Author | Lightnews

ATAO Kennel @ataokennel.bsky.social · 11d

There are some new faces around.

Well... "new..."

Goggdog42 @goggdog42.bsky.social · 12d

It’s almost like I recognize these dogs 🧐 @ataokennel.bsky.social

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ATAO Kennel @ataokennel.bsky.social · 13d

Candid moment from signups of me, @persistencemushing.bsky.social, and @goggdog42.bsky.social. Shawn says "highly accurate picture."

A still from a Facebook reel shows Sarah, Shawn, and Will outdoors on the patio of a brewery, wearing light autumn wear and chatting. Sarah has a big smile, Shawn is goofing around, and Will smiles awkwardly at the camera.

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ATAO Kennel @ataokennel.bsky.social · 13d

Oh my gosh lol. Support duties ALL on Shawn

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ATAO Kennel @ataokennel.bsky.social · 13d

I really think so

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ATAO Kennel @ataokennel.bsky.social · 13d

Did a thing... 👀

Sarah Dawn Harman @persistencemushing.bsky.social · 13d

@ataokennel.bsky.social and I are both signed up for the T-Dog 200!! Let the season begin!! #uglydogs

Sarah and Will stand in front of a banner that reads "Tanana Valley Sled Dog Races: THE T-DOG"

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ATAO Kennel @ataokennel.bsky.social · 13d

Zenny had some beautiful mud makeup today

A white sled dog stands on a snowy lawn looking up at the camera. Four streaks of dark colored mud cross her nose and go around her eye like epic sci fi movie makeup

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ATAO Kennel @ataokennel.bsky.social · 15d

So back to sole proprietorship for ATAO! Hopefully not a sinking sole proprietorship, who knows. Anyway, that's your weird news update. Cheers!

A black sled dog with mouth open wide in a big grin gets scritched on the neck against the backdrop of green grass

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ATAO Kennel @ataokennel.bsky.social · 15d

I know that *sounds* like "bad" news but honestly I'm so relieved. I looked at actively dissolving it (because the executive function was massive, but also because we weren't reaching the heights I had hoped for when we made that change). The red tape THERE was bananas.Cassi

Cassidy the sled dog looks closely at the camera with a comically concerned expression while Rebel the sled dog howls while she waits in harness to begin a sled dog race on a cool winter day.

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ATAO Kennel @ataokennel.bsky.social · 15d

But I have great news to report! Which I'm framing that way because tbh it's shameful news but you know, working on recalibrating the whole shame thing... ANYway, after successfully failing to file meeting minutes multiple times in a row, ATAO as a not-for-profit has been dissolved! Involuntarily!

Cowboy the sled dog jumps up with her mouth open in excitement and her tongue flapping in the wind on a brisk winter day as she waits in harness to keep running down the trail

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ATAO Kennel @ataokennel.bsky.social · 15d

Now, it's not a secret I'm ADHD.

But in case you missed it-- I am. And while the pressure of not making a *profit* was nice in the not-for-profit setup, the maintenance of the new business format was suuuuuper stressful. Much red tape! Here's one reporter's opinion on the matter, candidly caught:

Annie the sled dog sits on a cot-style dog bed looking uncomfortable and awkwared while wearing a long-sleeved shirt for dogs that doesn't seem to fit her.

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ATAO Kennel @ataokennel.bsky.social · 15d

So back when I was so silly and young and optimistic (a couple years ago), and thought I'd be able to run Iditarod right away again, I also had Grand Plans for all of our social media stuff. More posts! More content! All the things! So I decided to incorporate ATAO as a not-for-profit. See this:

ATAO as a “Business”

ataokennel.com

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ATAO Kennel @ataokennel.bsky.social · 15d

I've been really thinking about this

Sass @sasshole.bsky.social · 26d

Hi @ataokennel.bsky.social I think your Huckleberry needs his own pumpkin

Northwest Trek Wildlife Park @nwtrek.bsky.social · 27d

🎃 Our grizzly brothers, Huckleberry and Hawthorne, are diving into pumpkin fun—crunching, smashing, and rolling these treats around for a beary good enrichment. Watch them smash and eat pumpkin treats this weekend during our Pumpkin Chomp & Stomp event. 🐻

