Wandering Spirits Kennels

Our first vet trips of the year!

2012-01-17T20:40:00.000-08:00

It didn't take long for the dogs to require the services of All Paws Vet Clinic in 2012!

Franklin went first.

Just before Christmas, Franklin was at the clinic getting a skin infection checked out. His seasonal allergies never went away and turned into a bacterial skin infection. During that exam, we found a lump on his front leg that turned out to be cancerous. It grew like crazy over the holidays so it had to be removed! A week ago, Franklin had the surgery. He is recovering well. The type of cancer he has is unlikely to spread to other parts of his body. It does have a high rate of reoccurance though so we'll be keeping a close eye on that spot!

Franklin also turned 12 this week! We are grateful he's back on his paws and here to celebrate with us! Moose bones for everyone!!

We started today with an early morning phone call to Dr. Stuart.

Heyoka couldn't stand up. His back legs just weren't working. He has had a back problem before but this looked much more serious! We were waiting at the clinic when the door was unlocked. Heyoka had regained some use of his legs by then, but he was unhappy, weak, and wobbly!

A big dose of prednisone, a muscle relaxer and some accupuncture perked him right up! He's not 100% yet. His balance is still a little iffy, especially if he tries to run or move too fast! He probably has a pinched nerve in his back. Fortunately it seems to respond to medication. Heyoka is getting older too; he's so goofy that it's hard to believe he's a senior dog! I'm very glad to have the big goof home tonight!

Almost silent bliss

2012-01-08T21:14:00.003-08:00

Today was Fresh Bone Day in the dog yards....

The only sound in the yard is happy huskies chewing!

Pure, almost silent bliss for both human and canines!

Looking back and forward

2012-01-01T19:37:00.001-08:00

2011 was not a kind year to our pack. I'm not sorry to see it end!

We lost six dogs and two cats. Most of those deaths were unexpected; three of them took place over the most traumatic 19 hours of my life; something I hope to never come close to experiencing ever again!

While we mourn and miss Founder, Bandit, Mac, Ozzy, Earle, Kayleigh, Puff and Sophia, the year wasn't all bad either.

Heyoka got his throat problems fixed in April. He's a different dog; he's like a puppy again. It's so much easier to be happy and active when you can breathe! It's a huge delight to watch him run, play and live up to his name, which means Clown!

Our ridiculously timid dog, Delta, had a huge breakthrough late in the year. His sudden attack bravery and trust deserves a post of it's own! I'll do that soon! After almost a decade together, it's nice to see him still making some progress!

Chum's diagnosis was changed from fatal to chronic. He doesn't have liver cancer; he has a form of steriod responsive hepatitis. We are currently finishing a long weaning program for all his medications, except a low dose of prednisone. He remains the same noisy, nutty goof he's always been.

The year wasn't all bad for the humans here either....I had surgery on my wrist and after almost 3 years of chronic pain have a pain-free fully functional joint again. I got to spend some time down south with my family; attended my niece's wedding; toured my sister and her family around Haines, Alaska; spent two whole weeks with my niece, Naomi.

In November, I had PRK surgery to free myself from glasses and contacts. For the first two weeks, I thought I'd make a very expensive and painful mistake, but now I am seeing clearly and loving it!

Stuart's drilling business seems to be taking off. It takes him away from home for long periods, but he's always happy when he's way too busy! It appears he has finally figured out what he wants to be when he grows up...if he grows up! :)

We expect that we will lose several more pack members in 2012. There are two 15 year old dogs in our pack, several more well over 12 and everyone but Tehya is over 10! The cats are also aging, although with fewer obvious health issues.

While the new year will most certainly have it's heartaches, we have happy plans too! We're heading to Honduras in February for a far too short break from the dark and cold. I can't wait to snorkel and swim without fear of losing a contact! In September I turn 40 and that too will hopefully be celebrated with a short trip somewhere. I suggested Santa Clara, Cuba; Stuart said Newfoundland! It's my birthday so I think I should win that debate!

We're hoping to return to Costa Rica at the end of 2012...Christmas on a beach next year maybe! Depending on dogsitters...every trip of more than 12 hours for us depends on a dogsitter!

In May my family will welcome a new human addition too. My sister is expecting another baby. I can't wait to meet the new little one. I do love being an Auntie!

Bring it on, 2012. If 2011 didn't break us, you won't either!

Happy New Year!

Just a plain brown tabby

2011-12-10T21:54:00.001-08:00

Just a plain brown tabby,

That's probably what most people saw looking at Sophia.

I saw the cat against which all others will be measured for the rest of my life; my most favourite little purring being.

She was sweet, snuggly and sick. Sophia was never 100% healthy in the almost five years we shared. She was an older cat long before she got here. She arrived with massive dental problems which eventually lead to the loss of almost all her teeth.

She bossed me around every chance she got; demanded canned food multiple times per day, despite the fact that she could chew just fine!

Sophia was not a lap cat; she was a face cat. When I first pulled her out of a cage in the shelter, she nuzzled into my neck purring her head off. Her mission, when she was not demanding food, was to be as close to my face as she could get. I often awoke with my nose full of cat fur and convinced I was being smothered!

Sophia passed away in the wee hours of Friday morning; she died in her favourite spot, curled up on my shoulder with her little tabby face pressed against my cheek. Her tiny body could no longer win its multiple battles.

I will miss you, my little purring scarf.

The Big Kahoona

2011-11-24T10:55:00.001-08:00

The first time I saw her she jumped up on the gate to her chain link kennel, stared me straight in the eyes and dared me to take her home!

If I had known then what that stare meant, I'd have wished her well and walked away. All I saw was big brown eyes an an underweight dog in a kennel too small for her. I loved her instantly and paid her adoption fee on the spot.

Kayleigh was the toughest dog I have ever known. Tough in every sense of the word. She was huge, tough to control, tough to confine, tough to train with a stubborn streak a mile wide. It took her a long time to realize she didn't have to defend herself here; that there would always be enough food; I would not forget to feed her and there were more tennis balls if she wrecked one.

Kayleigh pushed her limits her whole life. There were several emergency runs to the vet...she liked the taste of porcupine, she ate a box of toothpicks, her littermate who we briefly fostered tried to rip her throat out. There was never a dull moment in her younger years!

We were not the perfect home for Kayleigh. She was not meant to be a pack dog. She would not tolerate most dogs anywhere near her territory. Kayleigh had an out of control prey drive. If it was smaller than her, it was prey. She had been hungry as a puppy and she never forgot that feeling. Age mellowed her a bit, but she was always a 110 pound handful!

By the time we realized Kayleigh was not just having adjustment issues, that she had real issues that weren't going to be easy to fix, it was too late. We loved her and she had such a history of chaos that we could not have responsibly placed her in another home.

So we set out to give her the best life we could within her limits. My husband built her a pen more secure than the local jail; full of places she could dig with lots of room to stretch her legs, connected to the shop ; so she could still be an inside dog. I would sneak her out late at night in summer and take her to the quarries for a swim. She loved to swim!

Kayleigh was tough, but she was not tough to love. She was full of personality, vibrant and happy. She had a quirky sense of humor and more than a hint of mischief in her eyes. She firmly believed she was not too big to be a lap dog. She loved a good belly rub, a long cuddle and a good game of fetch.

Kayleigh turned 13 in October. Acute kidney failure stole her from us yesterday.

She taught me more in the 11 years we shared than I could have learned from 100 easier dogs. I will miss her dearly.

It wasn't a perfect life; I hope it was enough.

Kayleigh, the Big Kahoona
October 21, 1998 - November 23, 2011

How things have changed...

2011-10-09T14:35:00.001-07:00

A year ago today, we released Sleet and Goldie from their failing bodies.

They were both old dogs, good dogs, so different in so many ways, but such good girls. Such a huge part of this place.

Sleet was our very first Yukon dog, my first lead dog; so smart it was a little scarey and the sweetest creature I've ever met. She was pure sugar! She was almost sixteen when she died; her spirit still strong, but her body unable to keep up anymore.

Sleet was a creature of habit. She hated change. She never missed a turn on the trail, always knew the way home, but could not figure out how to go around a box in her way in the house! I still keep her path clear at all times!

Goldie was the first shelter dog I met in the Yukon. It took me three years to get her to our home, but I knew that first day that she was meant to be here!

Goldie was tough. Life was not kind to her in early years. She was abused, malnourished and unloved. Three years in the shelter would break most dogs. Not Goldie! She had issues, but she moved on. She formed a deep bond with Chase; she delighted in every opportunity to stretch her short legs; she relished every meal and made it her mission to keep the Ravens away from her pen! She was fiesty, funny and very vocal.

In the end cancer was tougher than even Goldie, but she put up one hell of a fight. Given weeks to live when diagnosed, she stayed for 18 months and enjoyed every minute of her time.

We knew that Sleet and Goldie were leaving that day. What we did not know was what the next year would bring. In the next 12 months we lost five more dogs and one of our feline crew. Only the feline death was not horribly shocking.

Puff was at least 20 years old. She was not expected to live long when we got her. She stayed for four years before leaving on her own terms to find her first owner again. We mourned her passing, but it was not a suprise.

We did not expect to loose Founder in January; the way Bandit died will haunt us forever; euthanizing Mac & Ozzy was the single hardest thing we have ever done and a heartbreaking decision we hope to never face again.

Earle was 12, but we were expecting a couple more years with him. We continue to struggle with the fact that the best dog ever is gone.

The changes around here in one short year are amazing. Some of them are terribly sad; the absence of our departed pack members is felt everyday.

At the same time some of the changes are nice. I did not realize how much tension Mac & Ozzy caused in the pack. I have not broken up a fight, rushed a bleeding dog to the vet, tended wounds, stitches, drains etc in months. Since the end of February, I have not had to break up a single dog fight. I rarely have to even yell "KNOCK THAT OFF" anymore.

The yard is quieter, more peaceful these days . The dogs, except for Tehya, are all seniors. They don't cause nearly as much havoc and chaos as they once did. No one digs under the fence or leaps over it. Getting through the gate is much easier!

Feeding takes much less time and so much less food! One 5 gallon bucket of meat chunks feeds the whole pack. It used to take two of those buckets.

One of my extremely timid dogs, Sundin, has decided it's safe to unpack his baggage now. He's still a shy little dude, but he hangs out in the main yard quite often now. He lets me pet him with increasing regularity.

Pacer used to have to be in his pen all the time. The other dogs picked on him and he was seriously injured a couple times. Now Pacer lounges on the deck, joins in group howl sessions and is able to go wherever he wants without getting beat up!

We decided some time ago that we would not be adding to pack anymore; not filling the empty spots left by those who move on. That has been a difficult decision to stick to sometimes, but we have new plans and new horizons to explore.

We have enjoyed and continue to enjoy life with a big pack. It's been quite an adventure so far! This past year has brought many changes. The coming years will undoubtly bring more, some heartbreaking, some delightful.

I would change the heartbreak if I could, but not if it meant missing out on knowing, living with, loving this group of furry friends.

The best dog ever....

2011-08-30T19:28:00.000-07:00

He deserves poetic words and fitting tributes, but such things escape me right now...

He was simply the best dog ever; from the moment we met when he was just a wee puppy until the moment of his death 12 years later, he was the best dog ever.

It was a blessing to share his life. I will miss him for the rest of mine.

Earle

June 19, 1999 - August 29, 2011

The big dog miracle

2011-07-15T22:16:00.002-07:00

A couple years ago we were told to prepare for losing our big dog, Heyoka. He had something wrong in his throat. We never really knew what was, but it was serious and made every breath a bit of a struggle for Heyoka. Until February 2011 he stayed a happy if somewhat sedate dog. We got used to his noisy breathing, to the snoring and the gasps.

Then he took a turn for the worse. He started using every muscle to breathe, he was struggling and we feared the time had come to let him go. We took him to our vet who wasn't ready to give up yet. She took some x-rays, did some tests and thought the big dog might have a chance, but that chance was beyond the scope of her general practice clinic. Heyoka needed a specialist.

So we found a specialist, loaded the big dog into the van and made the 15 hour drive to Anchorage, Alaska!

If nothing else, it's a beautiful drive. The Yukon side of the highway is in rough shape, but the scenery is spectacular.

The night before his appointment we took Heyoka for a walk along Anchorage's wonderful trail system. About three blocks was exhausting for him!

The next day we took Heyoka to see Dr. Nelson Priddy at Veterinary Specialist of Alaska. After a very complete exam, he thought he could help Heyoka. He made us no promises except that Heyoka would be no worse off. He prepared us for the worst...that his throat could not be fixed; that it was cancer growing in there and that the first hot day of summer would send Heyoka into a respitory crisis if there was no solution. Heyoka could not breathe well enough to control his body temperature anymore. He would overheat easily and we would loose him. Heyoka was booked for surgery the next day.

Several hours after dropping him off at the clinic, we got the best news possible...Heyoka's throat issues were fixable. He had larengyal paralysis. His larynx simply did not move and no matter what he couldn't get enough air. The lumps and bumps in his throat were the result of long term irritation, not cancer, not going to kill him.

One side of Heyoka's larnyx was tied back. This means he can breathe with ease, but he's also at high risk of aspiration pneumonia for the rest of his life. We know what to look for and will get him to our local vet ASAP if he shows any of them. Other than that and barring a disaster, Heyoka should live a normal lifespan!!!!

