The Fan Hitch Volume 9, Number 1, December 2006

Journal of the Inuit Sled Dog

In This Issue....

From the Editor: Looking back, looking ahead

Featured Inuit Dog Owner: Sandy Hagan

Defining the Inuit Sled Dog

The Great Arctic Hunter Game

In the News

Fan Mail

A Time to Remember the Dogs

Book Review: The Doggy Men

Inuit Dog Thesis 15th Anniversary Edition

Tip:  Seeing and Not Hearing

Product Review: Delivering the Goods

IMHO: A Few Thoughts about the Final Report on the Dog Slaughters


Navigating This Site

Index of articles by subject

Index of back issues by volume number

Search The Fan Hitch


Articles to download and print

Ordering Ken MacRury's Thesis

Our comprehensive list of resources

Talk to The Fan Hitch

The Fan Hitch home page


ISDI home page


Editor's/Publisher's Statement
Editor: Sue Hamilton
Webmaster: Mark Hamilton
The Fan Hitch, Journal of the Inuit Sled Dog, is published four times a year. It is available at no cost online at: https://thefanhitch.org.

The Fan Hitch
welcomes your letters, stories, comments and suggestions. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit submissions used for publication.

Contents of The Fan Hitch are protected by international copyright laws. No photo, drawing or text may be reproduced in any form without written consent. Webmasters please note: written consent is necessary before linking this site to yours! Please forward requests to Sue Hamilton, 55 Town Line Rd., Harwinton, Connecticut  06791, USA or mail@thefanhitch.org.

This site is dedicated to the Inuit Dog as well as related Inuit culture and traditions. It is also home to The Fan Hitch, Journal of the Inuit Sled Dog.

Book Review....

The Doggie Men

by Hwfa Jones

The Doggy Men is about sledding in the British Antarctic Territory. Unlike many other accounts, it is a story which reveals the gentle humor of men sledding with dogs as they travel to discover a new route across the heavily crevassed Hinge Zone where the floating shelf ice hinges against the Inland Ice of the Antarctic Plateau. The author had never even seen a bad snowstorm before, hardly worn skis and had absolutely no idea of what awaited him on the journey. The doggy men who were with the author had the advantage of some experience in the Alps. But no one knew much about the dogs who were to lead them safely through the chaos of an unforgiving landscape to a better understanding of their insignificance on the remote ice shelf.

Profusely illustrated with annotated black and white photographs and explanatory footnotes, the book describes in detail the day to day life while sledding and camping in the Antarctic thirty-five years ago on one of what was to be among the last sledding journeys with dogs before they were banned from the continent forever.

The story describes the unofficial 'test' devised by the doggy men each new sled driver was subjected to before being allowed out in the field alone, the methods of travel, camping, route finding and the character the dogs who made it all possible, from the intelligent prima donna lead dogs to the official leaders of the team - the initially arrogant but not very experienced back pairs!

The Doggy Men is sixty pages long, soft covered and privately published. It can be purchased for a minimum  £5 donation to the Antarctic Sledge Dog Memorial Fund. However, you are welcome to contribute as much as you like to the fund! Postage within the UK is £1 per book. For international or multiple copy shipping costs contact:

Graham Wright, Treasurer
Antarctic Sledge Dog Memorial Fund
39 Bryn Meadows
Newtown Powys SY16 2DS
U.K.
Tel: 01686 624077 (wk. 01686611206)
Email: gwright@mid-wales.net 
or: 
Hwfa Jones
47 Penkett Road
Wallasey, Merseyside CH45 7QG
U.K.
Tel: 0151 201 0249
Email: Hwfa@merseymail.com 
Checks should be to "The Sledge Dog Memorial Fund". Please include your postal address and name so your donation to the fund can be recorded. For any additional information and updates on the fund please look at the web pages on 'Z Fids' or contact Hwfa Jones. 

Payment by PayPal is also accepted, using the email address: Hwfa@merseymail.com.

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