A black and white sled dog looks up at a tall gangly human who holds her leash as they walk down a paved path near a lake

Nala practicing her new retirement!

I try really hard not to cultivate anger and hate because I know it can eat you up. But fuck these people.

Hugging them very tightly. (They are saying ugh I'm playing leave me alone!!!)

I don't get it.

Two sled dog heads close together with snow on their noses. They are both resting their forepaws on the cameraman

I got to help take care of Lincoln and her brother Mungry when I was up at @ataokennel.bsky.social a few years ago. They were still puppies!!! I bonded pretty hard with both but especially Link

And to do this.

And them, waiting.

I am so heartbroken. Nothing is okay.

And this is not okay.

Until this. All of the disgust and fear and anger from all of this; the pain of the world and the pain that we have crafted for ourselves and imparted on others; the horror of what people can do, roils up in me now reading this. It chokes me.

As ever, the dogs are the ones who break down my walls.

I've been online in waves these last years and especially the last few months, coasting on horror and then separating myself to find some semblance of mental health. I don't cry. I don't rage. I just nihilistically read.

There's news today out of Willow that I do not want to directly share. You can look it up if you want. Extreme TW, harm to animals.

I feel like I should have thoughts but what I have is this absolutely flooring grief.

Yes

Update: the subject of the update is getting an update (read: bath)

My friend asked this too and I was like what do you mean... LOL it's just extra spill over paint, just supposed to be a relaxed hand but 😆

From Shawn: the TR 100, and a Special Update! | ATAO Kennel Get more from ATAO Kennel on Patreon

An update from Shawn about their race this season, and some exciting news!

@goggdog42.bsky.social

It even makes me laugh

Haha!

Trying to remember to share little pieces of joy. Here's Emmy singing her retirement song.

The camera makes her nervous so I was trying to keep it relatively hidden by my body. She's still shy but look how far she's come!!!

A rock is painted as a man wearing a red and white striped shirt crouching awkwardly while he pushes against a door. His shirt rides up just a little to show the slightest butt crack

The "front" view of a rock that is painted as a man wearing a red and white striped shirt crouching awkwardly with one hand out to push and the other curved as though resting against an invisible barrier. His eyes are squeezed shut with effort

Top view of a painted rock door stop. The rock is painted as a man wearing a red and white striped shirt crouching awkwardly while he pushes against a door. His shirt rides up just a little to show the slightest butt crack

Rear view of a painted rock door stop. The rock is painted as a man wearing a red and white striped shirt crouching awkwardly while he pushes against a door. His shirt rides up just a little to show the slightest butt crack

Shawn hates when their bathroom door doesn't stay fully open so I made this little doorstop man for them. What should we name him?

@gogogreyhound.bsky.social

Just feeling a little nostalgic, today😌

Jones turns 7 soon, born the same time as my 1st 4 favorite sled dog pups. They're the "Sayings" litter, to friends Will & Shawn🥰🥰 @ataokennel.bsky.social @goggdog42.bsky.social

Tater, Kevin, Lincoln & Mungry💙💙❤️💙, plus extra Tater🥔 on the side😁

So proud of Sofia the truck for making it to Iditarod even when we could not. Todd would be so proud 🥲

And extra shout out to @goggdog42.bsky.social who saw me running down the driveway with my moose protection but questionable outer wear, and trudged after with a coat and gloves

A sled dog team crosses under a tall train bridge on a crisp sunny winter morning

Eight sled dogs in harness bark and jump as they wait to take off on a race

The race arch for the T-Dog sled dog race stands proudly over the trail sporting banners for sponsors

She's off! Sarah @persistencemushing.bsky.social and the Great Eight have hit the trail for the T-Dog 50 starting in Nenana! It's a beautiful morning for a mush!

Rebel - Cassidy
Maynard - Boomer
Link - Maverick
Goose - Astro

Onward!!

@goggin.bsky.social !

At least someone is enjoying this insane snowpocalypse

A screenshot of Silver Ace Dog Kennel's Fb that says "Love this community! Yet another magical moment on our local trails. (No this time it wasn't the Ghost of Jenny M lol, or the Windigo I thought it was) Look at this goodie box! Fellow local mushers Will and Shawn set up an awesome grab and go goodie box stand for the Yukon Quest Alaska dogsled race that just passed through town this weekend. Like the candy cane Christmas tree I posted about a few weeks ago this is just another example of this loving community. Mush on!" There is a picture of a team of Alaskan huskies mushing through the snow.

#SpreadLove @ataokennel.bsky.social @goggdog42.bsky.social

Dear white people • Writings – Bayo Akomolafe For as long as I can remember, I have always been white. Like you. I just didn’t know it.

This is a beautiful piece of writing from 2016, by Bayo Akomolafe, and it definitely still resonates today / probably will for the next few centuries.

Understanding this reality is vital.

I don't know if I believe a new and better paradigm will exist while I'm alive, but I have hope the reality of this one will become actually clear. The call is not coming from inside the house; the call is and always has been the house.

A while back, @gmtminus7.bsky.social sent us a huge box of medical supplies. We continue to use that stuff and so appreciate it every day! Today's contribution was some needed medical tape to put a bandage on Potato's hip (before the vet wrap)

A black sled dog stands in a cluttered work room filled with mushing equipment and dog beds. The dog wears a cone that is comically large, and a red vet wrap around her hips and waist.

A black sled dog lays on a dog bed wearing a comically large cone and a red cumberbund of vet wrap, looking adorably dismayed

A screenshot of a text from Shawn to Will that starts with a photo of potato the sled dog sniffing a recently sleeping Shawn from on top of them, framed by potato's huge cone. Under the photo Shawn writes, "William." Will replies, "did potato break into your house?" And then a moment later "wait what"

Potato has incurred a Mysterious Wound (probably an abscess from a sliver or playing-too-hard-bite) so now she is 1. Stuck with the only cone we have left which is hilariously huge 2. So cute 3. Breaking out of the vet care pen and breaking INTO the house to jump on Shawn while they are sleeping

A text from Shawn to Will reads: Rey appears to have put herself in the bed and is now crying because she's on the bed alone Will reacts with a laugh then replies: That's what she did the other day (laughing emoji) If we are not in bed petting her what is the point

Rey the sled dog lounges on a human bed

Meanwhile, at home

Opinion | I'm a Minneapolis sociologist who studies violence. Here's how ICE observers are helping. Research into how violence occurs shows that disapproval from the people around you can help reduce it.

"[T]he vast majority of men are only willing to engage in public violence if they feel like the people around them will approve of — and reward them for — that violence.

ICE Watch works because it surrounds men seeking approval with people loudly expressing their *disapproval.*"

CW: Sexual assault