Northernmost

The northern coast was hit by a storm during the weekend and we got stuck in a snowdrift on our way home from Hilary’s puppy class on Saturday afternoon. It was an eventful evening but all went well in the end. The heavy snowfall continued on Sunday and we spent a few hours shovelling out the area in and around the dog pens to be able to open the pen doors and prevent the dogs from jumping across the fence. The storm blew over during the night and this morning we woke up to a beautiful sunrise and took Tuisku and the pups out for a walk on the lake. Isn’t it typical that the sun is shining from a clear blue sky when you have to stay inside and work…my dad used to call it “Monday weather”…

Our girl Hilary – Mtn Home’s Northernmost Hiking Hilary turned 6 months old on Sunday. We took advantage of the beautiful weather on Friday morning (before the storm) and took some new photos of her. Hilary is still in puppy coat, will be interesting to see what her adult coat will look like…

Tuisku and Hilary joined me on my lunchtime walk today. We make an effort to separate our two pups now and then, as they spend so much time together anyway. Also, training the recall with two pups is not ideal, they usually have too much fun together to bother to come when called. Instead we bring along a reliable adult dog whose behaviour the puppy can copy. We had a big snowfall last night and had to struggle through deep snow on our walk – great exercise for everyone, including me!

Today it was time for Lyra and Hilary’s second run in harness and they did amazingly well. I tried to keep them at a steady trot but it was hard as they were eager to run. Below are some mixed pics from today, it was a beautiful Sunday!

You can view a short clip of the pups on YouTube:

Lyra and Hilary had company in the playarea today by Fredrik’s Mother’s 7-month old Labrador, “James”. Two Malamute girls and a high-energy Lab boy – I think you can imagine the scene! We thought the girls had endless energy but when Lyra and Hilary started to slow down, James was still going strong! Playing with a friendly dog of a different breed is such a valuable experience as the pups learn to read and respond to different nuances of the canine language. James is a lovely, happy boy and the trio had great fun together! After our guests had gone home, Hilary and Lyra fell sound asleep. Two hours later they are still sleeping…

Lyra and Hilary have had a busy week. These girls have fun from morning to evening with some short breaks for napping. Yesterday both pups took part in the final session of Lyra’s puppy class which consisted of a socialization walk in the city centre. We are very pleased with both girls who, despite being country bumpkins, were completely relaxed in the busy city environment (so relaxed that they rolled over on their backs, lol!). They were also great with the other dogs at class, helping a frightened Cavalier King Charles Spaniel trust larger dogs again. Well done girls!! Lyra will now have a short break from formal training, while Hilary starts her class next Saturday.

We highly recommend Hannas Hundsupport for those of you who live near Umeå and are interested in dog training classes using positive reinforcement. Instructor Hanna Vernerlund is a skilled obedience trainer with wide knowledge about canine behaviour.

So true!

Hilary has arrived safe and sound to Sweden and has quickly settled into our home. As expected, Lyra is over the moon to finally have a friend her own age and these girls have been playing pretty much nonstop since yesterday. Looks like the beginning of a beautiful friendship. 🙂

Sue took these stunning photos of Hilary and her sister Trek enjoying a beautiful, sunny day at their “Mountain Home”. In a couple of days Hilary will be travelling to Sweden. We can’t wait to meet her! You can read more about Hilary on her own page.

We are excited to soon be welcoming a new member to our family. Her official name is Mtn Home’s Northernmost Hiking Hilary and we will be calling her Hilary. The meaning of the name Hilary is “cheerful and happy” and according to her breeders, Sue and Roy Fuller of Mountain Home Alaskan Malamutes, that’s a neat description of her personality. Hilary is out of a litter between Mountain Home’s Jake Frost, WTD, WPD, “Jake”, and Mtnhomes Runnin In The Shadows, WTD, “Stealth”. Stealth is a sister of our Gemma so we believe Hilary will fit right into our family. Now we’re hoping her long journey from Washington State, U.S.A., will go smoothly so that she will arrive safe and sound to our home. A big thanks to Sue and Roy for these pretty photos!