Our Pack
(Past and current in order of appearance)
Fenrir
Born around July 2006, Fenrir was Steven’s first husky. He was a puppy rehome after he was too dominant and bitey for the family that took him on. In fact, first thing he did upon seeing Steven was run up to him and bite him.
“I’ll take him”
Fenrir was the most dominant dog in our pack, and kept everyone in line even when he became old and decrepit. He was capable of flipping a dog on its back with a simple look.
He was also what you could only call as “shit-stirrer”, his favourite past time as a young dog was annoying other dogs until they’d attack him, and then thinking it was the best game ever. Luckily for him he’s too fluffy to get damaged.
Around age 12 he started chomping dogs that approached too fast due to the onset of arthritis- he did not like being jumped on and communicated that very clearly. He was a puppy to the end, and was very cheeky, always pushing the boundaries and seeing what he could get away with. He sadly passed away in May 2021.
“I’ll take him”
Fenrir was the most dominant dog in our pack, and kept everyone in line even when he became old and decrepit. He was capable of flipping a dog on its back with a simple look.
He was also what you could only call as “shit-stirrer”, his favourite past time as a young dog was annoying other dogs until they’d attack him, and then thinking it was the best game ever. Luckily for him he’s too fluffy to get damaged.
Around age 12 he started chomping dogs that approached too fast due to the onset of arthritis- he did not like being jumped on and communicated that very clearly. He was a puppy to the end, and was very cheeky, always pushing the boundaries and seeing what he could get away with. He sadly passed away in May 2021.
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Achilles
Roughly a year after getting Fenrir, a breeder contacted Steven; he was in town with several puppies remaining in his litter. He asked if Steven would watch them for a day..
It does not take much imagination to figure out how that went….
Achilles was the only puppy that was confident and bouncy around Fenrir. This lasted until Fenrir smashed him for trying to eat his food. The lesson was remembered.
Achilles was a big soft doofus, very affectionate and a bit shy of strangers. He used to be absolutely enchanted with puppies - until he realized that we were keeping them, and is very dog friendly. Considering how much we got "wrong" with him looking back, he turned out pretty good.
Unfortunately in September 2022, after a few months running around with the young pups, Achilles started to decline, and passed away, aged 14.5
It does not take much imagination to figure out how that went….
Achilles was the only puppy that was confident and bouncy around Fenrir. This lasted until Fenrir smashed him for trying to eat his food. The lesson was remembered.
Achilles was a big soft doofus, very affectionate and a bit shy of strangers. He used to be absolutely enchanted with puppies - until he realized that we were keeping them, and is very dog friendly. Considering how much we got "wrong" with him looking back, he turned out pretty good.
Unfortunately in September 2022, after a few months running around with the young pups, Achilles started to decline, and passed away, aged 14.5
In late 2017, we spent around 8 or 9 weeks in Avola, BC. We thought it would be a neat idea to volunteer with a husky sled pack. We were in an offgrid cabin, taking care of and working the 11 dogs there.
It was an amazing experience for us, but it came with a bit of an unintended side effect...
Coming back to two huskies... Well, two no longer seemed enough
Our reunion with Fenrir and Achilles
Alecto
In early July 2018, Alecto joined us. She gave Fenrir, who was about to start calming down at the age of 11 or so, a run for his money. She brought out the puppy in him and in Achilles-who had never figured out how to play.
She is beautiful, intelligent, and sweet. The intelligence… if used for evil would be devastating. She is the dog that learns quickly, but then thinks about whether she wants to do it.
She was a cheeky, bitey puppy. She became an absolute ninja of a dog, able to catch birds on the fly and jump from standstill to perching on the back of the couch. She is the most vocal and expressive. She has also learned to use her “human” brown eye to a great advantage of suckering those around her. Unfortunately she had genetic epilepsy.
In January 2022, despite having tried 4 different medications over nearly two years, the frequency and severity of her seizures passed an acceptable level. We were forced to say goodbye to her a few months short of 4 years old.
She is beautiful, intelligent, and sweet. The intelligence… if used for evil would be devastating. She is the dog that learns quickly, but then thinks about whether she wants to do it.