This is Heyoka 7 weeks post-surgery! He's practically a puppy again! He runs, he plays, he is absolutely silent when he breathes, even his panting is quieter than a normal breath was pre-surgery! For weeks after the surgery, we got up during the night, just to make sure he was really breathing. We had become so used to the noise that it was hard to believe he was alive and that quiet!!!

He is one happy dog! He comes with me on long walks and slow jogs. It's much easier to have energy when you're getting enough air!

We hope to never need Dr. Priddy's help again, but we would not hesitate to head back to Anchorage with another fur-kid! Our only regret is that we didn't find him sooner!

Heyoka means Clown in Cree. It suits him and we are forever grateful to have our big clown back!

A decade...

2011-04-09T22:48:00.003-07:00

10 years ago today, a huge black and white dog jumped on the gate to her kennel, stared me straight in the eye and dared me to take her home.

If I had known then what I know now, I'd have turned that dare down; but I would not know what I do now without Kayleigh. The tough ones are the best teachers.

Happy Gotcha Day, Kayleigh Kahoona. I wouldn't change a thing...except maybe that day you ate the box of toothpicks and damn near killed yourself!

Godspeed, Puff..

2011-03-10T19:07:00.005-08:00

Puff arrived here almost four years ago, already an old cat. She had lived her life as the pampered companion of an elderly man who could no longer care for her. Puff was old, sick and just needed a nice place for her last few months...at least that's what they told me. The only true part was Puff was old. At least 15 when she arrived. It must have been quite the shock to go from pampered only pet to this zoo! Puff adjusted and fit in with little complaint.

She was tough, fiesty, full of attitude, but she was friendly and sweet with a purr much bigger than her small size. She gave a headbonk that could cause concussions. She could never understand why I bothered to offer her cat food. She firmly believed she should be allowed to share my meals right off my plate. Cat food was beneath her; she was entitled to human food at her demand.

Puff hadn't looked healthy in the entire time she lived here. She was thin; she couldn't be bothered to groom much; her name was not very fitting anymore! Yet, she ate, loved her nip and meowed her demands to anyone who would listen. She slept even more than usual the last few days, but showed no signs that she was in pain or suffering. She was gone when I got home tonight with no signs of struggle. It appears she left peacefully and like everything else Puff did, she left this world on her own terms.

I hope she has found her first owner. They would be delighted to be together again. I'll miss you, old girl. Thanks for letting us share the last few years of your life. It was a privilege.

Happy Tehya Day

2011-03-05T14:37:00.007-08:00

Last Saturday was one of, if not the, worst day of my life. This Saturday marks the fourth anniversary of one of the best....the day Tehya the Babydog arrived at Wandering Spirits Kennels!

She was a little ball of energy and enthusiasm.
She's been herding huskies ever since!

The border collie-husky is an interesting mix! Tehya is alot of dog crammed in to a mere 45 pounds!

Four years later, she's still a little ball of endless engery! She's always wrassling, playing, running, chewing!

Sometimes the best things happen when you ignore your better judgement. I'm forever grateful that I ignored mine and agreed to let Tehya join the pack!

Happy Gotcha Day, Babydog!

More Goodbyes..

2011-02-27T12:23:00.002-08:00

Mac & Ozzy

June 30, 2003 - February 26, 2011

Every choice I ever made for you, including the last one, was made out of love.

I'm sorry, my boys. I hope you are together, happy and free from your demons now.

Goodbye Bandit

2011-02-26T11:35:00.003-08:00

Goodbye sweet Bandit.

I hope you have all the bones & gloves you can chew and a papsan chair to lounge in all day.

We'll miss you forever, our grumpy old man dog.

The Rare Husky-Beaver Cross...

2011-02-16T20:52:00.003-08:00

This is what happens when you own a very rare breed, the Husky-Beaver mix! It looks like your typical sled dog, maybe with blue eyes, likely black and white, but it chews. Like a beaver it chews only wood! It's hard on fences and gates!

It's also hard on teeth!

This is my very own Husky-Beaver cross, Chum. Chum was on his way home from an unscheduled visit with Dr. Candace. Note the lump on the left side of his face. That is from an abcessed broken tooth...likely broken by chewing on his fence!

Chum is not a happy dog! He'll be going back for a longer visit with the vet clinic staff tomorrow...that tooth has to come out.

Maybe he'll learn his lesson and only chew on the vast quantity of bones, rawhides and dog toys I've always provided to him!

Somehow I doubt it though!

Where do you want this one?

2011-01-26T11:35:00.008-08:00

"Where to you want this one?"

That's how it all started a little over seven years ago when my hubby hopped out the truck with a dog and Founder joined our pack.

He'd been at the local humane society for over a year after being found tied to the shelter fence. I'd been taking him for walks and was well acquainted with the big goof. He was a large, noisy dog, with boundless energy. Not the easiest dog to find an adoptive home for & all his buddies were already at our place, so why not Founder too?

He fit right in; one of those dogs who was meant to be a pack animal. He had the occasional squabble when Founder thought he should be a boss dog, but he usually regained his senses quickly and settled back in to his spot!

Even the cats liked Founder and unlike many huskies, Founder had no desire to eat cats. He was content to be used as kitty pillow if it meant he got to nap on the couch too!

He was noisy and full of stories. He was always talking, wooing, yelling. Founder was never at a loss for words. He was pushy and demanding; always wanting all the attention. If you happened to scratch the magic spot at the base of his tail, he expected that you would continue all day.

In the wee hours of Tuesday morning, Founder passed away. Our dogsitter found him collapsed just before midnight. Founder passed peacefully at home shortly after. We do not know what happened. We have taken his body to our vet for a necropsy to try and get some answers.

Answers to the whys and hows are only for our peace of mind. Nothing will change the fact that our pack is missing a member; that our yard is eerily quiet without his big voice; that no big blockhead is pushing his way between us every time we try to pet another dog.

I'm so sorry that I wasn't here when you needed me most, but grateful that you were not alone; that you were with a familar person who cared about you as you left.

We will miss and love you forever, Founder.

Edited to add: we just heard from our vet that Founder had a tumour on his heart and his death was essentially inevitable. We are deeply grateful for Dr. Stuart's quick response, competence; for answering our questions and relieving the guilt and what if's that may have haunted us.

Etsy Sale...

2011-01-03T19:15:00.003-08:00

When I'm not dog wrangling and doing the job that pays the dog bills, I make glass beads.

Playing with fire is fun!

Until January 31, I am having a sale in my Etsy shop.

Just enter coupon code YEAREND

at checkout to receive 15% off your purchase!

The shop can be found here:

Bi-Eyed Beading

New items added regularly!

Remembering the warmth!

2010-12-19T21:16:00.005-08:00

So we did make it back from Costa Rica, but ever since we got back it's been cold, cold, cold here! So cold that even my dogs can't be convinced to go for a run! There's no end in sight to the cold snap, -33C predicted for Christmas day!

Oh, how I miss this view!

Costa Rica was amazing. We had a fantastic trip. I took an insane number of pictures! The critters were all well behaved in our absence! :)

Volcan Arenal was clouded while we were in the area so we didn't see any lava flows. It is still a spectacular sight though!

The surrounding area is full of lush beauty. This is the La Fortuna Waterfall. The hike down to it is more than a bit treacherous, but the view and the swim under the falls was worth it!

We saw all kinds of wildlife, including several troops of Howler monkeys. The noise those creatures make puts the Siberian Death Howl to shame!

We went fishing. Stuart was one happy camper as he reeled in several tuna and a couple groupers. The boat captain came to our cabina the next night and barbequed up our catch for us. I even ate some grouper & lived to tell the story. I don't usually eat anything that used to live in water!

The sunsets in Playa Tamarindo were truly spectacular. I liked the consistent 12 hours of light everyday. Sunrise & sunset only change by a few minutes over the course of the year. I could definately get used to that. The only thing I truly hate about the North is the months of dark!

Lounging on the Blue Dolphin Sailing Catamaran with a glass of sugar cane liquour! I'll be holding onto this memory all winter....maybe all the way to late 2012, when the return trip is hopefully going to occur!

Cross your paws...

2010-11-04T18:20:00.002-07:00

In a mere 3 sleeps

(I've been counting down since mid-June)

We will be getting on a plane and jetting away from here!

21 hours & 3 flights after we leave home, we will arrive in

Costa Rica!

Yes, we know it's the end of their rainy season.

No, we don't care!

Warm tropical rain sounds more appealling than

the freezing rain we had today!

We'll be checking out one of the world's most active volcanos!

Volcan Arenal

Lounging in some hot springs

EcoTermales

Hanging out at the beach in

Tamarindo

Checking out where our coffee comes from

and whatever else comes up along the way!

So cross your paws,

not for us, not for good weather,

not for Tropical Storm Tomas to move on

not even for safe travels

But

for the brave friend who has agreed to take care

of this zoo while we are away!

And hope we are still friends when we return in a couple weeks!

Godspeed Sweet Girls...

2010-10-09T13:00:00.008-07:00

This is the saddest day in the history of Wandering Spirits Kennels.

Two of our canine pack moved on to whatever comes next this morning. Two of our firsts; two of the dogs who were here almost from the begining of all this craziness.

Her Royal Highness, Queen Sleet.

Our first Yukon dog, Sleet arrived here just a few months after we did. Stuart was taking a training course for volunteer firefighters and went for coffee with a couple in the course after class. He came home and said "Trish sent something home for you." I had never met Trish at that point and wondered what a stranger could have possibly sent me.

I opened the truck door to find a slightly frightened and confused black and white sled dog. Trish has since become a close friend and Sleet is without a doubt the best gift anyone has ever given me.

Sleet was already seven when she got here. Still an active working sled dog, but one who was not so interested in spending her days outside, unhappy in a traditional dog yard setting and not quite as fast as she used to be. At the time, I only had three other dogs, purebred Siberians who had no idea they came from sled dog lines! Sleet spent several years happily leading a growing team down the trail. If it hadn't been for her, I'd probably still be standing in the driveway, dogs going crazy, harnesses tangled and lines chewed, wondering what the hell to do next. Sleet got us started, got us home when the musher insisted on taking the wrong trail, taught the young and the scared that pulling was fun. In life Sleet was sweet and submissive; in harness she took no crap from anyone and was all business.

She did not enjoy winter nearly as much in the last couple years. She spent more and more time inside, curled up on her bed in the living room. The other dogs all knew that even if Sleet wasn't on it, that was her bed and they weren't to use it. Time took it's toll on Sleet's body as she slowly lost control of her bladder, lost her strength, mobility and energy. Her vet records show she was born in June 1994, so she had over sixteen good years. Still somehow doesn't seem long enough. I've never really known Yukon life without Sleet; there will be many adjustments without her.

We woke to several inches of snow this morning....a fitting send off for one of the finest lead dogs to ever pull a sled.

Minutes after Sleet left us, Goldie joined her. Goldie was the first dog who ever looked at me from a shelter kennel and as plain as a day asked me to help her. Her face, those soft, scared brown eyes at that moment are forever burned into my memory. My silly husband actually said " you have three dogs that's enough!" If only he knew what the next few years would bring! Two years later, eight dogs were here and Goldie was still wasting away in the local shelter. She came here in April 2002.

Goldie's life was a battle from day one. Her front legs were curved, likely from malnutrition as a puppy; she was found as a yearling, in heat, fending for herself, terrified of men. Then over two years in a shelter; prolonged confinement like that does funny things to a dog's psyche. Goldie came to us with issues and immediately started to battle here too. She hated Preacher and tried to beat him up every chance she got. She randomly started fights and ended up spending much of her time isolated from the other dogs. In an effort to figure out what was wrong with her as it seemed her life was not much improved from the shelter, we had multiple tests done at the vet.

Turned out that Goldie had a fractured pelvis. Her vet thought she had been kicked viciously. The break was never treated and by the time she got here it had healed all wrong. It was the root of Goldie's aggression; she moved wrong, it hurt and whatever dog was closest to her at that moment got bite! She started immediately on pain control and anti-inflammatory medication. Within in days, the sweet, gentle, fun dog I knew was in there came out to play!

Goldie developed a strong bond with Chase. They shared a pen and their lives. A funny looking pair indeed...short, fat Goldie, long, lean, tall Chase, but they adored each other and were never far apart. Chase stayed by Goldie's side even as she took her last breath. She was lucky to have him; he added joy, canine companionship, play and security to her life. I am lucky to have Chase and hope he will be able to adjust to life without his dear friend.

Goldie's final battle was one we knew she could not win. She had bone cancer in her ribcage. She made it eleven months with the cancer, much longer than originally anticipated. The tumor had grown so large that no amount of medication allowed her to get truly comfortable. She had trouble walking and no endurance.

Such different dogs in almost every way, such wonderful dogs in so many more. It was a privilege to share your lives.

Godspeed my girls. You will be deeply missed for a long time.

There was a time....

2010-09-25T17:24:00.005-07:00

There was a time, not so long ago, when this would have thrilled me!

Over six inches of heavy snow fell yesterday. We often get snow this time of year, but I've never seen this much snow in September and it's not melting with any great speed!

