Alaska Friends (Dogs and Their People)

It's a joy to introduce our new Alaskan friends we met along our journey north.

Ross and an Alaskan Husky at Denali National Park (one of their thirty-some working sled dogs who serve as ambassadors to the national park during the summer months--when they aren't sleeping).

We didn't have enough of these wonderful dogs and spent a day with Heather, our new friend and guide (of Wasilla, Alaska) at Martin Buser's Happy Trails Kennels in Willow. Martin, his son Rhone, and his internationally-celebrated Alaskan Huskies were a delight.

We visited the Iditarod Headquarters in Wasilla with Heather as our guide.  In the final hours of our Alaskan vacation, we had the pleasure of  meeting Heather's dad, Chuck and his Antler Dog, Beau.

Alaskan Dogs and the People Who Love Them

We just returned from a two week tour of Alaska.  Some of the most fascinating stories and experiences of our journey were centered on Alaskan dogs and the people who love them: Iditarod champions Libby Riddles and Martin Buser (and his son Rhone); Patsy Ann and the seaside community of Juneau; the rangers at Denali National Park and their sled team (and our favorite blue eyed Alaskan Husky, Lava) and finally Chuck and his gold panning companion Beau the Antler Dog. 

From Juneau to Denali, Willow to Wasilla, Alaska--the dog is friend, companion, partner, and life-saver.  We hope our own three cowdogs (who spent the past two weeks at Kamp Kit while we cruised the fjords of Glacier Bay and the peaks of Denali) will forgive our tribute here to their distant cousins in  glorious north of Yukon country.

I spent a few days reading and gazing as we cruised Glacier Bay and College Fjord--completely immersed in the book "Race Across Alaska: First Woman to Win the Iditarod" by Libby Riddles after meeting Libby in Juneau and hearing her amazing story.  I was so fascinated by the partnership and training of the Alaskan Husky as working dogs and for the iconic Idiatarod that we decided to visit the K9 federal employees at Denali National Park and Martin Buser's Happy Trails Kennel.

The touching story of Patsy Ann the (deaf) bull dog greeter of Juneau who welcomed every ship that came to harbor during the early twentieth century merited notice on the Cowdog Blog as well. 

We hope our fellow cowdog lovers and friends will enjoy this collage of our new friends in the northern latitudes. Of course, we couldn't resist the puppies along the journey. 

The extreme beauty and extreme living conditions remain a source of inspiration even after we return to New Mexico and the warmth of the high desert. We will always remember the rare moment of viewing Mt. McKinley (peaking through the clouds) en route to Denali via the Alaska Railroad. We understood very quickly why the Denali National Park relies on sled dogs to patrol the park through the dark snowy months (which span October to May).

Dog is my Copilot

On a recent trip to the cabin, Michelle and I arrived at different times, so I had all three dogs with me. It's a little crowded in the back seat of the truck for all three, so if I don't have a human riding shotgun, I ask for a volunteer from the canine corp. Chama usually wins by default b/c she loves to look out as we drive. The three pictures show various levels of attentiveness. Unfortunately, when she sticks her snout out the window, the airstream seems to force her to pee on the towel which protects the passenger seat. Strange dog!

Cowdogs, Family Moments, & Fourth of July in Chama

We celebrated our one year anniversary at the Chama cabin with our family: floating on the acequia, rocking on the porch, and relaxing beneath the glorious granite Brazos Cliffs.

Billie: Enhancing the Cuteness Quotient

Introducing Dan and Stacey's new addition to their home: Little Billie is a nub-tailed cowdog/lab mix sure to bring many memorable moments to their lives.

 My appreciation to Billie (Dan and Stacey) for enhancing the cuteness quotient of the Cowdog Blog. Things have gotten a little dark recently with Rattatouli, porcupines, and cadaver dogs.

Nothing like a floppy puppy to lighten the soul.

Chama Goes to Cadaver Dog School

It was off to cadaver dog school for Chama on Tuesday, June 26th. Reading my mind and my evil intentions to turn her over to the FBI for Special Ops in the Middle East, Chama was the picture of compliance and obedience. Needless to say, she returned home with me and her cowdog companions. Chama made a gaggle of new friends including Batman (the coyote/shepherd mix), Toby (the hound/lab mix), Pooh (the lab/heeler mix), and the over-enthusiastic and over-achieving border collies.

Chama was given a set of problems on the training course which she solved after several attempts. She was much more interested in playing in the wading pool and romping with the pack across the pink mesa below South Moutain.

 Pooh (above) is a lab/heeler mix like Chama and Simba--ever eager to splash in the wading pool.

 Chama making friends with her classmates at Cadaver Dog School.  All the students and their trainers are volunteers in service to the local New Mexico search and rescue program.  Wendy and her team of search and recovery dogs travel nation-wide.

Chama's affinity for finding bones (and other creepy things) has found a productive outlet with Wendy and her gang at the cadaver dog school. 

 

The Very Definition of a "No Good Very Bad Day"

As predicted, Chama failed to learn the life lessons of porcupines. Chelly and Simba high tailed it out of the bushes when they came upon a fat porcupine on top of the mountain last night. Chama, however, took the challenge as defense of cowdog honor.

I tried a series of creative restraints--Ross was on his way to Knoxville, TN.  After three hours and much thrashing and gnashing of teeth, I called it quits. With battle scars (for both Chama and me), I drove her to the local vet's office in defeat the first thing this morning. Two hours and $200.00 later, Chama returned home groggy and crestfallen.

It's off to bootcamp tomorrow to see if a little agility and obedience training can help save Chama from herself.

In a desperate plea for help, I contacted Wendy at the "cadaver dog" training school here in Edgewood where Wendy trains dogs in search and recovery for the FBI.  If Wendy can't help, I'm afraid Chama will be literally a "cadaver dog."

I was ready to ship Chama off to the war zone in the Middle East after last night's mis-adventures, but when Bobby the vet technician greeted me after Chama's quill extraction, she said, "Chama was sound asleep until she heard your voice, then she perked her ears and came out of sedation ready to go home." 

I brought the mis-matched googly eyed never-do-well cowdog home this afternoon and fed her slices of smoked turkey as she recovered in her doggy bed in the livingroom.  Why is that a dog can bring out the best and worst in all of us??

This is indeed the definition of a "no good very bad day."