We are Mushers and we are Proud

Mushers are a generally misunderstood group of people, often quiet, reserved individuals…not always fans of large groups or society. People don’t understand how we can travel for miles into the wilderness, with only the company of our dogs on our team and the love and support of our families and handlers, who become family, at home rooting for us to be safe and return home victorious. The public doesn’t understand why we have so many dogs, how we can possibly know all of their names and how in the world can we possibly take care of ‘all those dogs’.

We in fact find a society within our kennels, with our dogs, fellow mushers, and all the families involved. What they don’t understand is that ‘all those dogs’ are our family, our village, our hearts living outside our bodies. We not only know their names, we know their personalities, when they are happy and when they might be sad. We learn their quirks, insecurities and where we can work with them to be their very best. We know them, and they most certainly know us. It’s not a chore to take care of them any more than it’s a chore to feed, clothe and nurture our human babies.

This is a lifestyle, not an occupation a career or a business. We are a community of people, children, dogs and nature. A lifestyle lived by few and understood by fewer. Our dogs are our coworkers, our friends and a furry neck to nuzzle when things just get too hard in the world. They understand us and we them. We fit into a space all our own, the dogs not quite dogs and the humans not quite like everyone else. But in that space, we all find our home, together.

I was not raised a musher, I married one. He wasn’t raised a musher, but he was born to be one. Few answer their call to follow this passion, this lifestyle, and even fewer make it their true life’s work. Who are we? We are tough, we are compassionate, we are true animal and nature lovers, we are happy with little, but will give everything we have to a visitor. We love our lives, our dogs and our lifestyle. Many will misunderstand us, and that’s ok… But we are Mushers and we are Proud.

Gina Phillips
Krabloonik Dogsledding
Snowmass Village, CO
November 7, 2016