The dogs are happier about winter's early arrival or at least they were happy I survived the drive home so they didn't miss dinner!

The ancient and the sick dogs are less than impressed. Sleet clearly thinks I've lost my mind every time I suggest she should go outside! Goldie is quite thrilled with sleeping in her crate and needs some convincing when it's time to go back to her pen.

The aging out of my dog team and my lack of a reliable leader is seriously dampening my enthusiasm for winter!

To any other mushers reading this...NO NO NO NO, I am in no way interested in that young dog that didn't make your team, the older leader who needs a semi-retirement home,the puppy with leader potential, ect, ect, ect.....This crew is here to stay until nature takes it course, but there will be no new additions for several years at least!

Anvik's Arrival

2010-08-31T21:13:00.005-07:00

Four years ago today, I walked into the shelter to meet a stressed out sled dog; so stressed out the staff thought he was having seizures(those turned out to be just a side effect of his anxiety, not actual seizures). Said sled dog promptly launched himself out of his kennel, wrapped his paws around my neck and rested his little blond head on my shoulder. I have no idea what Anvik saw in me, but from that moment I was his human and he was coming home with me.

We had our first and so far only noise complaint that night. Anvik did not like being outside and he let the whole Yukon know about his unhappiness. We hear the Anvik Death Howl less often these days, but it still echos through the forest occasionally!

I am quite certain that it was his seperation issues and the Death Howl that lead to his being dumped at the shelter. It certainly wasn't his ability in harness. Anvik is a fine sled dog; always willing, a decent command leader and able to run all day. A tired Anvik is a good Anvik!

I'm not sure that he likes Tehya as much as she likes him...

but he is a tolerant big brother!

He is still happiest glued to my side, but he has figured out that I come back so he doesn't leap the fence in a single bound anymore or do the Death Howl all day! I regularly get squashed or sent flying when he decided he wants to be a lap dog or that he needs a hug. We make sure he can always see in the house; the doghouses against the side windows are very attractive! He doesn't scream as long as he can see me. Anvik's world begins and ends with me--a bit much sometimes, but sometimes also a nice change from the usual aloof husky personality! Plus it makes him reliable off-lead, a rare trait for a husky. I have never had to call Anvik twice; he always responds the first time he hears my voice!

Happy Gotcha day, my big anxious lovemuffin!

Silence...

2010-08-26T19:40:00.005-07:00

Ooops, I haven't been here for awhile; perhaps it's time for some updates....

We almost lost Sophia over the summer. At first I thought it was just her stomatitis acting up, but her mouth looks fine and she was able to keep her last two teeth! However, she was clearly hurting, not eating, not purring and she walked like she was loaded. X-rays eventually showed that Sophia has some serious back problems, including three ruptured discs which were inflammed and pressing on her spinal cord. That was leading to all her problems. Her vet wasn't hopeful that there was anything that would help, but prednisone worked it's magic again. It has saved Sophia's life at least once before! She will never be a light on her paws, graceful feline again, but she can get where she wants to go without falling over; she's not in pain; she's eating and demanding her extra canned food every night; and best of all, she has returned to sleeping on my head purring her heart out. I will never understand how people sleep without purring in their ears! :)

We will be loosing Goldie in the not so distant future. She has waged a brave battle against bone cancer for 9 months, but it is winning. The cold, wet weather has not been her friend and the tumor is getting huge. We are lucky, if it's possible to be lucky with cancer, that the cancer is in her ribs, not a limb. She would have been gone a long time ago if it was in her long bones. Good pain meds are keeping Goldie comfortable still. She's still bossing her BFF, Chase, around all day. She will not be able to handle the cold of winter weather; sometime soon even the best meds won't keep her comfortable anymore. She hasn't told me that she's at that point yet, but it is coming for sure.

My human family suffered a loss this week when my Auntie Faye lost a short, but vicious battle with cancer. She was a lovely, one of a kind lady with a warm spirit, loving heart and a wicked sense of humor. She'll be missed by all the family and many friends. I like to believe she is now reunited with her husband, Fritz, who she missed terribly since his passing a few years ago. There's definately some dancing, laughing and probably a few beers being drank where ever they are now!

Out of that sadness comes some happiness as I will be leaving to visit my family in a few days and will finally get to meet my newest niece! Zoe was born in late April and I am looking forward to meeting her! I hope someday, in the very distant future, she will remember her Auntie T with the same fondness I remember my Auntie Faye!

Seniors

2010-07-01T16:58:00.003-07:00

It's official....as of yesterday, I have one dog who is not offically classed as a senior and 23 who are officially old!

Yesterday, my pair of brothers, Mac & Ozzy, turned 7. They still act like yearlings but according to the charts at the vet clinic, they are senior canine citizens now! They've come a long way from the terrified pair who arrived here 6 years ago. From dogs I could not touch, full of fear and in a chronic state of anxiety, with supposed heart issues that would prevent them from running.

To house dogs who enjoy a good cuddle; official greeter dog at the gate(Mac); my early warning system that something or someone is approaching(Ozzy); with hundreds of miles in harness under their paws. Survivors with resilient spirits and bodies.

Happy birthday, boys. I hope it will be a long while before you two start playing the "but I'm old" routine! Just ignore Hobo, he has nothing left to teach you, especially about how to get away with spending all day inside!

My big ball of dumb....

2010-06-22T22:19:00.003-07:00

Six years ago this afternoon, I dragged a terrified, kicking, panicked Chase out of the shelter where he'd lived for 18 months. He'd come in as a four month old puppy, all legs, too far past the cute stage to get adopted quickly, too full of fear to get someone to notice him in a positive way. All his buddies already lived at our place, so why not Chase too? Except Chase didn't want to leave the only home he'd ever known. It took three of us to get him into the truck.

It would probably take three people to get him back into the truck now. Chase likes to run and go for walks, but he is happiest in his yard; in his pen with his beloved Goldie. Chase does not like change. He likes everything exactly the same as it was yesterday!

Chase is not the brightest crayon in the box. We have often said he's so dumb it's a bit suprising he remembers to breath on his own. He's a giant over-grown puppy, stuck in goofy puppy mode forever. But he just wouldn't be Chase if he was a doggy genius. It's part of his charm!

Sometimes the dumb ones are gift....Chase is an easy dog in every way; Chase never thinks to challenge me; I tell him to do something, he does it; there's no husky selective hearing, no debate on what it's in it for him; he just does as he's asked to do; he's grateful for every little tidbit of attention and love he gets; every walk is the greatest adventure he's ever been on; every dinner is the best meal he's ever had; he can't open gates, never tries to escape or challenges a fence and even if he did mange to, he'd never dream of leaving the yard, its scary out there; he never gets put out because another dog got something he didn't; he doesn't seem to realize he doesn't have to let Goldie be the boss of him; he's quite happy to let her boss him around endlessly and she's delighted to be the boss of someone.

Anyone who thinks dogs don't form their own love bonds needs to meet Chase and Goldie. He is her only canine friend; she's half his size, 5 years older, short, slow and fat to his long, fast and lean. Goldie's life has been much happier since Chase came into it. As she nears the end of her life, he continues to dote on her. I am hopeful that his clueless nature will help limit his grief when she passes.

Chase is my big ball of dumb, but I say that with great affection as he's also a great snuggler; a sweet and gentle boy; an entertaining goofball; a gift to me and Goldie.

Happy Gotcha Day, my doofus dog.

What are the odds of that?

2010-06-18T20:27:00.005-07:00

We are planning a trip to Costa Rica later this year. Critter care is arranged; flights are paid for, hotels booked in several locations. We aren't doing any major chains or resort accomodations this time. We are staying in small B&B type places and renting a cabina on the beach.

Today I was emailing with the owner of the hotel where we are spending our first and last few nights in Alajuela. Close to the airport, without the hassle of the big city of San Jose. Hotel was picked pretty much at random..I liked the website, my Fodor's guide book gave it a decent rating and the reviews on TripAdvisor ranged from decent to glowing.

Today, the owner told me he used to have a similar email address to mine, when he lived in Yellowknife......

What are the odds that of the hundreds of hotels in Costa Rica 4500 miles from my home, I booked the one owned by a fellow Northerner....at least he totally gets why even rainy season in the tropics sounds awesome to me! November is about my least favorite time of year here...it's dark, it's cold, but not quite enough snow usually to enjoy the winter yet!

Hobo Update

2010-05-13T19:58:00.005-07:00

No cancelled appointment for Hobo today! He had improved dramatically....just about anything would have been an improvement over the way his eye looked last week! He was almost back to normal, but he wouldn't chew. Partly that was a monster I created; Hobo really likes canned food, but he wouldn't touch kibble. So he kept his dental appointment today.

And it turned out to be a good thing...painful for both his mouth and my wallet, but a good thing anyway! Hobo had several rotten teeth, including the one suspected to have caused the original abscess. By the end of the day, Hobo was short four teeth! Hopefully, that takes care of the problem...he's running out of teeth! Fortunately, it appears that nothing worse than an infected tooth or three was causing Hobo's troubles. There was no sign of a bone issue, a tumor or other serious problem.

Hobo wanted dinner tonight, although I only gave him a tiny bit of canned food. That's much more typical of my boy...not much keeps Hobo from his dinner!

Firsts are not always good things..

2010-05-03T15:59:00.006-07:00

Last night for the first time in the six years we've known each other, Hobo refused to eat. No Hobo Dance of Joy as he waited for his bowl to be filled; didn't even sniff the food; wouldn't eat a single bite. For most of my dogs skipping dinner once in a while is not a big deal; for Hobo I took it as a sign something was very wrong. I've seen Hobo eat with infected molars; within hours of surgery to remove those molars; during his entire recovery from the wolf attack he never ever missed a meal, not even the day after he had major surgery to put his ravaged little body back together.

This morning, Hobo headed to the vet clinic. When I finally convinced him to stand up, at least part of the problem was obvious. The left side of his face was swollen, his eye was weepy, both classic signs of a dental infection. Not a good thing, but better than some of the alternatives I had come up with overnight!

But it's not a tooth. That would be relatively simple. My dogs don't do simple! Hobo has a Retrobulbar Abscess, an abscess behind his eye. That's a new diagnosis for my dogs; a word I've never had to google before!

His eye looks like it is going to pop out of his little head this afternoon! Causes of this problem could be related to his teeth; could be a foreign object, like a bone splinter or foxtail stuck in there; could be something much nastier!

He's back home with a major dose of antibiotics and anti-inflammatories. If he doesn't start to eat in 48 hours, he'll be going back to the clinic for more tests, x-rays, surgery, all that fun stuff! If he's not almost back to normal in 1o days, he has a tentatively booked surgical appointment. I'm sure hoping we can cancel that one!

This is what Hobo is supposed to look like...happy, goofy, silly. I won't show you what he looks like today! He's my goofy little guy; the happiest dog in the yard. I've never seen him show so much pain, be so quiet and lethargic. I've seen this dog with massive, life-threatening injuries and never heard him complain & he was still trying to wag his tail. Hopefully, the meds will kick in soon and he'll be doing The Hobo Dance of Joy for no apparent reason again!

The Big Kahoona's Arrival

2010-04-09T23:00:00.001-07:00

9 years ago today, Kayleigh, aka the Big Kahoona, came home.

If I had known then what I know now, I probably wouldn't have adopted her. But I would not know what I do now without her. The tough ones are the best teachers.

Happy Gotcha Day, big girl!

Good medicine...

2010-03-07T15:01:00.003-08:00

Sleet is 15 and a half years old; she has all the struggles dogs of that age have...stiff hips, cloudy eyes, limited strength and endurance ect. This mild winter hasn't been much fun for the sled dogs, but it has been a blessing for Sleet! Mild temperatures, sunshine, and Metacam are good medicine for old bones!So good that I was able to capture this beautiful sight this afternoon...The ancient one playing, actually playing with sweet Pacer being gentle and letting her win! Definately one of the prettiest sights I've seen in ages, even through my dirty front window!

(Mom, you should come visit soon, the windows are filthy!)

Earle Update

2010-02-23T19:50:00.007-08:00

Earle got to come home on Sunday evening. He wasn't eating yet, but he was pretty anxious to get out of the clinic. Apparently, he was becoming quite vocal about his unhappiness with his confinement!

So we decided to see if he would be hungrier at home. It didn't work on Sunday. He was happy to be home and the other dogs were truly thrilled to see him. There was none of the usual "you smell funny" stuff. They took turns sniffing him; licking his ears, and snuggling with him. But Earle wouldn't eat yet. Monday Earle started to eat, not much and only if he thought another dog was about to steal his food, but at least he got a bit of nutrition into him! It had been a full week at that point since he had eaten anything! Today he ate breakfast because he just couldn't let Franklin have it! Tonight he wolfed down his dinner, without competition for the bowl! He was actually hungry!

He's not 100% yet, but we did come very, very close to loosing him so it may be awhile before he's fully back to normal. He'll likely need a special diet for the rest of his life, but he seems to like the low fat, easy to digest food. We are thrilled, deeply relieved, and happy beyond words that he's still with us and appears to be on the road back to health!

Acute Severe Pancreatitis...

2010-02-18T20:21:00.003-08:00

Acute Severe Pancreatitis...that's what Earle has!

