In prior years, especially when the twins were putting together two 16-dog teams out of the same kennel, Anna and Kristy inevitably ended up borrowing a dog or two from another musher to train and race for the season. This year, every single dog running with Anna to Nome is a bonafide Seeing Double dog!
Anna is always amazed by and proud of her canine athletes, but this year’s team of Seeing Double dogs is extra special. There are two groups of siblings on the team with four dogs from the Trouble litter and three dogs from the Toy litter. Eleven of the sixteen are Iditarod veterans, having run at least a portion of the Iditarod race trail before. Several of these pups were on Anna’s race team last year, and six of them made it all the way to Nome with Anna in 2024. And every dog on Anna’s team trained extensively this year, having already run an estimated 2,600 training miles in preparation for Iditarod.
There are 6 girls and 10 boys on Anna’s team. The youngest pup is just over 2 years old and the oldest is 9, with a team average age of 5.3 years. They sport a wide range of colors and different markings, and range in size from the smallest around 45 pounds to the heaviest at over 70 pounds.
They’re all Alaska Huskies, with genes tracing back to the first Alaskan village dogs. Each dog has a thick, dual layer coat, big strong paws, hearty appetite, and an undeniable desire to run.
Each dog had a thorough veterinary check, including EKGs and blood work, prior to the race. They each wear a collar with a detailed name tag and are also implanted with a small microchip (this chip can be scanned for owner information, it does not provide GPS tracking or anything). They wear padded harnesses fit to their body type and running style. Anna has all sorts of gear to keep them safe and comfortable, from booties to jackets, fleece blankets, leg wraps, shoulder coats, and tummy covers.
As a refresher, or for anyone new to Iditarod - no dog from Anna’s team can be left behind, traded with another, or replaced. The only exception is when a dog is purposefully left in a checkpoint with vets and handlers when it is in the best interests of the dog (who is then either flown home or on to the finish). Mushers must cross the finish line in Nome with 5 dogs in harness in front of the sled for a qualifying finish. One of the mandatory gear items in the race is a Veterinary Log Book. Vets will assess each dog as mushers go through the checkpoints, and the vet book serves as a communication log between vets as mushers work their way down the trail.
With that, let’s meet each dog traveling the trail with Anna this year.
Sled dog positioning references: Lead - Swing - Team - Wheel - Anna and her sled.
Anna is always amazed by and proud of her canine athletes, but this year’s team of Seeing Double dogs is extra special. There are two groups of siblings on the team with four dogs from the Trouble litter and three dogs from the Toy litter. Eleven of the sixteen are Iditarod veterans, having run at least a portion of the Iditarod race trail before. Several of these pups were on Anna’s race team last year, and six of them made it all the way to Nome with Anna in 2024. And every dog on Anna’s team trained extensively this year, having already run an estimated 2,600 training miles in preparation for Iditarod.
There are 6 girls and 10 boys on Anna’s team. The youngest pup is just over 2 years old and the oldest is 9, with a team average age of 5.3 years. They sport a wide range of colors and different markings, and range in size from the smallest around 45 pounds to the heaviest at over 70 pounds.
They’re all Alaska Huskies, with genes tracing back to the first Alaskan village dogs. Each dog has a thick, dual layer coat, big strong paws, hearty appetite, and an undeniable desire to run.
Each dog had a thorough veterinary check, including EKGs and blood work, prior to the race. They each wear a collar with a detailed name tag and are also implanted with a small microchip (this chip can be scanned for owner information, it does not provide GPS tracking or anything). They wear padded harnesses fit to their body type and running style. Anna has all sorts of gear to keep them safe and comfortable, from booties to jackets, fleece blankets, leg wraps, shoulder coats, and tummy covers.
As a refresher, or for anyone new to Iditarod - no dog from Anna’s team can be left behind, traded with another, or replaced. The only exception is when a dog is purposefully left in a checkpoint with vets and handlers when it is in the best interests of the dog (who is then either flown home or on to the finish). Mushers must cross the finish line in Nome with 5 dogs in harness in front of the sled for a qualifying finish. One of the mandatory gear items in the race is a Veterinary Log Book. Vets will assess each dog as mushers go through the checkpoints, and the vet book serves as a communication log between vets as mushers work their way down the trail.
With that, let’s meet each dog traveling the trail with Anna this year.
Sled dog positioning references: Lead - Swing - Team - Wheel - Anna and her sled.
- Shoshanna: This feisty 9 year old female is the senior states dog on the team. You may well remember her from last year, when she ran all the way to Nome with Anna. She is a good leader. In addition to being feisty, she fancies herself a Queen Bee, and has very strong opinions on who she is willing to run with on the gangline, tending to get along with the boys.
