The Alaskan Malamute that changed my everything....Okami Lord of the Snow.

The Chosen Malamute

After losing my beloved dog Jack, my friend as well as my dog a gap was left. The house was too quiet and everything remained off balance. I decided to research and find a breeder near to us that bred the dog I had always wanted. The Alaskan Malamute.

Not a dog for all. Sled dogs aren't just any dog as capable of independent thought. There are many books on these amazing dogs. Or just any decision. If after reading 20+ books and all the work that goes into these animals, then maybe they are the right dog for you. Though experienced with dogs even I was unsure of the commitment and the fit with my life. The obvious happens, we visit the breeder to have a meet, deciding to merely see if the dogs were for us as a family. The breeder said a new litter would be ready to leave the end of October. However...

....yes however she had an unplanned litter of just three puppies that were ready to go to new homes. The inevitable happened, there was that one puppy. Darker and slightly shorter than his sister and brother. Playful yet steady and calm. Unprepared we signed a receipt, paid a deposit and arranged collection in a few days. 

The trouble with being unprepared for a puppy is the work you know after having dogs that is involved is raising one. Its an intense and fast commitment. The first 16 weeks of a puppies life sets him up for the rest of his life. Every experience is important and relevant in shaping your dog. So prior to picking up our puppy we all panicked. I think during this time the grief for Jack hit the worst too. It had been a mere three weeks since we lost him. The few days passed quickly and on the 19th August 2014 Okami came home.

However despite the cute fluffy bundle bringing joy and life to our house, he also brought with him three weeks of sleepless nights. Bringing forth memories of our daughter as a newborn. Recommended to us was crate training. Okami refused to sleep in the comfy blankets in the crate despite weeks of settling him and working with a trainer. After three weeks of all night howling we gave up, letting him sleep downstairs with my other dog, Iggy a Pomeranian and Okami's new big-little brother. That night was the first night of sleep for the household and much needed.

After the initial shock, toilet training etc we realised we had a very steady, calm, intelligent dog who thrived on activity, routine and many cuddles. Some great dog training and advice I think we're overcoming many usual sled dog issues. Okami is great off lead and the most social dog I have ever had. However as he gets older his best friends are clear and those that hurt his friends or step over the line, usually smaller dogs that jump up pawing his face, he's beginning to put in their place. A soft growl, very occasionally a bark, laid back does sum him up well.

This blog is to share my walking adventures, but first I'll share a few pics to catch up missed time....

I could fill this blog with cute puppy photographs. But from these few chosen you can see how expressive Okami is, full of fun and life. In going through photos we laughed at the now vastly different size comparison between Okami and Iggy. The two now get on well, however like children they need their own space so often Iggy will settle in his spot on the stairs and Okami on the cold floor in the kitchen. Okami will even let Iggy take his favourite antler to chew. As many sled dog owners know they are food aggressive, with consistent training never with people but we still feed the boys separately. Largely due to the fact Okami is a hoover, barely chewing food. The three of us take it in turns to feed the dogs, we are the feeders and carers of them. We don't take food, our hands give. Okami takes food from us so gently and will wait for us to say he may eat. The key is to respect each other. 

Okami. The word means 'Wolf Spirit' in Japanese. To us wolves represent family. Okami is family to us and much loved. The name was perfect for our beautiful and calm Alaskan Malamute. Okami No Monshou (ウルフガイ)is a Japanese Manga series which is where the name came from, a story that I love.