Monday he was a healthy, happy boy. He even came for a big walk, playing in the snow with his buddies, Daisy and Hobo.

Tuesday morning, he started puking and by Wednesday morning he couldn't stop puking, wouldn't drink anything, refused to stand up on his own, was essentially unresponsive to everything around him...conscious, but didn't care one bit about anything. The diagnosis, acute severe pancreatitis..a very painful, potentially life-threatening condition.

After two days at the vet clinic, on a constant drip of IV fluids, pain control and anti-nausea medications, x-rays and an ultrasound...

He's improving. Not himself, but responsive again. He ate a whopping 3 tablespoons of food this morning, kept it down and then refused to eat another bite all day. He can't come home until he is eating and drinking on his own and most importantly, keeping it all down!

Maybe tomorrow he'll get released from the doggy ICU!

Click in his little canine brain...

2010-02-01T20:41:00.004-08:00

A little over four years ago, a timid grey dog arrived in my world.

Sundin's mother, Pingo, already lived here. I was told they had similar temperment, a bit spooky, but sweet, smart dogs. Sundin is sweet and smart, but he is pathologically timid. Terrified of everything, trusts no one. I put him in the smallest pen I have in November 2005; I did not touch him again until February 2006! He was completely uncatchable. From that first contact til very recently, Sundin would occcasionally decide that he wanted to run. He is confinent and reliable in harness. He came from a distance musher and has been to races all over North America.

We reached a mutual understanding. I wouldn't push him too much; he would occasionally let me pet him or put him in a harness. Last winter, Sundin showed me that he does trust me when he has to, like when he's badly injured and needs assistance. He knows who to turn to when he needs help. After he had recovered, our relationship returned to it's status quo.

Until three weeks ago, when something went click in Sundin's little canine brain. All of the sudden, he decided that he likes me; he likes sleeping in the house; he loves having his ears scratched and he'll run every time I hook a team up. I even get the occasional little kiss while I'm putting his harness on! He can be loose in different pens; I can catch him without trapping him or luring him with food. Like a normal dog, "Come here, Sundin" actually gets him to come here!

Apparently it takes four years, three months and two weeks for Sundin to unpack and decide to make himself at home! I just wish I knew what it was that made the click happen! I would have done it a long time ago!

Just what every sled dog needs...

2010-01-21T22:28:00.002-08:00

A chair!

Anvik rarely gets on the furniture in the house, prefering the comforts of his crate when indoors, but he makes good use of the old recliner in the yard.
Pacer is both a bed and chair hog, indoors and out! Here he is enjoying an armchair in the yard! Pacer would never survive in a real dog yard...he loves to pull, but no way is he sleeping outside!

Hobo has recently decided to play the "I'm old" card. He is old, 13 actually, but he rarely acts his age. He's one of those dogs who is never going to truly mature. He has mellowed a tiny bit with age and now thinks if someone is home, he should be allowed to be in the house with them! His new favorite spot, my recliner! Age has it's privileges!

We've come such a long way, Pacer

2009-12-21T11:06:00.005-08:00

A little over six years ago, a scared little shadow of a dog entered our world. We called Pacer "the ghost dog" due to his solid white coloring and reluctance to have anything to do with people. He lurked on the fringes of our lives, too scared to get too close to anyone.

Then about four years ago, Pacer ended up on the bottom of a pack fight and almost lost his life. It turned out the be the best thing that every happened to him. For six weeks, his options were put with me tending to his wounds while being forced to live inside or die. Pacer may be shy but he's very bright and he knew I was trying to help, even when it hurt!

Pacer started to unpack his baggage as he recovered. He decided to remain a house dog, sleep on the couch; he does have his own pen to protect him when no one is home. He's a much happier boy these days, especially since Tehya arrived. She has taught him the joy of Husky WWF playtime!

Tehya has recently been freed from her crate at night. Most nights she ends up on the bed. She likes to snuggle. In the wee hours this morning, I felt a little husky sneak up on the bed and snuggle up beside, sharing my pillow...one of Tehya's favorite tricks. For several hours I slept hugging the little dog I assumed to be Tehya. Until the alarm went off and I discovered it was Pacer snuggled up to me!

Oh, how far we've come my little devil dog....from living on the fringes of the yard, to reluctant acceptance of contact, to snuggling on the bed! And it only took six years!

**Devil dog comes from his ears...his behavior is not devilish at all, but when he's happy and relaxed his ears look like little devil horns!**

Another sick one...

2009-12-16T22:54:00.005-08:00

Had I been thinking with my head instead of my heart when I was bringing most of this pack home a few years ago, I would have thought "hey they are all going to get old at the same damn time; maybe I should space their ages out a bit?" Alas, I did not think that and probably wouldnt' have changed a thing even if I had thought it! So now I have a rapidly aging pack that while still mainly healthy is starting show signs of it's age!

Life was not kind Goldie for her first few years, so she may seem even older than she really is. Goldie is a tough dog; a sweetie at heart, but one who bears both physical and psychological scars from her early years. Goldie has one true friend in the whole pack, her beloved Chase; she doesn't like other girls and she is not fond of cats; she spent over two years in the local shelter; she has badly bowed front legs, likely from poor nutrition as a wee puppy; she has been on pain meds for many years due to an old pelvic fracture that was never treated and healed incorrectly. Goldie is tough, but she also loves to be hugged by her people, adores her Chase, delights in a good walk, and never ever lets anyone or anything in her driveway without warning me that something is coming. She even has different barks for strangers, people she likes, loose dogs and moose. She's a good girl....

Unfortunately, she's a good girl who is full of cancer. Goldie was diagnosed with bone cancer today. The tumor covers most of the right side of her rib cage. It is not removeable. Surgery is not an option. We have decided not to subject her to any further testing or procedures. Her prognosis does not change in any case.

We are adding a second pain medication in the hope of keeping her comfortable for as long as possible. Goldie has known enough stress and pain in her life. Before it ends, she will know only safety, security, comfort and love, from her humans and her special canine friend, Chase.

The loose wire connects...

2009-11-25T19:48:00.003-08:00

Now don't get me wrong, we adore Chase. He is a sweet, gentle lovely dog who is the best snuggler in the pack. However, he is truly a dumb dog. As his Uncle Nick used to say, Chase has a loose wire upstairs. Something just doesn't connect! He would loose some of his charm if he was a genius dog anyway!

But every once in awhile, Chase shows a flash of brilliance. Tonight when I got home, Chase was in the wrong pen. He lives with Goldie in their own pen. Chase is the only dog Goldie will tolerate on a full-time basis. He's not bright enough to be dominant! Goldie likes a boy she can boss around!

Chase has figured out that he can use his extraordinarily long legs and the block of ice frozen into a bath tub that is their water bowl in the summer to launch himself over the fence! Fortunately, that just puts him in a bigger pen and Chase gets along with everyone. He had a self-scheduled play date for the afternoon!

Of Course he's not smart enough to figure out how to get back into his pen and was a bit stressed about being seperated from his girlfriend.

He's no genius, but maybe he's not quite as dumb as he appears!

Sometimes it's the little things...

2009-11-02T21:21:00.002-08:00

Tonight for the first time in his life, Antare walked through the front door, under his own power, with just a moment's hesistation and right past me!

Usually he comes in the side door, into the arctic entry, but only if he's following another dog, only if the door is wide open and I hide behind it.

Tonight, he acted like a "normal" dog

Sometimes it doesn't take much to make my day!

A new toy....

2009-10-15T18:14:00.002-07:00

I'd been saving up for a new camera for awhile...the dogs kept draining my camera account! Last week, I finally took the plunge and ordered a Nikon D300s. It arrived a few days ago. Oh my! I've shot with a digital SLR for more than three years and this thing makes me feel like I've never even shot a plain ol' point and shoot camera before! Hello, learning curve!

Fortunately, I have some cooperative models. Antare likes it when I take pictures of him from a safe distance. It also means my hands are full so I can't try to pet him, something he would prefer to avoid if he can!

Pete is always glad to assist with developing my low light shooting skills!

Occasionally Mother Nature sends along a model too, like this eagle who spent some time in the yard this afternoon! Nothing shuts the ravens up faster than a really big bird!

Woke up to Winter

2009-10-05T16:41:00.006-07:00

It's my day off so I slept in this morning and at about 9am woke up to this:

Welcome back winter! Not that I'm quite ready for you yet!

Somewhere under the several inches of snow blanketing my yard is a few thousand feet of garden hose, which I thought about bringing in yesterday after I finished filling all the dogs' tubs.

Mac and some of the younger dogs are enjoying the snow. Sleet decided that today was a good time to play her "age has it's privledges" card. She won't go outside for any longer than absolutely neccessary. For a former lead dog, she has quite an aversion to snow now!

Maybe he's listening more than I think....

2009-09-26T13:22:00.005-07:00

Stuart does not share my football obsession. He'll watch the odd game with me, if the Winnipeg Blue Bombers are playing, but he doesn't care. He would not rearrange his work schedule so he doesn't miss kick-off...something I do every time the Stamps play out east! He's pretty sure all pro sports are fixed. I prefer to believe there is not enough money in the CFL to bother rigging anything!

He got home last night from a two week camping trip with his buddies in Alberta. Told me there was a present for me in one of his bags. Shopping was not part of this trip so I was expecting a rock; I love rocks too and he's dragged some heavy suckers home for me! I did find a really cool rock and in a bag underneath it, a Stampeders jersey with Jermaine Copeland's name and number on it.

Two weeks ago, the Stamps won a game on a Copeland circus catch in the dying seconds of the 4th quarter. When Stuart called that evening from his work, I said "I am so buying myself a Jermaine jersey." Seriously, I was pretty sure he just tunes out my football related ramblings!

I'm pretty impressed!

My new sled cover

2009-09-14T13:51:00.003-07:00

Last winter, Stuart said he would build some kind of cover over where I keep my dogsled, harness up the dogs ect. There are two gates at one of end of the "chute", one of them is 10 feet wide. Shoveling the snow away from that gate is a huge hassle. I figured he meant throw up a couple planks and put a tarp over it for a roof.

After 10 years, you'd think I would know better! Stuart has a bigger is better theory on most things he builds! This is what I came home to find him building last week...complete with trusses, extra support beams, a place to hang all the lines and harness, and enough room to store not only my dog sled, but the ATV and snowmobile too! And still open the 10 foot gate with no problem!

The finished chute cover, with a full tin roof! Two gates I won't have to worry about clearing this winter!

Oops, I forgot one...

2009-09-02T20:28:00.002-07:00

There is one more canine patient right now!

Franklin!

Franklin has always been a late shedder, the last of the dogs to let go of his winter coat. So I wasn't too worried when he started to look a little ratty! Until I noticed the bare spots of skin, the red patches and the incessant itching started! Everything about Franklin screams this dog is hypothyroid, but after running every test known to man for that, he most definately is not hypothyroid.

He's on his second round of antibiotics for a bacterial skin infection. Now we think it's secondary to seasonal allergies. I can so relate to those! This time we added in a dose of prednisone, which has knocked out the itching.

Current plan is a month of pred and antibiotics, then wean him off the pred. By then there will have been enough frost that whatever pollen or plant he's reacting to will be dead! His coat should fill back out in time for the real winter weather. Franklin loves to run and it's hard to be a sled dog with bare skin sticking out!

Updates

2009-09-01T22:46:00.004-07:00

Some overdue updates on the patients around here:

The mystery lumps in Heyoka's throat remain just that...a mystery. We can't get a decent sample for a biopsy, even when he's knocked out; they are just too far down. He sounds like a chainsaw when he breathes, especially when he's relaxed or asleep. Some nights I get up and move his head in a mostly failed attempt to lessen the racket! He seems unbothered though. He's a little slower, a bit less rammy than he used to be, but he eats like a pig, fence fights with Deuce, chases his tail and still enjoys a good belly rub. He remains, for the most part, the giant goof he's always been. Since his diagnosis remains a mystery, his prognosis is mysterious too!
Chum is holding his own in his battle with liver cancer. He's a bit underweight still, but he is eating. If you didn't know how Chum used to be, you would be hard pressed to tell how sick he is. Seems a bit ironic that for six years every day I told that dog to settle down and shut up and now I'm thrilled when he growls and runs a bit!

Prednisone and Tramadol are working their magic. It is painfully obvious when he needs another dose of Tramadol. He's turned into a total house dog and a snuggly little guy. Chum has always been the only dog allowed to sleep on our bed. He is supposed to stay on the corner by my feet, but he has managed to take over much more room than that lately. It did not take him long to figure out that the rules don't apply to the terminally ill! He is on borrowed time, but we will borrow as much as we can.

Goldie is also waging a battle with cancer, although her diagnosis isn't as definative or as dire as Chum's. She has a large lump, rock solid and firmly attached to her rib cage. There really isn't a thing we can do about it. It's not removable. Goldie is already on anti-inflammatory painkillers for chronic shoulder and hip pain. She is still content to boss Chase around, hog all the rawhides and bark at the new neighbors!

And Sweet Sleet...She's not really ill. She's just ancient. She is well into her 15th year. Her advancing age becomes more obvious all the time. She is stiff with a weak back end and she prefers to spend her days on her favorite blanket. Her dinner bowl hides a couple different medications! She's still fiesty though..no young punk dog is coming between Sleet and her treats. She showed her vet a flash of teeth and 'tude earlier this week when she objected to a blood draw! When you are ancient your vet comes by alot!

