Journey, From Alaska

Journey at 9 weeks.

Cranberry with the three remaining pups at 9 weeks old.

McKenzie the happy and majestic sire.

Cranberry and Journey.

Journey from Alaska.

We recently returned from Alaska with our new addition. Journey is a 10 week old Hedlund line Alaskan Husky. At 9 weeks she weighed in at 16lbs. Journey is an extremely attentive pup, always waiting by the back door for me to come out and play rather than follow the big dogs around yard.

She has many of the same mannerisms as Tuloon and Phoenix, the other Hedlund Huskies, and is always walking around with the same Hedlund style, wide mouthed smile on her face. Unlike the other two, Journey can't keep herself out of the water. Puddles, water bucket, hose, its all good. She sticks her front legs in the water bucket and is up to her neck in water. She lounges in that position for several minute at a time.

Sweet Pea has decided she will be her adoptive mother, never letting any of the Inuit dog males near the fence when the pup is around. She just doesn't like those "naughty" boys, Ilu and Amaruq, and thinks they're a bad influence on such a young girl. She lays on the ground and lets Journey jump all over her and bite her face and ears. Icoa has also taken to protecting her from those "naughty" boys. Tuloon seems to be a bit jealous and wanted to make sure the little upstart knows here place right from the beginning. During her introduction, she assumed the stalking position as Journey approached, she then pounced directly in front of her with a quiet growl and then bounded away. Journey got the idea and didn't need to be told twice.

Zulu, being the wise old man and gentle giant, doesn't mind Journey following him around everywhere and seems to enjoy her company. Phoenix and Klaus, the young exuberant males, have only been introduced to her through the fence. Both are known to play a bit too rough with a pup her size and will meet her one on one with supervision over the next week. Tukisi and Isis are the older Inuit Dogs in the kennel, both are a little more primitive in their behavior and will not meet Journey face to face until she is as big as they are and they are hooked up in the team together. Tukisi would likely be just fine with her after he figured out she wasn't a rodent but frankly, they just don't need to interact at this point. Isis is getting a bit grouchy in her older years which means no patience for a youngster.

Journey is learning her first big lesson today. Just because there are dogs out, doesn't mean that she gets to be out too. She needs to wait her turn. The puppy crying in the special puppy pen stopped after about an hour.

Points Unknown has high hopes for our little Journey girl. Based on her attentive and eager-to- please personality, I see another leader for the team.