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ATAO Kennel @ataokennel.bsky.social · 15d

They are so good

Sarah Dawn Harman @persistencemushing.bsky.social · 23d

Annie and Furiosa rode around with me most of yesterday so I could take them to a vet appointment while @ataokennel.bsky.social is out of town. They hung out like the perfect sweet angels they are. Seriously considering kidnapping them regularly for emotional errand-running support. #uglydogs

Furiosa, a black and tan Alaskan husky, lounges next to Annie, a white Alaskan husky, on a blanket across the backseat of Sarah's truck. Both of their left ears are adorably flopped forward.

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ATAO Kennel @ataokennel.bsky.social · 15d

She is sooooo goooood!!!! But needs her back helped *insert emoji of something super crooked here*

But luckily we're on track to get her back in... back? So she can get back to fun (sled dogs are NOT fans of bedrest)

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Reposted by ATAO Kennel

Goggdog42 @goggdog42.bsky.social · 20d

Fall days with @ataokennel.bsky.social

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ATAO Kennel @ataokennel.bsky.social · 25d

Haha I am not sure what he'd do! 🤔 I feel like one of the sled dogs would get even more into destroying one. Sounds like we need to test!

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ATAO Kennel @ataokennel.bsky.social · 27d

Pwease pway

Pweeeeease

@goggdog42.bsky.social

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ATAO Kennel @ataokennel.bsky.social · 27d

Guess who's back

Back again

Shawn the human sits at a table with study materials in front of them. A sled dog perches nearby getting pet

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ATAO Kennel @ataokennel.bsky.social · Sep 29

It begins

A team of sled dogs trots down a dirt trail bordered by trees dusted in snow

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ATAO Kennel @ataokennel.bsky.social · Sep 27

Thank you to all of our Patreon supporters who have been with us through thick and thin. We're not doing work that is as bright and shiny as running Iditarod right now, but tending to our aging team is maybe even more important to me. Y'all make that possible day by day. Thank you 💙

Oliver the house dog and Emmy the retired sled dog recline together on a couch

Cowboy and Ophelia the red sled dogs stand at the top of a wooden play structure painted like a castle inside of a large playpen in the summer

Cassidy the gray sled dog examines a "little tykes" play set for toddlers with a tunnel and slides

A sled dog team trots through yellow and green fields on an autumn day

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ATAO Kennel @ataokennel.bsky.social · Sep 27

Speaking of @persistencemushing.bsky.social , yesterday Sarah came to assist with a vet visit. Is Annie shocked? Comforted? Comforted and shocked?

Annie the white sled dog sits and is pet and held by Sarah the human helper who kneels next to her on fading grass. In the bottom corner the eye and ear of Furiosa the silly yellow and black sled dog peaks curiously towards the camera

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ATAO Kennel @ataokennel.bsky.social · Sep 27

Astroblob 💙 💙 💙

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ATAO Kennel @ataokennel.bsky.social · Sep 26

Astro the Assistant

A reddish sled dog lays in the grass near a crackling bon fire at the ATAO kennel homestead.

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ATAO Kennel @ataokennel.bsky.social · Sep 25

We wouldn't have made it to Iditarod without Sarah 💙 here's to many more mushes to come!

Sarah Dawn Harman @persistencemushing.bsky.social · Sep 24

On this day, 7 years ago, I ran with @ataokennel.bsky.social for the first time after happening to meet @goggdog42.bsky.social at a theater event. I am so grateful for the last seven years of friendship and growth I've had with you both and the team. I'll never be able to say thank you enough ❤️

Dog team pulling a red 4wheeler driven by Sarah down a muddy dirt road. Annie and Rey are in lead, followed by Ophelia and Egret, Nala, Max and R2D2, and Cassidy and Sundance in wheel.

A gang line stretches out across grass from a red 4wheeler in front of a log house. Sarah bends over Rey as she hooks her to the front of the gang line.

Sarah sits on a wood floor surrounded by bins and baskets of dog booties she is sorting.

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ATAO Kennel @ataokennel.bsky.social · Aug 27

lol that took me a minute. Definitely congrats are really deserved by my mom, not me!

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