I think that's all the patients right now, at least the canine ones!

Good-bye Princess...

2009-08-17T23:15:00.004-07:00

I hadn't even gotten around to posting about her leaving our pack...Princess went back to her owner a couple weeks ago. We thought she would be back here in a few months, as it was pretty obvious her owner wouldn't be able to keep up with her for long. In hindsight, I should have fought harder to keep her here.

Princess escaped on the weekend, a young husky with too much energy will find a way to burn it off. Sometimes that has tragic consequences. Princess was run over while out running around and did not survive.

I'm so sorry, little one. You deserved better.

Godspeed, Princess.

The Family drops by...

2009-08-11T12:52:00.007-07:00

My nieces were here last week. They flew up all by themselves, a trip they handled much better than their mother, who was a basketcase after she put them on the plane! We had a busy week! Spent the first day in Skagway. It was the first time in several trips over that the summit has been clear. Last time we couldn't even see the Alaska sign!

The forest fire smoke moved in the next day. Hannah has mild asthma so the smoke was a bit of a problem for her, but she never let it slow her down too much! She's a happy, delightful kid!
And a natural athlete. We spent a day at Snafu Lake where Hannah was determined to try kayaking. She's only 11 and small for her age, but she handled 15 feet of boat like a pro! Naomi caught the only fish of the day. After 10 years of trying, my Dad has still been skunked by Yukon fish...not one in all those years!
We went for a tour at the Yukon Wildlife Preserve, where there were lots of babies this year! Including these very curious twin mule deer fawns.

My waste of money Sacco cart finally got some use. My dogs all, without exception, either hate the cart or are terrified of it! The kids had a great time hauling each other around the yard!

It's amazing what a six year old will do for five bucks! Emma picked up every old, chewed-up, rotten bone in the main yard and did it singing a song the entire time! Give her a wheelbarrow and she's a happy kid!

We also went to the Copperbelt Mining museum. Apparently it's been there for years, but I'd never heard of it til this summer. It's a pretty cool place. We went for a train ride, had ice cream and got a bunch of information about the quarries near our house, that were once part of the Whitehorse Copper Mine.

My parents showed up a few days after the girls. Everyone headed back to Saskatchewan on Saturday. Yup, they drove 2500 kilometres with three kids. They are supposed to be home tonight. I'll have to call and see if everyone survived the journey!

Hannah tried to train the dogs to be show dogs. That didn't work out so well, but they did enjoy the extra treats and attention!

Unfortunately, Chum wasn't himself and spent one day of their visit at the vet. Yesterday we learned that Chum has liver cancer with a large mass attached to his liver and his spleen. There aren't any treatment options for him, other than keeping his quality of life as good as possible for as long as possible. The prognosis is grim and we likely only have a few weeks left with our noisy boy, who isn't so noisy anymore. Hannah gave him some extra lovin' while she was here! We'll keep that up for as long as we can!

A late introduction....

2009-07-22T22:07:00.010-07:00

She's been here for a couple weeks, but she hasn't been formally introduced on the blog yet:

Please say hello to Princess!
Princess is an 18th month old husky mix. Right now she's here on an extended play date. Her actual owner, who truly does care about her, is ill and just can't take care of her. How long Princess stays will depend on his health....

Tehya would like her to stay forever! They have become fast friends who spend all day running and wrassling!

Princess is ridiculously small! She tops out at about 25 pounds! She's a pint sized husky!

But she plays like a big dog!

She's alot of fun, full of joy and energy! Tehya is enjoying having another young dog to play with and I suspect Anvik is enjoying the break from being Tehya's chew toy!

When will winter be back.....

2009-07-08T21:43:00.005-07:00

Oh, how I hate summer. Bugs, hot huskies, allergies.....if it's green, has leaves or drops pollen, I am probably allergic to it. This week has been unnaturally warm for this area, leading to more forest fires, which in turn, lead to this.

Somewhere under that haze of forest fire smoke are the beautiful mountains I usually get to look at on my drive home.

There is not enough Reactine on the planet to counteract my allergic reaction to that smoke!

I'd so much rather deal with the ice fog that occurs in extreme cold!

Woohoooo Grey Cup Bound....

2009-07-04T15:25:00.003-07:00

My team might not be there, although I like to believe that their rather pathetic season opener was not a sign of things to come. In any case I will be there! November 29, 2009, 4pm MST, McMahon Stadium....with my DAD!! How awesome is that???!!!

Check out all the Grey Cup fun here!

Thanks to my awesome hubby, who bought the tickets and my airfare(my birthday and christmas presents until the end of time I am sure!) and who is staying home to take care of the furries so I can spend a few days with my Dad! He rocks! Actually both my hubby and my Dad rock! My life is richly blessed with good ones!

More Birthdays....

2009-06-30T20:30:00.004-07:00

The troublemaking brothers turn 6 today!

Sweet, happy Mac. How do you resist that smile? He has come a long way from that scaredy dog no one could touch. He can be trouble, with a capital T, but at his core he's a good boy who just needs some really clear limits....like a 7 foot fence!

SwSweet Ozzy, scared of his own shadow but determined to protect his territory or at least bark enough to convince any intruder that he's much tougher than he looks! So noisy...sorry about that neighbor people!
Ozzy has healed nicely from his broken shoulder blade. I don't think there will be any negative effects on his sled dog career...thank goodness as a tired Ozzy is a good Ozzy!

Happy Birthday, Mac & Ozzy!

Happy Birthday Earle....

2009-06-20T12:47:00.005-07:00

Yesterday was Earle's 10th birthday!

How did he go from this little puppy to a senior so fast!??

He's the easiest dog in the pack...happy, sweet, friendly to everyone of any species. It would almost be boring around here if they were all like! Almost......

Happy Birthday, Earle!!

Where does all the dirt go....

2009-06-08T12:02:00.004-07:00

Anvik's napping hole gets bigger everyday and yet I can't find enough dirt to fill it back in. It would be a loosing battle anyway. It's hot out. Huskies must dig down to the cool earth!

I suppose I should be glad he doesn't dig tunnels like Kayleigh! She has a elaborate network of tunnels in her pen! Don't know where all the dirt went from those either!

Rest well, Paxil

2009-05-28T18:21:00.003-07:00

Written through a veil of shock and tears, for less than 36 hours ago Paxil seemed healthy and happy. She was an older dog, but showed no signs that she was ready to move on.

Last night I came home to find Paxil stuck in her favorite dog house, unable to figure out how to turn around or move backwards to get out. She was clearly not feeling well so I carried her into the house and settled her on her bed, right inside the door beside the woodstove; a spot she claimed when she first arrived here and rarely ventured from if she was in the house. She wouldn't eat but she drank some water.

This morning she could not stand on her own. She had not made a sound all night or given a single kiss. This was a dog who talked all the time about everything and anything. There was no point wearing make-up around Paxil, she would just lick it off. My kissy girl.

We loaded her into the van for a trip to the vet, knowing that it was unlikely she was coming home again. She spent the day at the clinic. Our vet believes she had a mass in her stomach, perhaps an aggressive reoccurance of the mast cell cancer she had previously beaten. That mass started to bleed and sent a clot either to her spinal cord or her brain. The vet, sweet Dr. Candace, offered to do some tests and x-rays to determine where the clot was, but that knowledge would not have changed the outcome. Paxil was slipping away, her body slowly shutting down. Whatever made her my special girl was already gone. I sat with her until it seemed she starting to struggle to breath. Then I asked Candace to help her cross. Paxil offered no resistance and left her failing body gently.

Paxil changed my life. The very first time I ever stood on the runners of a dog sled and asked a team to "gee", she was my lead dog.

She was perfect then and I was hooked. A couple years later, the opportunity to bring Paxil here presented itself and I was delighted to offer her a semi-retirement home. She loved being a house dog who still pulled. She was the lead dog musher's dream about...responsive, consistent, she never missed a command, she always knew the way home, she was smarter than her musher, a trait that saved us from a couple long, cold nights in the bush! When she retired at the start of this season, I seriously considered it myself. There will never be another like her in my team or my heart. There are a whole bunch of recycled sled dogs here who owe her their home, for without her I would have no need for sled dogs of any kind!

I will miss her bossing me around; how she always pushed me out of the way to get in the door first, like I was going to steal her favorite spot if I got there before her; how she always waited until I was comfortable before deciding that she needed fresh water; how she followed me around the yard prancing and wooing her tales; that silly spotted tongue and her soft brown eyes.

I hate that empty blanket by the door. I hate that she didn't trip me today and that there is only one bowl of old house dog food being served tonight. I hate that she never told me she was so ill. And I am grateful she never told me, that she didn't suffer or linger for months; that she made it very clear when she needed to go.

Rest well, my girl. You earned it. Thank you..............

Cuba!

2009-05-25T15:27:00.002-07:00

We are home from a wonderful vacation in Cuba. We had a great time, loved the country and the people. We started with three days in Havana.

Havana is a beautiful city, full of history, chaos and life! I wouldn't call it a relaxing start to our holiday, but it was unforgettable and we both loved it.

The architecture is stunning. There are remarkable old buildings everywhere. This was once the Cuban capital building, but is now home to a science institute. We stayed in the heart of Old Havana, a UNESCO world heritage site, in a 100 year old hotel. So we could walk to just about all the sites. Being a pedestrian in Havana is a bit tricky though. The Cubans drive like maniacs. There are no road signs, no crosswalks, very few lights. We got pretty good at dashing across busy streets!

We did take a few cabs including these fun little things, Coco Cabs. Basically they are three wheeled motorcycles with two seats and a bubble like topper. Much more fun than a plain ol' car!

We spent a full day exploring the fortresses that protected the city for hundreds of years. I think Stuart wants a cannon in our driveway! He liked the cannons!

We heard alot of great music in Havana and came home with quite a collection of CDs. Every bar band in Cuba has cut a CD!

We also went to the Tropicana show, a spectacle worth every dime of the admission price.

After three days in Havana, we cut a deal with a taxi driver and got a ride down the road to the beach resort town of Varadero.

Now that was relaxing! Twenty-one kilometres of white sand beach, plenty of sun and swimming, lots of rum!

We went deep sea fishing. Didn't catch anything, but as Stuart says it's called fishing, not catching! The open bar on the boat made him a happy fisherman anyway!

I went scuba diving. Stuart is a certified diver, but I'd never been before. His ears were acting up and he couldn't take the pressure in the ocean so he went snorkling and I went diving with Ivan, the uber-awesome dive master. Ivan was very good at getting me past the initial panic of being underwater and trying to breath!We did two dives, on a coral reef, saw lots of fish and funky underwater plants.

The sunsets were amazing. We just don't get sunsets like that up here. We had great weather, with a lovely cooling breeze everyday, lots of sun, no bugs and only a bit of rain on the last evening we were there.

I found some kitties to feed so I was not deprived of purrs while we were away! The hotel in Varadero had a small cat colony living on the grounds. The kittens were very friendly and sucked a few people into stealing food from the buffets for them!

It was a great way to celebrate our tenth anniversary. We will definately go back to Cuba to explore the rest of the island. The dogs didn't traumatize the sitters so we might not have to wait another ten years for a holiday!

Remembering Uncle Elmer....

2009-05-19T19:02:00.005-07:00

In every young girl's life, there should be at least one man who adores her. I was lucky enough to not only have a remarkable father, but also his brothers. All of them loving, wonderful uncles; each of them holds their own place in my heart and many happy memories, but perhaps the most special was Uncle Elmer. I'm not entirely sure why, maybe because he didn't have a daughter when I was born(she came along a couple years later), but we shared a special bond. I always knew with absolute certainty that Uncle Elmer adored me. The feeling was mutual.

Life threw Uncle Elmer some horrendous blows; things that would have brought a lesser man to his knees or to the bottle and kept him there forever. But not my Uncle. I have no doubt that he never forgot, but he kept going; kept living his life; travelling with his faithful black lab, Dutchess, by his side; being a devoted father, grandfather, son, uncle and brother; finding new love and happiness.

It was a life well lived; a rich and full life. It was too short. Uncle Elmer passed away on May 17. I will miss him. I hope that wherever he is now, he has been reunited with his loved ones who left before him; that he has found peace and comfort; and that Dutchess is once again contentedly napping at his feet.

Rest well, Uncle Elmer.

We are outta here!

2009-05-05T09:37:00.003-07:00

Yup, for the first time ever, Stuart and I are going away together!! Usually one of us leaves--Stuart for work or hunting, me to visit my family in Saskatchwan--the other one stays home with the furkids. We have never gone away together for more than a few hours! This time we'll be gone for 12 days and we aren't going to visit anyone! We leave bright and early tomorrow morning for Cuba! We are going to hang out in Havana for a few days and then move over to the beach in Varadero. I am seriously looking forward to laying on a beach with a cabana boy bringing me Mojitos! :)

Our dear, sweet, brave friend, Stephanie has agree to look after the dogs, cats, house and everything that goes with that! We had to fly her in from Toronto, but the extra cost is well worth the peace of mind. I have every confidence that she can handle whatever the critters throw at her. Cross your paws that they behave themselves, at least a little bit!

