April 29

Wow---when was the last time I wrote on this thing>?>? Zoya is in Wisconsin, (pronounced: wwhiz-conn' zin, if you're from there.....). Anyway, she'll be back in just a few short days, (good, 'cause I miss her); and so do the dogs; I'm working on the cabin so don't have enough time to spend with all of them, or so they think.
We have the Puck back in the yard. I left him loose yesterday and he went over to see his buddy Gabby and sat by him all day until feeding time. Hunter and Sebe are still loose from yesterday. You'd never know it because they are both just lying on their houses; it must be spring. Demon is finally learning that he does not have to spend every second trying to live up to his name. Hunter visited him last night while I was standing there and they just sniffed noses---The Demon actually moved away, a first for him. There was a time when we almost gave up hope for that dog, but now it seems he is making giant strides toward becoming a normal dog.
We still have fair snow; snowmobiles running around looking for bears, the snow in the yard requires the snowmobile except early mornings when it is frozen. The Denali Hwy. opened to here on the 26th. It is open, sort of, to 49 mile. The River is running a bit of water on the surface, just over the tops of your bunny boots. The ice is solid though, should have another week or two before it thinks of leaving us.
Birds are arriving. Swans have been here for a few days, they were in Paxson on the 7th. Juncos showed up 5 days ago, a few sparrows; Tree and White-crowned. Heard a myrtle warbler singing this morning. One single Longspur---way late for them. The gyrs have been around for at least two weeks, likely much longer. No ducks yet, but open water is scarce.

The new t-shirts are on order, also hooded sweatwhirts, some new colors too. They will be available by mid-May. The Calendars should be here by the end of May. Some really cool pictures in it.
There are still some empty houses in the Boarding yard if you need dogs boarded. We are also still looking for summer help, full or part-time.
Well---back to work on the cabin; nice to take a short break though. John

View Image Gallery ! atalaska.com/zoya/

We're in Anchorage today getting set to head back to WI for a short visit.
It's like summer up this way; already 34F this morning. Back at
Maclaren--this might be the high later in the afternoon.

Clark Mishler just posted the image gallery from our shoot
2 days ago at Maclaren. They are gorgeous, and fun-some of my
personal favorite images are on page 5-6..the images of me playing with the dogs..
The "big kid" pictures say it all. I hope you enjoy.
Zoya

shooting pictures for Women's Health magazine

Clark James Mishler from Anchorage was hired by
Women's Health
to shoot images
for their
Sept. issue which will present a special feature of me and
my {crazy }sled dogs.
The photo director at WH mag
described in a nutshell the exact kind of
picture she wanted.
This is a woman with a
vision of what she wants.

"We need one killer shot, must be vertical for an entire page, one
killer shot that says "this is who I am and what I am all about "
must be fun, natural,
action packed
& not poised."

How do you capture "The entire story" in JUST 1 picture?
Honestly, I wasn't
sure about this but now after working with Clark,
I have faith.

Clark and his assistant met John at Meier's Lake
Roadhouse
yesterday around 4pm.
I stayed back to care for dogs,
cut fish, clean the yard, and get things in order
for the shoot.
I didn't know
what Clark would have in mind but I wanted to be
be ready for anything. I had several sleds ready to go,
different colored
sled bags ready, different style sleds to choose from,
4 teams ready to roll and several trail options to offer
with varied back drops of mountains and more mountains.
John met the guys around 4, phoned back to me and were
headed back to the kennel
by 5.


They would drive to milepost 26 on the Denali
Highway and park their rigs
and hop onto a snowmachine and stand- up sled
for the remaining
17 miles.

Around 6:30pm, I knew that they must be close.
The dogs in the yard could
hear the engine coming and together they howled
in unison until the machine & sled arrived.


I hurried to put on my work boots as they pulled up.
After a quick handshake,
a brief introduction- it seemed as though
we were all on the same page and the chemistry
was right!
"Terrific!"
This is an important part
of shooting images, creating magic, and
making things happen!
We were hurrying to get the ball rolling
with limited daylight.
Within 20 minutes I was out with my dog team,
John was driving the snow
machine
loaded with the 2 guys, their big expensive
cameras and precious lighting equipment.


I ran the team on my race sled, the sled
I built 3 years ago.

