Hodge Podge Kennel

Movin' On

2008-12-13T14:28:00.002-09:00

Blogger has been swell, but we've moved! HPK is now at:
http://hodgepodgekennel.wordpress.com/

Dog Dance

2008-11-15T19:14:00.002-09:00

Oreo

2008-11-03T16:00:00.011-09:00

Oreo is a 10 year old sprint dog from Rex Jones lines. He is just awesome all around: very friendly and happy, loves everybody, mostly well behaved. He does tend to chew up stuff, but oh well. Oreo has always seemed super healthy, but several weeks ago this tumor popped up overnight out of his hind leg:

Our vet said it's very malignant and is a highly aggressive cancer. The pathologist report wasn't bad, but she said the sample was too ulcerated to tell for sure (Oreo bit into the thing, which didn't help. So Oreo underwent surgery; tissue had to be removed from 3 inches all around. He is healing up beautifully. Hopefully the thing won't grow back.

CHARLIE ADOPTED!!

2008-10-02T09:14:00.002-08:00

Charlie got adopted yesterday, October 1st, to a good home :)
Best of luck to Charlie and his new owner!

Charlie Needs a Home

2008-10-01T09:11:00.023-08:00

Charlie is a big, handsome youngster at Fairbanks Animal Control. He arrived with 9 of his friends and relatives; their owner had to move suddenly for her job. Charlie is only 22 months old. He's underweight right now at 82 pounds...and he also will fill in more as he matures.
Charlie is physically very strong, and will need a strong handler. He is probably too big and boisterous for young children. Also, he is not good around cats. He is fine with other dogs however, and is playful.
Charlie does have a little mushing experience. Shelter volunteers Carol, Don and Leslie took him out for a run with a four-wheeler in an 8 dog team, and Charlie did well. He even ran up front a little bit and did a good job.

This is a big, friendly guy who is a lot of fun. He is good in the dogyard and likes visitors. He will give you his paw CONSTANTLY for attention, pat me! pat me! Very affectionate guy.

You can read more info on Charlie here:

Charlie

And you can see his siblings, Grandma, and kennelmates at:

www.fnsb.petfinder.org

The Kids Are Growing Up

2008-02-03T23:20:00.000-09:00

You may remember the post about Junior, the puppy I got over the summer. He is now 11 months and grew some more. His coat turned more blonde, and his tail is now a big plume.
Another shelter puppy has come along; Casper was found in North Pole as a stray. He was adopted, but the new owner couldn't keep him due to landlord issues. So now he's here and having a blast playing with Junior! Casper just turned 5 months old.

Jerry

2008-01-05T20:23:00.001-09:00

Jerry was a retired sled dog from a local resort. I rescued him this summer along with 4 other resort dogs who were too old to work anymore. Jerry was a handsome fellow, all white except for the brown on his ears. No one knew what his history was, except that he was a trained sled dog (and had no dew claws, so he was from a mushing breeder), and he didn't want to run anymore. Jerry was well socialized and nothing seemed to surprise him.

I noticed as winter started that he was experiencing a lot of pain when trying to stand. His hips were shot. Medications helped a little. I assisted Jerry going in and out of the house, or up the stairs. More recently he was in great pain and having more difficulty; for a while I put off the terrible decision. But yesterday it was finally time and I put him to sleep. The resort thinks he was 11 years old. I think he was about 9. Jerry was very good with our other dogs and had a gentle way about him.

Dog Cam

2007-11-23T16:00:00.000-09:00

Some of you may have heard that I had surgery recently and have been laid up around the house. Michael installed a couple of surveillance cameras downstairs (really cheap from Sam's Club). So now, instead of racing up and down the stairs to see what the dogs are up to, I can monitor them on the TV when upstairs! Complete with sound! I've been able to save a lot of things (my desk, my computer, the cameras, plastic airline kennels) from getting chewed up by Clifford, since I can now catch him in the act. Here's a shot of what my office looks like on-screen (clockwise, Snorri on HIS Kuranda bed, Forest entering the room, Blackie on the floor, BamBam under the desk).