The reason for this journey....May 15th is our 10th wedding anniversary! I doubt anyone would admit it now, but we know that more than a few people didn't think we'd make this far!

Look at us...we were just babies! How life has changed in the last 10 years! When this pic was taken we had one dog and one cat; we lived in a major city down south; I didn't even own a pair of Carharts, had never heard of bunny boots, but I had a vast collection of skirts and heels! It's been quite a trip so far and I wouldn't change a minute of it! I'm looking forward to seeing where the next ten years take us!

The next post will have weird pictures never seen before on this blog....sand, sun....See y'all in a couple weeks. Be well!

Happy Birthday & Congratulations, Mom!

2009-04-25T10:21:00.001-07:00

Today is my Mom's birthday, but she won't be home to read this post for a few more days. Why is she not home on her birthday? She's graduating! After this weekend, Mom will officially be a minister in the United Church. A few years ago, the church in their little town lost their minister. Ministers are hard to replace these days. There just aren't many of them around anymore! Unlike her daughter, my Mom is an extrovert. Public speaking never seems to bother her too much! So she started doing services. After this weekend, she will be all offical!

I don't attend church except when I go visit my folks. I have seen my Mom at the pulpit and she is truly gifted. Even if you don't believe a word she's saying, there is no denying that she says it in an entertaining, engaging way with great faith and passion. Her congregation is blessed to have her.

It seems other congregations realize that she is good too! She's had job offers from other churchs and even the school she's about been attending! All of which she has turned down; she says because she undertook this training for her home church, but let's face it, no other church has her three granddaughters living across the street!

Happy Birthday, Mom and Congratulations. I am personally blessed to have such a determined, strong, smart, caring woman as my Mom!

A new canine injury!

2009-04-21T20:06:00.002-07:00

My dogs do like to keep me on my toes. Doing something the easy way is just not in their natures. They are huskies after all!

As a pack, they occasionally have wee disagreements, which usually end in a run to the vet with a bleeding dog or two. The amount of blood required for a vet run has increased over the years, but a dozen dogs in one fight is going to require a pro at some point! Last Tuesday night, the dogs got into one of those disagreements. Fortunately, I got them apart before any serious damage was done....or so I thought.

Ozzy, who start the fight, cuz that's what he does, ran to the door on three legs screeching his head off. For which he got a "that leg better be broken you little jerk" and put in his crate with some Metacam. He limped for a few days, but seemed to be ok. Then over the weekend, the limp got worse again and noisy, active Ozzy did not complain once about being put on crate rest. Not a good sign.

So he spent today at the vet. Being left is major for Ozzy. He's very timid and he grew up in a shelter. Concrete kennels are scary, scary places for Ozzy, especially when the only person he trusts closes the door and walks away. That was the saddest face I've ever seen and there's just no way to convince a dog that you really are coming back in a few hours!

Ozzy has a broken shoulder blade! I suspect he lunged after Founder, the dog on the bottom of last week's pack fight, who was hiding under the porch swing. Ozzy probably hit his shoulder on the metal swing legs. A little piece of the shoulder blade is just floating around in the joint, causing the inconsistent limp! Dr. Jessica sent the x-rays off to a specialist today...thank God for digital x-rays that can be emailed! She suspects Ozzy will need surgery to remove the bone chip, but wants an expert opinion before she starts messing around in his joints. I appreciate her caution! Ozzy will likely have surgery later this week, after the specialist responds.

My poor little sweetie. He is a bit of a troublemaker, but he's really a very sweet boy. It's been a lot of work and six years to get Ozzy from untouchable to snuggling on the couch...course he only cuddles with me; if he doesn't know you he will bark incessantly until you go away!

The only good thing out of today....Ozzy survived and maybe learned that I come back! Plus the last time Jessica saw him it was for his weight. Ozzy is a hard keeper and gets dangerously skinny. This time last year, he looked like a starving stray and I was sure he had some form of cancer that was causing him to waste away. He actually has a metabolism I would kill for. Today his weight is just under 54 pounds, which is absolutely perfect...it takes three times the food the other dogs get to keep him there, but at least I'm not embarassed to take him for a walk anymore!

Might he be yours?

2009-04-13T10:05:00.003-07:00

Someone must be looking for this boy...

He wandered into my yard yesterday, a young, neutered Golden Lab. He's very friendly and sweet. Gets along well with other dogs. I like him, but Labs are not my breed and I don't want any more dogs.

If he's yours or you know where he might belong, please leave a comment and I'll get you my contact info!

Edited to add that Buddy was reclaimed on Monday evening, by his much relieved caregivers who he was delighted to see!

Godspeed, Pirate

2009-04-10T14:59:00.004-07:00

This morning Pirate was released from her failing body. Pirate was old and unwell when she arrived here. Some good medications gave her 14 months of comfort, warmth and high quality of life. Over the past few weeks, she had begun to fade with her bad days getting closer and closer together. This week she did not rebound and was just getting worse. Her mobility was limited, she needed more and more assistance with everything.

Her quality of life was gone, so we gave her the one thing we had left....a gentle, peaceful passing. The vet came to the house and Pirate passed with no stress, on her favorite blankets with her people holding her paws. She was ready to go; I wasn't nearly as ready as I thought!

Pirate was with us for a mere 14 months out of her many years, but in that time she knew comfort, warmth and love. She was dry and safe. I'd imagine that this place is hard to adjust as an elderly dog, probably tricky as a young dog, but Pirate adapted to being a house dog in no time. She loved lounging around on her blankets and even tolerated the cats walking over her. She was deaf as a post, but somehow always heard the kibble hitting her bowl. She never missed a meal, even last night, when I had to hold her up, she still wanted to eat.

She showed us signs of what she must have been like as a young dog. I bet she was a handful! Even at 14 she thought she was tough and she hated Sleet, my other ancient girl. The only time I've ever laughed while breaking up a dog fight was pulling those two apart...both almost toothless, stiff and half blind, but still willing to battle it out!

This is my favorite picture of her, taken just a couple weeks ago. I rarely gave Pirate bones; she had a delicate digestive system and extra treats usually meant extra mess for both of us! She didn't really eat that bone, but she gummed it up for hours and enjoyed every second of it!

I hope in some way the last 14 months of your life compensated for the crappy earlier years. I'm glad you made it here, even if it wasn't for nearly long enough. You were and will always be deeply loved. Godspeed, Pi-Shy girl.

Still playing in the snow...

2009-04-05T11:30:00.002-07:00

This might have been our last run of the season. There's still plenty of snow, but it's getting pretty punchy and icy. Plus the road crossing is clear and dry, great for driving the van, not so great for the sled!

It's a five dog team because Hobo really wanted to come. Some of the other dogs are loosing interest in running this time of year, but not Hobo. He never looses interest!

He is one happy sled dog! Hobo turned 12 this winter and he's showing his age a little bit. He's slowed down just enough that he actually fits in my team now. When I first got him, he was way too fast for us and it frustrated him to no end! Now he's happy to just trot along for 5 miles and then take over the couch for the rest of the day!

The joys of daylight savings time...

2009-03-20T22:35:00.002-07:00

Well one joy anyway...lots of light left after work. No need for a headlamp or the lighted collars on the dogs!

This was about 7pm on Tuesday night, the day after the dogs popped the snowhook and left me in the forest! Reggae may not always turn when I tell him, which is what led to the snowhook popping incident, but he does have a flawless, never miss "on-by". This time of year that's very handy since everyone who hasn't walked their dog all winter is suddenly out on the trail. Loose dogs don't even get a glance from Regs! Skijorers get him to lift his head, but he keeps moving! He's very serious when he's working.

Our first run of spring, taken tonight sometime after 7. The longer days and tons of snow are a great mix! Last year, our last run was March 13, this year we should still be going in late April!!

The big guy...

2009-03-14T16:20:00.004-07:00

The big guy, Heyoka, has had a rough week, much of it spent at the vet.

It started with an odd swelling under his eye on Tuesday night and a quick trip to the on-call emergency vet. We thought it was "just" an abscessed tooth. Not fun, not cheap, but easy easy enough to fix with a little dental surgery. So we booked that for next week. The ER vet was a bit concerned about his breathing and suggested he had laryngeal paralysis. Heyoka is a noisy breather and his breathing was very laboured that night. Check for that too when he was knocked for the tooth problem. Because my dogs can never do anything the easy way, Heyoka threw in a extremely high fever. So we got sent home with an appointment for next week, antibiotics and Metacam.

Heyoka's fever did not respond to the Metacam so we were back at the clinic Wednesday afternoon. He stayed the night on IV fluids and antibiotics. I've never seen such a pathetic looking dog! He didn't move when I left his kennel, no wooing, no complaints all about being left behind. His dental surgery was moved up to Friday morning(my thanks to whoever allowed their dog to be bumped so mine could get help!)

Thursday afternoon my big, happy goof dog was back. So bouncey that he pulled his IV out while out for a pee break and got to come home for the night. Friday morning back to the clinic, we were getting good at that! Heyoka didn't even argue about getting in the van. He is not a fan of riding in a vehicle, especially the van...the van does not go down the trail to the fun places!

The tooth part of his surgery went fairly well. He lost two teeth, two BIG teeth! Once his gums heal, the tooth loss will have little effect. Right now he's enjoying eating canned food; it's easy to hide his pills in too so it works for both of us!

The rest of the results are not so good, they are damn crappy. Heyoka does not have laryngeal paralysis; that would have been bad, but I'd prefer it right now! His larnyx is thickened and hard. That's why his voice is always a little hoarse and why his breathing is so noisy. He struggles a bit for every breath. His vet could not explain why this has happened, but as it continues to progess, Heyoka will have a harder and harder time breathing, eventually leading to a respitory crisis. There was more bad news...he has actual holes in and around his tonsils and small lumps throughout his throat. Biopsy samples were taken from several spots in his throat and from the swelling on his face, but we are fairly sure that the big guy has cancer.

The prognosis is grim and it appears we will not have our clown for much longer, certainly not for as long as we had hoped. We'll do everything we can for him though and keep him happy and comfy for as long as possible.

The Annual Hoodoo Memorial Run...

2009-03-02T19:45:00.003-08:00

Every year around the anniversary of Hoodoo's death, I take a team and run the last trail he ran with us. Every four years, I go on the actual date, February 29. I've always thought that Hoodoo probably got a little giggle out of leaving on a date that only happens once every four years. That dog was a trickster.

Hoodoo's last run involved crossing this field. I have no idea why there is a big open field in the middle of the forest, but it's there and no trees ever seem to grow in that area. This is about where Reggae said screw it for today. Reggae does not like having to break trail, make his own, decide which snowmobile track I meant when I said gee. He likes clear, well marked trails; he likes his commands given quietly and early. As soon as he can see a possible turn, he wants to know what I want. We were running into the wind and drifts today. Not Reggae's favorite thing. Just after I snapped this, he did a flawless come-around-haw, through snow up to his chest, he turned the entire team, without a tangle, without letting Ozzy get close enough to cause a ruckus with Anvik. It was a thing of beauty.

And we ran the rest of the way home on the trail we'd already broken. Hoodoo would have appreciated that! He loved to tag along for a run, but he never liked to do anymore work than absolutely neccessary. He had mastered the art of keeping his tug line tight enough that it looked like he was doing something, but not so tight that he was actually working!

Hoodoo

June 19, 1999-February 29, 2004

We still miss you, buddy.

Sophia's dental drama

2009-02-27T21:58:00.004-08:00

Given the sheer number of critters here, I have no choice but to spend a great deal of both time and money with our local vets. Mostly it's the dogs that are frequent patients, but occasionally it's the cats too. When my cats get sick, they seem to get really sick! No fooling around with just being a bit under the weather for this clowder.

Sweet Sophia has had dental problems since I met her almost two years ago; in that time she's had three major dental surgeries. The last one was done on February 13 and left little Sophia with just two teeth in her entire head, her lower fangs. Why just have a couple bad teeth when you can have stomatitis that affects your entire mouth?

Sophia has recovered well from her previous dental procedures, but not this one. She wouldn't eat; she wouldn't move; she didn't purr; she didn't groom; she had terrible diaherra and drooled like a St. Bernard! Over the course of the past two weeks, three different vets have cared for Sophia, all at Alpine Vet. She's had bloodwork, tests, fluids and multiple medications. One of the docs was even brought home medication for her after hours last Friday night, saving us another stressful trip to the clinic. Nothing worked for long though; Sophia would show improvement for brief periods and then crash again. . She was miserable! I was deeply afraid that I would have to let her go far sooner than expected. I don't know how old Sophia is, but she's likely between 8 and 10. Really not that old for an indoor kitty.

Occasionally she would eat a bit a salmon, but not nearly enough and she wouldn't even look at cat food. Sophia is my little fat cat; she doesn't miss many meals.

A second round of bloodwork on Tuesday showed that every cell that can be inflammed in Sophia's body is severely inflammed. Perhaps the stress of surgery triggered it; maybe whatever causes the problems in her mouth spread to the rest of her body, but in any case, she just couldn't fight it on her own. Sophia started on prednisone Wednesday afternoon. I've never given pred to a cat before, although several of the dogs have taken it at one time or another. Sleet takes a form of it for her allergies every year and her symptoms stop within a couple hours of her 'roid shot.

