SHOBA & BURLY "Training Wheels" (Dogs attached closest to the sled in the gangline are called 'wheels'. They are the brutes of the bunch, usually all brawn, less brain.) How it all started... Whenever you ask a musher how they ended up in the sport, if they were not born into it, a common response is... "I had this ONE dog, and I hooked him up to a kiddie sled for fun." That was Shoba for me.  He loved it, so Burly was next... The next thing you know, you have a whole kennel. (They should REALLY put a warning label on these things...) Mushers call this 'being bit'.  As in, you have been bit by the mushing bug. I am certain there is no cure... Shoba has since retired, too slow for the new team.  He now runs with me every morning.   I have a slow pace as well... Burly passed away 9-11-06, and I hope he is running alongside Slipper.   Burly, Slipper, and I were not able to be residing together at the time of their deaths, and I had missed them already.   I take comfort in knowing he and she may be closer to me now than before, and that they will keep each other good company. The surviving team, Shoba, and I are all safely back together again.