Sadie and Henry in lead, Storey and
Sebe in swing,
Bligh and Hunter in team and
Harley and Wilbur in wheel.

The dogs were literally leaping in the air
4 feet high screaming to go.
We headed up Sevenmile trail which is only
a few miles from the kennel
and from there Clark would shoot
from the big black swaying sled behind the
machine snapping hundreds
of images as we sledded over
the Gin Gin 120 and Taiga 300 race
mountain loop--- our home trails, through
gorgeous back country Alaska. We were among
the rugged mountains,
crossing

frozen sloughs with snow, ice, sky and
amazing evening light capping
the mountain peaks in shades of orange
and pink hues.

We had a
fantastic time with the dogs, Clark & his
assistant.
The total
shoot time was maybe around
4 hours.
I was just doing what I normally do-
running dogs on the
same trails we
always run on but this time,
someone was taking our picture.
I guess it hit me last-night that
this was for Women's Health mag.
Very exciting for our kennel and our rescue
efforts.
We stopped for a good hour on the trail as the sun
set behind the
mountain ridge
and I played with individual dogs like I
normally do at home--"Storey" was jumping up
to greet me at eye level,
"Sebe"  as serious as can be. "Capt.Bligh" giving
me kisses,
and "Hunter" in my lap! Sadie at my side,
looking at me with
her big brown eyes.

It all felt so natural and I think Clark
truly captured some of those magical moments
we have with dog.
Those playful images were among the favorites.
We had a good time out there talking and laughing-
they really had me cracking up.

We had
the opportunity to view some of these pictures
on a large TV screen last
evening and both John and I fell in
love with the images we saw! Clark has
amazing talent and an eye for the "raw-right-now"
in the moment beauty.
I would
have a tough time picking only one image!
The weather was perfect and we
couldn't have asked for a better night
to shoot pictures.


Clark is going to put together a viewing
gallery of the best images
for all to see. We'll post
the link on the website as soon as it becomes
available.

Thanks WOMENS Health for this wonderful opportunity,
thanks John for being the
best supporting assistant/and husband
and
Big Thanks to Clark for taking such awesome
shots of me and the dogs that really say it all
" this is
who I am and what I'm all about" 
in a nutshell.

Zoya DeNure

all things dogs

Spring is in the air alright and so is the dreaded spring cleaning mode we go into each year. What is it about this time of year that sends us into a cleaning frenzy? Is it the extra hours of daylight exposing all the dust, dirt and things that need a good cleaning? I find myself going through heaps of clothing, old mail and outdated files and both John and I stop to scratch our head and wonder "why were we keeping all this stuff?" "Let's pitch it!" We'll take boxes of old cloths, dinged up dishes and old house wares to the transfer station next time we're in town. That feels great! It feels good to simplify! The cabins need a good cleaning and it's time to scrub in every godforsaken nook and cranny we somehow missed in the darker days of winter. It's scary what you find underneath sofa cushions and dog pillows. Everything outside is wet and melting with these 40 plus temperatures. The river trail is going out as you head toward the glacier and old dog pans that were lost and buried in the depths of snow drifts are now found. Small avalanches happen from the top of our roof from time to time sending a loud thud across the sky and a good shake down the walls.

I'm working outside in t-shirt and jeans today wondering where the days of winter have gone. Love sick I am for those days again with dogs on the runners heading into the early part of December. Back to the here and now; I love being outside in the yard with the dogs any day snow or shine--cold days of winter and warming days of spring; cleaning, feeding or just taking time to play--it's all part of the life I love the most. The dogs lay upside down and in pretzel position on top of their houses while the sun warms and quietly hushes them to sleep. They look so peaceful

It's usually about midnight when the evening sets in, the sky is dark and the air is crisp and cool waking the dogs and sending them into a mood of " play with they neighbor" with happy howls, yips and yaps. Just about the time we're headed to bed. And it's always that Zither, North or Pitch dog starting the dang thing. We have 2 fox hanging around the yard again and at night when they think we've all gone to bed--they come in closer teasing the sled dogs and looking for stinky dog dishes to lick clean. Naughty Maudy and Ethan (the round dog) like to give chase. I give into their pleasures and quietly open the door and ZOOOOOOM...........they shoot out like bullets head first blasting off after the fox. You've never seen Ethan run so fast in your life and Maudy---well that dog can almost fly. It's a game they've been playing with the little fur balls since Feb.

