During Gwennie's stay with Dr. Tim, he nicknamed her The Smiling Dog. He would give me regular updates on how she was adjusting to life in his kennel in Marquette, sending zen-like haiku-length emails: 'The Smiling Dog is well' like Mr. Miyagi from The Karate Kid. When I first contacted him, he said to me, "do you know this dog has no tail?" as if cautioning me about this anomoly.
Yes, it's true: Gwennie was conceived during the '07 Iditarod as a tryst between Gabby and a suspected Clumber, Jason's main man who also has a bobbed tail and throws bobbed tails in litters. Her pedigree includes Doug Swingley's Peppy and the famed Elmer. My Yeti is from similar lines, as well as Ruffian and Big Brown. I have high hopes already for this next winter season, and it's only June.
Gwennie is shy but coming around. She sits watching the rest of the pack during playtime inquisitively.
Gwennie watches the others quietly from the kennel
She's a very pensive little dog with an expressive face and keen, intelligent eyes. At first, when I let the other dogs out for play time, she looked pretty perplexed at the craziness of the rest of the pack (they get pretty wild). She did growl low quiet growls at the girls when they came up to check her out through the kennel. Tonight, however, she pawed at the sides of the kennel fence, whining at the other girls and wagging her little stump.
She's also bonding quite well with Elise.
