Posted on 03/16/2020 12:08:28 PM PDT by Morgana
Raymie Redington, 75, has three children who have run the Iditarod, which is a pretty great track record. But his dog Bison, 8, definitely has him beat.
Bison is one of Alaska’s most popular stud dogs, with litters of pups in at least 12 Iditarod mushers’ kennels, including those of three former champions. Several of his pups are running in this year’s race, Redington said. How did this dashingly handsome athlete — “all heart,” as Redington called him — become mushing’s most eligible bachelor?
The answer is a combination of genes, timing, a sportwide trend toward traditionalism and a very agreeable stud.
Bison, who got his name because he resembled a baby bison as a puppy, has an auspicious heritage: his paternal grandparents won the Iditarod with Jeff King, while his maternal grandfather won four times with Lance Mackey. But it wasn’t until Nic Petit started using Bison for races, and breeding to him, that lightning struck. His dogs were reliably eager, happy, friendly and great eaters, and other mushers took notice.
Redington, whose own father helped found the Iditarod, is a lifelong student of sled dog genetics. “When I go back to all the (race) horses, there’s only a few horses that ever threw anything at all. Secretariat, they bred 450 times and never got anything worth it. That’s how it works. So I like a dog, I don’t breed to him. I breed to his dad.”
Similarly, when other mushers liked Petit’s dogs, they bred to Petit’s dogs’ dad. The only issue that came up: “Bison throws big dogs,” Redington said. “A lot of people probably don’t like that. But if you breed a small female, they ain’t monster dogs. They’re just right.”
(Excerpt) Read more at adn.com ...
"Dogfather" Hehe
Dogface pony soldier
“...and great eaters, ...”
Haha!!! Every dog I’ve EVER had has been a “great eater”.
With that being said, I have mixed feelings about the Iditarod due to the toll it takes on many of the dogs no matter how well they are supposed to be taken care of......
heck of a story and put a smile on a old hunters face...we love our tree dogs and am thankful for the breeders who breed the dogs we use. really love animals that have jobs.
ALASKA PING
FEEL GOOD STORY
Will the finish be televised?
He looks smarter than most politicians seen on TV recently.
Wife bred her female poodle a few times to sell puppies. We called poodle “the hairy dog-mother.”
Gorgeous boy!
We began following the Iditarod several years ago when we were homeschooling. The kids have met a musher and we still follow his team. They are all grown now.
My daughter texted today that there was a sportscast on the radio today and they only sport they mentioned was Iditarod but it was clearly obvious they knew absolutely nothing about the sport.
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