This year, we had to say goodbye to three of our oldest dogs: Laser was fourteen and a half years old, and Maxy and Kira were thirteen and a half each. Some go, some come: At the end of June, our lead female, Laava, gave birth to her puppies. Since then, a new generation has been growing up with us, right in the pack, just as all our dogs here live in family units.
The first few days are all about drinking and sleeping, preferably snuggled close to their mother. After about a week, their eyes open, and the little ones start to crawl around.
It’s important to us that they grow up naturally and in a harmonious environment. Soon they’ll be playing together, and eventually, they’ll manage to get in and out of the doghouse all by themselves. Little Hera needed special care for a while, but now she’s fit again and right in the middle of it all.
For us, this time is one of the most beautiful of the year, even if it carves out a few more hours from the day between tours, building projects, and everyday life.
Then came the first big outing: to the sea. The fjord is practically on our doorstep, and yet for the puppies, it was a completely new world – sand under their paws, waves, and of course, everything had to be explored immediately. In the end, they happily nibbled on dried seaweed.
We can already reveal a few names to you: Èden, Hera, Helga, and Dani. The little ones are now three months old and had their first puppy school. The curriculum included walking on a leash; until now, they were always allowed to move freely. That went really well.
What’s next? The puppies are now gradually learning everything that comes with a life as a sled dog: people, noises, other dogs, and eventually their first harness. We’ll take you along here on the blog – and if you’re on a tour with us this winter, the little ones will have grown quite a bit.
