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Issue: 2018-07-04
Cathy’s wedding. Chrissy and Harley on the left. Cathy and Nicky on the right
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Issue: 2018-07-04
Golfing in Faro
We live in a territory seemingly dominated by huskies, both in number and in our image of the quintessential Yukon dog (the strong malamute even takes center stage on our Coat of Arms and flag!).
It’s no surprise, then, that larger
breeds have also led this monthly
“Pawsitive Tails” column. March
featured a 75-pound husky-cross
named Kodi; April, a speedy sled
dog named Charlie Brown; May,
yet another burly husky-cross, aptly
named Bear. Except for a brief cameo
by Raven, the llama, last month,
we’ve had zero representation of
small-breed dogs.
Enter twins Cathy and Chrissy
and their “larger-than-life” and
truly Yukonesque pets: Nicky, a
pomeranian; and Harley, a maltese
mini-poodle-cross. Though very
small in stature, both dogs have robust
personalities, brave dispositions and
active lifestyles ... not unlike their
lean and charismatic owners.
Nicky, who was born on Christmas
Day and whose registered name is
Jolly Saint Nick, appears more fluffy
mane than dog. He sits smartly atop
Cathy’s lap and draws the attention
of any passersby (during this
interview a woman spotted him and
enthusiastically yelled out, “Cute!”).
Harley, short for Harley Davidson,
looks a little rough around the edges,
slightly more mischievous, just as his
name suggests.
The sisters got their pups within
a few months of one another. Cathy
had recently moved into town and
knew she wanted a pomeranian.
Chrissy, who had moved to Faro
in 1989 and to Whitehorse in 2002,
had previous dogs all her adult
life. The last one passed away at
Christmastime, and her husband
said, “No more scooping poop ... no
more dogs.”
Famous last words.
However, that June they took some
visiting friends to Skagway for the
day and, while stopping at Emerald
lake, she met the most adorable
puppy—a maltese poodle-cross from
Skagway. As they proceeded to town,
her husband asked, “What kind of
souvenirs do you want to pick up in
Skagway?”
Chrissy replied definitively, “A
puppy!”
In a town roughly four blocks by
23 blocks, it didn’t take long to track
down the family with the litter. They
coined his name prior to leaving town
that day, while enjoying a beer at the
Red Onion Saloon. Chrissy’s friend
had bought her husband a Harley
Davidson motorcycle for having quit
smoking; and Chrissy, who had also
quit, decided she deserved a “Harley”
too.
Fortunately, the two pups got along
right away. Chrissy said, “Harley is a
little bit more, ugh, energetic–”
“Actually, he’s a bit of a brat,” Cathy
interrupted. “Nicky is the older-
brother type, and Harley is the bratty
brother ... teasing him and trying to
get him in trouble.”
Cathy and Chrissy have taken the
idea of a “lap dog” to a whole new
level.
The girls own doggy backpacks,
somewhat similar to a front-
fitting baby carrier, that allow their
lightweight companions to come on
all of their adventures, of which there
are many!
These K9s not only sit on their laps
around the campfire, they go boating,
biking—even quading! “That’s the
best thing about having a small dog;”
Cathy said, “you can still do all your
favourite activities.”
Both dogs were also in attendance
at a more sentimental occasion:
Cathy’s wedding. “It was a very small
wedding; we got married in my living
room ... and Nicky spent the whole
ceremony on the couch until picture
time. He actually stole the show
because the photographer was more
focused on him and actually took
more photos of him than [of] the rest
of us!”
Though small, both dogs have
proven brave. Nicky has treed a bear
on an evening walk, and warned
Cathy about another—right in her
carport! When camping, he always
sits on guard, facing the bush, and
at home or in hotels he sleeps on the
corner of the bed, facing the door.
Obviously, these dogs love their
owners and, fortunately, they get
along famously. “Harley’s always
got Nicky’s back or vice-versa,” said
Chrissy.
“Would you say it’s the same for
you two?” I asked the twins.
“Oh, Yes!” they replied in perfect
unison. Chrissy adds, “We spend so
much time together... we come as a
pair.” Or, since the arrival of Harley
and Nicky, a foursome!