Puppies on the Tundra

One of the highlights of this year’s trip to Alaska was the puppies.

Our neighbor Vern has a dog named Stella. This past winter, when the river was frozen over, Stella headed across the ice to Egegik for some extracurricular activities. The result, seven of the cutest illegitimate puppies I’ve ever had the pleasure to meet.

Once the fishing season got under way, Vern and his family slept on their fishing boat, and so they asked us to take care of the pups.

Alden and Kato jumped at the opportunity.

They were hungry little suckers.

And dirty. Alden took it upon herself to give them each a good scrub.

The puppies were all available for adoption. The kids lobbied hard for the right to take one home, but I was unwavering in my assertion that the barn has no vacancy.

August seemed to speak their language.

About halfway through our time in Alaska, two of the puppies disappeared in the night. We’re crossing our fingers that they managed to find themselves a good home, but we fear that the eagles or foxes might have had something to do with it. The other five have all been adopted, not bad survival odds for the rough and tumble tundra.

There are more pictures of puppies to be had, but I can’t find them now, so I leave you with a shot of the kids heading down Vern’s road to the water, where we often went, after feeding the puppies, to throw stones and chase seagulls. And watch the fishermen on the water.