Melissa Mendelson
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flightriskmushing.bsky.social
Melissa Mendelson
@flightriskmushing.bsky.social
Small racing kennel of Melissa (Jewish, she/her) and alaskan huskies under the name Flight Risk Mushing! Art account: @zulayawolf.bsky.social #uglydogs

flightriskmushing.com
Pinned
My kennel website got a huge face-lift!! Everything is up to date now, and dog sponsorships are open for the 2025-26 season. Each dog can only have one sponsor, so you really will get to follow "your" dog through the season!

flightriskmushing.com
Reposted by Melissa Mendelson
Also, about 10 of these Dog solutions folders are available! You can put your important tax documents in here.
November 9, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Reposted by Melissa Mendelson
After a brief vacation my store is open again! Now with a few signed copies of this book! 🐶📖
oliviawhen.com/store
November 9, 2025 at 8:25 PM
All of a sudden winter??? (Don't worry, it'll be 50 in a few days 🤣) Zirkle in lead again, he did a LOT better this time than last! He is definitely more baby brained than his sister, but I think he will get there!
November 9, 2025 at 9:34 PM
Look who is signed up for the UP200 😉 (I will also be there racing the Midnight Run again, now with improved headlamp and hopefully less panic attacks!) #uglydogs @quincemountain.bsky.social
November 8, 2025 at 10:16 PM
Last couple runs. Compass decided he knows his turn commands all of a sudden??? Idk where it came from buddy, but I'm proud of you 🤣
November 7, 2025 at 11:41 PM
Thank you @kazurcher.bsky.social for sponsoring Q!

Q radiates exuberance. He is so excited to lick me that he often misses my face entirely! Q lives life at 110% and always has a smile. In harness, he often turns his head to check in w/ me. Underneath all the energy, Q is soft and sensitive.
November 4, 2025 at 7:31 PM
This past weekend we went to Shaw's Rig Session hosted by the Magnussons. Its basically a giant party of a training weekend where tons of mushers get together and train on the same trails to practice passing and dog manners. Passing makes my dogs SO excited so they had the MOST fun.
November 3, 2025 at 5:27 PM
Reposted by Melissa Mendelson
-Update on Tupac-
Vet visit yesterday and there was no pus in his nails when they were trimmed! His thyroid is 4pts into the low end but due to current meds (steroid and anti-fungal) and we aren’t out of the woods yet we are holding off on treating thyroid. He is not clinically showing signs
October 30, 2025 at 12:04 PM
Reposted by Melissa Mendelson
I should have made this up a long time ago, but another dog recently passed of ARVC (not one of ours this time) and it prompted me to get my butt into gear. If anyone hears of a sleddog passing suddenly please feel free to share this infographic on the off chance it winds up being ARVC.
October 30, 2025 at 4:08 AM
We've been rotating leaders, old and new, next to Legend aka best girl. Today it was Kestrel. Last season he lost a lot of trust with me...on runs over 20-25 miles, he would start trying to poop every mile. Kestrel unfortunately hasn't figured out how to poop on the fly.
October 29, 2025 at 6:15 PM
Reposted by Melissa Mendelson
Can I help an #uglydog get a copy of Blair's new book? I have two extra and I'd love for them to go to folks who couldn't afford to buy one.
October 22, 2025 at 3:12 AM
Please welcome Cheesecake! She comes from Brenda Mackey in Fairbanks, and sincere thank you to @yukikazesiberians.bsky.social for making this complicated transport possible. She is impossibly sweet and lets things just roll off her, and has very quickly made herself part of the family. 🍰
October 20, 2025 at 5:45 PM
Finally out again! Its been a very slow start to the season, battling the 50+ degree lows and thinking about Compass, my most heat sensitive dog, and his safety. Nice and cool this morning though and looks like we should have at least a week of good temps, if not waving goodbye to summer entirely!
October 19, 2025 at 8:34 PM
Oops 🤭
October 18, 2025 at 3:31 PM
Reposted by Melissa Mendelson
I threw together some links on the blog for different ways to send support. It's haphazard as info is still coming in from so many places, but I've linked to both ADN and Alaska Public Media's lists of organizations, plus added a few that they didn't* list.

tonichelle.blogspot.com/2025/10/how-...
How to help support communities of Western Alaska
Reitter's Block focuses on the sport of dog mushing, centered mainly in Alaska.
tonichelle.blogspot.com
October 16, 2025 at 10:02 PM
Reposted by Melissa Mendelson
Bethel Community Services Foundation has an Amazon Wishlist of immediate needs.

www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/...
Check out my list on Amazon
www.amazon.com
October 15, 2025 at 5:47 AM
Reposted by Melissa Mendelson
World Central Kitchen’s Relief Team is in Alaska, where Typhoon Halong left a devastating wake of flooding and destruction in remote coastal cities. Our teams will be serving first responders and impacted families.

We’ll share more information soon. #ChefsForAlaska
📸 ABC News
October 14, 2025 at 1:50 PM
Reposted by Melissa Mendelson
October 15, 2025 at 5:43 AM
Reposted by Melissa Mendelson
Melissa is going to keep this up because the next step is a specialist which is $$. We go back the 24th, day before MC wedding, for a recheck and next plans. Any extra funds left will continue to go for Tupac’s care. Thank you to everyone who has donated. I really appreciate it. #uglydogs
Hey friends! Becca @beccaj.bsky.social and Tupac need a little help. Tupac has been dealing with a frankly mysterious nail infection for almost 2 months that won't heal. The in and out constant vet visits have been a lot on Becca's budget. #uglydogs

gofund.me/7fa1c5bf5
Donate to cover Tupac's Veterinary Costs, organized by Melissa Mendelson
Hi! I am Melissa Mendelson, I am making this fundraiser for Becca Booth and… Melissa Mendelson needs your support for Donate to cover Tupac's Veterinary Costs
gofund.me
October 14, 2025 at 9:00 PM
Hey friends! Becca @beccaj.bsky.social and Tupac need a little help. Tupac has been dealing with a frankly mysterious nail infection for almost 2 months that won't heal. The in and out constant vet visits have been a lot on Becca's budget. #uglydogs

gofund.me/7fa1c5bf5
Donate to cover Tupac's Veterinary Costs, organized by Melissa Mendelson
Hi! I am Melissa Mendelson, I am making this fundraiser for Becca Booth and… Melissa Mendelson needs your support for Donate to cover Tupac's Veterinary Costs
gofund.me
October 14, 2025 at 4:50 PM
Reposted by Melissa Mendelson
NEW: There’s a disaster unfolding in Alaska right now. And no major network is covering it.

The remnants of Typhoon Halong battered western Alaska overnight. Homes, with people in them, have literally been swept into the Bering Strait.

At least 20 are missing. No comment from any federal agency.
October 13, 2025 at 3:48 PM
Reposted by Melissa Mendelson
Alaska Community Foundation has set up a link to donate funds for those affected by the storms and flooding in Western Alaska.

AKCF is an amazing organization and 100% legit.

alaskacf.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/c...
/erp/donate/create/fund
alaskacf.fcsuite.com
October 13, 2025 at 5:11 PM
Reposted by Melissa Mendelson
@tonichelle.bsky.social anyone in the mushing scene who wants to help with relief efforts for our village dogs out there, they can reach out to Bethel Friends of Canines
#halong #alaska #uglydogs #mushersky #dogsports

www.facebook.com/share/p/17y2...
October 13, 2025 at 7:23 PM
Reposted by Melissa Mendelson
October 13, 2025 at 10:53 PM