Sophia's response that almost as fast as Sleet's. By Thursday morning, she was eating. By Thursday night she was grooming and purring. Today, she's not quite back to normal, but she's 100% better than she was 48 hours ago! Now if the inflammation will just stay gone when she goes off the prednisone!

My team...

2009-02-21T13:46:00.002-08:00

I'm way late posting these. They were taken on Christmas Eve. Pictures of my team from the front are a rare thing!

A six dog team with Daisy woofing in front them. She's a bit of a pain in the butt at the start, but she's handy once she settles down. She's a good early warning system!

Stuart's step-Mom was in the sled for a short ride. A friend came over to take the pics. I should get him to do that more often...it's a nice change of pace from pictures of doggy butts!

Quest 300 Start...

2009-02-15T12:17:00.003-08:00

I didn't make it town for the 1000 mile race start, for any number of reasons that I won't bother going into publicly! I know a few of the mushers in the Quest 300 start so I did make it for that. Well, part of it, I left right after Will VanRanden, my neighbor, was out of the start chute!

Before Will's turn, Karen and Mark Ramstead were up! The Ramsteads have a devoted base of siberian husky fans. Since I started with purebreds, I have a bit of a soft spot for them too. Karen is one of mushing's good guys and her sibes shine both on the trail and in the show ring.

The Ramsteads' truck is easy to pick out! I once again did not meet Karen. We've been emailing for years; I've even run the odd errand for her, but we've never actually met.

Getting ready to go.

Crunchie was quiet, but anxiously waiting to get hooked up too!

Karen leaving the start chute; the third musher out.

Her happy Huskies!

Calm, cool and collected Karen.

Mark followed shortly after Karen.

Mark looked a bit more tense than Karen!

This is my neighbor, Will VanRanden, heading out. It's quiet around here without Will's dogs. He lives just down the hill from us and our teams chat a few times every day! I really like Will. He's a real dog whisperer and I have great respect for how he cares for his dogs. I hope he does well!

That's gonna leave a mark...

2009-02-12T14:57:00.003-08:00

Sundin was on the loosing end of a disagreement with Ozzy two weeks ago. He had surgery to put his face back together two weeks ago tomorrow. The wounds actually looked worse than they really were. Facial wounds bleed like crazy!! But that's still gonna leave a mark!

The stitches are out now and he's healing nicely. New scars do not stop Sundin from pulling. That's him in the middle of the team this afternoon.

Being beat up has been a bit of a blessing for Sundin. Sundin is painfully shy and I often have difficulty getting close enough to touch him. He knew that I would get him help when he first got hurt though and let me catch him without any problems. I am glad to know that he trusts me when he has to anyway! He's spent the last two weeks in the house with me...getting medicated, handled, socialized. He could go back in his pen now, but I'm keeping him in the house until I have to go back to work. He's never going to be the type of dog who runs up to strangers, but maybe I can get him to run up to me, when he's not covered in blood!

Brazen Raven

2009-02-04T22:07:00.002-08:00

This raven really wanted Heyoka's bone!

Not much distracts a Malamute from his food. He was quite tolerant of the raven's antics!

Right up til when the bird started pulling tufts of fur out of his tail!

The ravens are always entertaining, suicidal sometimes, but entertaining!

Grateful...

2009-01-26T15:29:00.002-08:00

Grateful for so many things today...

Like the return of winter and an afternoon off to enjoy it with the dogs!

The trails were in great shape today with more fluffy snow falling as we ran. I love the new drag mat system my hubby installed on the sled while it was too warm to use it! No more getting slowed down by fluffy snow building up! The dogs seemed to enjoy that too!

I am grateful that Reggae decided to cooperate today, that the wound on his head is healing and that's he's got some trail sense, on top of his command responses. The warm weather last week played havoc with the ice on the lake. There are some slushy, watery spots. There's probably three feet of solid ice underneath those spots, but they still aren't fun to run through. Just the appearance of open water is a bit scary and wet paws are never fun when it's -20C. I thought Reggae was just goofing around and setting his own trail on the lake, but it turned out that every time he weaved he was taking us around a slushy spot, often before I even noticed it! Good Reggae!

I'm glad we made it home with no major difficulties, especially since no one else was home this afternoon to assist if there had been a disaster!

I am also eternally grateful to whoever plowed the "road" section of the trail. (I actually know who it was, but I'm not sure they want their names in cyber-space!) There is a "Y" in the trail..one section goes to the TransCanada Trail, the tracked ski trail, Wolf Creek ect. The other direction goes to the lake and is the trail I use almost every day. Every year some idiot decides to take his 4x4 down that section, usually getting stuck and always ruining the trail for everyone else. It makes it dangerous for dog teams, hard to walk on, no fun to skidoo on and impossible to skijor or ski on! This year, the snow has been piled in such a way that it's almost impossible to get a vehicle down there! It was a big bump on the sled and would probably be a lot of fun on a snowmachine, but I think the trail wrecking morons will have to go elsewhere this year. Wooo hooo!!

Before and After

2009-01-21T19:20:00.003-08:00

Pirate one year ago today, just a few hours after I brought her home.

Pirate a few days ago. The transition to house dog was an easy one for her!

Pirate enjoying the warm spell this past Monday. Only the senior dogs really enjoyed that weather!

She takes a small handful of drugs every day, but they keep her comfortable and dry. She's deaf as post and doesn't see too well either. She's a good girl, sweet, gentle and happy. She probably won't be here much longer, but I thought that a year ago too! She may be fading, but her spirit is still strong!

Happy Gotcha Day, ol' girl!

This sucks!!

2009-01-17T19:06:00.001-08:00

This weather sucks!!

http://www.theweathernetwork.com/weather/cayt0019

Spring is my least favorite season, even when it arrives when it's supposed to. I hate much more when it shows up in January!

Breaking trail...

2009-01-13T20:54:00.002-08:00

After three weeks of not running due to the cold...-30 is my cut-off, colder than that we stay home, we finally got out yesterday.

Untracked snow is beautiful, but it's alot of work! Trail breaking is tiring!

There had been a snowmobile out on the lake so that section was a bit easier on both me and the dogs. Contrary to popular belief, there is very little standing on the runners letting the dogs do all the work involved in mushing, especially when breaking a trail!

All that fluffy, yet heavy snow, did make for a chance to get a picture of the team from the front. I flipped the sled on it's side...the dogs have been have been known to do that and drag me, but this time I did it on purpose. It was a little added reassurance that they wouldn't leave me behind!

Reggae and Anvik were happy lead dogs! Happy to get out and about again!

After weeks of cold, the weather forecast is for unseasonably warm temps this week, maybe even rain! I'll take more -30C over rain!! That's just gonna suck if it happens!

Did she say "outside"?

2009-01-11T19:24:00.002-08:00

Call us in a few days when it's really warm(unless the weather network is lying again)! Til then we'll stay on the couch. You can have the chair ok, human?

Spoiled critters!

2009-01-03T17:17:00.003-08:00

The critters got a bit spoiled this holiday season. The dogs will never want plain ol' Milk Bones again after all the gourmet dog biscuits!

Reggae enjoyed his rawhide candy cane.

Boots is particularly fond of the dangly glitter toys that Grandma Carol sent!

And the tunnel from Auntie Lise is a huge hit!

Pingo especially enjoyed the fancy tennis balls!

We hope you all had a happy holiday as well and wish you a happy, healthy 2009!

A solstice rememberance...

2008-12-21T19:34:00.007-08:00

Solstice used to be a pretty happy day for me. One of the only things I hate about living up here is the dark! In the last 10 years, I've developed a number of ways to cope with it and overcome my fear of it, but darkness is still not on my list of favorite things!

Two years ago today, my black and tan canine soulmate decided it was time to move on. Preacher would have stayed, the spirit was still strong, but his body failed him.

My hubby and I shared a toast to Preacher a little earlier today and he commented "that dog was indestuctible"....and he was, right to the end. Hypothyroid, Stone cold blind before he even showed a hint that he was trouble seeing; he fell into a trench in the yard once and a few years ago while I was putting away the Christmas decorations, he fell into the crawl space. I'm sure I sprained my arms trying to lift his 80 pound butt 6 feet straight up, but he was completely unfazed and uninjured!

He was probably the most protective dog I've ever owned. Nothing, nobody came between me and Preacher. If I was home alone, he always kept his big ol' butt between me and the door. If you wanted to get to me, you had to go through my Preacher protection. He sounded mean when he let go with that big bark, but he was really a gentle, sweet soul. Ok, one time he bit an aquaintance of Stuart's, but I never liked that guy anyway. Preacher was a good judge of character!

The only thing Preacher was more devoted to than me was his Franklin. They arrived together, the first of what would become many foster failures. Franklin was afraid of his own shadow and often wouldn't even move unless Preacher told him it was safe. Preacher stayed in this world long enough to give Franklin the confidence he would need to function without him. It's hard to believe that the dog who slept on my feet last night is the same scared little waif who first arrived here.

Preacher loved his food...any food, even things that weren't food! Stuffed toys, rocks, cat toys, cat litter....he wasn't fussy! When he missed two meals in a row, I knew it was time for a vet visit, expecting he had a blockage. Which he did, but for a change it wasn't from something he'd eaten that wasn't actually edible. It was from one of dozens of tumors. In the end even the indestructible dog couldn't beat cancer.

Happy Solstice, Preacher Creature, I miss you.

Back on the runners....

2008-12-14T00:02:00.002-08:00

I finally got my act together enough today to get a dog team out. For any number of reasons, I was irrationally nervous about this so I just took a little team. I can control four dogs without too much difficulty!

That's Reggae and Anvik up front with Tehya and Pacer behind them. Reggae and I had a couple discussions about what I meant by "gee", but he figured it out pretty quick. He does a beautiful "ON-BY"! He got us by three loose dogs without even a sideways glance at them! That's way harder to teach than the directional commands. I am deeply, deeply relieved that he already knows that one!

That's what happens...

2008-12-08T20:21:00.003-08:00

When you beat up Pacer, run up the vet bill again....you get neutered!

Reggae came home from the vet a bit lighter tonight, after taking a round out of Pacer about 10 days ago!

Pacer is recovering well from several puncture wounds including a dangerous one on his neck. I'm not sure what it is about Pacer, but if someone is gonna get hurt around here, it will be Pacer!

As a bonus, putting my lead dog out of commission for awhile has finally brought the snow! I may have to ask Sundin to lead a couple times while Reggae recovers!

That's my boys!.....

2008-11-25T20:57:00.004-08:00

In my obsessive little world, before there were dogs, cats and glass, there were the Calgary Stampeders. So I'd really just like to say "I told you so"....to everyone who told me that the Stamps would loose on Sunday; that Anthony Calvillo would get the fairy tale ending to his come back season; that Henry Burris would choke! HA!!! It is a heart warming story and I'm very glad that Anthony's wife is winning her battle with cancer. Mike Labinjo has a heart warming story too and he's a Stamp! Yup a couple years ago, Henry might have had a bit of trouble with the pressure, but that label is gone forever after Sunday! Someday if I ever get to name dogs again, I'm think Nik, Jermaine and Ken-Yon would be awesome sled dog names!

Picture of Sandro DeAngelis hoisting the Cup was stolen from a Calgary radio station website because I wasn't there. I have, however, already asked for November 27-30, 2009 off work so I can be there to watch them defend the title in their home stadium. Yanno, assuming I can find a dogsitter! A year should be enough time to get that organized, maybe!

Introducing Reggae....

2008-11-17T10:26:00.002-08:00

He arrived a week ago, but I've been playing nurse to both my hubby and Heyoka so I haven't had time to introduce him properly. Both the sickies are still sleeping this morning, so...

Please meet Reggae. He was a little confused when he first got here. So many dogs, no tethers.....

But he is settling in nicely. Reggae is nine years old and came from the same kennel as Sleet and Paxil. Paxil's retirement left us more or less leaderless! Tehya will be a leader in a year or two, but she's not quite ready yet. It's still way more fun for her to stop and play with loose dogs rather than obey an "on-by" command! Reggae is a command leader and should help us get down the trail without too much ruckus this winter....just need a few more inches of snow so that snowhook will hold!

Tehya loves her new chew toy! Reggae is nine, but he plays like a much younger dog! So far he's gotten along fine with all the dogs he's met. He truly hates being alone so I make sure he always has a buddy in his pen. He's got a good howl on him that the neighbors might not appreciate hearing all night long!

I think he's happy in his new home!

Go Stamps Go...

2008-11-16T14:57:00.002-08:00

Finally a berth in Grey Cup. I could put up a long rambling post about that, but I think I'll save that for next week! For now I will just say Thank You to the Gods of Football for Mike Labinjo! A simply stunning defensive performance! In a league where the teams line up a yard apart, stopping a touchdown from the one yard line is almost impossible. To do it twice on back to back plays is unheard of. That guy rocks!

The Grey Cup kick-off is in almost exactly a week! :)

My cranky old girls...

2008-11-04T21:34:00.003-08:00

They are both pushing 15 and in failing health, but Sleet and Pirate still have some spunk.

They have a daily arguement about who gets in the front door first.