Below, the second camera catches Forest, Glacier, Walker, Cliffie looking for trouble. Bootsie and Winter are on the Kuranda beds. PS: We had plenty of pretty dogbeds, the fluffy pillow-type with fancy fabrics -- all of which were destroyed during the week I spent in the hospital. Guess they had some anxiety. They have not tried to destroy the Kuranda beds, yet.

Snow Dogs

2007-10-21T22:46:00.000-08:00

First snow storm for this winter, about 5 inches. Suzie likes it!

Do I Go Home Today?

2007-09-06T23:06:00.000-08:00

My family brought me home,
Cradled in their arms.
They cuddled me and smiled at me,
And said I was full of charms.
They played and laughed with me.
They showered me with toys.
I sure do love my family,
Especially the girls and boys.
The children loved to feed me.
They gave me special treats.
They even let me sleep with them,
All snuggled in the sheets.
I used to go for walks,
Often several times a day.
They even fought to hold the leash,
I'm very proud to say.
They used to laugh and praise me,
When I played with that old shoe.
But I didn't know the difference,
Between the old one and the new.
The kids and I would grab a rag,
For hours we would tug.
So I thought I did the right thing,
When I chewed the bathroom rug.
They said I was out of control,
And would have to live outside.
This I did not understand,
Although I tried and tried.
The walks stopped one by one.
They said they hadn't time.
I wish that I could change things.
I wish I knew my crime.
My life became so lonely,
In the backyard on a chain.
I barked and barked all day long.
To keep from going insane.
So they brought me to the shelter.
But were embarrassed to say why.
They said I caused an allergy,
And then kissed me goodbye.
If I'd only had some classes,
When I was a little pup.
I wouldn't have been hard to handle,
When I was all grown up.
"You only have one day left,"
I heard the worker say.
Does this mean a second chance?
Do I go home today?

--author Sandi Thompson

2007-07-09T23:17:00.000-08:00

Only once before have I been tempted to get a puppy. I figure puppies are more likely to get adopted, so I steer toward older adults and seniors instead. But this little guy was too darn cute. His whole family was at the MatSu Shelter; his mom Dusty was a small white husky mix, and his dad was a longhaired White German Shepherd.

It didn't dawn on me until a few days later, but he looks like a little Cliffie! So I named him Dusty Cliffie Junior, or just Junior for short. He is only 4 months old, but is already as tall as some of my adult dogs! And boy does he LOVE to run!

Puppy points!

Child's play!

Pyrenees Power!!
Still not tired yet...

Nibbler

2007-06-26T23:35:00.000-08:00

Nibbler (a.k.a. Hannibal) 1994-2007. He was a lovable little guy. Dumped at the shelter when he was 9 years old, although the owner claimed he was 12 at that time. He was barky and a bit nippy, but only when he felt threatened. Nibbler was good with our other dogs, and really enjoyed dinnertime; he was the head cheerleader for meals.

Cutest Moose in the World!

2007-03-21T10:44:00.000-08:00

A moose family was hanging around our house for 2 days, lurking in the trees. The dogs knew that they were there, but I couldn't see them. Finally, they decided to come out of hiding.

One of the calves had an unusual face, thin and llama-like. And he had pink lips! So I named him Pinky. He was very curious about me and came closer and watched me for a while.

His sibling was quite shy and preferred to linger in the trees. (Pinky is on the left.)

Here's Pinky again -- what an odd little moose!

Mom and Pinky decide that they are ready to move on.

The other calf rushes to catch up, he does :)

Michelle Phillips & Paul Geoffrion

2007-03-08T20:03:00.000-09:00

Phillips' Leaders

2007-03-08T20:00:00.000-09:00

Hugh Neff

2007-03-08T19:31:00.000-09:00

Neff's Dogs

2007-03-08T19:26:00.000-09:00

Yukon Quest 2006

2007-02-28T11:30:00.000-09:00

Ok race fans, for all you folks who just can't get enough of the Yukon Quest, here are pix from last year's race. The race started in Fairbanks last year; I really missed it since it started in Whitehorse this year. Many of the mushers actually stopped for pictures, or slowed down! Not Mackey or Gatt though, they trucked right through. We couldn't even get down the river bank fast enough to get closer to Gatt, he was already gone!