Henry has been running the show the last 2 days leading 8 and 10 dog teams out and back on 10 mile runs. If we're hooking up a team --you can count on Henry being right there to let you know that he wants to go right now. Henry is quite vocal. The pups are happy to begin spring training and the older dogs love to just get out and stretch those legs.

Streak loves to run loose in the yard but her rivals Bronte and Bridle were not keen on this yesterday afternoon for whatever reason..? The girls had a little tiff leaving Streak with a minor scrape to her upper eye lid giving her the " motorcycle ridin'- black leather wearin' bar fighten' babe" look today. Not a good look for Streak. She is happy despite the black eye and was asking for another chance to be loose today. Streak is a good little dog with a strong independent side to her and when she meets up with other strong minded female teammates, you can rest assure she will have something to say. This time of year when the snow is melting and we're not running as much on sleds, the dogs are more prone to feel more anxious than usual. We'll start running the dogs on Atv's as soon as early May.

NEWS! We're in the process of shooting professional images for an upcoming promotional Crazy Dog Kennel 2008 calender -- images of Zoya w/her dogs.
Colorful images with a fun and fresh look for your 2008 year.
Watch for some of your favorite dogs in print! Available June 2007
More Soon!Email Zoya or John for more info.

More Crazy Dog Memorabilia!
Logo T-shirts, hooded Sweatshirts, and baseball caps will be available late May and early June. Order online or email Crazy Dog Kennels
zdenure@yahoo.com

In the Magazine NEWS:
WOMEN'S HEALTH MAGAZINE
Zoya and her Alaskan dog life will be a feature in the September 2007 issue of WOMEN'S HEALTH magazine.

hmmmmm what else?

We're working on a spring newsletter to come out shortly. If you don't receive it by email or post please look for it later in the month on the website homepage.
Our website will be going in for surgery here soon- there's been changes made on dates/prices for our custom spring sled dog tours. Look for updates on the "dogs for sale" page as we have an updated list of good dogs ready for adoption and or sale. The homepage will have a new look as well.

Race related News: The Yukon Quest board has approved the Taiga Spring Break 300 race as an official qualifier race. We're still waiting to hear from ITC at this time.

GIN GIN 120--Women's Distance dog race-----will be going through some major changes for 2008. We'll be making some important race announcements in June on dogsled.com and sleddogcentral.com


travel girl.
I am getting ready to head back to the mid-west for a family visit later in the month. I probably talk to my Mother at least once a week and my Grandmother too. It's always a treat for me to go back and visit with my family and friends from my other home away from home in Alaska. Always hard to leave home, John and the dogs the first day away but I adapt well once I'm headed in the right direction. I always bring a few pictures of John, the dogs and the dogs along to share with anyone willing, my cellphone in case he calls and laptop in case I need to write something down. Crazy a little? Maybe! We're hoping to take a fall road trip together in September. By then we hope to have a good handler with us at the kennel. It's hard to find good kennel help living as far out as we dis this winter and this year we couldn't seem to find anyone willing to work or that was worth it as far as handlers went. We've had good help in the past but this year was tough and so we're having to make some small sacrifices this month, just part of life.

We are so grateful for our life with dogs and it's just amazing to be able to live how we live and where we live and everyday I kiss all the dogs and everyday I give thanks to the dear universe for making all my dreams come true.

We want to give thanks to Theresa Daily at Daily's Web Design for her ongoing support! She does a terrific job on the website- we're proud to have her as a friend and sponsor.

Love your friends Zoya, John and all the Crazy Dogs

Clyde, Zoya and Catania

"dogs"


"A GIRLS BEST FRIEND"

The sweet days of spring!

the Denali Hwy and zoya

Spring is in the air.

On our way back home/Maclaren from Paxson-town yesterday by snow machine, the road is melting out from underneath us- the snow that is! The first 20 miles aren't quite good enough for a dog team with exposed pavement, lots of rock and ice and overflow in the ditches. 42 miles to go over snow, paved-road, dirt and rock! After mile 22, the snow is Good going and one can really accelerate. Lots of Caribou on the road enjoying the warmer temperatures.

