HUMAN

Name: Lou Schrader
Age: 64
Residence: Wasilla, Alaska 
Occupation: Remote freighter and dog handler
Years involved with Iditarod: Since 1986
Iditarod Role: Kennel manager for Nic Petit
Current Location: Downtown Anchorage Ceremonial Start, Anchorage, Alaska

Date of Photo: March 1, 2025
Temperature: 30F outside

What, who or how and when did you first get involved with the Iditarod?:

The reason why I got involved with Iditarod was I noticed that there was really a need for trail crews and trail people. And I had a chainsaw and a snow machine and Dan Seavey many years ago roped me in and I’ve been roped ever since. I was really a dog lover and the Seavey’s kind of roped me in. I started helping them and then some other mushers, Sniggle Tooth Kennels got me involved with sprint mushing and it’s been a life of a dog since.

What is your Why? Why are you here TODAY and involved with the Iditarod?

Why am I here today? To keep supporting the sport. It seems that there’s less and less teams out here on the ice and this is something that cannot be forgotten. Everybody has a snow machine, but not everybody has a dog team. And dog teams are a very big part of what Alaska Bush life is and was. And I’m here to help support the dog life.

Tell me about your most memorable Iditarod experiences?:

One of my most experiences was at one point in time, it was a last-minute thing. Mitch Seavey came up to me and said, “Hey Lou, we need somebody to help us with drop dogs on Iditarod.” And I was like, “Yeah, okay. I can do that for you.” Well, Dan Seavey’s got a team, my dad, I have a team. Dallas has a team and Danny has a team. Well, I was picking up drop dogs twice a day and I ended up having so many dogs out my dog lot. I had more Seavey dogs out my dog lot than I had regular dogs. And the best tip I can give to any handler is have lots of laughs and pie plates so you can write down their names and write down what’s wrong with them and what care you need to give them.

What do you know for sure?:

I know for sure in life that I will probably end up passing away and they will never get the dog smell off of me.