My new fuzzy buddy.

We just brought "Balto" home tonight. He is an eight week old McKenzie River husky. A breeding program in Fairbanks AK is working to bring back the original sled dog breed. Since the introduction of snow machines and snow cats the dogs are not being used much now. And over the years they have interbred diluting the ancient freight dog breed.

So my mother in law and us are part of the program to selectively breed back the original sled dogs. His three sisters will be going back to AK to be part of the program.

He also has a direct lineage to the family of the lead sled dog that made the 800 mile run to deliver the diphtheria serum to a remote village. So he's a little bit of living history.

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This is his dad "Tony".
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Glad to hear of the program. I love Huskies. I found a pair walking on a local college campus and picked them up in my truck. They had tags so I was able to deliver them back to the owner a mile down the road.

Hal

Brent,

What a handsome fellow. I appreciate most breeds even though huskies are not one I'd want to own. Just not on my top list of preferred breeds.

I just think he is really cute. I am a sucker for puppies.

Nice project Brent.

P

So cute. I love huskies. I had a husky- shepard mix when I was a teenager. He was a sweetheart.

This little dude is very sedate and not hyper like pups usually are. Our female chocolate lab is quickly adopting him. It will be a great experience for my daughter to be part of the project. She may go to Fairbanks with grandma to see the home base and get to talk to Donna herself.

Brent, he is beautiful!!

Please keep posting pictures as he grows

Adorable, Brent! I wish you many happy years loving him.

awesome pup!

My daughter and I got lots of play time in with him today. It's been seven years since we have had a pup around here and I almost forgot how much fun they are. He already fetches pretty good and comes when he's called. It will be great when the weather improves a bit and we can take him on a canoe trip.

Brent wrote:My daughter and I got lots of play time in with him today. It's been seven years since we have had a pup around here and I almost forgot how much fun they are.

They're like a dose of happiness and joy, aren't they?

Great looking expression on the puppies face.

Martin

Every puppy deserves a little girl!

So adorable!

Sled dogs are amazing animals. When I lived in Fairbanks, I had the opportunity to ride in a dog sled one snowy day ... whisking over the trail in almost silence ... just the slight sound of the sled runners on the snow. So peaceful and magical.

In my experience, sled dogs are treated as pure work animals. They live chained to separate dog houses in dog yards and eat LOTS of oily salmon caught in Alaska's rivers for them. But each and every day they get an opportunity to do what they love the best - RUN!

Balto being genetically related to a dog in the original Iditerod race with the medicine to Nome is absolutely amazing. they still run that race each year from Anchorage to Nome. Another 1,000 mile race I have seen many times is from Canada to Faribanks one year and Fairbanks to Canada the next. the sled dogs adore their masters BUT once they are released, they RUN! the owners never let go of them ... from kennel to harness and back. And Lord help the driver who falls off his sled - the dogs keep running! In my experience.

Congratulations on Balto. I sincerely hope your daughter gts an opportunity to visit beautiful Fairbanks ... in the middle fall - snow but not so cold. She would treasure a ride on a dog sled all her life. Not to mention the Hot Springs and Northern Lights and other amazing adventures at every turn. My daughter loves living there.

Marvelous!! and your daughter is such a beauty!!

thanks for sharing that with us Brent, you are such a treat!
when I come here all stressed and in pain your posts and piccies makes me feel millions times better!

hugs and kisses
Risa

Brent, you said that he is sedate. I wonder if certain traits run through all the huskies. My malamute didn't really act like other dogs. I always got the feeling he was always sizing up the situation, be it with people or otherwise. He didn't bark, except at cement mixer trucks. He sure could "sing" and did a lot of that. He didn't take to people immediately. It wasn't that he was overtly unfriendly. He was neutral until he got to know the person and at that he didn't become close with many people. He did with me and my ex. I think the best word to describe him is dignified. He weighed 125 lbs. I always felt that he had a fair amount of the "wolf spirit" in him.

Chris

CluelessKitty wrote:Marvelous!! and your daughter is such a beauty!!

thanks for sharing that with us Brent, you are such a treat!
when I come here all stressed and in pain your posts and piccies makes me feel millions times better!

hugs and kisses
Risa

I have always tried to use pleasant distractions to manage the mig stress. So anytime I can share some I try to.

FWIW, Jessica is a very classy and coordinated dresser. But when she is playing with the critters she has to wear her reject clothes. I don't want anyone to think we are fashion challenged parents.

Crt, His one brother and four sisters were ping ponging all over the place when we were over picking him out several weeks ago. So it appears that it's just his personality. Which was a big reason we picked him. Our seven year old choc lab is very hyper. But they both have a 1/3 acre pen to burn up all their extra energy.

Thank you for sharing the pictures of Balto! He is too sweet! We have a shepherd/husky mix, and he is the most loving dog I've met. Justice's husky side spared him from getting the hip problems that shepherds get, and he's now 15 years old, quite old for such a big dog! And he still runs and plays hard with our golden lab mix. Richard is right about their running though. When Justice was younger, we had a horrible time if Justice got loose from the house because he wouldn't stop running, and we couldn't catch him. So we had to be extra careful to keep the gates closed and such.

Balto's history is really fantastic too! My brother first got attached to huskies while listening to old-time radio and hearing Sergeant Preston, the Canadian Mounty, and his dog, King. Long live the huskies!