Snow Dog On the Run

I must write about my week in reverse. It's been snowing for two days now and although it has been a light snow it has started to accumulate. Koty, my Siberian Husky, loves running in the snow. So, this morning I could not resist doing a little photo shoot of him enjoying himself. I'm worse than a proud parent but what can I say? :)


Lakota Sunrise


Lakota Sunrise


Lakota Surise

Winter is well and truly here that's for sure. I remember the first Christmas after I moved here, in 2002, there was not a flake of snow on the ground and I was afraid I would get a white Christmas in my new home. It snowed that night. But, this year there can be no doubt we'll be having a white one.

Earlier in the week when we went for our weekly Post Office run I chased this juvenile red-tailed hawk in the car from post to post. Never was able to get a good shot but here he is anyway.

Red-Tailed Hawk

AS is our way in winter we just stuck around the ranch and hiked in the woods. There is enough beautiful nature right hear so as not to have to ever leave for the want beauty.

Out the Kitchen Window

It did warm up some from that cold spell that blew through. My coldest temperature was a minus eight but a pal of mine down in the valley scored a twenty below. That be real cold. Cold does create some beautiful images though. Like this photo of ice crystals that formed on the pond. They look like flowers to me.

Ice Crystals

I spent some time working in the woods. The burning season has ended but one can still build a warming fire and that what I do in order to keep on with my cleaning up. It's just so beautiful being out in the woods. The photo below is a scene I pondered whilst I worked. The clouds here in Montana are some of the most beautiful in the on the planet.

The Meadow

What more fitting end to a blog post than a sunset. The sunsets at my altitude are just too good to be true all year round.

Sunset

Well, that about does it for this week at Dancing Deer Ranch in magical Montana.

©Kinsey Barnard

Alberta Trip Gets Cut Short - Koty Sees the Vet

Well, phooey! We had to cut our Waterton/Glacier trip in half. It's kind of my fault although I really couldn't help it. I went off my feed, which isn't unusual for the first couple of days of a trip but when it started to drag out mom got worried and I'm glad she did! I'm fine now but I was mighty uncomfortable I can tell you that. Turned out that some bones I had eaten had made kind of a calcium block in my intestine. Mom thought I wasn't pooping because I hadn't eaten but that wasn't the reason and I couldn't tell her. Lucky for me the block had worked it's way nearly to the exit and an enema fixed me right up. I guess that's more than you wanted to know but there it is.



Our last day at Waterton we went up Red Rock Canyon to the Crandall Lake turnoff. Mom wanted to walk along Crandall Creek and see if she could find some nice wildflowers. We didn't find any wildflowers of note but we did find this big black bear. He was just strolling along enjoying the day. No one's heart was in the walk so we headed back to the campground. That's when mom decided we were pulling up stakes in the morning.



Mom always likes to say every cloud has a silver lining and really it does. On the way home we stopped at the Crowsnest info station and discovered there was a really neat place to explore only 75 miles from home and after fourth of July we are going to do it! The photo is of Crowsnest Mountain.



We went straight to the vets when we crossed the border and after I got fixed up there we headed to the ranch. At the gate we were greeted by a Whitetail doe and her fawn. You gotta get a kick out of those whitetails when they go flying off!



So, we hung around the ranch for a couple of days and visited with our friends here. Mom chopped some wood and I played tag with a doe. It was really fun. I was in my enclosure and the doe and I chased each other round and round until we were both pooped out. Mom was too busy chopping wood to get a photo. She's got her work cut out as we had a lot of blow down this winter and there's nothing tougher to split, and she does it all by hand, than dead wood.



Yesterday we took a little trip down to the Stillwater National Forest. Wanted to check out Fish and Bull Lakes. These lakes turned out to be yawners. The bear grass is starting to come out and mom did get this photo of some lilly pads from a bluff overlooking a private pond. I was a nice hike anyway.

So, that was our week. Hope yours was great too!

Visit my mom's website to see her most recent photographs. Or visit any of her many galleries. Prints start at just $8.95.

©Kinsey Barnard Photography

Holy Smokes! It's Winter Again!

Holy Smokes look what was on the ground this morning when we got up! In Montana it really is true "If you don't like the weather wait ten minutes!" Personally, I like it! This has been the coldest, snowiest spring since we moved here 6 years ago.

©Kinsey Barnard Photography

Everything you ever need to know about Siberian Huskies

Alrighty then. Mom is all involved in getting ready for Wednesday's launch so I thought I would like to talk to you about something near and dear to my heart, Siberian Huskies.

Siberians are a wonderful breed. Our beauty is unparalleled. But, our beauty can be our curse. You see, huskies require a lot of management. Way too many huskies end up at the pound or at husky rescue because people didn’t fully understand what they were getting into. Incidences of this happening really sky rocket following the release of motion pictures like “Snow Dogs” and “Eight Below”. I beg you to resist the urge until you truly understand what’s involved.

Siberians are defined as “high energy dogs” and “not reliable off lead”. These are not words they are truths. Siberians are working dogs. We want and need work, or something akin to it, in order to expend the energy. If you can’t give your dog, at least, and hour of serious exercise every single day don’t get a husky.

Siberians were born to run. Just let us off the leash and we are gone. We don’t know or care where. We are just going. Now, not every Siberian does this but the ones that don’t are the exception. Yes, we will come home. If we have not been mauled, shot, hit by a car or stolen. If you would find it a real pain to always have to have your dog on a leash, don’t get a husky.

Siberians are pack animals. We do not like to be left alone for long periods of time. When we are we get into mischief and we can get mental. Digging is one of our very most favorite pastimes. If everyone in the household is gone all day and you’re too tired when you get home to socialize with your dog, don’t get a husky.

Siberians are prey animals. We are so close to our wolf ancestors it isn’t funny. We will chase anything that runs and most likely kill it if we catch it. We don’t mean anything by it. It is simply in our nature. We can be trained to recognize other pets as part of the pack but, for most of us, it will require training. If you can’t or don’t have time to train your dog to integrate with the existing pack, don’t get a husky.

Siberians are very independent. Mom says we are more like cats than dogs. If you are looking for a dog that will always fawn all over you no matter what, don’t get a husky.

Siberians love people. We were bred to love people and we are pretty indiscriminate about it. It was a sort of natural selection. A long time a go, in Siberia, humans and animals had to co-habitate in very small places. The winters were so harsh nothing could survive without shelter. So, if any dog showed aggression toward a human it was put out and that was the end of it. You cannot undo centuries of conditioning. We are more likely to invite a burglar in than warn you of his presence. However, all bets are off if you seriously threaten our pack. If you are looking for a watchdog, don’t get a husky.

OK, now that I’ve told you all the negatives let me tell you the good stuff. We ARE beautiful no doubt about that. We do love our pack members even if sometimes we don’t show it because our attention is elsewhere. You will not find a smarter dog anywhere Of course this sometimes can be a bit of a problem. ☺ And, talk about sunny disposition. Well, we invented it. If we get our required exercise and companionship you will not ever know a happier dog. We can make you happy just by showing you our innate love and joy of life and living.

If you are considering a Siberian be honest with yourself. Reflect on the things I have said. Be sure you understand what it takes be a husky guardian. If you aren’t comfortable with anything I’ve noted please don’t get a husky. Buy a photo instead. Or you can just look at my magnificent self in my personal gallery.

If you know of someone thinking about getting a husky please link them here so they can read it too.

On behalf of Siberians everywhere and in the future, thank you for taking time to read my post.

Until next time .....

LAKOTA SUNRISE

©Kinsey Barnard