‘Bratsky’ Part 2
Several months ago, I described the joys and struggles of a couple of seniors adopting a puppy. She joined our household of three seniors…
pets
Dog Culture: Pumpkin and Osito
My dog Pumpkin, whom my wife and I adopted from Grizzly Valley Farms several years ago, pictured with her pup Osito (Little Bear in Spanish).
So you wanna be a house-sitter …
In the coming months, just like elegant trumpeter swans, many Yukoners will flock to warmer climates in search of sand and vitamin D.
Puppy Mayhem, Puppy Love
About 18 months ago, my husband and I were having a peaceful morning coffee together, chatting about various household issues. Our then eight-year-old black Lab (Sula) was asleep on one end of the sofa—her preferred napping spot. Suddenly my husband said, “If I die before you and you are left on your own, would you like to have a dog for company? I know that I would.” When I said “Yes” (tentatively), he immediately embarked on a search to find a black Lab puppy whose life would overlap with Sula’s.
Tiptoe Through The ‘Poo-lips’
There is no Poop Fairy. So, unfortunately for dog owners here in Whitehorse, it’s their responsibility to pick up their pet poop.
‘Poop Happens’ (and when it isn’t discreet, it’s even funnier)
Pooping is a vulnerable time for a dog. You will note how they curl up into position and look around to ensure that no predators attack them.
Eric The Red
Hello Everyone,Share your fur baby photos with usSend your high-resolution photos with adescription of what’s happening in the photo,and the camera equipment you used to:[email protected] By submitting your photo, you are giving permissionfor What’s Up Yukon to publish your photo for print andonline use. We may also use your photo in marketing of this series. …
Dog Culture: Beloved Eskimo Dog – Meeka.
Stitt loves this breed & has ’employed’ many Eskimo Dogs on his trap line. Read more about Meeka and Eric the Red in the archives.
Merry Woof-mas and Happy Dog-olidays From What’s Up Yukon!
Lori Fox is editor of What’s Up Yukon. Herman, In these pet photos, has been their faithful companion for 13 years.
Dog Culture: Copycat!
My dog Finlee AND cat Jebediah. They sleep that way a lot. Submit your pet photos to What’s Up Yukon and see them in our paper too.
Dog Culture – Milo
A Yukon Mutt!In a lake, in the grass or lounging by campfires, Milo loves it all. You can submit pet pics to What’s Up Yukon too.
Give a dog a bone – Part 2
I’ve had some tough times in my life, but fighting a dog over a bone was about the toughest. End of that story.
Paw-t smoking
Dogs under the influence of pot may simply lie asleep at irregular hours Lily is an energetic dog. At three months old, it was abnormal for her to sleep for three solid hours in the middle of the day. That was the first sign that something was off. The second was that, when owner Daniel …
Fete for the Feline
When Coralie Ullyett first saw him at the bar a few years ago, she thought he was cute. Ullyett and some friends were visiting Atlin, B.C., for a girls’ weekend, and before settling into their rental cabin, they stopped at the recreation centre lounge for a drink. “I hadn’t heard about Bob before, and I was …
A Dog Day Rendezvous
Brooke Rudolph with her howling buddy Timber, 2nd place finisher in 2016 The Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous and the unique relationship between a Yukoner and their beloved canine companion are two of the most enduring images of life in the North. So, it should come as no surprise that man and woman’s best friend features prominently …
Not Just a Dog, But a Best Friend
My dog, who I called The Barron, had an all brown head and a brown patch on his shoulders, but otherwise, was all white and, shall we say, not really accepted by the rich and mighty of the bird dog organizations.
