Nanuk
08/23/04
I just wanted to thank you for encouraging us to adopt Nanuk and Siska. We both feel it was meant to be and now that we have had them for over 24 hours - we are sure. They are both wonderful, well mannered, sweet dogs. If you ever have contact with their former owner, please tell them how much we love the dogs and that they have a new and loving home.
Nanuk
08/22/04
Well, Siska and Nanuk are waking up at their new home today! Cindy and Jon fell in love with them yesterday. They took them for a walk, and the fuzzies schmoozed them and got a bunch of pets and snuggles. Cindy has pledged to take them for walks every day, but Siska let her preference for running with Jon known. So hopefully both will get lots of exercise and slim down and stay healthy for a good long life.
Here's hoping everything works out really well for them all!
Nanimo
07/16/03
We adopted Nanimo (now known as Niko, as he likes and responds to the name better, it seems!) from the King County Humane Society and are absolutely thrilled and just in love with him! What a sweetie he is! He is incredibly well-mannered, too! What a dream dog!!!! He is our ultimate new family member and we are extremely happy with him.
My 16 yr. old daughter and I had originally attempted to place a hold on Niko when we first saw him on July 03rd, but another family had a first hold on him. He was originally adopted by this family on July 05th, but they returned him due to his "jumping & power." (They had 6 kids.) After they returned him, we saw him again and simply fell in love with him. We found yet, another family with a first hold on him wanted him, but the father apparently said no, so our 2nd hold won out! I guess we were just meant to have him! '-) It amazes us that we ended up with him after all of this commotion! So for those people who would give up when they see a hold on a dog, my advice is . . . be persistent!
As a former owner of a purebred Alaskan Malamute and Siberian Husky for 14 years, I know the standards and breeds well and have not found Niko to be aggressive or misbehaved in any way. The first evening we had him home, I was expecting him to potentially show signs of some type of mishap with housetraining, or behavior. He, instead amazed us by coming to us and gently nudging our hands to come with him to take him out. Early the next morning, he awoke me with a gentle kiss on my chin to let me know he needed to have his walk and to be fed. There were no "accidents." How good can it get?
We already had a 6 year old tuxedo cat, named Misty, who had been with other dogs in the past. We were concerned, due to the Alaskan Malamute breed that this blending might not work. She and Niko hit it off famously. They actually seemed very happy to have one another. They gently play with one another and seem to tolerate each other well, with no complications.
Niko is a perfectly mannered gentleman! We can't believe anyone would have ever let this animal go! I simply believe the former people who gave him up, or adopted him, must not have understood the breed, or known how to handle him. Fortunately, we believe we do and he has shown us that he is very happy and extremely well-mannered and well-adjusted in our home.
He is very loving, yet independent, with a passion for people. He thoroughly enjoys the lavish praise, play, exercise and tummy rubbing our family offers him. His curiosity is overwhelmingly indicative of the Alaskan Malamute breed and he is exceptionally obedient for having such a trait.
He knows all of the commands of "come, sit, down, heel and wait." He very quickly learned, within a day, to "roll-over, stay" and to distinguish the difference between going "outside" and going in the "car." His intelligence and his loving willingness to please have truly endeared him in ways we never imagined for a dog of his size, power and breed. He is very perceptive, sensitive and has more than proven himself to be a wonderful companion. When one of our teens (we have three in high school) was upset about something, Niko couldn't wait to go to him and comfort him with kisses. Niko truly has made a difference with our teens being more responsible, too!
My husband and I never thought we would end up with a male dog, much less one who's purebred history was unknown. Nonetheless, Niko is not sexually aggressive, or aggressive to other dogs, even though he shows himself to be an Alpha dog. He is calmly territorial with other dogs through his body language, but is in no way ever misbehaved or unduly aggressive. He definitely has manners. He is truly a gentle "leader."
We had his health checkup with our vet and found he had no evidence of hip dysplasia and was in exceptionally good health. They couldn't believe he would have ever been up for adoption, as he seems to have some champion traits of his breed.
His mellowness and overall intelligence are a true joy to our family. What a gem of a dog! His word recognition and his sensitivity to people are incredible. He even talks and sings to us, without barking. Need I say more?!! In short, we are totally enthralled with Niko and feel extremely grateful to have found him.
We will forever be grateful for the Rescue League finding him and for the Humane Society offering him for adoption to our family. He truly is our new baby and a very dear and loved family member. He definitely has a permanent home in our residence, as well as in our hearts!