The teams are on the Chena River going thru Fort Wainwright, just coming into North Pole.

Jen Cochran Strikes a Pose

2007-02-28T11:26:00.000-09:00

Kyla Boivan

2007-02-28T11:21:00.001-09:00

Eric Butcher

2007-02-28T11:14:00.000-09:00

Gatt

2007-02-28T11:03:00.000-09:00

Mackey

2007-02-28T10:56:00.000-09:00

Saul's Dogs

2007-02-28T10:39:00.000-09:00

A couple of Saul Turner's dogs. Aren't they beautiful? Note the spreader bars.

Saul Turner

2007-02-28T10:34:00.000-09:00

Regina Wykoff

2007-02-28T10:29:00.000-09:00

Jennifer Cochran

2007-02-28T09:34:00.000-09:00

Suzie

2007-01-22T13:03:00.000-09:00

Suzie is our very first dog. We learned everything from her. We got her from a New York shelter when she was a year old, a stray dog. We believe she is a Samoyed mix. She loves the cold and hates the heat.

Suzie is dog aggressive, which makes her very challenging. She needs to have her own space. She also taught us all about separation anxiety, escape artistry, landscaping the yard, and dog proofing the car and home. We took her to a Fiesty Fido class for dog-aggressive dogs, and she was expelled before the second class even began -- the trainer said to "never bring her back here again." Four different trainers there recommended that she be euthanized.

But I had waited, for thirty-odd years, to get a dog...after living with my parents, and in a string of apartments in Manhattan and Brooklyn, and time in the Army. FINALLY we had a house and there was time and room for a dog. So there was no way I was giving up on her.

Suzie has had many adventures over the past 7 years. She's gone to work with me, has been to West Point and numerous other military bases, went camping with us in Illinois, and drove with us across Canada to Alaska, camping along the way (in November temps...the mattress froze!) Suzie has lived in the bush in a cabin; her job was hauling wood on the dogsled. She knows all the mushing commands perfectly, but can't be with another dog!

Suzie has mellowed with time, and is more ladylike now. But she is still as tough as nails. I recently took her to the vet to have a broken tooth removed; she was awake and standing 2 minutes after they reversed the sedative! No one at the hospital had EVER seen a dog do that before.

Gosh It's Cold!

2007-01-09T18:46:00.000-09:00

Well. I shouldn't have complained about -20. Now it's -43 below. Cliffie doesn't mind too much though.

BRRR!

2007-01-06T10:54:00.000-09:00

Bam Bam is staying in bed! It's -20 below again, actually better than yesterday.

Here are Glacier and Cliffie.

Boris Update and Other News

2006-12-26T20:55:00.000-09:00

Lots going on! Boris, our foster dog from the shelter, was neutered last week and he's doing well. I'd like to give him a little more time to heal up (and get those testosterone levels down!), and then will try him in harness again. It's been a little cold here (between -10 and zero), but not too bad, and a few inches of fresh snow have fallen. Wish I had some dogs who know how to shovel!

We've had moose in the yard for the past two days. The dogs get really fired up. At least the moose are coming by at a decent hour.

Our latest adoption is a little fellow from the shelter who was called Kody. I changed his name to Bucky after seeing a guy on TV who had a herd of deer who were regular visitors to his yard -- and he had names for all the deer! Bucky is quite shy but is a good boy. I tried putting him out in the yard, and he freaked out -- even knocked over his doghouse. I brought him indoors so the neighborhood could get some sleep, and he has been great! No problems. Cries when he needs to go out. Bucky kept hiding his tail between his legs and would walk behind me...but now his tail is wagging and he walks pretty well on leash. He has a lot of neck rubs from his collar, he had these before he arrived at the shelter. We cut the collar off and gave him a nice new one.

