On the Road is a weekday feature spotlighting reader photo submissions.
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Good Morning All,
Have a wonderful day, and enjoy the pictures!
Today, pictures from valued commenter FerdfromtheNort.
This is in memorial of Sarai, who died recently. He was a Good Dog. From near death, he got a good life. Not hugely long, but he died outside in my wife’s arms, naturally and peacefully. His best bud was there and licking him.
Sadness, but celebration.
The Nort
We were looking for places to put our cabin. He ran beside the ATV, and rode when he had to.
See the pink on the paws? As a baby he came to us partially frozen and that was the result of some of the frostbite damage. I called him an Arctic Short-Tail, because a third of it froze off. He was abandoned in an arctic winter and dying, when he found The Mama (my wife). This was his first moment of real joy. It never really left him.
Tundra, Near the Cabin
They got to run freely at the cabin. You can see the stubbiness of his tail. He was part malemute. Definitely the fur part.
At home, on the doghouse
These are husky-variants. They love the cold. Of course, as they grew older, house with padded beds was much nicer, same as us.
They were left outside all day on ropes and the kids in the neighbourhood came to visit and play.
Canada’s OTHER West Coast
The only thing clear and crisp about this photo is the weather.
He was a loving Goober of a dog. And he could personify Gooberosity! This was him with his favourite people, doing his (second, after eating) favourite thing.
NWT – in the woods
We would take them out into the woods to run in the NWT. There they could hunt rodents. They grew up hunting Sik-Sik ( Inuktitut name for arctic ground squirrels). Often all you would see is the tail straight up and a butt coming out of a hole in the ground. Then we moved.
And the Six-Sik CHEATED! They could climb trees! Tree squirrels were an infuriating insult to what was right in the world. Chasing the squirrels did thin him out some though. He was a GOOD dog.
Thank you so much FerdfromtheNort, do send us more when you can.
Travel safely everybody, and do share some stories in the comments, even if you’re joining the conversation late. Many folks confide that they go back and read old threads, one reason these are available on the Quick Links menu.
One again, to submit pictures: Use the Form or Send an Email
OzarkHillbilly
Rescue dogs always seem to exhibit more pure joy at just being, and give more pure love to the people who choose to share this life with them.
RIP Sarai, the Arctic Short-Tail.
JPL
Such a beautiful dog, and although he is now missed, you did gave him joy.
Mary G
What a lovely tribute to your lovely Sarai. He looks loved and happy in all the pictures, and I am sorry for your loss. Such a good dog.
West of the Rockies
I’m not crying!… You’re crying.
biff murphy
Lovely tribute to an old friend, best biff
Dorothy A. Winsor
Lovely pics of a dog who was loved.
HinTN
@West of the Rockies: Indeed, I am. For the joy of Sarai’s life.
debbie
@OzarkHillbilly:
My youngest brother rescued a German Shepherd tossed out of the car ahead of him on I-70. Rex lived another 15 or so years and never ceased to be a grateful good boy. Sarai is cut from the same cloth.
satby
Condolences on the loss of Sarai. He was meant to be your Good Dog and you and your wife were meant to be his saviors. Glad you all found each other.
Paul in Saint Augustine
I have a friend who has devoted his life to rescue dogs. He has 5 of his own, all big dogs. One of his biggest peeves is people who keep dogs outside on chains. How is roping dogs outside different than chaining? I’m not criticizing, just trying to reconcile the action.
Denali
@Paul in Saint Augustine,
Obviously, you have never had a husky/malamute. Once outside , they tend to head for the North Pole. They are wonderful dogs, but they do wander.
Paul in Saint Augustine
@Denali:
You’re right, I’ve never had a husky/malamute. As I said, I’m just trying to understand an action that my get my friend upset. Your comment makes sense, thank you.
chris
@Paul in Saint Augustine: I’ve had this conversation. It generally ends when I ask why do you make your kids wear seatbelts?
What a good boy! And lovely tundra pics too.
Mel
@satby: So very true. They find their people, often when their intended people need them just as much as they need their forever family.
Sarai was a lovely boy. What a sweet face he had, and such a happy face as well. Good doggins had exciting adventures, a safe, warm place to snuggle, a best pal to chase squirrels with, a full tummy every day, and the absolute certainty of unconditional love and lots of fun every day his very best humans.
Hold on to that knowledge and let it help heal your hearts.
TaMara (HFG)
What a lovely tribute.
@Paul in Saint Augustine: I can vouch for this. One of my neighbors had a husky/malamute mix and nothing kept that dog at home. I swear he knew how to pick locks. Went through electric dog fences. As he always ended up at my house, it wasn’t much of an issue. Also, I rescued a husky mix and even though we had fenced yard, until he was adopted, he had to be on a chain – he could clear our fence, pick our locks, vanish into thin air.
They aren’t dogs, they are wizards.
Mathguy
A great tribute to a good dog.
Paul in Saint Augustine
@chris:
Great analogy, thanks.
J R in WV
Our most recent rescue, a white lab mix currently running about 75 pounds, named Alice (as in ) Wonderland as she was so astounded when she discovered ground squirrels, disappeared not long after we brought her home.
The older dog in charge was pretty disgusted with us, as she didn’t want to have to break in another new dog. We drove around the mountain we live on, showing people a picture of Alice. Then she came home after missing two evenings of meals. it was summertime, so she was in no danger of suffering from the cold.
she has never missed another meal due to going to far into the woods and losing her way back home.
Adventuresome doggos can get lost before they learn how to find their way back home again, sad but true. This is our only case of a dog being rescued and getting lost in the big forest. She is a little scatterbrained, but a very good dog, with many wags and wiggles, and squeals of love.
RIP your very good dog who lived the life a husky should live.
Alternative Fax, a hip hop artist from Idaho
@J R in WV:
I can’t say it better than this.
Condolences on the loss of your good dog, FerdfromtheNort.
Mike S (Now with a Democratic Congressperson!)
He looks so much like our Tasha whom we lost a year-and-a-half ago it made me think it was a picture of her. (Especially the last one!) I know how hard it is to lose a good dog-friend like that. Thanks for sharing these pictures.
stinger
Great pics of a great dog. May your memories of Sarai bring only happiness.
FerdfromtheNort
Thanks to all.
Sarai had an underbite that caused his lower teeth to jut out. Of our other two dogs, one has a traumatically shortened ear (rescue dog that thinks he is a tough guy) and the other is partially blind due to Panus (not a rescue – wife stole her from a friend). I refer to the set as Speak No Evil, Hear No Evil, and See No Evil.
Sarai was also called Hairy Houdini. The wife watched him scale a six foot fence to escape the yard. He was very proud of that as she intercepted him on the way to adventure.
Citizen_X
I come here late, but ooh! Nice Arctic pictures! And here’s to Sarai, as he’s off chasing the auroras now. Good boy!