Jack

I walked Jack back to get the truck yesturday. I really like Jack. He is one of my favorite dogs. I regret that I haven't been able to run him. I can tell he wants to. He is one of these dogs you can't really walk on a leash. All he knows how to do is pull. JJ is the worst this way. She pulls on the leash so hard she wrenches her head sideways.
So anyway, I wanted to spend some time with him so I walked him the 2 miles back to the truck. The leash was taught as a piano wire the whole time. He kind of reminds me of a siberian husky on steroids. I like northern breed dogs. Alaskan huskies are a mixed breed dog but they are predominantly some type of husky for the most part. In mushing parlance, the non-northen breeds that are crossed in to breeding programs are reffered to as "hounds" whether it be pointer, saluki, greyhound, coonhound, irish setter, or whatever. There are different theories as to what the hound blood ads to the mix. Generally the idea is to ad speed and athleticism. Most alaskan huskies are not a first generation cross breed, but are from two parents that are sled dogs that each may have some of various type of hound in the background some where. The idea is not so much to work out some perfect formula of percentages of various breeds but to prove all breeding stock in harnesses.
So, there is a lot of variablity in appearance with alaskan huskies, but the consistant factor is performance.
Well anyway in the genetic primordial soup, Jack came out with a big malamutish head, wolf like markings, a thick warm coat, floppy ears, and a build kind of like Arnold Shwarzenegger.
Dogs will get muscled up as they get more and more miles in harness on them. Jack had been run pulling an ATV this fall by Karen Land, I think he had gotten up to 5 miles a day.
But Jack's muscles are a result of good genetics at this point. it is early in the season and he is only a yearling. This will be his first season pulling a sled.
I have seen him run, the day I bought him and he is fast and smooth. He is a bit of a wildman though, and needs to learn some discipline. He has been a "line chewer" and unruly on runs with Karen, so she advised me to keep him in Wheel to keep an eye on him. "Wheel" is the position closest to the sled.
Around the dog yard he is so affectionate and curious about me that it is hard to do any work near him, like pick up poop or put straw in his house, becausse he overwhelms me with affection. I am not thinking he is a potential leader at this point, but I really feel I have somthing valuable in Jack.