What did the sign mean? Were there some crafty, stuffed souvenirs called ‘Cuddle Puppies’ on display or for sale up ahead? Or was this truly an invitation to spend time cuddling with puppies? Did the answer really matter? We’d be taking the next right. Wow – what a brilliant marketing strategy!
It was Labor Day weekend in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula (UP) and the line to get into Tahquamenon Falls State Park, to experience the waterfall, was crazy long, blocking traffic for what seemed like miles on the main road. Reading the guidebook’s description of the state park and all it had to offer – its 35 miles of trails, with multiple overlooks, on 50,000 acres that stretch 13 miles, – I wasn’t surprised.
“The 200-feet-wide Upper Falls is one of the largest waterfalls east of the Mississippi River. The river’s amber color is caused by tannins leached from the cedar, spruce and hemlock trees in the swamps drained by the river, and the extremely soft water churned by the action of the falls causes the river’s trademark large amounts of foam. The Lower Falls can be viewed from the riverbank, all-accessible Ronald A. Olson Island Bridge over the Tahquamenon River or by a rowboat rented from a park concession.”
Tahquamenon Falls State Park website
I’ll be the first to admit that waiting in a long line is NOT something I enjoy, even with snacks in the car and a waterfall at the end of the long wait. We knew we’d be back to the UP one day. We’d pick a less tourist-packed time of year to visit. Disappointed, we drove on, looking for a new adventure. A few minutes later, we saw the “Cuddle Puppies” sign and made a quick turn.
We weren’t sure what we were in for when we pulled into the parking lot, but just off to the side there was a welcoming, forested picnic area. I could imagine groups of school kids there, eating a bagged lunch of PB&J and apple juice, when it wasn’t a national holiday weekend. We seemed to have the place to ourselves and I hoped that it (whatever it was) was open.
The colorful logo and signs quickly informed us that this was indeed something of an educational center, where visitors could learn about the ‘off season’ life of sled dogs who still love to run through summer sunshine and freshly dropped fall leaves. We made our way quickly into a cedar welcome center, which looked like a cozy cabin we’d love to spend a weekend at. And there was Maple, retired lead sled dog, lightly snoozing, with one eye on us, stretched across a dog bed fashioned out of a sled.
We were instantly, unexpectedly distracted by Maple’s Shiba Inu companion Cedar, who was wiggling and squirming, yipping to get our attention. What’s the personality and temperament of a Shiba Inu? Well, this one was charming, keen, alert, fearless, confident, and a faithful mascot of MI DOG. Who wouldn’t be enamored? We were told that tours of this wonderful place are an hour and a half long, with about a 45 min. wait until the next tour.
With access to puppies, a gift shop, and a volunteer who was eager to share her knowledge of what was in store for us on the tour, of course we’d wait! Who wouldn’t want to learn about life with sled dogs and meet these talented creatures, especially on what we expected to be our own, personal tour. These four-legged long-distance athletes and musher Laura Neese were celebrities we hadn’t expected to meet that day, but at this point we were anxious to do so.
“Laura has been blessed to share tens of thousands of miles and many adventures with her canine companions over the past nine years. They have summited and descended mountains, traveled in 60 below zero temperatures, run across the frozen Bering Sea, crossed the frozen 31 mile long Lake Laberge, and traveled all over North America together.”
MI DOG website
In addition to hugs, kisses, and cuddles with the dogs, the tour promised first-hand stories from Laura’s experiences in the world’s only 1,000 mile sled dog races; the Iditarod and the Yukon Quest. We’d found our next adventure!
Cedar was the true entertainment while we waited for the tour to start, snuggling into our arms, floppy and 100% puppy.
I should mention that I call all dogs ‘puppies,’ which some folks find confusing. “What’s your puppy’s name?” I’d ask strangers on the bike path. “Oh, she’s not a puppy — she’s 4 years old,” might be the reply. I had to chuckle; I’d meant ‘dog’ when I said ‘puppy’. . . . and I still wanted to know her name, so I could say ‘Hello!’
So we waited, thoroughly entertained by Cedar and equally charmed by Maple. I glanced around the gift shop, wondering if I’d pick up a stuffed animal, T-shirt, or piece of local art. I’d eventually settle on a small MI DOG logo sticker that could go on the bumper of my 2005 Subaru, L.L. Bean edition. My willfully odd maroon car has entered the sticker phase of life, but that’s a story for another blog post.