An arguement Sleet almost always wins! She was here first and in her mind at least, she is the Queen Senior!

If they were younger dogs or had any teeth left, I'd have to keep them seperated all the time!

(The pictures are couple weeks old...the front step is snow covered now.)

That's my boy!

2008-10-15T21:47:00.004-07:00

I don't understand how the most relaxed dog in the pack can possibly have anxiety issues, but it certainly seems that Earle does! He is the most laid back dog I have. I have often said that my life would be much more simple and my vet bills much lower if all my dogs were like Earle. He's sweet; he's gentle; he likes kids; he likes adults; he likes other dogs; he doesn't eat cats; he doesn't try to escape; unlike 99% of huskies, he comes when he's called! He's easy! He's my special boy and apparently he's neurotic! So neurotic that even the t-shirt isn't enough to control his obsessive licking. So neurotic he actually needs meds to control his anxiety!

But a week ago, his vet, the lovely Dr. Candace, put him on anti-anxiety medication and almost immediately I had my sweet, special boy back!

I was warned that he would be very lethargic for the first ten days or so. I haven't seen any sign of that. He is pretty lazy to most of the time anyway---a sled dog Earle never was, well, not a good one anyway!! He had a great time on our hike a few days ago. The White Pass tracks are fun!

More Wildlife in the yard....

2008-10-10T22:57:00.004-07:00

Earlier this week a friend gave me some caribou scraps, mostly rib bones.

Eagles apparently like 'bou as much as huskies!

This one was quite fascinated with Tehya's rib snacks, but did not attempt to steal them from her. Unlike the 100 or so Ravens who were in the yard at the same time! They like to harass the dogs to no end, which occasionally does not go so well for them! There were a few dozen magpies and grey jays around too. This yard is popular with our feathered friends, especially around feeding time!

An Eagle is a new visitor to the yard. I see them frequently when I'm kayaking, but never right in the yard before. He was beautiful, if a little unnerving. I closed the kitty enclosure until he moved on. One of the big fat cats would be no match for an eagle, little Felicia would just be a snack! Yikes!! Listening to her mew her protests at the closed window was a small price to pay for her safety!

PS: Readers who like these pics should thank my Mom who was none to subtle in pointing out that I had neglected to post them! ;)

Earle the stylish husky!

2008-10-07T19:44:00.003-07:00

Earle has been modelling the latest in husky fashion for the last couple weeks. I'm not telling him that the shirt is vet ordered!

Earle has a history of obsessive licking, giving himself sores, usually on his front legs. Recently he decided to chew on his hips and sides. He has some nasty hotspots now.

The t-shirt keeps him from doing any further damage. It was supposed to be a temporary thing, just long enough to let the sores heal and break his licking habit.
Unfortunately, as soon as I take the shirt off him, the licking starts again!

Fortunately, Earle likes his new wardrobe! In his shirt, he is his happy, sweet, relaxed self. Maybe he'll start new trend among sled dogs!

Happy Birthday, Babydog...

2008-09-29T11:13:00.004-07:00

Tehya the Babydog is all grown up, at least chronologically. She's two! She's still all puppy in her behavior though! She's currently racing around the yard like a lunatic!

I did capture a rare moment of stillness yesterday! Sharing the couch with Boots. The stillness could have had something to do with a mysterious sore back leg which appears to be all better today!

She's a pretty girl who makes sure there is never a dull moment around here!

Happy Birthday, my special babydog girl!

Warm kitties...

2008-09-26T21:21:00.002-07:00

It has been suggested that I should post some pics of the kitties. They do get a bit overlooked on the blog! Probably because, at least of late, they haven't provided nearly as much blogging fodder as the dogs!

Glacier and Pete having a snuggle--that's what they do!

The cats are very happy that it's woodstove season again!

Paxil's concrete dog bowl sits by the stove and holds heat nicely. It's also a perfect fit for Ivy. Matches her fur nicely too!

Glacier might be a getting a bit too close. Singed cat fur smells nasty!

Happy Pacer

2008-09-19T21:51:00.002-07:00

Pacer has come a long way from that terrified dog who first came to live here!

He's a pretty happy boy these days!

He can even levitate!

When did that happen...

2008-09-11T21:14:00.002-07:00

Sometime while I wasn't looking, Paxil got old. How did I miss that!??

I took her for a walk tonight with Tehya. Probably not a great mix, but there is so much I'd like Tehya to learn from Paxil. We went maybe four kilometres. That was probably as far as she could go. Tehya knocked her over twice acting like, well, a young dog! I called her a hooligan, but she was really just being Tehya! Getting up the big hill on the way home took two tries. There's no way she'd get up that hill leading a team.

In her prime and well beyond, she was the best damn lead dog ever---unfailing, strong, smarter than her musher, always reliable and willing. The first dog team I ever ran was lead by Paxil. Last winter her tug line wasn't always tight and she had slowed down, but she still wanted to go and she never missed a command, unless I was dead wrong and told her to "gee" when she knew I meant "haw". I suspect she will still want to go this winter(this fall even when I get brakes on the quad again!). She will be seriously ticked when I leave her in the yard! I'm gonna hear all about how much she hates retirement, so will everyone in the subdivision!

I will hate her retirement almost as much as she does! Her lead dog booties will be hard to fill!

A break in the clouds....

2008-08-30T21:44:00.002-07:00

Even the dogs are enjoying the break from the rain!

Tehya catching some rays this afternoon! She's a shameless little thing!

Hanging out with the nieces...

2008-08-25T23:05:00.003-07:00

One of the many things that have distracted me from posting lately:

A visit from my nieces, my Dad, my sister and her honey.

We played tourist for a few days. The older girls have been here before, but this was Emma's first trip North.

We checked out the Yukon Suspension Bridge

Spent an afternoon in Skagway, where we saw some seals and a few salmon. And a seal eating a salmon, which amused five year old Emma to no end!

We went to the Yukon Wildlife Preserve, which was very cool. This Stone Sheep was just taking a break near his water.

Emma indulged in some snowman poop, which the rest of the world calls marshmellows! Could you resist that little face!? She decided that Auntie T isn't so bad after all during this visit and was a most cooperative little model!

The dogs were in heaven with so many extra hands to pet them! Naomi was a particular favorite of all the dogs!

Emma believes you should pet a dog "so he can feel it". Her doggy massages were throughly enjoyed! The cats enjoyed her willingness to share her food right off her plate--her mother was not so impressed with that!

Hopefully, it won't be another six years before they make the trek north!

A perfect summer evening...

2008-07-30T22:59:00.004-07:00

The long, lovely evenings that make summer up here so enjoyable have been few and far between this year. Last night was really the first one I can recall so despite a to-do list three miles long, I took the night off and went paddling. About a three minute drive from my house is a little lake.

It is shallow, chock full of disgusting weeds, and unable to support fish life since it freezes right to the bottom in the winter. You could not pay me enough to swim in that water, but it is hard to resist for the occasional paddle. I can be unloaded and on the water in under 10 minutes!

Technically classed as a dead lake, by whoever makes these decisions, this little puddle lake is actually teeming with life. Dozens and dozens of ducks and gulls call this home. I even saw a loon last night. He wouldn't let me get close enough for a picture unlike the more relaxed ducks and the completely unconcerned gulls, but I am a prairie girl by birth; you can't grow up in rural Saskatchewan without learning what a loon call sounds like!

There were at least fifty of these little gulls hanging out at the end of the lake, completely unconcerned about the human in the bright yellow boat!

These almost grown ducklings were highly entertaining. The youngsters were having a great time splashing each other--typical siblings!

At least three beaver families reside on the lake. This big guy was less than impressed that I was there.

He gave me a few warning tail slaps, but a smaller beaver seemed to be quite curious about me and actually swam near my kayak for a bit. I like beavers! They eat poplar trees, which I am highly allergic to!

About 10:30pm, the sun was starting to set on a very enjoyable evening.

Hopefully, summer will come back again at least briefly before September! It's not my favorite season, but more than a day of decent weather would still be nice! Today the clouds and rain are back!

More encounters with wildlife....

2008-07-21T12:22:00.004-07:00

Some of the wildlife around here I could do without. I enjoy the foxes and the coyotes, cuz my cats are safely inside. I love seeing the wolves, when they are not trying to eat my dogs. I enjoy the occasional visits from the moose and the bears. The squirrels, ravens ect are cheap dog entertainment! But some of the forest critters need to stay farther in the forest and away from my house!

Like this fella! The porcupine my dogs treed this morning.

Fortunately, he's just outside the fenceline and he had enough brains to climb a tree. Now if I can find a way to keep the dogs away from the fence for awhile, hopefully, he'll have enough brains to find a new place to hang out!

Fifteen dogs in that area x about 300 bucks each for quill removal.....I'd just rather not deal with that! And I'd rather not see the porky die just for doing what porcies do!

Delivery for the dogs....

2008-07-12T15:25:00.004-07:00

"What ya got there, Mom?"

Look at that, a truck full of food!

The food passes Muskwa's inspection! i should send this one to the Acana company.

We don't usually get those pretty blue bags but some transport issues have lead to a shortage of the musher's bags at the feed store, at least if you want a whole pallet at a time. This worked out...it's the same kibble, just prettier packaging, and the nice folks at the store gave us the same deal we usually get on the musher's bags.

Husky Portraits as provided by a Suidical Squirrel...

2008-07-06T19:44:00.002-07:00

Nothing entrances the dogs longer than a suidical squirrel!

Apparently the new growth on that tree was very tasty,

even worth risking his furry little life over!

Mac would like to catch his own dinner tonight!

Ozzy gives tree climbing his best shot!

Obsessive, prey driven dogs, like Founder, do pose nicely though!

Delta and Franklin spent most of the afternoon in this position!

Hobo thought doing his happy dance and the magic bark would be helpful. He discovered that the magic bark does not get squirrels to come down, although it remains effective at getting the front door to open!

Bandit waiting for the squirrel to fall into his mouth!

Even the normally camera shy, Pacer, enjoyed the entertainment this afternoon!

After chewing on my tree and entertaining my dogs, giving me some quiet for the afternoon, I helped the squirrel escape by distracting the dogs with dinner. Staring at the same tree all day is apparently very hard work that really gets the appetite going....or maybe it was all the drooling the squirrel caused!

Don't you wish...

2008-06-27T17:31:00.003-07:00

Don't you wish that you could be this happy, even if it was just occasionally!?

Tehya is this happy all the time, no matter what! If she was human, she'd probably be one those highly annoying people who are perky at 6am without coffee! Fortunately, this type of personality is much more endearing and less annoying in dogs!

Before & After

2008-06-18T22:21:00.002-07:00

Antare before I cornered him for a brushing!

Part of the pile of fur that came off Antare in about 10 minutes

Antare after, looking much more handsome and just a tad ticked!

Un-freaking-believable....

2008-06-08T13:03:00.002-07:00

At first I thought I was still feeling the effects from Saturday night's Tequila.....

but I'm sober and it's still snowing!

The young dogs are happy. The seniors are staying in the house and looking rather disgusted!

There a fire in the woodstove again!

My pretty new lawn chairs are covered! At least I didn't waste any money buying flowers yesterday!

A year....

2008-06-02T10:23:00.003-07:00

Richard Ross Rodger
February 12, 1968 - June 2, 2007

Deeply Mourned & Missed

Forever Remembered and Loved

Hiking with Heyoka...

2008-06-01T15:14:00.002-07:00

Heyoka needed some one-on-one time today and we both needed some exercise. So we spent a couple hours exploring the Trans-Canada Trail. Not all of the dogs are allowed back there. It's rather infested with porcupines in some sections. Heyoka has enough brains(I don't think I've ever said that about him before!) to leave the porcupines alone. He learned his lesson the first time he met one!

"Where should we go, Ma?"

He was not a fan of this bridge across Wolf Creek. It took him several tries to get all the way across. He is also not a fan of moving water so swimming was out of the question! The bridge is actually very solid, much improved over the old log bridge that used to be there!

A slightly different view of the mountain we see out of the front window, Golden Horn.

The forest is getting quite colorful again. There were wildflowers starting to bloom everywhere.

We hiked up to a little lake.

Heyoka decided not to wait til we got to the easy bank access. He charged down the steep side and went for a dip. He likes ponds, not rivers! I will never understand why he shakes while he's still in the water. He's smart about porcupines, but other things.....

My Happy Malamute!

He must have been hot on the way home. He found a quiet spot in Wolf Creek to get a drink. Or he knew we were close to the truck and he wanted to make sure it smelled like wet dog!

First Paddle of the Season...

2008-05-26T14:24:00.002-07:00

Thought I'd do a quick update while my home connection is working and while I wait for the Northwestel tech guy to arrive. He's supposed to be able to figure out why my connection dies at random intervals and is off line more often than not lately!

Last weekend Tehya and her buddy, Popeye, were running around on the ice at Marsh Lake.

This weekend I loaded the kayaks and headed to the McClintock River. I decided to paddle the Carolina. It's much more forgiving than the Eclipse, which could be important early in the season!

There's still a bit of snow and ice on the banks. The banks show the effects of last year's flooding too.

The water level is very low and it's full of silt. Later in the year, the McClintock gets quite clear. Hopefully, the water levels won't get quite as high as last year!