Sustinance for dogs and humans, central Canadian High Arctic, April 1999, © Hamilton photo

Reflections... 

Pulling some deaders off the summer petunias and noticing the morning glories, I was smiling to myself, remembering a weekend that had felt like Christmas in August. Since Dave and I retired after raising Siberians for some twenty five years, we don't get too many visitors. So it was a wonderful treat when Barry and Sandy, who have recently become the proud owners of two Inuit puppies, came to visit. What a joy to see the pups, all legs, yet already powerful, wagging their magnificent tails. It was great. The pups were put in the yard with our two six-year old Inuit Sled Dogs and watched how the interested adults interacted with the youngsters, who were not in the least intimidated. Over lemonade and doughnuts, there was much dog talk. Barry recalled his Arctic trip with an Inuit guide and how he discovered what ‘tired to the bone' really means. He also learnt that eating native food was the key to well-being in the frigid cold. The highlight of his trips was the evening, sleeping in an igloo on fur blankets, while the dogs outside howled one last time before going to sleep. Our two ISDs are keeping us young and active. When things go wrong, they are always there offering love and an inexhaustible enthusiasm. 

Joan