My start in malamutes...

I have loved Alaskan malamutes ever since I saw a picture in a dog breed book in 5th grade. I remember thinking: that is the most beautiful creature I have ever seen. My favorite books quickly became Kavik the Wolfdog, Call of the Wild, White Fang, Kasaan: Father of Barree, Snow Dog, Three Dog Winter, The Complete Alaskan Malamute… (you get the idea). I knew where every husky and malamute in my hometown lived; I always asked my parents to drive those routes in hopes of catching that ONE glimpse. This was my dream dog. I loved to be outside, going on lost-in-the-wilderness walks, and this would be the perfect partner. Malamutes also appealed to me for their beauty and sheer physicality.  

Two weeks before I entered 7th grade, I got Frosti. ​Frosti was the best dog in the world and the worst. I made many mistakes. I went to a backyard breeder, not knowing any better. It was a hard lesson to learn. Frosti came to me flea-infested, neglected, desperately underweight, and frightened of the world. She was 6 months old, so I missed most socialization opportunities. The process was long and difficult; full of stress and tears. Some things never got better. She was severely dysplastic, explosively dog aggressive, and threw up nearly every day of her life, no matter what I fed her.

That said, ​Frosti was my second half. We were always together, usually a speck on the horizon, exploring the prairies or wading the creeks. It was common to see us walking down the street covered in mud. I loved her until the day she died (far too young).

​When I decided it was time to get another malamute, I was determined to be more careful than my 7th grade self had been. At first, I scoured the rescues, but all had a bevy of behavioral problems that were too painfully similar to Frosti. I did drive three hours to check out a husky mix, but I was rejected due to having cats.

​I started to consider going to a breeder. That way I could increase the likelihood of getting a dog that was physically and mentally sound. I also liked the idea of starting from scratch - with a puppy this time! - where the odds were not stacked against us. After months of research, talking to several breeders, and pouring over OFA records, I chose one. Months later, I brought home Nero (Teton&Wintuk’s Over the Moon).

​We hit the ground running with obedience, rally, and agility! Nero was eager to please. I loved when he strutted into new classes and surprised trainers with his enthusiasm and malamute flare. In July 2016, I finally garnered the courage to enter Nero in his first conformation show. That first step is an intimidating one! Sharon Kalous, Leah Anderson, and Terry Chaban (Nero’s family) took me under their wings and showed me the ropes. I was an awkward mess in the ring, but Nero managed to pick up 6 points and a major at the Amana Colonies that first summer.

Back in 2014, when I had initially begun researching breeders, I had connected  early on with a breeder named Karin Fischer (Anua). I loved everything about her mission and philosophy, from the temperament of her pack to her thoughtfulness and knowledge about seemingly everything. We emailed back and forth and back and forth, but to my utter sorrow, the litter was lost. She recommended that I check out Leah and Sharon’s litter, and that's what lead me to Nero.

In the spring of 2016, I had emailed Karin to thank her for referring me to Nero's litter and inform her that I still dreamt of getting one of her dogs. Surprise, surprise she had just bred her girl Clara! To my utter amazement, I was considering getting another puppy! I refused to miss the opportunity again. In early June, Nero and I drove 7 hours to Chicago to pick up my foundation bitch: Vesta (Anua’s Meteoric Rise to Flame).

Vesta... what to say about Vesta? I couldn't have asked for a better start. She has stamped her look, intelligence, and heart on every puppy on down from her.

Over the next few years, I've dabbled in as many activities as I could find. Mushing, weight-pulling, backpacking, and rally, in particular. I became a professional dog trainer and behavioral specialist for a few years. This led to me to commit to Puppy Culture with my future puppies.

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