Visiting Alaska Relatives - Part II

Swanny and Sheenjek

Miriam and Remus

Nells

Rose

Remus

Swanny, a musher in Two Rivers that recently took on two Hedlund line pups from a musher in Dillingham, was kind enough to accommodate my dog helper, Melanie, and myself during our visit and give us a tour of various dog kennels in the area. Swanny has a kennel of traditional freighting dogs and historical matters are his specialty. Rose and Nells are now 14 months old. It was discovered that Nells has cryptorchidism, which means that neither testicle descended, thus excluding him from the breeding program even before seeing how he works in harness. Rose, on the other hand, will be tested in harness and if found to be a hard worker, may very well be the foundation for Swanny's future kennel.

Miriam, a musher from North Pole, took the litter mate to Rose and Nells. Miriam brought Remus over to Swanny's for a bit of a family reunion. Remus is a long-legged, rangy male that if proved in harness, will likely be added to the Hedlund breeding program. Miriam has a kennel of freight dogs and is an artist.

Both Swanny and Miriam are heavily involved in sled dog rescue and rehabilitation.