- Rampage: A member of the Trouble litter, this 7 year old boy is no stranger to the Iditarod trail. He ran the entire trail to Nome in 2023 and 2024 with Anna. He’s a great leader, dual or solo, and he was in lead with Tesla at the Iditarod Ceremonial start this year. He’s big and fast and a pleasure to have on the team.
- Tesla: This 4 year old girl joined the kennel as a pup, and made her rookie run with Kristy in 2023, going as far as Rainy Pass. Back then, she ran in a team dog position, but Kristy noted her potential as a future leader, and she was certainly right! Anna often runs Tesla in lead, as she did for both the C-start and Restarts this year. I loved how, during the restart, the announcer counted down and said “Go!”, and Tesla took one final leap in the air before taking off. It’s obvious she was ready to hit the trail!
- Drax: It is so great to have Drax back in action for the Iditarod after taking a hiatus last year. He has run on Anna’s Iditarod teams before that and is a go-to leader. He is also the dog pictured with Anna in her Serum Run Seppela/Togo picture remake. He is the only dog from the Guardians of the Galaxy litter on this team this year and can be counted on to lead Anna through the trickiest situation. He’s 7 years old.
- Mayhem: This is the second member of the Trouble litter on Anna’s team this year. She is also 7 years old and made it all the way to Nome with Anna last year. She is a super happy, sweet girl and will likely be in a lead position over portions of the early race. Later on, Anna will move her back a bit so she can relax and enjoy the scenery.
- YoYo: This handsome boy is one of three members of the Toy litter on the team this year. He is 3 years old and this is his first attempt at Nome. He’s tall and gangly, the teenage boy on the team. And he is a super love bug. To the point that Anna hasn’t run him in lead much, especially if there’s a chance they’ll encounter anyone else. If he’s in lead and sees someone, he’s all “oh, let’s go visit! I can love on that person, too!” No sense of timing.
- Ruckus: The third member of the Trouble litter, Ruckus is a 7 year old boy and Iditarod veteran. He is one of the biggest dogs on Anna’s team at over 70 pounds, and fortunately is a very hard worker. He gets down to business moving things along in a team dog position.
- Twister: This sweet boy is another member of the Toy litter. He’s 3 years old and an Iditarod rookie. He is a back team dog, and Anna always knows just where he’s at from his talking. Anna also described him as a “stage 5 clinger”, which some of you might know as a “velcro dog” or “my shadow”. But that’s only with his most trusted friends like the twins - outside of that, he is very timid.
- Maverick: Talk to me, Goose! Maverick is a 4 year old Iditarod veteran that was on Anna’s team last year. He is a very energetic, naturally happy dog and is working on overcoming a bit of shyness and his lead dog skills. He didn’t quite make it all the way to Nome last year, and hopes to go the distance this year.
- Elmer: This 7 year old boy was on Anna’s 2024 team and made it all the way to Nome. He is shy when he’s in checkpoints, but you get him on the line and out running the trail, and he’s all spice!
- Lacy: This adorable 4 year old female is making her rookie run to Nome this year. She’s the smallest dog on the team at only about 45 pounds and runs in a team dog position. She isn’t suited for lead yet, as the world is too interesting and she’s always weaving back and forth taking in as much as she can. Best to keep her in the middle of the class where she can focus.
- Brent: This boy is a bit over 2 years old and making his rookie Iditarod appearance. He’s all puppy energy, big and full of it. That said, he’s also very smart. Anna said in that respect, Brent reminds her of Jonah - the dog father of the Seeing Double kennel.
- HotWheels: The third member of the Toy litter, HotWheels is aptly named. This girl is 3 years old and joins her brothers YoYo and Twister on the trail. Much like the other toy pups, she is a talker. Anna described her as “a sweet little fox.” She has tried running in a lead a few times and shows potential there, but for now she’ll spend most of her time in swing or further to the back.
- Platinum: Better than a gold standard, Platinum is a 6 year old female and Iditarod veteran. She ran on Anna’s team last year and made it all the way to Nome. She was also on Anna’s team in 2023. She talks a lot and has a very unique voice that is easily noticed. She is a big, tall dog and an excellent chow hound. She is a hard worker and will occasionally run in lead as a copilot, but will spend most of her time further back in the team where her size and strength is really an asset.
- Havoc: This 7 year old boy is the fourth member of the Trouble litter on the team. He is a key leader, especially early in the race. In fact, he was in dual lead with Tesla off the restart this year. Anna describes him as “quiet, reserved, honest. He helped lead her all the way to Nome last year and was on her team prior to that. He’s reliable, dependable, and a super easy guy.
- Barge: An Iditarod veteran now, this 6 year old boy ran his first Iditarod with Kristy in 2021. He’s big - “a tank!” according to Anna, and is a solid, hard worker. He is very friendly and likes to take a good powdered snow roll when he’s not running, just like his teammate Maverick.
The twins engraved each dog's name, their vet book identifier, and Berington on the back of each dog tag.
