Journey Spayed

Neil lounging with Journey and the house dog gang, which now includes retired leader Zulu, prior to her surgery.

Journey on her back yard tie-out after the spay

The decision was a difficult one, however it was decided that Journey would be spayed upon our return from our winter adventures. Last Thursday she went in for her surgery and is doing quite well in her recovery. She will live a sheltered life for the next two weeks between a crate in the sun room, a short tie out in the back yard with her trusty companion Zulu and in the house roaming free without her E collar in the evenings when she can be supervised by the house dogs and me.

As I said, it wasn't an easy decision. Journey is an exceptional sled dog and new leader. Exceptional. She also is a descent size female with a super dense coat. All wonderful attributes for a traditional sled dog. She is a very sweet girl to those she knows well and gets along extremely well with everyone in her pack. The temperament issues that made it important to have her spayed were her extreme shyness around strangers and her aggressiveness to any dog she encounters outside of our pack.

Aggressiveness is an absolute no-go when it comes to my breeding program. I also want my sled dogs to be comfortable around people. Both items are extremely important when putting your dogs to work as I do. I have had years of dealing with the inherent aggressiveness in Inuit Dogs and I have vowed not to tolerate it in my traditional Husky lines. Working with Journey on her issues is something I am committed to doing because she is a member of the family and it is workable, however I have no desire to knowingly add that element to the kennel in the future.

So Journey's genes stop here but long live everything else she has to offer as the exceptional sled dog and companion she is!