As youngsters do… our puppies are growing up quickly. Bill & Wu are now 5 months old and Gravy is 4 months.
Bill and Wu are best buddies and spend 99.9% of the time together. We have taken them on collared leash walks separately but the whining and screeching by “one who is left behind” is almost unbearable. The boys play, sleep and wrestle much of the day. They are chubby, healthy and furry husky pups. They eat in separate dishes but watch each other out of the corners of their eyes. “Is he done yet?”
Once in a while, their long-legged uncle Mac comes to visit and they will play in the field. Mac is an enormous, burly fellah so the intimidation factor exists now and then. Mac told Wu to leave his caribou antler alone a month ago and Wu has never forgotten that moment. Who would?
They have two play pens in which they spend most of their time. But Wu, like his daddy Rodney, doesn’t appreciate the pen off to the east of the house and he vocally will let us humans know of his displeasure. So, if anyone wants to sleep at night we do NOT leave the boys in the eastern most pen. We think the issue might be that here was a cross fox tromping around in the woods just behind this pen and Wu didn’t like the fluffy canine being anywhere near him.
Years ago when daddy Rodney stayed in this pen as a puppy he simply learned that when he barked, the light breeze would carry his lovely voice up to the house and Aliy would come bring him a treat or biscuit or food or food or food… basically Aliy was trained up nicely by the time Rodney moved out of that pen!
Gravy is all together different than his cousins. He spent two full weeks in a cast for his broken hind leg. Of course, a cast can’t get wet, dirty or chewed on. RIGHT….. Honestly, we did our best and Gravy was incredibly cooperative although now he is incredibly spoiled and is somewhat offended when his dog bed and his couch are occupied. Thank goodness he just goes off and sulks and doesn’t take up his consternation with Scout or Quito.
During his 2 week cast period he had an enormous growth spurt and that helped the healing. He is now cast free but still has two weeks of confinement. “Confinement” at SPK means carefully playing with a chew toy, kong or tennis ball. Not extreme rough housing and no running loose across the yard. YIPPEE… I’m free. Let’s just say: We are doing the best we can!
The other significant development that has happened in the last 3 days is that both of Gravy’s ears now stand up. We have been hoping that his rather ridiculous ears would make a choice and either stand up or flop over. They have made up their mind… finally!
Perhaps my thoughts were incredibly upbeat and positive because of the fantastically brilliant horizon that continually glowed in the distance throughout my day. It had to be telling me something. The sun was in full view throughout the day because we were traveling along a trail that hugs the southern rim of a ridge line. I watched the sunrise at 10:57AM, the incredible midday sun and then the sunset at 2:47PM. To say the horizon was brilliant is an understatement. At times, the pinks, oranges and yellows consumed the entire sky. As hours went by, it was more and more glorious. I hate to admit that it had my complete attention at times and I nearly slipped off the sled runners twice. The horizon was so spectacular that I could not put my camera down. The horizon was no less than SPECTACULAR! By the time I reached camp, just at sunset, the violet glow of the sky even had me taking photos of our ragged arctic oven tent.
This past week the full moon of December, ironically called the Full Cold Moon, arrived on December 22nd. What a lovely time to mush with a happy, determined team of huskys! At winter solstice, the sun does not spend much time in the northern hemisphere.
The race was a success for Bridgett and the SPK dogs. They started and they finished. Yay! Unknown finishing position as of yet, but Two Rivers Dog Mushing Association – understandably – has limited volunteers just days before Christmas. So it was exciting to simply have a race course and a local race.
