Don't ever quit: lessons from a sled dog puppy

When things go wrong as they sometimes will;
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill;
When the funds are low, and the debts are high
And you want to smile, but have to sigh;
When care is pressing you down a bit-
Rest if you must, but do not quit.

Success is failure turned inside out;
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt;
And you can never tell how close you are
It may be near when it seems so far;
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit-
It's when things go wrong that you must not quit.

-- Author Unknown



Etta is a fighter.


Etta this evening curled up on my bed with her litter mate, Parker, behind her ready for a long winter's nap

A week ago, I was driving to the emergency vet clinic and didn't think she'd make it for the 40 minute drive to get there. Now, she's giving her siblings a run for their money, eating well and enjoying puppy life. It took some diligence on both our parts, and there were lots of feedings with goat's milk Esbilac from a medicine dropper every two hours for the first few days. And there was a $500 vet bill at the end of it. Right before Christmas.

But she was determined and stuck to it, despite the odds.

Sometimes it just takes a clear focus and a strong determination. Etta teaches something about not only mushing, but living.

It's a dog-eat-dog world out there.


No husky puppies were harmed in the making of this photo. It's actually just Lucy, our bottle-fed runt from last season (right) and Etta (left) "mouth sparring" or playing

Work hard. Play harder. And when things get tough, don't quit.

Oh...and sleep hard :)



For it's in sleep that dreams are made.