2003 Symposium Schedule

Friday, October 3rd

Noon – 4 pm • Main Floor & Mezzanine

Trade Fair setup in Civic Center
 

4 – 9 pm • Main Floor & Mezzanine

Trade Fair opens for weekend

The trade fair opens at 4 pm Friday and will be open from 10 am to 5 pm on Saturday and Sunday. The trade fair is free to the general public. Your favorite mushing equipment suppliers will be there, as well as equipment and clothing specialists, sled builders, informational booths and much more. Come check out the latest in mushing equipment and publications, talk to company representatives, buy gifts for handlers and kennel mates, and linger over that special item you’ve been thinking about for the past year.

4 – 8 pm • Lobby

Early-bird registration and preregistration check-in

Avoid the Saturday morning rush! Our staff will be standing by to check you in early. If you preregistered, you can pick up your name tag and information packet Friday in the lobby of the Civic Center. If you're paying at the door, beat the cashier lines Saturday morning by registering Friday night.

7 – 9 pm • Theater

"Physical Therapy and Dog Care": A Free Mush with PRIDE workshop

Wesley Rau, veterinary physical therapist

Wes will give an overview of canine injuries, including what to look for and how to fix small problems. He'll include case studies and stories. The emphasis in this presentation will be on basic dog care, and Wes plans to make this a fun session rather than a highly technical one.

7 – 9 pm • Blue Room

Junior mushing: A free presentation

Information for the younger musher, including:

Aliy Zirkle

Aliy, a Yukon Quest champion, will give a presentation on “getting started.” Good information whether you are just beginning or have years of experience.

Ellie Claus

Ellie, a Junior Iditarod and Junior Yukon Quest champion, will offer valuable insights into how a young person can get involved and succeed in reaching her goals of mushing.

Curtis Erhart

Curtis Erhart, a well-known fourth-generation musher, will speak about some of what he has learned and his love and passion to train dogs.

Saturday, October 4th

7:30 – 8:15 am • Lobby

Registration and check-in

Coffee & doughnuts for sale upstairs on mezzanine

8:30 – 10 am • Theater

Mushing 101

Information for the beginning musher, including:

Miriam Cooper: Equipment and dog yard set-up

Keep your athletes safe and happy in the dog yard with guidelines for stake-outs, chain length, housing, space between dogs, waste disposal, whelping/heat pens, and drainage. In choosing equipment, the appropriate sled, towlines, harnesses, booties and dog coats are just a few things to consider before taking your team out for that first run.

Tammi Rego: Care, communication and basic training

The musher is coach, mentor, caretaker, instructor, protector and friend to his or her dog team. Being clear and concise in communication is imperative to teaching dogs the proper lessons, which produces a more cohesive, working unit.

8:30 – 10 am • Blue Room

Maintaining a Trail in All Kinds of Weather

Karl Kassel

What's the best kind of drag to use on fresh snow? On moguls? What's the best course of action if you haven't had new snow for weeks, or just had a two-foot dump of it? Come find out how to keep your trail at its best, no matter what Mother Nature throws at you.

10:30 am – 12 pm • Theater

Succeeding with Second-Hand Dogs

Panel: Carol Kleckner, Carol Kaynor, Andy Elsberg

Can you build a successful dog team out of second-hand dogs? Whether your goal is to race or to simply create a coherent team for pleasure, this session will give you tips and tricks for getting the most out of dogs you haven't raised yourself.

10:30 am – 12 pm • Blue Room

Skijoring--What, How, and Where

Panel: Mike Malvick and other ASPA members

Seasoned members of the Alaska Skijor and Pulk Association share their ideas on how to prepare your dog(s) for the upcoming skijor season with training and conditioning tips, and provide an overview of essential skijoring equipment. They will review skijor-friendly places in and around the Fairbanks area, and show slides of some of last season's "Show 'n' Go" and other tours.

12 – 1:30 pm • Pioneer Hall

Mush with PRIDE luncheon & annual meeting

At Pioneer Hall (in Pioneer Park's "Gold Rush Town" near the back entrance to the park)

PRIDE is hosting a complimentary luncheon meeting for all PRIDE members. Please renew your PRIDE membership so you can eat for free and vote at the annual meeting! There will be several minor and major changes to the PRIDE bylaws, as well as a review of PRIDE activities and goals and the announcement of election results for the new board of directors. Contact info@mushwithpride.org or PRIDE president Ken Severin at fnkps@uaf.edu for more information.