She was a cheeky, bitey puppy. She became an absolute ninja of a dog, able to catch birds on the fly and jump from standstill to perching on the back of the couch. She is the most vocal and expressive. She has also learned to use her “human” brown eye to a great advantage of suckering those around her. Unfortunately she had genetic epilepsy.
In January 2022, despite having tried 4 different medications over nearly two years, the frequency and severity of her seizures passed an acceptable level. We were forced to say goodbye to her a few months short of 4 years old.
Bjarki
After getting Alecto, we agreed that 3 is about what we can fit into our current property.
But then about a year later, Steven organized for us to “look at some puppies”. Well, after Achilles, there was only one way this could go. Especially once we saw the filthy conditions that the puppies and mum were kept in. We felt like we had to get him out of there.
When he came home with us he was covered in poop and terrified of humans. If touched from the rear, he would scream in terror. He took to the husky pack with ease though, and his dog social IQ (though maybe not general IQ) is very high.
It is hard to believe this background looking at him now- he's confident, calm, and very obedient. He is Jules’ favourite (not ashamed to admit it).
We used to often use him for helping to socialize dogs lacking confidence or dog skills, and people often remark that he is the most patient dog that they have ever seen. When he works, he pressures dogs to calm down, sniff, and submit in a soft, but firm way. Since the puppies have come along he has become even more laid back, and mostly lets them and Morrigan "do the work".
But then about a year later, Steven organized for us to “look at some puppies”. Well, after Achilles, there was only one way this could go. Especially once we saw the filthy conditions that the puppies and mum were kept in. We felt like we had to get him out of there.
When he came home with us he was covered in poop and terrified of humans. If touched from the rear, he would scream in terror. He took to the husky pack with ease though, and his dog social IQ (though maybe not general IQ) is very high.
It is hard to believe this background looking at him now- he's confident, calm, and very obedient. He is Jules’ favourite (not ashamed to admit it).
We used to often use him for helping to socialize dogs lacking confidence or dog skills, and people often remark that he is the most patient dog that they have ever seen. When he works, he pressures dogs to calm down, sniff, and submit in a soft, but firm way. Since the puppies have come along he has become even more laid back, and mostly lets them and Morrigan "do the work".
Helius
Helius stayed with us for three months before being adopted.
He joined us about 6 months after Fenrir passed away. I had actually been looking at puppies and wondering how to talk Steven into another dog... He beat me to the punch by agreeing to foster a husky that Chained Dog rescued from the pound.
We had no information about this guy, other that his owner had died and the family didn’t want him. We thought he could be around 8 years old judging by the wear on his teeth.
The pound called him Fedor but he did not respond to the name, so we promptly changed it to the sun god Helius. One reward based session later and he responded to it beautifully.
We kept waiting to find out “what is wrong” with him only to be… disappointed? He is calm, has all the basics, other than the inclination to do as he’s asked. He fitted into our pack in a heartbeat, and became one of the “ginger bros”.
He now has a wonderful loving home with Steph and J. You can find his instagram here. We are still active 'aunt' and 'uncle' in his life and always happy to help with training and behavioural advice.
The pound called him Fedor but he did not respond to the name, so we promptly changed it to the sun god Helius. One reward based session later and he responded to it beautifully.
We kept waiting to find out “what is wrong” with him only to be… disappointed? He is calm, has all the basics, other than the inclination to do as he’s asked. He fitted into our pack in a heartbeat, and became one of the “ginger bros”.
He now has a wonderful loving home with Steph and J. You can find his instagram here. We are still active 'aunt' and 'uncle' in his life and always happy to help with training and behavioural advice.
Morrigan
Formerly named Luna, we first met this little trouble maker in January. She was up for rehome, we had the space, so we went to meet her, and took Bjarki with us.
We have never seen him look almost aggressive towards another dog as he did with her.
There was a lot he wanted to correct; she was resource guarding her owner, excessively dominant, and not heeding dog communication from Bjarki. We were not sure if she would be a right fit.
After our meeting, Luna was left with her 'grandparents', but this wasn't working. Luna was escaping and killing things.
Morrigan was intact when she came to us. Well, what do you know. A week after joining us she started spotting.
