Our puppy Frøya

Frøya became a New Yorker on Monday, February 7th!

Molly and I have been looking for a dog to accompany us on the trail for some time now. Of course, we wanted a dog that would not only make an excellent companion on the trail, but a great friend afterwards and throughout its life. Mainly we'd been looking at breeds that can carry or pull their own food and water over long distances, that are strong and tough enough to walk up to 20 miles in a day, and that will love to love and be loved. 

Initially we thought an alaskan malamute would fit those criteria, but after a lot of research and phone calls to breeders, we decided that it would probably suffer in the summer and fall months under all that thick arctic fur. Another option we considered was a siberian husky, but these too have incredible insulating fur that would only make their lives miserable in hot humid weather.

Finally, we came across a relatively new breed of dog called the Tamaskan. This breed is essentially a mutt, a carefully planned mix of siberian husky, alaskan malamute and german shepherd dog. The latter breed's influence seemed to balance the arctic influence and reduce the coat thickness to a more manageable size. These guys look pretty much like wolves. After talking to several breeders we fell in love with Frøya, a five month old pup who had been returned to her breeder by her previous owner due to sudden unfortunate financial circumstances.

Her first outdoor adventure will be this weekend when James and I lead an outdoor survival course for adults at Trail Blazers. Pics to follow.