com.

Source:
The Times Herald