The Wonders of Vet Wrap

2006-12-10T21:40:00.000-09:00

Vet Wrap is something you should have in your doggie first aid kit. It's a flexible bandage that sticks to itself, but isn't sticky. You can rip it without scissors. It comes in all colors (and even prints). You can buy it through most pet supply catalogs. And it's great for wrapping the handlebar of your sled...nice and spongy! If you ever want to change it, just unwrap.

Boris!

2006-12-04T17:12:00.000-09:00

Boris is a foster dog from Fairbanks Animal Control, and is available for adoption through the shelter. He was given up by a musher who wanted to reduce his kennel size. Boris is a young fellow, probably just over a year old. He is lightly built and probably weighs about 43 pounds; he has room to gain a few more. He has no dewclaws and is short coated, and would likely need a fully-padded harness. He runs a lot on his chain, so it's best for him to wear a padded collar.

Boris is bold-as-brass in the dogyard, and barks and howls quite a bit. I put him in harness today. He is easy to harness and handle, but is not leash trained. I tried a size small ManMat distance harness first, and it was too short under the chest; so we went with a medium Nordkyn (pictured).

Boris was afraid to leave the yard and kept laying down in the snow. I led him farther away and he would start going, but then kept turning around, looking at the sled, and then coming back to me, and would sit down and lean on me. He needs lots of attention and is clingy most of the time. Boris is ok with some of my male dogs but has been growly with others; he is not neutered yet. I will try him with a confident female next time and see if that helps.

We turned around to go home, and Boris ran all the way back, pulling hard. He paced, trotted, loped, and trotted again. He did a sharp Gee when told, but I'm not sure if he knew the command or just retraced his steps. Boris is a small package but was strong when he wanted to be.

Boris hasn't been here long, so I'm hoping he will be more confident next time. He has a lot of potential, but he is still quite young; I think he'll improve with maturity and experience.

Stoney!

2006-12-03T22:59:00.000-09:00

Stoney is a rescue dog who we fostered from Fairbanks Animal Control. He was at the shelter for a month and a half with no takers, and time was up. His owner said he comes from sprint bloodlines. Stoney is very active out in the yard, but is much calmer indoors. He is a fast dog and runs great in harness. Stoney was just neutered and is recovering here, and he is going to Crazy Dog Kennel and Canine Rescue near Denali this week. We'll miss him, he's a cool guy!

Clifford The Big White Dog

2006-11-29T14:08:00.000-09:00

Cliffie is my "Sherpa replacement dog". Although Sherpa was a once in a lifetime kind of guy, Cliffie resembles him so closely it's a little astounding. After Sherpa died, the house was just not the same without a big fluffy white critter. So a few days later, I got on Petfinder and behold -- there he was! In Spokane Washington, at an animal shelter. But his name was Clyde, and he was surrendered with his sister Bonnie. They were 3 years old and described as German Shepherd and Great Pyrenees mixes.
I called that shelter, and the poor person on the phone was skeptical...someone coming from Alaska, please hold the dog for a few days. She put the manager on. He was skeptical too, but I convinced him to hold Clyde for 3 days so I could make flight arrangements.
My husband is a genius at organizing travel; he got a flight (had to transfer from Seattle), rental car, and dog friendly Motel 6. There was a PetSmart in the area where I could buy an airline kennel for the return trip. I called the shelter back and let them know I'd be there in 2 days.
The shelter was enormous, like a warehouse. There was 1 long row of dogs, all with chain link indoor/outdoor runs, 60 of them, and all full. I checked the row and no Bonnie or Clyde. I asked an animal tender, and he said wrong row, go out and take the next door. There was ANOTHER row of 60 dogs. Wow.
Bonnie and Clyde were kenneled together. She was definitely the dominant dog. She was more like a White German Shepherd in appearance and manner. And high-strung. Clyde was just the opposite: taller, longer coat, quiet, polite. He kept out of his sister's way. Their owner surrendered them for killing chickens.
I was allowed to walk Clyde around outside. I called my husband on the cell phone right away and said we were leaving. I renamed him Clifford since Sherpa and I always watched the cartoon "Clifford The Big Red Dog" and changed the words to the song around.
Cliffie at the shelter

