Introducing the Puppies

Pups
Born Sept 20/2010 to Vixen and Typhoon

The puppies are now 6.5 months old and growing like weeds weighing over 70 pounds each. Not running in a team yet but love to follow along.

Time to introduce the final 5!
Hope you enjoyed meeting our canine family.

Shilling the Gentleman

Peso the Unrevealed

Drachma the Loyal

Kugeran the Timid

Rupee the Frolicsome

Prancer,Vixen,Donner and Blitzen

Prancer
Swing and Team Dog
Born 2008 to Lucy and Minto
Personality- Princess

Prancer is a sweet, gentle and loving dog she is very well behaved and easy to have around.

Prancer is what I call a reluctant sled dog, put her harness on and she will go hide in her house and you have to go get her and walk her to the sled to be put in the team. Although once all that is said and done she loves to run in the team and do her job, I guess she is not fond of all the excitement of the others.

Prancer like her sister Vixen thinks she is a lap dog, we teach them to sit to before they get pets and their ears rubbed. She sits ok but then one foot comes up, then the other and the next thing you know there is a sled dog in your lap. Prancer likes to try and steal indoor toys and hide them in her dog house, a little kleptomaniac in her genes, plus a bit of a hoarder of items around the yard.

Lately she has taken to playing with the new pups a game that sounds mean but they all love it, she brings out one of her treasures and teases the pups with it and growls at them when they try investigate. It must be a fun dog game they all do it for hours. I was worried at first but now I understand the game.

She is just having fun, the way it should be.

Vixen
Swing and Team Dog
Born 2008 to Lucy and Minto
Nickname- Vixie
Personality-Suck-up

Well, if you ever knew a dog who could use her feminine ways for attention, you have already met our Vixen.
She is the only dog allowed on the couch because unlike her name she is just plan sweet, you can't resist her affection or the way she rolls on her back to rub her belly.

Although since first experience with motherhood last September, to 11 pups, you would not what to be a wolf or coyote prowling around, she goes savage, barking and screaming, like any overly protective mother. I am glad I am not on her hit list!

Not sure Vixen is that loyal of a dog,she will roll over for anyone. Like I said Suck-up.

Donner
Team ,Swing and Future Lead Dog
Born 2008 to Agata and Iceberg
Personality-Intense

Donner is a pretty dog, she looks just like her mother, Agata from Helmer's kennel in Eagle. She is an intense highly focused observer almost to smart, you can see her wheels turning calculating any given situation.

I believe Donner was meant to walk upright, at every opportunity she has her front legs up on her dog house or a nearby dog, anything as long as she is standing tall. Andy says she is one heck of an intelligent dog and will be a great lead dog someday.

Blitzen
Lead Dog in Training
Born 2008 to Agata and Iceberg
Nickname-Blitz
Personality-Typical Young Buck

Blitzen is an amazing watchdog he sniffs out the first sign of any intruder and barks this high pitched panic bark. I like having him around when I am alone here, nothing can sneak up on me with Blitzen as a warning signal.

It was a cold fall day when Andy brought Blitzen and Donner to Calico in the open boat, he had them both tucked inside his coat all cozy and warm. He put them on the ground at the boat landing and they followed us to the cabin to meet Prance and Vixen. Now we had puppy fun x4.

Later that evening Blitzen was hiding under the couch, Andy reached it to get him and Blitzen went ballistic,such a commotion for a tiny puppy more like an outraged loin. We laughed so hard at this baby with enough attitude to take on a grown man. Eventually he came out on his own and settled into his new home, Calico.

Alt

Alt
Wheel dog
Born 2007 to Gucci and Minto
Personality- Goofy

Alt is as close to a wallflower dog as you can get. He is unassuming,never causes any trouble, obedient and all round good dog.
Alt has a goofy way about him, from his look to his actions.
You just smile for no good reason when you look at Alt.
I like smiling at Alt.

Gilligan and Memories of HIs Brother Skipper

Gilligan
Wheel Dog
Born 2008 to Control and Tab
Nickname-Gilli
Personality-Happy

Skipper
Deceased
Born- 2008 to Control and Tab
Died- 2009

It would be amiss of me to write about Gilligan without Skipper, they were the most attached siblings I have ever seen. I used to call them my little bookends. I have attached some photos of them as puppies.

Skipper and Gilligan were conceived by accident during a dog mushing trip at Cassiar Creek on our way to Dawson City, but it turned out to be serendipity.

Gilligan may not have the best work ethic but we love him like crazy, to quote Andy he is " Insanely loyal."

Gilligan is big and strong but when you come to a steep hill with the dog team all dogs put their backs into it heads down focused but Gilligan looks back at you from his wheel position closest to the sled, with wide eyes as to say," If you expect me to pull you better push harder."

