Rex Turns Two

 Hey Tribe,

My baby boy is 2 years old today!

Rex had quite the year last year:

He worked on his impulse control in all settings to become Farm Dog Certified titled and earned his Canine Good Citizen title.

Rex learned new tricks during our time in quarantine and collected a Trick Dog Novice title.

I got a bit of road rash and a black eye and Rex learned to not suddenly run full speed when on a leash.

He became a brand ambassador and model.

Rex made friends who tolerate his pervasive puppy craziness, including SAR teammate, K9 Sally (his Sal Pal), and our new Icelandic fillies, Frelsi and Soley, who romp and stomp with our joyful boy.

He was plagued with panosteitis, poor guy, and was super sad to not be able to do a lot of fun activities in early summer. 

But we made up for it with adventures when he was feeling better.

Despite a lot of time off because of the pano, Rex made nice SAR progress and developed a solid final response for when he finds the scent source he is searching for; he officially became part of the team last month.

Rex showed us that he loves to run and chase and is going to excel in lure coursing sports.  We discovered this in late summer, so he only got to compete once before the season ended, but he's off to a good start!  He is an amazing athlete and we had such fun touring around Alaska with the kickbike.

He also loves that sled dog life!

I can tell his body is maturing, though his brain and personality sure aren't: he is widening and broadening in the chest and head and that thick fur hides some serious muscle.  He is keeping his tail curled more often than not now too!

Lastly, Rex has thoroughly loved all things snow - snow is his greatest delight!

We had a great year together.

For his birthday this year, Rex got a new Lamby: he LOVES his Lamby and will squeak it endlessly until the squeakers die and then he rips a hole in it and enjoys pulling out all the stuffing.  He brings me his Lamby to toss into the air for him to catch and we play tug with it and when he is done playing, he puts it in my lap for safe keeping.

Happy 2nd birthday, Armando Salazar Da Villa Saloia, the Pirate King, my sweet baby boy, Rexy.  We love you!

New Year 2021

 Hey Tribe,

A new year, a new me? Nah, same me, same crazy KBDs.  2020 was a quiet, but pretty good year for us:

We bought a kickbike and learned are learning how to dryland mush.

We went on a Denali Highway road trip.

We visited glaciers.

We summited new mountain peaks.

Rex and me on Lion's Head overlooking the Matanuska Glacier

Fly and tiny Rex in Palmer Creek Valley

Pepper Peak

We used the Scamp even more.

Rex guards camp on the Denali.

During our SAR workshop - see the little sparrow baby sitting by the wheel?

Hanging out in Hope.

We continued as models for Alaska Goldens Co and became models for KomaloCo, Remi and Me, and Jax & Moonie

Alaska Goldens Co water-resistant scarf that matches the glacial fed lake: code AKFLY15

Remi & Me Co ice-dyed bandana and matching tag are absolutely stunning: code FlyRex10

Rex's Jax & Moonie collar bark marks document all our epic adventures together: code Rex10

We now have 2,183 friends on Instagram. Thanks for liking and conversing with me on that platform - it's so nice to have Insta friends from all over the world!

We learned new tricks and earned Trick Dog Novice titles on both dogs.  We're nearly ready to submit for the Intermediate and Advanced titles, Fly just needs to stop being silly and take it seriously while doing the videos!  Also, we earned Canine Good Citizen, Canine Good Citizen Advanced, Canine Good Citizen Urban, and Farm Dog Certified titles - all of which demonstrate the KBDs ability to be well mannered and obedient in a variety of settings and situations.

So it began.

We made history with Fly finishing her Barn Hunt title of RATChX, or Rat Master Champion, the highest title possible: she is the first and only Karelian Bear Dog to earn the title.  Also, we began the crazy fun sports of Rally, Lure Coursing, and Fast Coursing (think drag racing for dogs!).  Rex is particularly excelling in these - stay tuned for more posts on these three sports this summer!

Here is the video of Rex's first ever Coursing Ability Test. I think he's got it!

We progressed in Search and Rescue and Fly is now certified in Wilderness Area Scent Specific Live Find and in Land Human Remains Detection.  Rex continues working on urban trailing and human remains detection and is doing well.  I hope both KBDs can certify in Avalanche this winter season.

Rex works an hour aged trail at -5F

We met up with the Dive Rescue team on several occasions and I learned how to drive a zodiac boat in 30mph winds (and waves) and support divers as they enter/exit the water.

So, what do we have planned for this 2021 year? More of the same!

More kickbiking, kicksledding, kayaking, dog sports, new hiking adventures and greater community service (remind me to tell you about our Therapy Dog certification!).  I am also really, really hoping to enter into a dog show - Fly is ready to prance about and look beautiful in a doggy beauty pageant.  Please, Canada, hurry up and lift your border restrictions.

Thank you for following and joining our crazy Karelian and Alaskan adventures.  Let's enjoy 2021!

Top 5 Must Have Items to Bring Hiking/Camping With Your Dog

 Hey Tribe,

Are you the type of person who brings all your earthly possessions on a one hour hike or the person who just wings it and hits the trail for two days with not even a care?  Somewhere there is a middle ground and finding a balance of bringing what you need with what you may or may not need can be tricky - the future is unpredictable.