Blessing of the Animals
At 10:30 a.m. on August 6, some members of the congregation at Whitehorse United Church had whiskers, a tail and four legs! This is because the first Sunday in August was the Blessing of the Animals service. Blessing of the Animals is a service customary across all United Churches in Canada. Though different churches host …
The (Mis)Adventures of A Puppy
In life there can be many instances one regrets. Such as accidentally sending a text to the wrong person, or throwing out an ill received joke. Or, uttering the thought, “Let’s get a second dog.” Before we knew it, the puppy was arriving. Aside from another dog bed and Puppy Chow, we really hadn’t thought …
Intense Com-paw-tition
Yukon is home to a class of athletes that are the first of their kind in Canada. You might not know it, but you’ve probably seen them around town – running, walking, slobbering on their owner’s shoes. That’s right, they’re dogs. And roughly 30 of them are part of the Yukon Predators Dog Puller Sport …
Forever Friends
Destiny Clennett is a young Vuntut Gwich’in. She is passionate about her people and connecting to the land.
Coyotes in the Neighbourhood
Coyotes inhabit everywhere from Central America to the Canadian territories. Originally they resided in the west, but now they reside all across Canada including Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland since the 1980s – they crossed over when ice tied the islands to the mainland. They are somewhat opportunistic in their menu choices, but mammals make …
Domestic Bliss
Do you or someone you know love books almost as much as their pet? These three books draw on the animals in our outer lives to illuminate the complexity of our inner lives. For the Dog Lover: Where the Red Fern Grows, by Wilson Rawls A boy and his two dogs become much more than …
Winter Dog Walk
You know the drill. There’s a beautiful, warm, cozy and glowing fire in your living room. Sweat pants are on. A nice dinner’s been eaten. It would be so easy; it would be so great, just to lie on your couch and go to sleep. But, there’s one four-legged bundle of joy wreaking havoc in …
Pickling Salt and Rubber Gloves
I recently came into contact with a terrifying Yukon beast: Mus musculus, the house mouse. After the encounter, I contacted everyone I knew, in complete panic. Kosher and authentic sea salt will also work in place of pickling salt. Rubber gloves are handy things to have around, for cleaning up after mice or cutting up …
Summer: A Kid’s Perspective
Finally summer is here! This is the most funnest season of the year, but my horse, Hollywood, probably loves it more than I do. This is the only time of the season that he can get out of his pen and run around, eat grass, chase his shadow, nap in the sun’s heat and eat …
Don’t Panic!
My dog, Herman, once stepped between myself and a charging two-thousand-pound black Angus bull. He turned the animal back by sheer virtue of his own ferocity and unwillingness to be moved. On another occasion, he chased off a young male grizzly bear that was stalking myself and my girlfriend as we picked morels in northern …
Yukon See It Here: Gerry Steers
Hello Everybody, We invite you to share your photos of Yukon life. Email your high-resolution images with a description of what’s going on to [email protected] A lucky puppy poses with Santa at the annual Pet Photos with Santa Fundraiser at the Mae Bachur Animal Shelter. Photo kindly provided by Gerry Steers of Gerry’s Computer Magic …
A Friend For Schwartz
Schwartz has been our only dog for the past few years. For the most part he seems to be okay, although he does enjoy playing with other dogs when he gets the chance. But being the only dog can be lonely for an animal that would normally belong to a pack. I guess Al and …
When the cat came back
Clancy the Cat didn’t show a lot of interest when I dropped in to the Humane Society Dawson (HSD) shelter to visit him a couple of weeks ago. The big orange tabby looked up at me sleepily and curled his tail back around his feet before closing his eyes contentedly. Clancy is a little out …
Jake: pet Santa
Jake will be getting presents from Santa Claus, and his dog, Spencer, will too. What about the dogs & cats at the Mae Bachur Animal Shelter?
