Meet us at the campfire Kenai and Yukon
We've always had campfires with all the dogs in the backyard. No matter how cold it was outside. We always told them when we die we will meet them at the campfire. See you !
"Good-night, sweet prince; And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest"
William Shakespeare, Hamlet |
YUKON Our beautiful Yukon lived for only four years. It was a devastating loss for all of us. It was five years in May 2021 that he passed and it's still very hard. He was the best boy you could ever imagine. He was beautiful, friendly, loving, gentle and a perfect mate for Kenai. Their puppies were outstanding. We felt like we had it made with these two. They got along well, they were best friends and we loved them both so much. Yukon died from a fungal infection in his sinus cavity in April 2016. The only indication that something was wrong was his nose started bleeding. Just a slight pink tinge at first but then it got more and darker red. So after a day of this we got him into the vet. We thought he had some foreign object in his nose. (We took him to my sister's vet because her dog had this twice.)The vet checked and couldn't find anything. By this time he was sneezing and blood was going everywhere. I think the stress of the ride and going to the vet aggravated it a LOT. Anyway, the vet found nothing, even did an x-ray and referred us to a specialist an hour's drive away. This vet put him under to do exploratory surgery. He tried to warn us that it could be either a fungal infection or cancer. We still had to know. So while Yukon was still "under" the vet came out and told us his entire sinus cavity was gone - eaten up by fungus. He told us there was nothing they could do except try to give him medication every week for at least 3 - 5 times and every treatment they would have to put him under and the medication alone would cost $1,000!! Regardless, he said he would always get infections with the sinus being so open. We didn't even wake him up to say goodbye because he would have been in so much pain. And why? Just to have him put back to sleep? It was horrible. As it was, up to this point, was $3,000, but we had to. We were still hoping it was just a foreign object. Looking back I think it was from trees we had cut down and they were rotting on the ground. We think his immune system was compromised because we had 2 females in heat - Kenai, who produced one puppy after Yukon was gone, and Sitka (who couldn't breed yet because she's too young). Anyway, that's the story of our beautiful boy. |
Kenai
Kenai was with us for 9 years. We had to make a decision to re-home her. It was one of the hardest decisions we have ever had to make. Breeders don't talk about it much (and I wish they had when we decided to get an additional female). Kenai was one of the most loving, sweet, well-mannered, beautiful dogs we've ever had. When we adopted Sitka they were best friends - UNTIL Sitka went into heat (which is around 5 - 6 months). Kenai was just not going to allow another female to breed in her territory. The problem got worse and worse until we just decided this situation was not good for anyone. We are just a small breeder and it was getting increasingly more dangerous for all of us. Kenai, being 150#'s was just not that easy to control when she got it in her mind she wanted Sitka out of the picture. She is much happier in her new home now and our backyard is at peace again. Although we miss her very much and will always love her, it is nice to have that peace once again.
I don't know why people don't talk about this problem with Malamutes (and I hear also Pitbulls and Boxers have the same sex aggression). Dog fights are very scary for everyone involved. These dogs would never bite a human (except when they are in the thralls of an all out fight). Then don't get between them! I don't know about males but I have a feeling they will be the same way, only wanting one breeding male and female in the same yard. If they get fixed it appears to be ok. We have a family that has 5 - yes FIVE of our dogs, 4 males and one female and I was told they have spats but nothing horrible. Whew!
Kenai was with us for 9 years. We had to make a decision to re-home her. It was one of the hardest decisions we have ever had to make. Breeders don't talk about it much (and I wish they had when we decided to get an additional female). Kenai was one of the most loving, sweet, well-mannered, beautiful dogs we've ever had. When we adopted Sitka they were best friends - UNTIL Sitka went into heat (which is around 5 - 6 months). Kenai was just not going to allow another female to breed in her territory. The problem got worse and worse until we just decided this situation was not good for anyone. We are just a small breeder and it was getting increasingly more dangerous for all of us. Kenai, being 150#'s was just not that easy to control when she got it in her mind she wanted Sitka out of the picture. She is much happier in her new home now and our backyard is at peace again. Although we miss her very much and will always love her, it is nice to have that peace once again.
I don't know why people don't talk about this problem with Malamutes (and I hear also Pitbulls and Boxers have the same sex aggression). Dog fights are very scary for everyone involved. These dogs would never bite a human (except when they are in the thralls of an all out fight). Then don't get between them! I don't know about males but I have a feeling they will be the same way, only wanting one breeding male and female in the same yard. If they get fixed it appears to be ok. We have a family that has 5 - yes FIVE of our dogs, 4 males and one female and I was told they have spats but nothing horrible. Whew!
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