Let's Talk About the One and Only BOO

In this issue of the Urban Mushers newsletter, we dive into Boo's background, who he is named after, his sled dog race record, his genealogy and more.

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Boo’s Biography

Several people have asked about Boo’s background, so we thought this would be a good time to share his biography.

Boo was born on August 1, 2016, making him 7 and a half years old. Most sled dog litters use a theme to name the pups, and his litter theme is literary journalists, aka Journopups.

Collage of baby Boo photos from Blair Braverman

He is named after Katherine Boo. But actually, that wasn’t his original name. Originally, he was named Hunter, after Hunter S. Thompson, and his sister was named Boo. But after the pups’ personalities came out more, it was decided to switch their names to be more fitting. “Boo” definitely seems more fitting to me as he is afraid of everything lol.

As for his racing career highlights, in 2019, Boo was on Blair’s Iditarod team, running all 1000 miles across Alaska to the finish in Nome after 13 days, 19 hours, and 17 minutes. Boo was also on Quince’s 2019 Kobuk 440 team and finished all 400 miles of that race as well.

One thing Boo is well known for is his big personality and wide array of facial expressions. In fact, he has so many different and expressive faces, he was made into multiple Boo Feelings Charts.

Which Boo are you today? Let us know in the comments or reply to this email!

Boo Feelings Chart 2019

Side note on Boo - Blair claims his SDSI (sled dog softness index, totally a real thing…) is 7 out of 10. But I think after he’s had a couple baths with warm honey vanilla dog shampoo, he’s at least a 9. He’s so freaking soft now! Less dirt and dead things in his fur probably helps as well lol.

As for Boo’s genealogy, his mom is Jenga, who is known as the Boss Bitch at BraverMountain (Blair and Q’s sled dog kennel). She is retired and is a porch sister at the kennel. Jenga is also terrified of cats. Boo gets his neurotic behaviors directly from Jenga. Boo’s dad is Fly, but I don’t know much about him.

Jenga resting her chin on Hunter’s back (PC Blair Braverman)

Boo has five siblings.

Talese, named after Gay Talese, was on the Iditarod and Kobuk 440 teams with Boo, but is now a house husky living in Chicago. Matt Power, named after Matt Power, is a member of Julie Buckles’ recreational mushing team in Bayfield, Wisconsin, and is also a book store dog at Honest Dog Books. Similar to Boo, he has a thinner coat and is hard to keep much weight on.

Talese (PC Blair Braverman)

Matt Power (PC Julie Buckles)

Jeff Sharlet, affectionately known as Jeef and named after human Jeff Sharlet, is a house husky in the Pacific Northwest. As a yearling, he suffered from tick paralysis and lyme disease. He ended up retiring quite early due to worries of long distance mushing being too much for him. Hunter, the only female of the litter and who swapped names with Boo, went to a recreational mushing family in Wisconsin. Radar, named after James “Radar” Baldwin, resides in northern Wisconsin as well.

Jeff Sharlet (PC Blair Braverman)

Hunter (PC Blair Braverman)

More information on all of these dogs, and other BraverMountain sled dogs can be found on the BraverMountain Wicksypedia site.

As for another quick update on Pence: her incision is almost healed and her belly fur is already growing back in! She has a little over a week left before we can start easing her back in to running and pulling.

Pence getting her nightly cuddles in bed

Pence has become way more cuddly in the past month or so. Every night she has a ritual to cuddle with Riley in bed before we go to sleep. And it’s not just snuggling up against him. She sprawls out, laying on top of him. There’s no way it looks comfortable for her, but it’s their new thing every night.

[VIDEO] Walkthrough of Hannah’s Kickbike Setup

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