We had the big sled towing behind us carrying a dog in a crate, dog food, 2 dozen eggs, 3 gallons of whole milk, cereal, bags of clothing, ski poles, camera's, canned goods, fresh fruit and veggies, box full of sled dog pictures and Zoya's new bikini and skin care creams.

Always fun & never boring.

Crazy Dog Kennels Hiring Summer Help Now!

Interested in working with sled dogs? Caring for puppies? Have fun this summer with dogs! Summer duties include daily dog chores, assisting in tours, rides, and gift shop sales. Crazy Dog Kennels opens to the public May 15th- Sept. 20th. Hours/ 8am to 8pm daily.

We provide private cabin with immaculate views & small stipend.

We are located at mile post 42 Denali Hwy. Drivers License a must. Must Love dogs. Hiring now through September.

Beginners salary may change after a 30 day probation period. Email Zoya for more information. Serious inquiries only please.

Zoya DeNure
zdenure@yahoo.com

post race life of Our sled dogs

Bridle and Zoya (the finish of the Taiga 300)

Sled dogs? House dogs? Spoiled dogs? Best of both worlds!

Sebe!

HAPPY EASTER 2007

FROM TOKYO AND THE GANG
AT CRAZY DOG KENNELS!

Bridle & Sebe at the Finish Line (Wolverine) 57 hours and 53 minutes/ 3rd place.

Bridle (to the left) ran single lead for nearly 90 miles of the final leg home. Sebe (her partner in crime) was excited to take charge once we made the turn back onto the Lake Louise lake system knowing we were close to 'home". From behind the team, 3 sets back, little Sebe was "gee and hawing" the team in the right direction--this was my clue it was time for her to go back up and support Bridle for the final 20 mile run into Wolverine.

Most of my team members had "hit" a mental block when we left Maclaren for the 2nd time and last leg heading for the finish line at 4:45 am in the morning prior to our finish. My team slowed from 10 mph to 7 for 48 miles, not because they were tired but because they thought we were going home to the kennel. The morning was long and what would normally take us 2 hours, took us 3 1/2... pushing us back from 2nd to 3rd place in the final standings. My team wasn't pleased with running past their home kennel and camping next door within sight & sound of their houses and dog friends, twice. This was a great challenge to overcome and I'm very proud of the dogs for working with me through it all. Miss Bridle is one heck of a lead dog and I can't thank this little dog enough for pulling us through when things got tough. Sebe is about as stubborn as they get, small, tireless and stubborn. She's clever and again, another awesome lead dog I couldn't leave home without. Within sight of the lodge, my eyes got a little teary for having completed my first 300 mile dog race. This was very special to me! I thanked all the dogs with kisses first and then...fish snacks.

Probe & Hunter......."fish snacks please?"

Maclaren River/Taiga 300.

checkpoint: Maclaren (110 miles from Wolverine)

This picture was taken on our first layover at Maclaren River Lodge. I had just arrived and was preparing to rest the team for our mandatory 6 hour rest. Molly and her team are to the left.

Zoya's race team on Lake Louise leaving Wolverine

Taiga 300

Hi to everyone; I am just in off the Taiga trail. I am running ahead of the teams on my little Tundra snowmobile. It is sloooowwwww as snowmobiles go.... The 6 remaining teams in the race were all scheduled to leave the Wolverene Lodge checkpoint between 11:15 p.m. and just after midnight. Dan Kaduce was in the lead and appeared to have a very strong team. Zoya was running 2nd and reported that all of her dogs looked good. She used Sebe and Sadie in front for the first leg. Re-routing on the first section reduced the distance of the run to 52 miles. Dan Kaduce ran the trail in 4 hrs. 13 minutes. Zoya's time was 4:30.
Dan left Wolverene at 11:25 and arrived at the Maclaren checkpoint, (111 miles farther up the trail) at 12: 13 p.m. the 3rd. He rested at the confluence of the Tyone and Sustina Rivers for 2 hours. His team looked very good on arrival at Maclaren. All other teams were resting as I passed with the expressed intent of staying at rest for 4 hours. Zoya arrived at the Tyone/Sue confluence about 1 hour and 15 minutes behind Dan in 2nd position at that point. Becca Ross was approximately 15 minutes in back of Zoya. Look for updates on dogsled.com The temperature last night was 10 below, but it is warming today and is currently +15 at 2:00 p.m.
The trail is excellent, very fast. More as the race progresses. John