Ruca Dog Kennel

  The athletes...                                                          

                                                                     BRECKEN  65lbs  3yrs
Brecken came when I was picking up another dog from the Fairbanks Animal Shelter.  I ran into a fellow musher who was dropping him and his brother off.  Their reasoning was that they just didn't like males and he was a little too big.   When I got him his whole neck was raw from his collar being kept too tight, and was so shy and scared it took months to even approach him.  I would have to put his food in the middle of the dog yard and go back into the house for him to eat.  Now this amazing boy is one of my main leaders and can't get enough of everything.  He would live on the bed with me, if given the choice.  He is famous for falling asleep immediately after a run, whether laying down or standing and has great oowwooo that is a constant sound at my house.

ROGAN  55lbs 3yrs 

Rogan came from the Kenai Animal Shelter.  He walked out of the pound and climbed straight into the dog truck like he knew he was going home.  He was incredible from the start and took to being a leader from his second run out.  He is my other main leader and is always surprising me with what he does and knows.  He fit into the dog yard right away and and has an unbeatable work ethic.  He is serious about his job and will correct any other leader who he is running with that he thinks is doing something wrong.  He loves to go for car rides and to come in the house where he insists on sleeping in your lap in the chair. Rogan will run anywhere in the team but he seems to think he has been demoted if not in lead.

Delp  55lbs  3yrs

Delp came from a musher that died in Salcha AK, who also had a rescue kennel.  He is exploding with personality.  He always has something to say and is very adamant that he should be petted and be petted now.  There is something odd about him that hasn't been figured out yet.  He seems to have a breathing problem when he runs, but not all of the time.    He never stops trying, even when he is tired.  I'm not sure how is going to do with distance but we are going to continue to try new things with him.  Delp will run in lead and is great up there because he is so attentive to what I am doing.  However he recently decided that he wants to be an alligator dog, so he has some one on one work to be done.

Ella  30lbs 3yrs

Ella came from the Fairbanks Animal Shelter.  I got her at the same time as Brecken and that has seemingly bonded the two of them together as best friends since.  She is the only dog that I will say named herself.  I kept trying to call her Rohn but it would come out Ella.  So Ella it is.  She is another leader, who this year coming into her own.  She is very smart and although is one of the smallest dogs in the yard takes no lip from anyone.  She is who I look to when I need a little speed up front, with a scream at hookup that is shocking every time you hear it.  She will run anywhere in the team but is best in lead or swing.

                                                         Dicos  65lbs   3yrs

Dicos was my birthday present to myself from the Kenai Animal Shelter a couple of years ago.  He took to being a sled dog immediately and was also my leader when I only had one semi reliable one.  He is enthusiastic about everything in life and it is hard to see how someone could have given him up.  He is great on free walks, loves to go in the car and be in the house and doesn't have an aggressive bone in his body.  He has a high pitched chirp bark that he just can't keep in while he jumps up and down.  He runs in anywhere in the team, including lead, but likes it best when it is slow going up there.  

Malo  60lbs  3yrs 

 A more fitting name could not be.  Malo was evil, even when he was 2 months old.  I got him on the way out for a road trip and we all looked at each other and went "what did we just do?"  His split personality does have a very sweet side that exuberantly loves everyone, but we all know the real Malo.  He would prefer that I fill his food bowl with rocks and eats them like candy, even scooping them up as we run with the 4-wheeler.  Malo finished this year very strong, which is fabulous, because his puppy year and last year he was unpredictable at how he would do run to run.  He is a solid wheel dog or back of the team.  

                                                                                                     Peanut 55lbs 10yrs

 Peanut is my first sled dog and my first leader.  This year we had enough new dogs that would lead, so Peanut didn't have to be up front which he seemed very grateful for.  He loves to be in the team and had a great season this year finishing all the runs strong even though he's getting older.  Peanut likes to nibble your fingers when he gets excited.  His happiest day will be when he retires for good and gets to live inside and spend all day on a dog bed.

 Ruby   45lbs   8yrs

Ruby is a very quiet, sweet dog that was one of my first 4 sled dogs.  She is, however, the team cheerleader and no matter the conditions or length of the run, as soon as we stop Ruby starts barking.  She isn't the most consistent dog with pulling, but then out of nowhere will surprise you and rock a hard run.  Ruby is a sister to Tovik.  She doesn't really care about too much, including coming in the house, but on occasion will grace us with her presence inside. She is always enthusiastic to run, though.   

Tovik   60lbs  8yrs

Tovik is one of my first 4 sled dogs, and one of the sweetest dogs ever.  When the dogs get let off their houses and everyone runs around crazy, not Tovik.  He instead follows me around wherever I go, waiting for the opportune time to give a kiss.  He is the brother to Ruby and while not as shy, he is still quiet and very sensitive.  Tovik is much more consistent than Ruby, but still has strange off days.  He, like her though, will surprise you.  Tovik likes to come in the house with everyone but it has taken a lot of time for him to realize he does not have to sit on my lap every time I sit down.  He runs in team.  

Pixil    30lbs    3yrs 

Pixil is one of the newest dogs and came from the Fairbanks Animal Shelter.  I'm convinced Ella and her are sisters.  Her previous owner didn't want her anymore because she was "too small".  She is very skittish and shy and hates to be led anywhere by her collar.  Ahsto, who came from the same kennel, is the only dog she will consider playing with, though she gets along with everyone.  She does have attitude though, like Ella, but its all for show.  She loves that she gets to run around free and is coming out of her shell more and more everyday.  She will run in swing or team and I have just started with her in lead, as she grows more used to me.  She shows great potential though, and is very focused and driven at her tiny weight of 30lbs.  She wants to come in the house so badly, but can't quite make herself cross the door when it gets opened and the stampeded of 20 dogs rush in.  However, with each time she gets a little more excited, barking like crazy, dancing around and the day is coming soon.   

