Blog Post Written by ~ Shannon Richardson
(Several photographs courtesy of Shontell MacInnis)
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Owning a dog requires a certain level of commitment akin to raising a child. Like first time parents we quickly learn that our dogs needs begin to dictate our once flexible schedule. Bathroom breaks, walks, training and feeding become part of the natural rhythm of owning man’s best friend.
(Several photographs courtesy of Shontell MacInnis)
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________Owning a dog requires a certain level of commitment akin to raising a child. Like first time parents we quickly learn that our dogs needs begin to dictate our once flexible schedule. Bathroom breaks, walks, training and feeding become part of the natural rhythm of owning man’s best friend.
Owning a dog in the Arctic presents a new level of devotion
toward the title of diligent pet ownership.
Summer in the Arctic is the ideal season for hiking, kayaking,
camping and outdoor activity. Man’s best friend is the perfect addition to any
outdoor exploit. They afford polar bear detection, make for great scouts on
hunting expeditions, entertain on quiet days, can pack some of the gear when
the load is great and provide companionship in the immense, remote expanse of
tundra. The extra body heat next to your sleeping bag on cold nights is a
worthy perk too.
That’s the easy part, when dogs, as pets, make sense.
That’s the easy part, when dogs, as pets, make sense.
Over time you notice your baseboards have chew marks, your
book edges are gnawed on and the dog hair bunnies are having huge parties under
your sofa.
Your dream getaways are always subject to finding a solid,
reliable and dog capable house sitter, or forking out the money to board, fly,
hotel and travel with your furry companion. If you are lucky enough to have a
quality pet sitter, you are often in a bidding war with the next pet owner who
knows him/her too. Which of you can offer a vehicle as a perk, who has better satellite
tv… What incentives can you offer to keep this person minding your pet over
someone else’s?
Never mind the price of quality pet food, the ability to get
any kind of pet supplies in a timely manner without a trip to Ottawa or a two
week wait on an amazon order.
Yes owning a dog in the arctic is a challenge.
There are no dog parks, although people get pretty crafty
with doggy play dates on the sea ice (so long as you avoid the dog sled packs tethered
there) and walking your dog bundled up from head to toe like an oversized
toddler wobbling off to the tobogganing hill is a daily occurrence.
Yet, with all of these challenges, owning a dog in the
arctic is also incredibly rewarding. Many of us live without our families here.
That unconditional love, tail wagging, door greetings and dedicated
companionship of our pets eases the solitude and lessons the isolation that
comes with arctic life.
As a dog trainer, and a pet owner, to a beautiful,
intelligent but mischievous Malamute - Border Collie cross, (who I purchased
from a sweet woman just outside of town back in late 2011) I have developed a
tested tried and true bag of tricks for surviving the December/January/February
arctic trial of dog ownership.
My dog is 4.5 years old now. She lives in a one bedroom
apartment, with no balcony and no front entrance. It’s tiny, cute, but less
than ideal for a dog of her breed, however we make it work. When she was young
she drove me insane (Ask my friends, they will gladly share stories). I became
a dog trainer because of my quest to manage and maintain her needs. Many of her
siblings went through the local animal rescue. However determination, for me,
paid off. Through night classes and distance educations, trips to Ottawa and
tons of readings, I became certified as an assessment based dog trainer. Now, At
4.5 years of age, she is a much different dog than she was in her first two
years of life. Partly due to age, but mostly due to my never ending education
on how to be a better “pack leader” and pet owner. I learned what it meant to
be consistent, and balance the Pack Theory of dogs with the health and social
maintenance as well as obedience training they require.
More than anything I had to train myself. And I am still a
work in progress. As is she.
But we have a routine, which is working. Strategies and
resources, activities and routines, tricks and training games. The -52 days
still question my loyalties to her bathroom needs. However she seems to
understand getting her business done with only a few turns in the snow and
getting back inside. She trusts that in a few hours a new outing will commence
and resists less the urge to delay returning indoors.
Just like owning a dog in the south, training, games, activities
and consistent expectations make coexisting with a dog in the north a pleasurable
and a rewarding experience.
We northerners are tested more here, and have to get more
creative, be more resourceful. But it can be done. You can teach a dog to heal
in your living room, you can teach tracking through the hallways of your
apartment. Sit n stay, seek the ball, fetch and retrieve are all achievable from
the warm shelter of our homes. A high energy dog can be managed in a 900 square
foot apartment in the dead of winter. Although, you will have to bundle up and
venture outside daily still. But I promise they will stop barking, chewing (most
things) and can listen to your commands if you seek the knowledge of
experienced professionals.
That natural rhythm enjoyed in the warm summer months is attainable during the cold arctic winter. Enjoying and managing a challenging, high energy dog in the arctic is possible.
That natural rhythm enjoyed in the warm summer months is attainable during the cold arctic winter. Enjoying and managing a challenging, high energy dog in the arctic is possible.