As additional tourists began to arrive I realized we’d have to share our sled dog time, but there would be plenty of sloppy kisses to go around. (It really was good marketing, having those “Cuddle Puppy” signs on the main road; how could we be the only ones to be unexpectedly lured in by the message?)
Our tour began with the puppies, who were waiting outside in their shared pens. They jumped playfully, eager to meet a new batch of visitors who would lavish attention on them. These dogs were each a hefty armful of pup — perhaps around 3 or 4 months old when we visited.
I don’t know how to explain how it’s possible to know that a dog has a good life — a dog person just knows! (If there was any question, I’m definitely a dog person who loves to travel… hence, the three cats I share my life with.) These soon-to-be hardworking, soon-to-be race champion doggos were living a good life in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
With the help of a team of volunteers, who spend lots of quality time at MI DOG, the puppies were returned to nap together in leggy piles while the tour continued. And then we got to meet Laura Neese, the musher who these dogs will run with. Laura was raised and home schooled on a small farm in Newark, Ohio. She shared that it was her work on a school project, at the age of nine, that led to her falling in love with the sport.
Laura started a small kennel in Ohio while she began racing in the UP. She moved to McMillan, MI to pursue her dog sled dreams. Just before running the 2020 Iditarod she said, “I have been blessed with the opportunity to train and race our Nature’s Kennel team throughout North America…1,000 mile races are my favorite.” (Iditarod website)
Laura’s descriptions of what it’s like to spend that much time, over that long distance, with the dogs, the sled, the snow, and yourself are fascinating – you really should make a visit, so you can hear her stories yourself.
Here’s a sneak peek: Mushers do indeed go to the bathroom ‘on the run’ to make up time…Packing ‘drop bags’ of supplies, equipment, and food that would be waiting for her along the route was no easy task…There are so many veterinarians along the route – working to keep the dogs healthy for the duration of the race.
Oh, and my research has uncovered that if a dog is too exhausted to continue it can be transported in the sled’s basket until the next ‘dog-drop site’, at which time they are offloaded to be cared for. Volunteers take some dogs to the Highland Mountain Correctional Center, where prison inmates provide care, continuing a tradition (since 1974) of caring for ‘dropped’ Iditarod dogs. This is a special privilege for these carefully screened inmates, who look forward to the Iditarod every year. (KTVA.com)
The hour and a half of our tour flew by, as we learned about the world of mushing. The adult dogs that Laura runs with were as happy to see her, when the tour got to their area of the property, as typical puppies are to see. . . well, just about anyone who will lavish them with attention. The dogs are bright eyed, eager to please Laura, and smart enough to know a whole host of commands. I wish we could have stayed longer.
Instead, we’re following the team on Facebook — the dogs have been very excited about the arrival of snow! Even Cedar is a fan of the fluffy white stuff. (MI DOG Image – Cedar)
Laura was a delight to meet and hear stories from. Her Iditarod profile in 2020 was very Midwestern, endearing and optimistic about simple, natural pleasures that bring great delight to so many of us! “Laura lists her hobbies as Maple Syrup, fishing and playing in the woods.” (Iditarod website)
When the team is together, doing what they love, and with a Musher like Laura they are in such good hands. (MI DOG Image – Team)
Go ahead and book your visit for next spring/summer/fall. The dogs are busy racing this winter. MI DOG center is open May 24th to September 30th, closed on Tuesdays.
“We do not offer dog sled rides at MI DOG, sorry! Sled dogs prefer the temperatures to be much colder than our U.P. summers provide; so summer is the season of playing fetch, free running in groups, greeting our guests, and getting lots of extra loving!”
MI DOG website
Join me on my next adventure,
~ Kat
Related Links:
Winter’s Arrival: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/15jUZsqZmY/
MI DOG: https://www.midogtours.com/
MI DOG (Facebook): https://www.facebook.com/midogtours
Tahquamenon Falls State Park: https://www.michigan.org/property/tahquamenon-falls-state-park
Iditarod: https://iditarod.com/#
Iditarod – Laura Neese profile: https://iditarod.com/race/2020/mushers/1032-Laura-Neese/
KTVA.com – “Female inmates continue tradition of caring for dropped Iditarod dogs”: https://web.archive.org/web/20160505102540/http://www.ktva.com/female-inmates-continue-tradition-of-caring-for-dropped-iditarod-dogs-632/
Accidental Wanderlust 