I have been asked many times if Gilligan is the dog in movie in 8 Below, he is an actor all right but not in movies.

Skipper and Gilligan were an incorrigible pair, in constant motion how they loved to wrestle. The only time they would sit still was for their dog biscuit treat, I would say cookie, cookie and they sat so still I would tell them to wait for the tails and they understood the tails had to wag in sync and the did.Once Andy let them loose and said lets see how long they can wrestle, well 7 hours later still going strong. Andy put them back on their chains at their dog houses, that were of course next to each other and they immediately collapsed into a deep sleep.


Skipper was the fattest little puppy and that is how he got his name. We would take them to Dawson when Andy was Captain on the Yukon Queen and happened to be there for Canada Day 2008. I went to the festivities with my friends and the puppies. We hooked on their new red Canada leashes, Sarah lee took Gilligan and I took Skipper so they would not get tangled together. What a chore it was to keep them apart as we walked around the grounds of the museum, good thing they were only a few months old. When it was time for the official ceremonies I had become separated from the others, no matter I had a nice view of the podium right behind some RCMP officers.

Then the strangest and cutest thing happened, as soon as the Canadian anthem started Skipper took his place next to one of the Mounties, who were dressed in their red serge dress uniforms. Skipper sat right next this now at attention mountie leaning on his shinny brown leather riding boot and never moved a muscle just looked straight ahead. Cameras started clicking and flashing, all directed at the sight of this little husky puppy with a Northern RCMP officer.
My eyes welled up with tears at this postcard image, I didn't dare try to move him not wanting to make a fuss during the singing of the anthem. When it was over Skipper looked up at the face of the handsome officer as he looked down at this puppy sitting calmly by his side, smiling broadly he bent over and scooped him up into his arms and said, "Well I think you stole the show little man." I never got a photo of that day but the image will be with me forever.



Our time with Skipper ended far to soon durning the spring flood of 2009 that nearly killed us all. I often look into Gilligan's eyes when he is sitting alone waiting for his cookie/cookie and think, I am missing a bookend, how do I stop from falling.

This is a podcast of an interview with CBC radio about the night Skipper died.
http://podcast.cbc.ca/mp3/asithappens_20090506_15261.mp3

Tab

Tab
Wheel Dog
Born 2007 to Gucci and Minto
Personality-Steadfast

Tab and his litter mates Alt, Control and Delete were born at the Denali Park dog kennel so I missed their birth.
Tab is a handsome boy donning a beautiful black coat with a broad white chest and dark brown eyes,he is extremely devoted and steady, a true companion.
As a puppy he was so responsive and was the first to learn how to sit to be petted and come when called, always eager to please.Durning his first year in harness he was not what you would call an outstanding sled dog, somewhat lazy but the following year he same into his own and is now a first rate team member.

For the longest time Tab was had a tenancy to occasionally be aggressive when loose, but we discovered he was just on the defense from, guess who,Dickel. We were relieved to detect that our sweet Tab was simply misunderstood and now with some intervention the problem is solved.

As I write this my eyes divert to a delightful sight, Tab dancing and playing in the early morning sun with his buddy, Ouzo.

Stoli

Stoli
Team and Swing dog
Born 2006 to Gucci and Solo
Personality-Easy going

Stoli is a solid no hassle sled dog, she works almost to hard and tends to wear herself out. Hook her into the team and she jumps and lurches with joy and anticipation, ready to get the show on the road She is such a pretty gal, gentle,calm with an independent demeanor.

I feel bad for her when we have to feed her half the amount of food than the others during part of the summer months. She has a tendency to gain weight just laying around in the sun. I think most can relate to that little vacation problem.

Stoli is simply a gem.

Ouzo

Ouzo
Wheel and team dog
Born 2006 to Gucci and Solo
Personality-Class Clown

Ouzo was born the smallest in the litter and as he grew we noticed he had a problem with his back leg causing his gait to look clumsy. Andy was certain this gimpy puppy would not be sled dog quality but Ouzo proved him wrong. He may not run as fluid as the rest but he is strong,steady and full of heart.

Ouzo is unmistakably the funnest dog we have and one of the most playful. As a puppy Ouzo always carried a toy around like a trophy, now he has upgraded to a stick, well more like a small tree, the bigger the better. Without fail, whenever anyone comes along or it is feeding time, he picks up his trophy stick and prances around with his head held high to balance this treasured possession with absolute joy and delight.

People often have trouble distinguishing him from his father, Solo, he certainly is a chip off the old block, similar in so many ways. But Ouzo takes the award for being a great entertainer.

Ouzo is enchanting, kind and gentle, so much fun to watch, adorable in every way!