To Loesje, My Savvy Loveable Wilderness Cat
We name her Loesje (pronunciation Lousia). We do not want to leave her home alone, so she just goes with us everywhere we go. Ours is an outdoor life, especially in summer. At night she comes into the trailer with us and sleeps on my head. I teach her not to, but Alexander does not …
Woof Woof Like Salmon Woof
Ever wondered what your pet is thinking? Does it have a particular request for dinner, or stories to tell? Well, here’s your chance to gain some insight. On March 9, there is a workshop on animal communication instructed by Andrea Schlupp and Alison Zeidler at the Heart of Riverdale Community Centre. We tend to anthropomorphize …
The purrrrfect portrait
Gerry Steers has the patience of a saint. The owner of Gerry’s Computer Magic spends her days doing what she loves best – photographing animals. But it’s not easy. “It’s a gift from God if they all stay still,” she says. “In fact, it’s almost impossible. You need a lot of patience. You have to …
Painting pets
Having your portrait painted is a way of immortalizing yourself – popes, kings and queens have all done it. But what about pets? Ange Bonnici, programs coordinator at the Klondike Institute of Art and Culture (KIAC) in Dawson City, has decided it’s high time to include pets in the everlasting world of portraits. In 2011, …
Rubba Dub Dub, the Dog’s in the Tub
I think it’s safe to say that we made it through the muddiest time of year (knock on wood). Thanks to my army of four dogs and one cat who follows them everywhere, my floors are no stranger to muddy footprints. Because I also have horses, and the corrals get very sloppy during the melting …
Get a Pooch and Find a Pal
So, I’ve mentioned it before: I’m lousy at making friends. Growing up a quiet geek doesn’t lend well to the pal-collecting abilities and now that I’ve advanced in age (thanks entropy), things are a little awkward. I just don’t really recall how it all works and the thought of getting back into the friend-making game …
Doggy Do’s and Don’ts
Cher Yukon, Comment ca va? Today’s letter is going out to all of you dog lovers and owners. Before we came to Montréal, we gave our beautiful dog, Brae, to a wonderful lady and her eight-year-old daughter. Brae is a big, furry Northern dog from Braeburn (thus the name) and we felt that coming to …
Trevor is one of us
Since I know, almost as a fact, that Trevor will not be put down by the Bylaw Services Department, I can sit back and enjoy this story as it unfolds. I know that Trevor is safe because I’ve been here before. I was a reporter in northern Ontario in the early 80s when some whales …
You may discover an ‘unknown friend’ out there …
Run-on sentence alert! You know those times where you’re walking down the street and you’ve got your eyes looking down and you realize that you’re about to run into someone, but still keeping your head down, you try to get out of their way while they’re doing the exact same thing, resulting in you and …
You may discover an ‘unknown friend’ out there … Read More »
Misty’s place is in our hearts
The weight of Misty, our 20-year-old cat, curled up on my lap, has never been felt more. She loves the fact that I work from home and, other than being in front of the fireplace or sitting in one of three windows that is being gloried with the sun, my lap is her favou rite …
Choosing the Best Packaged Food For Your Pet
I’m always amazed at advertising for pet foods. The current trend is towards “natural,” “organic” and other such words. But what does this really mean and what is the best food for your pets; or yourself, for that matter? Remember, the best advertisement isn’t necessarily the best food. “Organic” usually means there aren’t any additives …
Santa Claus, Pet Whisperer
Is Logan sick of getting the same old moose bones every year? Would Fluffy like a pink rhinestone-studded collar, or is beaver skin more her style? Okay, your furry friends won’t actually be able to tell Santa what they’d like for Christmas, but that shouldn’t stop you from bringing them to Peabody’s Photo Parlour in …
Schwartz on the Job
One of my pet peeves is dogs (no pun intended). More specifically, other people’s dogs that come onto the farm. One reason dogs were domesticated was that they were territorial and would protect their territory and their pack. Farm dogs are here for security of the pack, which includes humans and farm animals. Our dog, …
Who is Walking Whom?
