SubZero SledDogs Home

Team SubZero

Our purebred Siberian Husky team is composed of both rescued and purchased AKC registered Siberian Huskies. John and I currently share our home with 7 Siberians. I run in the 4 dog Pure Bred class. We really view our dogs as a part of our extended family, though I think they got all that hair from their father, not me. We compete in races, non race club events, and many demonstrations to promote dog powered sports and increase public awareness of sled dog care and management. I have personally been involved with sled dogs for 30+ years. I never tire of the daily chores associated with having this many dogs. But, rather I see it as a wonderful extension of my life; that I am allowed to share in the joy that these canine athletes glean from their work.

2007-2008 Race Results

The 07-08 racing season went well. I raced in both dry land and snow events in: Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio and New York. Within our club we placed first inthe 4-dog pure bred gig class, and third in the 4-dog pure bred sled class. We also participated in cani-cross events where we placed well. I always conclude that for a small kennel (7 dogs is actually considered a very small kennel by sled dog racing standards) with only 4 dogs that actually race currently, we do quite well against larger kennels. I am always very proud of my dogs. More race results for SubZero may be found at: http://www.pennsleddogclub.com, the PSDC (Pennsylvania Sled Dog Club) website, as well as the website for ISDRA (International Sled Dog Racing Association): http://www.isdra.org/

Musher Information My name is Christina Gates. I was born one cold February day in New Jersey. My parents moved to upstate New York in 1979 as they chased the snow for their kennel of sled dogs. I attended, and graduated from, Adirondak Central in 1993. In 1997 I graduated from Cornell University with a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science, a concentration in Nutrition Studies and a secondary concentration in Communications. I worked as a Veterinary Technician (full time then part time) until 2002. I then began graduate school to pursue a teaching certification in Biology and a Masters degree in education. In 2007 I received my Masters from LeMoyne College in Science Teaching.	Currently I am a certified Biology teacher currently working in Special Education in a rural upstate New York public high school. I live on 18+ acres with my husband John. John and I both belong to, and are very active in, the Pennsylvania Sled Dog Club (www.pennsleddogclub.com). I am club secretary and co-organize numerous events throughout the racing season. John maintains the PSDC website and is an indespensible part of our fantastic timing crew. He not only puts up with my crazy habit...but encourages me. My Christmas 2007 present was a new puppy, Luna. We are both very excited about her apparent potential and anxious for her first hook up. Her progress will be followed closely and posted.
How I Got Started With Sled Dogs My parents had a kennel of Samoyeds (Warlord Samoyeds) that raced competitively prior to my birth. By the age of two I was up and on the runners in my first "pee-wee" race (one kid, one dog, 1 hundred yards). I always enjoyed being with the dogs and working with them, of course I guess I don't know the difference. There were no "Junior" classes for younger mushers when I raced as a youngster, consequently I began to race in all adult classes by age 8. I had well outgrown the thrill of racing only one dog by then. Although I always trained with a 4 dog team, the smallest adult class that existed at that time was the 3 dog class.	Home Training My father still enjoys running dogs. He and I train 5 times a week once the temperatures begin to drop in the fall. Our dry land training is usually done along a portion of the old Black River Canal. Once the snow flies we move to a nearby CCC camp where we can run virtulally undisturbed on 7+ miles of looping trails. Undisturbed does mean that we are responsible for cutting our oun trails in the winter months with a snowmobile.
The First of SubZero While attending Cornell University I acquired work with Cornell's Sled Dog Nutritional Research Unit. I worked for Dr. Arleigh Reynolds training, maintaining and testing the research dogs. My work was alongside such knowns as: Joe Washlag DVM, Dawn Brown DVM, Kriya Dunlap, Heather Carbough, Brian Cauthers and many other names recognized in past or prersent dog powered sports. I enjoyed the opportunity to assist in the research, but more importantly just to be around the dogs, I really missed my home kennel in upstate New York. By the end of my Junior year, theCornell kennel was beginning to downsize a bit and some of the dogs needed homes. I had become quite attached to one dog in particular. "Zero" was from Harris Dullap's world known Zero Kennel. He came back to my apartment with me and well...the rest is history.	Our Housing Team SubZero is, well...spoiled. They are known to spend endless summer days draped on the sofa inside, lounging in front of the air conditioner. In the winter they enjoy the radiant heat of the woodstove. In otherwords, life is not rough for these pampered pooches. Each evening they migrate from their airconditioned, seperately zoned (for heating) tiled room to the master bedroom. Yes, all 7 of them sleep with John and I. Haven't you heard of a 3 dog night before? We have just added a few to that!