  Ahsto   47lbs   3yrs

Ahsto came with Pixil from the same kennel and were dropped off in Fairbanks.  His previous owner's reason was that he was "dumb".  Ahsto is extremely sweet and dumb, dumb he is not.  He taught himself to sit for his food by watching what the other dogs had to do, at meal time.  He is quickly becoming a more confidant leader with every run and is very driven.  He isn't sure what he thinks of the house, but sometimes lets himself get caught up in the rush through the door and ends up in there.  He relaxes quickly though, finds a bone and is good to go.  

Fiasco 60lbs  2yrs

Fiasco came from the Kenai Animal Shelter.  This dog is tough, tough, tough.  He has been extremely driven since day one and has also lived up to his name in all other ways.  He has finally settled into the routine at home and I don't have to worry about leaving him free in the dog yard when I'm gone..not for fear of a fight, but that he would chew through the feed room door or gate posts, in order to follow me.  He freezes when you touch him, but not from fear, from the pure joy of being touched.  He closes his eyes with a blissful look on his face and wraps his leg around your arm and sits happily.  At night he jumps from house to house when everyone gets put on them, pawing at me, just hoping for one more pet. 

Raadonthe 40lbs 2yrs

Raadonthe came from the Fairbanks Animal Shelter.  She is shy, but not in a way that normally come from abuse, it seems more from lack of human attention.  She came seriously underweight and with a very rough, strange coat.  She has just now started to succesfully gain weight after months of eating close to 4000 calories a day.  She has leveled out now at a more normal rate and her coat has started to improve with her new diet, baths and brushing.  She loves the other dogs and being able to free run with them in the yard.  She has started to come to her house now every night, to be put on for dinner and is liking being pet.  She runs hard in the team and has become very comfortable with the team. 

 Peebadee 40lbs 3yrs

 Peebadee came from the Fairbanks Animal Shelter, a surrender fromt the village of Tetlin.  This boy is always moving, and when running free is 2 steps ahead of me , walking backward, vibrating with constant excitment.  He is fast and strong and will run anywhere in the team, but is just starting to become comfortable in lead.  He is a chewer of the worst kind, and we usually loose 2-3 tuglines every run.  You think you have your eye on him and then..bam!  Luckily he comes right to me, as if to say " I just chewed myself free, I need a new one."  He is shy, but wants to come out of his shell so badly.  He was comfortable in the house immediatly, however is very strong in the boy persuasion, and thinks everything needs to be marked.   

 The semi-athletes...but we just aren't that motivated.

Boone    55lbs      3yrs

I found Boone running along the road and stopped and picked him up so he wouldn't get hit.  I thought he was ridiculous, being a rottweiler/husky mix, and a fat puppy at that.  I put up posters but no one called and I was soon attached.  Boone went into my first year team and still loves to go, but is only about a 10 mile and under dog.  He has tried very hard to become a husky though, from learning to howl and growing a fluffy tail, which literally appeared overnight.  Boone's nickname is "the poop balloon" for horrible reasons.  He is the biggest lover ever, just never let him kiss you.  Boone runs in wheel and will lead, as long as I am certain that I won't come across anything we have to pass, he's just not that dedicated.

Sahla   65lbs  6yrs         

Sahla is the second dog I've ever had and she is pretty much the queen of the dog yard. She came from the Kenai Animal Shelter.   Dominant in a subtle way that makes her everyone's desired playmate but still respected in her rightful place.  She is probably the worst dog in the entire world; from chewing apart cars because she suspects there is a cookie in the glove box with her name on it, to peeing on the floor because you have pissed her off in some way.  Her smile, though, makes up for everything (to me anyway) and her cacophonous voice that she always has something to say with.  Sweet is her middle name though.  Since Ruca became sick, she has had to take a second place in the line of car rides and beach walks, but she does it gracefully...semi.  She is only about a 10 mile or under dog, so she gets to run in a team with Boone and Lihsto when winter and the miles hit.   

Lihsto    70lbs   2yrs
Lihsto came from the Kenai Animal Shelter, shortly after Brohde died, as a 2 month old puppy.  She is a Rhodesian Ridgeback/husky/mutt mix.  What she does best is sleep on the bed...period.  She does run in the team during spring/fall training, or in a little team in winter, but always with a dejected look on her face.  Lihsto would be happy living in different stranger's house every night of the week, her greatest love being someone she doesn't know.   She runs in wheel or in the back of the team.  She is most often seen carrying around a stuffy proudly, hoping someone will notice and tell her how wonderful she is. 
 

                                                         Gnarly    30lbs    5yrs

Gnarly is a purebred red Siberian.  This picture is probably one of the three times he has been in harness, and this happy look is only because he is done with the run.  Gnarly is really a short, fat balding man in a dog's body and is the laziest dog alive.  There is a dog house outside the front door and anytime of the day or night if you were to look in it, that is where he would be.  Although sadly misunderstood in his athletic pursuits, he is very sweet and only recently realized that going for a walk isn't that  bad.  I found him running on my road and stopped and called his owner's number.  Somehow that led to her calling one day and telling me she was going to shoot him because he kept getting loose and she couldn't handle it.  I don't have a dog that is easier to take care of and he has had several opportunities to run away here, but never takes them.  It makes me think he is happy here.