We religiously kept her away from Bjarki- one inside, other outside and vice versa. Until one dark rainy night (18th March) Steven didn’t bring Bjarki in to let her toilet.
“it was just 30 seconds”.
Well, that’s all it took. One moment of letting the guard down, thinking her heat was just about over.
And so on 21st May 2022 between 2-4am, Bjarki Babies came into our lives.
We had just lost Alecto and Helius, so when her previous owner reached out again, we agreed to have her for a day trial at our place. And thus, on 27th February 2022 Morrigan joined us (we renamed her within a day).
We were very very strict on structure and training with her.
Her first week consisted of being taught dog communication by Bjarki and Achilles, focused leash training, downstays, and crate time. Virtually zero affection.
Morrigan was also a persistent jumper (not just "I'm excited to see you" jumping, but "I'm invading your space" sort of intent. I must have corrected her 40 times in the first few days for that. She was also incredibly rude and pushy around human food.
Now... she is virtually unrecognizable. She still has a bit of spunk and pushiness, but she is very human centric- and yet an amazing radar for dogs (and weird behaviours). She is an amazing mum, and (mostly) a pleasure to be around.
Grim
The first-born, the only boy, Grim has always been the bolshiest, the pushiest, (and in some ways, the most annoying) of the litter. He has taken about 10 months to grow into his huge nose, and he has become quite a stunning dog with a really lovely black coat and piercing blue eyes. Grim is (unsurprisingly) quite dominant, and has phenomenal social IQ when it comes to other dogs. He is our resident "fixer". He has gotten Bjarki's knack for knowing how to pressure dogs to fix wrong behaviours and how to encourage good ones. He can be a bit of a fun police in the pack- but it is always incredible to watch him advocate for softer dogs if another dog starts to get a little out of hand. He is very driven to work other dogs.
Grim loves bananas. His nickname (and recall name) is Gim-gim or Grimace. His full name was supposed to have been Grimnir, but it's devolved into Grimm, or Gim... His favourite thing is learning stupid tricks in order to get a pat.
Skadi
Skadi was the runt of the litter. She is a little ball of muscle, she is still the smallest of our pack. Don't let that fool you, she is a sassy queen. She's the only pup with heterochromia, and it only adds to her appearance of being a trouble maker.
She is the most stereotypically husky of our pack (she drove Jules up the wall at about 6 months of age) and while she has somewhat mellowed, she is still one that will try and see how much she can get away with. She always looks like she's planning something naughty, and frankly, she probably is.
She's our "greeter" dog. Because she's quite small and non-threatening, she is often the first dog we introduce to a day-care trial.
She loves being a lap-dog, but will settle for stealing your chair. Her name is ironically that of Nordic giantess (Jottun). It is pronounced /skɑːði/ (skaa-de). We often call her Skadi-party.
Artemis
She was the most insecure and scaredy puppy of the litter. Despite being grey, she looks the most like Bjarki with similar build and face markings.
Once Artie gets over her uncertainty, she is super affectionate and loves kisses (actual kisses on her nose, and will lean into it).
We have spent a lot of time and effort trying to balance her out and build her confidence and she is often an afternoon "runner" dog- coming with us to give daycare dogs back. This allows her to give her a little extra exposure and socialization without having to drive 20 minutes each way for it!
She is named for goddess of the hunt, but it's a bit of a stretch. We mostly call her Artie.
She absolutely LOVES water, and taking her to the beach and letting her have a blast was the main motivation behind working hard on teaching her recall. (Priorities)
Ursa
Ursa was the bonus pup that brought us to "the colour of the rainbow". She was the first one we named (the slippery slope to keeping them all).
Her name is a little nod to her father- Bjarki means 'little bear', and Ursa is often used to refer to 'she-bear'. She is a lot like her dad- she is sweet and thick.
She loves other dogs and will often be the first one playing with the new dogs. She is very very soft, so if we get some uncertain dogs not quite being a part of the pack, she will just go and sit or lie down next to them until they come out of their shell.
Her nickname is Blursa and Schmursa, and we were amused (and horrified) to learn that she recalls to "Burs Burs" better than to "Ursa". Woops!