To that end, here are Fly and Rex's top 5 must-have items to bring hiking and/or camping with your dog.

Snacks!

Snacks and hiking are synonymous aren't they?  Pack dog shacks that are non-greasy (to keep your pockets and hands a bit cleaner) and that won't crumble if they get a little smushed in your pocket or bag.  I like Zuke's dog treats because they're easy to carry and I can quickly pop one into a dog's mouth when they come running back to me.

Fly loves her Zuke's snacks!

Booties!

Just the simple cloth rectangle style booties with elastic velcro at the top are small and light to pack and sure come in handy when tender paws need some protection.  Blisters on paws can crop up just as unexpectedly as they do on our own feet; a cut pad will benefit from a bootie until you can get back home or to the vet.  Just make sure you've trained your dog to accept and wear booties before you need them.  I use these booties and keep complete sets in my pack, my truck, and near the door.

Fly needed booties when she developed blisters mid-hike

Water!

Unfortunately, water is quite possibly the heaviest substance on Earth when I put it in my pack, but it is such a necessary, and often overlooked, item to bring on any trip.  Dogs drink an unbelievable amount of water when they're out running around; don't count on there being a stream or other source of water for your dog - streams sometimes run dry.  Your dog should never run dry, so pack an extra bottle of water specifically for your pooch.  A folding or collapsible bowl, I use this one, will save you from using your hand as a makeshift dish; the bowl doesn't have to be large, dogs don't really need a big thing, just enough to get their tongue into.  You can conserve water by pouring the extra back into your dog's dedicated water bottle.

A Leash!

It seems like a no-brainer, but I've met several folks out on hikes who didn't have a leash for their dog.  Be a considerate and responsible dog owner and have a short leash, I like slip leads like this one, to quickly control your dog whenever you pass a fellow hiker.  Your dog may be friendly, but maybe theirs isn't, or maybe the other hiker is allergic to dogs.  Having an easy to use leash readily available will help make your adventure more enjoyable.

A Blankie!

Camping in an unfamiliar place can be unsettling and difficult to drift off to sleep.  A small blankie or pillow from home that your dog is familiar with can help your dog settle in quickly at the camping spot: it will help signal that this is where you will sleep and that it is safe.  I purposely keep a pillow or this small blanket on my dogs' bed at home so I can grab it when we travel places.  Sleep well my friends!

That's it!  Our top 5 must have items to bring on your next hiking or camping trip with your dog.  Simple items, but very worth packing and bringing along with you, no matter your packing style.

Of course, after your adventure hike or camping experience, don't forget to hit up Jax & Moonie to get a #beenthere Bark Mark to memorialize the trip!  Use the code REX15 for a 15% discount.

I've included links to products I have personally purchased and regularly use - if you shop using my links, I may get a small commission at no cost to you, so thank you!

Swan Lake Boardwalk

 Hey Tribe,

There's a new trail in town, thanks to the folks at Great Land Trust.  

I love boardwalks!

The trailhead is easy to miss amongst the construction zone of new houses being built literally right next to the trail and parking is only available along the side of the narrow road.

Don't worry, it gets better.

After an extra loop around the neighborhood, we spotted the trailhead sign, sprayed what we thought was sufficient mosquito repellant all over our bodies, and merrily set off down the wooded trail.

Fly is excited about this new trail!

There are convenient little signposts for travelers and we selected the boardwalk to the lake to begin our walk. 

The boardwalk surface material changes a few times, which gave Little Chappie pause, but in his eagerness for adventure, he managed just fine.  It is a narrow boardwalk, so don't plan to take your double sided baby stroller on this one.

A chipper stream flows through the area and I especially loved the little bridge and walking above the pools of water that appear and disappear along the walk.

Fly must get in the water, of course.

It is a short stroll; the platform overlooking the lake would be a fun place to picnic and swan and other water fowl sightings are very likely.

We wanted to explore more of the trail, so we retraced our steps to try out the forest loop.  It wasn't a dull backtrack, because we saw flowers and other interesting tidbits that we had missed in our eagerness to reach the platform.

This part of the trail is still being developed, but we didn't have a problem finding our way.  It is a single lane path through slightly dense brush and is quite possibly mosquito mecca.

Flowers were in abundance and once the construction sounds cease it will be easy to imagine you're in the middle of the 100 acre wood.

TheMother stops to enjoy the fragrance.

There are some fun natural features that make this trail engaging and I imagine we could visit several times throughout the year and not be bored.

We chose to veer left at the split in the loop, which seems the best option as the incline is gradual and we ended up walking downhill when nearing the end of the loop - something my aching muscles from hiking Pepper Peak appreciated.

If you need a quick respite from town, want to do a bit of forest bathing, or need somewhere scenic to bring visitors with mobility limitations, this is a great option.  It offers just enough adventure, is easy on the body, is quite Alaskan. 

Right now, it is a relatively unknown trail, so you have a good chance of having the trail to yourself, which is a big win in my book.