We were given a card for a free vet check, so we went to the vet indicated and got a health certificate for travel for the airline. Then we went to PetSmart and tried out an extra large crate. Note to self, forget "economy size" rental cars in the future.
After a lunch break, we pressed on to the motel. Cliffie was nervous but did whatever I asked, until he saw a housekeeper vacuuming in the hallway. He was completely terrified.
At 5am the following day, we were at the airport. The extra-large crate did not fit properly on the slanted luggage carts in the parking lot. So I had to walk Cliffie thru the airport. Fortunately the place was pretty empty.
A few hours later, we were stranded in Tacoma with a mechanical problem. Cliffie and another dog were pulled off the plane, and their crates left standing in the sun on the tarmac. I had to wait my turn in the irate crowd to speak to an airline person...could someone walk the dogs, give them some water, move the crates into shade. The person at the desk was surrounded by angry customers, but I pressed that the dog had been in the crate for almost 9 hours now. He radioed the crew.
The crew went out and walked, watered, and played with the dogs. The other owner and I weren't allowed out onto the tarmac, but we could watch through the window. The pilot really liked Cliffie and walked him 4 times.
After a 4 hour delay, we were given a new plane and on to Fairbanks. This is why I would never let a dog fly alone, he needs to be accompanied!

Cliffie and Glacier

2006-11-23T23:09:00.000-09:00

Thanksgiving Day 2006

2006-11-23T23:05:00.000-09:00

Time for dinner! Let's go! Tofurky for the humans, fish for the canines! And it's -26 below AGAIN...

Retired Racers

2006-11-21T09:53:00.000-09:00

When we moved to Alaska from New York City in 2002, my first thoughts were to get a team of Alaskan Huskies. After all, we were now living in a remote cabin with no electricity and no water, and the closest neighbor was a mile away. No traffic, just trails. Perfect, right? We quickly developed a mantra for dealing with sled dogs: “Guess again” (actually, it was more graphic than that, but...)

Since we had no phone or satellite, we regularly drove about 15 miles to the little town of Anderson to use internet access in the Anderson school library. I frequently checked the website for the Fairbanks animal shelter. Two weeks after our arrival in Alaska, someone had surrendered an ENTIRE team of Alaskan huskies to the shelter! They were “pedigreed”, each having detailed lineage from famous mushers.

We made the 90 mile trip to Fairbanks the next day. So many dogs! It was very hard to choose, and there was competition…people were lined up in the lobby, silently poring over pages of pedigrees. We were escorted outside in large groups to look at the dogs. It was December and freezing cold.

I selected 3 dogs. One was named Peanut, and I picked him because he was friendly and affectionate. Then I noticed on the paperwork that most of the dogs were littermates, and Peanut had a brother named Butters. Many of the dogs were already adopted, I had to move fast. Butters was hiding in his doghouse, no one even noticed him. I gently pulled him out, and he was a cuddly, lovable guy. They were 7 years old…how could I separate them now? So, guess again, now it’s 4 dogs to adopt.

Peanut and Butters looked like twins and it was difficult at first to tell them apart. They even acted the same! They chewed up everything – sticks, wood, doghouses, collars. They dug enormous holes in the yard, real legbreakers when walking in the dark. We put them in harness with great expectations – and they spinned in circles. However, if we pointed them back toward home, they ran full tilt, stopping right at their doghouses. Race dogs? Guess again.

