Meet the Musher: Tommy Bird

Tell us a little about yourself and your kennel.

My kennel layout 3 pups pens.....female pen ...male pen...6 feet hight fence all around. ..feed shed in there a walkin freezer 8x10....2 meat grinders. ..other shed for storing straw ......we have 40 running dogs and try to get 2 litters a year .....only keep what we could manage all the dogs are training.

What introduced you to dog mushing? What was your first experience like?

We indian people we were born in to the dog mushing ....as a child in the community where we live everyone had a dog team ....where ever we go in the winter we use a dog team ...as kids we play with pups .....at new years day we watch the trappers race for bragging rights.....we indian people are very emotionally. ..spiritually. .connected to the dogs .....when I was old enough to have my own dog team ..my dad sat me down and tell me. ..the dogs you going to have have feelings ....when hungry they feel it ...when they need water they feel it .....when they are cold they feel it ....our elders told us never mistreat a dog by not looking after it .....

Describe the dogs on your team. What about them do you enjoy the most?

Dogs understand you ...when you're going though something in life emotionally. ....you have to understand the dogs you have in the team ...and the dogs have to trust you ...you're not going to ask them to do something that there not train for it ...going for training runs you have to make it fun and the dogs are happy to do it ...I stop many time to pat the dogs and play with them to let them know. .hey it all cool.

What does your training regimen look like? How long are you on the trail with them?

In the fall we start 2 miles easy fun run all they are happy, a lot stops ....then we go 4 miles same thing ..then 7 miles...9 miles...12 miles 14 miles 18 miles up to 28 miles keep add 2 to 4 miles at a time ...keep the dogs happy and easy for them. ...

Ready to hop to fish camp. ..boat ride 50 miles

What do your dogs do in the off season?

Off season...some summers swim....most summer going to fish camp on a boat ride ...after racing season is done ..we go for a fun trip over night ing ...with the youth

What has been your most memorable experience as a dog musher?

Most memorable. .....I don't know where to start ...all my life with dogs ...from a childhood helping my dad on the trapline .... traveling with dogs as a family going to spring camp ...then raceing for 30 year ...made so many dog miles ...meet so many good people ...still today my grand kids raceing ..mu my 3 kids when they were young race ..even my wide race....I have win many races with 1 world championship. ..race from 5 miles to 300 miles ...from 3 dogs to open class.......seeing a team of dogs working as one unit"

What’s your advice to other mushers?

Advice to mushers Make it fun for your family and dogs. ..only have dogs that you could afford and manage .....see u in the trail"