Jolly Saint Nick and Harley Davidson

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!