Peanut was the crazier dog – energetic and nervous. But he was vibrant and healthy. His brother was the opposite – laid back and calm. Butters also had a host of mishaps and problems. He broke a tooth trying to chew on a stainless steel dog dish. He developed 2 mysterious rashes that the vets could not figure out. While 7 years is only middle-aged for an Alaskan husky, Butters acted like he was 99. He later had Old Dog Vestibular Syndrome (an inner ear problem) and now has a slight but permanent head tilt.

Butters

On Memorial Day in 2003, a huge forest fire broke out in our area and we had to evacuate. I loaded the housedogs into my car, and the sled dogs and all worldly possessions into our school bus. Good plan? Guess again. The dirt roads were too muddy for the bus, and it promptly got stuck. We released the dogs and hoped for the best. Two days later, we were allowed to return to the woods. Fortunately the fire blew in the opposite direction and our cabin was safe. The dogs emerged from the trees. Except for Peanut and Butters. They had decided to travel out the main "road", right into the fire. They were a little singed and smoky, but ok. A fireman picked them up together.

After 9 months of hard labor in “the bush”, and many arduous drives for veterinary visits, we bought a house in Fairbanks and prepared for the move with 15 dogs in tow. Peanut and Butters had lived outdoors all their lives. I decided to start housetraining them since a dogyard was not very feasible at the new home.

I started with crate training and Peanut was thrilled! I could turn him loose and he’d run right into the crate. He quickly figured out how to take potty breaks.
Peanut

Butters, however, would cry continuously in the crate. For hours, all night, if need be, until I would let him out. This training tactic was not working for him.

After we moved, my husband built a pen for them so they could be loose outside together. This worked great! Then winter came, and temperatures that were 20, 30 degrees below zero. Peanut was oblivious. Butters, however, looked pitiful; he could no longer withstand such weather. Since they were so inseparable, I brought both of them into the house.

We have many housedogs. Peanut and Butters got along with everyone, although Peanut could be stand-offish. And Peanut marked everything, acting territorial. Butters would simply let loose a full bladder without warning. Ack! But Butters began to take cues from the other dogs and learned to potty outside with frequent breaks.

Peanut, however, was being ornery. He was growing possessive around food. One day, a lone nugget of kibble was on the floor, and Peanut spotted it. Cliffie our Pyrenees mix also spotted it, and a fight ensued. I quickly broke it up, but from that moment, it was a feud, and Cliffie and Peanut could no longer be in the same room together. I tried crating one while the other was in the house, taking turns. But they also began to fight out in the yard. So finally I decided to put Peanut back outside. Could he be separated from his brother? Guess again.

This is Cliffie

Peanut howled and howled for almost a week. If he heard me calling Butters, he would cry. But he gradually got over it, and now hangs out with Honey, our alpha female, and he accepts her authority.

Surprisingly, Butters did not seem to notice that his brother was missing! But meanwhile he has become very attached to his mommy. He has also slowed down more, has trouble with stairs, and sleeps a lot. His eyes are becoming cloudy. Butters is visibly getting frail…but just yesterday he stared down a youngster who was sleeping on his favorite dogbed in my office…the youngster moved to the floor, and Butters has been loudly snoring away. Getting old? Guess again.

More Moose Follies

2006-11-18T13:18:00.000-09:00

This is what I gotta contend with while scooping poop...

Ruff Ruffman

2006-11-16T08:54:00.000-09:00

Ruffman is a gorgeous dog. He is a 9 year old retired sled dog who was dropped off at the shelter. He was there for about 2.5 weeks, and no one showed interest in him. He's a real sweetheart so I took him home! Ruffman's real name was Big Guy, and when he was a puppy his name was Trout. He raced when he was younger and even ran half of the Yukon Quest. He's still wearing a battered Yukon Quest tag on his collar. He's a shy guy but very nice!

Bunny

2006-11-09T12:33:00.000-09:00

Bunny is a real wildcard. She is crazy in the house, and is afraid of almost everything. Her previous owner said she is a Samoyed mix; I think she's Samoyed and Husky. Like our other Samoyeds, if you put her on a leash, she will pull in a straight line and go into a trot, and can go forever. She's never been in harness, but I figured she'd perform the same.