12 – 1:30 pm

Lunch

A variety of food is for sale on the third floor mezzanine. Take some time to visit the Trade Fair.

1:30 – 3 pm • Theater

Keynote Presentation:
Canine Behavior & Training

Susan Bulanda, noted canine behaviorist

This session will be open to the general public for a $5 cover charge.

Training establishes a communication system between you and your dog. However, many people do not understand some of the key concepts that make this communication system possible. This is often the cause of behavior problems. Susan Bulanda will explain the key concepts that are necessary to train your dog and deal with behavior problems. After a brief lecture, she will open the floor for questions.

3:30 – 4:30 pm • Theater

Vet Presentations

Fairbanks area veterinarians share their knowledge.

Jeanne Olson, D.V.M.: Thyroid Dogma: What Is the Truth?

Many mushers deal with thyroid issues, and theories abound. Do thyroid levels fluctuate with the seasons? Should dogs be supplemented in the winter, but cut back in the summer? What's the real story on thyroid in sled dogs?

Jean Battig, D.V.M.: Canine Dental Care

In sled dogs, oral disease from trauma, infection or poor oral care can affect performance in many insidious ways. You can improve the performance and comfort of your canine athletes by ensuring their mouth is free of oral pathology or treated for it. We will discuss how bad breath, fractured or discolored teeth, and periodontal disease affects your dog's endurance, strength and ability to eat properly.

7 – 11:00 pm • Fairbanks Princess Hotel, Edgewater Ballroom

ADMA Fundraising Auction

Is there something you need, from dog food to a good book to a truckload of wood shavings? Maybe some mushing artwork, or a gift certificate to a local restaurant? You will most likely find it at the auction. Join us Saturday evening and outbid everyone to help raise funds for ADMA. Auction funds are used to support the symposium and other ADMA expenses such as trail maintenance and hall repairs. Check out our auction items on the Web; we'll keep updating the list as donations come in.

Sunday, October 5th

8 am – 8:45 am • Lobby

Registration & check-in

Coffee & doughnuts for sale upstairs

9 am – 10:30 am • Theater

Conformation: How Physical Structure Translates to Performance

Susan Bulanda

When people speak of "conformation," they usually think of dog beauty pageants. However, conformation is much more than that—it directly affects your dog's health and performance. Susan Bulanda will discuss why conformation is important to the working dog and what you can do to maximize your dog's performance and well-being. If time allows, there will be a discussion period.

11 am – 12 pm • Theater

Veterinary Physical Therapy—A Look at Anatomy and Physiology for the Lay Person

Wesley Rau, veterinary physical therapist

Wes will describe the anatomy and physiology of canine injuries, including how anatomy translates to action. The session will include case studies.

11 am – 12 pm • Blue Room

The Physiology of Human and Canine Conditioning

John Estle and Arleigh Reynolds

John will speak on training and training theory, and the relationship of basic physiology to training. Arleigh will discuss how this compares to canine physiology and training.

12 pm – 1:30 pm

Lunch

A variety of food is on sale on the third floor mezzanine. Take some time to visit the Trade Fair.

1:30 pm – 2:30 pm • Theater

East Coast Mushing in the 1960s and 1970s

Panel: Sue Bulanda, Terri Champaine, Dan Daigle, and Deborah (Molburg) Bicknell

Susan Bulanda will show some home movies of East Coast races and photos of some of the dogs. Sue and a panel of fellow East Coast dog drivers will talk about the adventures of mushing in those days.

1:30 pm – 2:30 pm • Theater

How to Assess and Fix Your Own Dog: A Hands-on Workshop

Wesley Rau

In this hands-on session, Wes will go over the neck-shoulder-back exam. He'll talk about how to handle an injured dog and how to safely treat some injuries yourself without hurting the dog. He'll also discuss sacroilliac joint disfunction.

Participation in this workshop is limited—a special sign-up sheet will be available on Saturday if you'd like to reserve a spot for this session.

3 pm – 4:30 pm • Theater

The Use and Misuse of Nutritional Supplements

Arleigh Reynolds, D.V.M., Ph.D.

An ever-growing number of supplements are available for sled dogs, addressing everything from performance to arthritis. This session is a must if you'd like to make sense out of what's out there.