Summer has finally arrived and more people are walking their dogs. Or are the dogs walking their owners? I see people struggling to hold on to their dogs and often wonder if they enjoy the walk. While I started out my business by offering Energy Healing to animals I came to realize that Energy Healing …
Duke the Doughnut Thief
Remembering Duke, Dr. Ron Pearson smiled. “I still do not know how he did it. The box of doughnuts was still taped shut, sitting on the front seat of the vehicle”. On the way to Aishihik Lake, the family stepped into a gas station for drinks. When Pearson walked back toward the vehicle, he saw …
Dog-sitting Duke: Confessions of a Turncoat
I grew up with a pretty cool cat named Bing. He was a grey, striped little scrapper who menaced the neighborhood biodiversity for most of his 15 years. Until one night in August 2006 when karma enlisted the services of coyotes, and Bing was never heard from again. I am now pet-less, but have relished …
A Pet for Christmas? Think Carefully
It seems to be that time of year again, when people want to give presents to friends. It’s also that time of year to really think about what they’re giving and what the gift really entails. A tie or a pair of earrings can be used or put in a drawer. They can even be …
Breeding and Feeding
Thanks to everyone who pointed out that the Coombs test I mentioned last month was a related test, but not the right one. The Coggins test is, of course, the test for swamp fever in horses. I’ve had a few people ask about breeds of dogs. All breeds are man-made to one degree or another. …
Aging Pets
The last few weeks I’ve been getting a lot of calls and emails about older dogs. When we have pets that have a significantly shorter lifespan than us, this is a pretty common problem to face. Dogs age at different rates by breed and size, and this is important to understand. The largest of the …
So, just what is a vet?
This is the first column in a monthly series in which Jim Kenyon will answer readers’ questions about animals and animal care. As in any profession, many questions people ask veterinarians are often repeated. When I was in practice, it sometimes felt as if discussing parasites in dogs or vaccines in cats was launching into …
Most Common Dog Poisons
We’ve talked about poisoning in pets several times, but since there has been a lot of interest in the subject, I decided to throw out some basic facts. First, poinsettias are not poisonous. This is a myth that actually dates back to 1919 when a 2-year-old girl died and was incorrectly diagnosed. They’ll make you …
Emergencies & Pet Peeves
One of the most common emergency calls that vets get is for seizures in dogs. Other animals can have seizures, but most of the calls involve dogs. Most people know roughly what epilepsy is, but much of the disease remains a mystery to most. Technically, epilepsy is a focus of abnormal electrical activity in the …
Zoonotic Diseases
Zoonotic diseases are diseases that are common to both humans and animals. There are a lot of these, but it’s always surprising to find that people don’t understand which is which. There are a lot of jokes about distemper, but the reality is that you can’t get distemper from your dog or cat. In fact, …
The Virtues of Vaccination
I’ve had a few questions about vaccinations this month from people wondering how they work and if they’re really worthwhile. The answer is simple. They work very well and they are very worthwhile. The way vaccines work is that they expose the animal (or human) to a form of a disease before the actual disease …
The Knees Have It
This seems to be knee month. There have been lots of questions about dogs and their knee problems. This is a common problem in dogs, particularly the larger and more athletic breeds. There are a number of ligaments involved in the knee joint, and just as in humans, they can all cause problems. The most …
Cooking With Friends
A cookbook doesn’t have to be written by Jamie Oliver or Julia Child to become a favourite in someone’s kitchen. Often the recipes that get used again and again come from a friend or family member. The newly created Whitehorse Community Cookbook takes that “collecting from friends” approach to a broader level by gathering more …
Dog House of Straw
Once again, we are at the beginning of another long Yukon winter. For new dog owners, it may also mean that it’s time to get a doghouse ready for the colder weather. There are several options when a canine shelter is needed. Buying a doghouse is the easiest way to go and there are several …
Mixing Dogs with Oil
I had a request to put together some information on which oils can be used to supplement a dog’s diet to improve their coat and skin quality. For those of you who have never heard of giving your dog oil and are wondering why the heck anyone would go to such trouble, it’s because our …
Q: What’s Worse Than Dog Poop? A: Old Dog Poop
Every spring, we all have certain things we fervently look forward to. It could be the continued sublimation of those stubborn piles of snow, the longer light in the evening sky or the exuberant sight of the croci poking out of the ground. Personally, I’m pretty happy with just staying above zero during the day …