And she did! Her first impulse was to run, fast as possible. Glacier LOOKED at her, shrugged if a dog can shrug, and started running alongside her. After a few minutes, Glacier slowed her into an extended trot. Bunny was excellent! She is not the brains of the kennel, but what a performance. Glacier did the thinking, and Bunny pulled very well. She even broke into a run again on the way home and pulled Glacier past the driveway.

Here's another shot of Glacier's harness. I'm so pleased with it, I'll buy some more.

First Mush of the Season

2006-11-01T18:24:00.000-09:00

This afternoon I ran two different sets of dogs. Since we're at the new house (more on that later), none of us know the trails or area very well. For the first set, I opted for power, not speed, and choose Glacier and BamBam, who are both very large 75 pound dogs.

This is Glacier, he is a Pyrenees and Lab mix. He is modeling an Alpine Outfitters Urban Trail Harness. It is fully padded with fleece and has reflective tape. I like that it has a center pull ring, and doesn't put any weight on the dog's hips.

Glacier was a perfect gentleman and did everything just right. He lined out, pulled well, took directions and stayed on the trail for the most part.

BamBam was a handful. He didn't want to harness up, tried to chew everything, got tangled a lot, and frequently went off the trail to look at something or go pee. BamBam did have his moments though, and took the turns very well.

Our sled is a Laughing Husky 5-foot beginner. It has lived to fight another day...

Sherpa

2006-10-30T08:34:00.000-09:00

Sherpa was one of our original "New York" dogs, one of the 5 dogs we drove across the country with when we moved to Alaska.

The Manhattan shelter described him as a Samoyed, but he was most likely a Pyrenees/German Shepherd mix. He came in as a stray from the Bronx and had apparently been outdoors for a long time; his weight was very good, but his coat was filthy and full of dead hair.

Sherpa had a odd personality. He wasn't our alpha dog, but he was definitely The King. He died of prostate cancer (even though he was neutered) in 2005 at the age of 9.

Moose Follies

2006-10-29T23:07:00.000-09:00

The moose near our "old house" by Fort Wainwright were very brazen. I reckon this was because hunters can't shoot them in our subdivision, so the moose were able to relax. They walked around like they owned the place, and visited very frequently. Typically, they would stick around the area for about 4 days before moving on. They prefer to show up at 3am and make the dogs go crazy. Forget about getting any sleep.

The Aurora

2006-10-29T22:56:00.000-09:00

Here's an obligatory Northern Lights photo. It's real name is the Aurora Borealis, and most people here just call it "the Aurora", as in, "there was a great Aurora last night". The colder it is, the more active it is; sometimes it just cooks right along and goes all across the sky. We're not far enough North to get a variety of colors; it is mostly green and yellow.

Snorri Our New Addition

2005-11-07T14:41:00.000-09:00

Snorri is a 10 year old sled dog from Nenana. He was left at the animal shelter with 3 of his friends. When they wound up on the euthanasia list, I took Snorri home. He is a real gentleman, terrific with everyone and well-behaved in the house. He is intelligent, and sometimes a little stubborn :) Snorri is still very spry and can even run lead! At the moment he is recovering from neuter surgery.

2005-11-07T14:23:00.000-09:00

Snorri

2005-11-07T14:10:00.000-09:00

Loki the speed demon.

2005-11-07T14:07:00.000-09:00

Snorri and Loki running in the yard. Loki is aka shelter alumnus "Blair".

2005-11-06T20:33:00.000-09:00

Pumpkin, who was a stray dog we found when we lived in the Bush.

Welcome to Fairbanks

2005-11-06T12:55:00.000-09:00

Hodge Podge Kennel is located in Fairbanks Alaska. We mostly have sled dogs who are Alaskan Huskies, but also a number of other breeds as well. All are rescues, strays, or are from animal shelters. All of our dogs are spayed or neutered, and we don't breed dogs, not ever.