Winterdance: The Fine Madness of Running the Iditarod

Paulsen discovers that sleeping with the dogs is a bonding experience. He even manages to bond with the wild and aggressive Devil, who wags his tail for the first time when Paulsen beds down next to him. However, Devil shows his tolerance of humans has limits when Paulsen tries to pet him and he growls. Still, it’s a breakthrough with the cantankerous canine. Paulsen realizes that this more intimate arrangement will allow him to learn much from the dogs that will help him in the race.

The dogs start to treat Paulsen as part of the team. For example, when he urinates in the woods, the dogs come over and “cover” it with their own urine. Paulsen starts covering the dogs’ drizzles as well. Paulsen says, “I had to in some way become a dog” (91).

The first snow arrives in northern Minnesota in early fall and lures Paulsen to try out his newly trained team with a sled. The dogs are raring to run, going “absolutely insane” when they see Paulsen carrying their harnesses. He decides to run the whole team, not realizing how much more powerful they have become as a result of the summer training.