Busy Summer
/And just like that, it's July 31st. Tomorrow begins another August in Alaska where the nights start to have darkness, the air seems a little more breezy, and the cold chill on a rainy morning smells of the coming winter. I'm getting jittery just thinking about it. Even though the summer has flown by, winter can't come fast enough. The dogs have enjoyed a long relaxing summer and are starting to get antsy (and slightly destructive by digging holes and chewing on their houses). We're ready.
When the temperatures permit, we've taken teams out on short runs, trying new dogs in lead and teaching manners. Some of the upcoming yearlings are already showing leader potential including Wingman, Crunch, Ewok, Yuker, and Gringa. Gringa was dynamite up in lead, and she's only 10 months old! Several of the newly turned three-year-olds look stronger than ever. I have a feeling it will be a real challenge to pick the "A" Team this year!
The puppies have been growing so fast, there is a noticeable change every day! "Flash" Flood joined the African Litter from Jeff King's Husky Homestead to make up a total puppy class of six. There are a couple more puppy recruits in the works, so I'll be sure to keep everyone posted.
Nessie- Nessie is very affectionate and confident. She's happy playing with her siblings, resting in your lap, exploring by herself, or doing just about anything. She looks just like Perm except white.
Nile- Nile is a handsome, leggy pup who reminds me of his older brother Yuker. They have a similar coloration and sweet, but cocky, attitude. He devours food faster than his siblings, so it's not uncommon to see him with a potbelly.
Badger- Badger has a very distinct face and coloration, so he's often picked as a favorite by visitors. He instinctively heels on puppy walks and rushes up to any new friendly face. He's quite the social butterfly.
King Louie- Although Louie is one of the biggest, he's the most reserved and occasionally timid. He does love people but prefers that his siblings check out the situation first. Some might call him smart.
Nala- Nala is in-your-face crazy. She's always jumping up for extra attention and is the first to come running whenever I call "pup, pup, pup." She has boundless non-stop energy.
Flash- Flash looks houndy like her mom, Zig. She has one blue eye and one 1/2 blue 1/2 brown eye giving her a very unique look. She loves to play in water and spends the most time in the kiddy pool out of all the puppies. She's playful and sassy.
While unrelated to dog mushing and Ryno Kennel, I have to share a picture of my very first King Salmon. Allen has gone down to the Kenai River for the past 25 years to fish for Red and King Salmon, and this year, I got to tag along. I'm told King is not quite as tasty as the smaller Reds, but the 15+ hours we put in to catch this one 40 lb King was totally worth it. Allen's record is a 74 lbs King. Can you imagine?!
