Kashwitna Kennel

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The trails have finally dried out enough to run, but now we're waiting for the weather to cool back down before taking a...
06/07/2026

The trails have finally dried out enough to run, but now we're waiting for the weather to cool back down before taking any teams out. Serious training is still a few months away, but we always enjoy getting the dogs out whenever conditions cooperate.

In the meantime, there's been no shortage of projects around the yard. The dogs are all blowing coat, which means plenty of baths, brushing, and fur flying everywhere.

This weekend, Matrax joined us for a kayak outing and Kash participated in a puppy class. Even when we're not logging miles on the trail, it's rewarding to get the dogs out and experience new things with them. Every adventure is a chance to build confidence, learn something new, and strengthen the bond we share.

05/04/2026

With the trails still a bit muddy, we’ve been getting the dogs out for one-on-one time on the bike path. Even Matrax, currently the youngest in the kennel, has been putting in the miles. But don’t let his gentlemanly demeanor fool you… Matrax has plenty to say when he sees the big dogs hooking up without him! He can’t wait to join the pack on training runs later this season.

This past weekend we wrapped up our race season with something a little different — the Easter Fun Run. It’s not your ty...
04/07/2026

This past weekend we wrapped up our race season with something a little different — the Easter Fun Run. It’s not your typical sled dog race; it’s a two team relay with a points system that factors into overall finish time. We entered to have some fun and to give the young dogs some exposure.

It was their first ride in the dog truck, their first time on the stake‑out cable, and their first chance to take in all the sights, sounds, and excitement of a race environment. The older three pups (Kash, Chena, and Iceman) raced, while Matrax — just five months old — came along purely to soak it all in.

Emily ran the first leg of the relay with three adults and one puppy, and Josh ran the second with two adults and two puppies. We are so proud of how the pups did! They handled the noise, the energy, and the new experiences with confidence and curiosity, and they absolutely thrived. And to top it all off… we brought home 4th place!

As the snow starts to melt, we’re already looking ahead. The future is bright here at Kashwitna Kennel, and we can’t wait to see what next race season brings.

04/01/2026

Spring is starting to take hold… which means the days are getting longer and warmer! We’ve been running small teams to try out different dogs in lead, and today it was our 8.5‑month‑old pups’ turn! They absolutely crushed it. The season may be winding down, but watching these young dogs shine has us fired up for what next year will bring.

We had a fabulous weekend helping out at the Jr. Iditarod!Though the kennel didn’t have any dogs running this year, the ...
03/04/2026

We had a fabulous weekend helping out at the Jr. Iditarod!

Though the kennel didn’t have any dogs running this year, the mushers were hard at work behind the scenes to help everything run smoothly. Emily has served on the Board of Directors for many years after racing herself in 2010 and 2011. Josh has been volunteering since 2022 at the checkpoint and also sews the sled bag for the champion sled which is built by Sled Dog Systems.

Race weekend finds us stationed at the halfway point at Yentna Station Roadhouse — Emily as Race Judge and Josh as Checkpoint Assistant. In this photo, you can see the teams parked in the tree maze at the checkpoint. Shout out to Whitney McLaren Photography for the awesome drone shot!

02/21/2026

Our pack is our family. Whether they’re born here or welcomed into the team, every dog comes inside and becomes part of our home. If one ever gets loose, there’s no worry — they know exactly where the house door is. Open the door, and they’ll happily lead you straight to the couch.

That early bonding matters. Living alongside us builds trust, confidence, and connection. It shows up on the trail, where they run as well-rounded dogs deeply bonded to their musher and to each other.

[Left to right: Chena, Matrax, and Kash]

02/15/2026

We took Kash and Chena out for their first official run in harness. I don’t even know if we can call it harness breaking because they immediately settled into their job. They knew what they were born to do! We are super excited to watch them grow and can’t wait for them to join the race team in the future.

Meet Polar! At just one year old, this sweet girl keeps amazing us. She started with the race team a few months into fal...
02/14/2026

Meet Polar! At just one year old, this sweet girl keeps amazing us. She started with the race team a few months into fall training, but it was as if she hadn’t missed a day! After only a few runs towards the middle of the team, she quickly made her way to the front and proved she’s a natural leader. She may seem shy at first, but the moment the harness goes on, she absolutely shines. Watching her confidence grow has been so special, and we look forward to the many years to come!

Goose Bay 150 starts today. While we don’t have a musher in the race, we do have a couple dogs! Seuss and Polar are runn...
02/08/2026

Goose Bay 150 starts today. While we don’t have a musher in the race, we do have a couple dogs! Seuss and Polar are running with some friend’s teams. We wish everybody the best on the trail!

Today we did something a bit different. I (Emily) am a school teacher. Often I tell people that I chase students by day ...
02/04/2026

Today we did something a bit different. I (Emily) am a school teacher. Often I tell people that I chase students by day and dogs by night. Today we combined both those worlds. Myself, Josh, and 10 dogs headed out to join one of the high school classes for day one of their multiday Outdoor Recreation field trip. I don’t know who had more fun… the kids or the dogs!

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Willow, AK
99688

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