Freya
Information
Freya is my "Twist of Fate" dog. I'd been talking to Karen Ramstead (North Wapiti Siberians) about Freya for almost a year, but to lease not buy because in Karen's own words "she would be crazy to sell a dog who had the potential of being both a Champion and an Iditarod finisher". Then in Nov. 2003, fate stepped in. I was suppose to be going to the Show of Shows in Ottawa with Levi. However Levi's handle, John, got sick and could not go. I was extremely disappointed in this because Levi's mom had missed the Show of Shows in 1999 due to her being out of coat so I was really looking forward to taking Levi. In what is really a very uncharacteristic move for me I made the spur of the moment decision to fly out to the Siberian Husky Club of Canada National in Winnipeg. I knew Karen Ramstead was going to be there and I just felt it was important that I take advantage of this opportunity to meet Karen and her dogs.
When Karen found out I was coming I then got this incredible email from her saying "you may want to consider bringing a crate"! Of course I took a crate. When I arrived in Winnipeg Karen told me that she had made the very difficult decision to let Freya come live with me permanently! Apparently after a month of training in Minnesota, and some discussion with Jamie Nelson (thank you Jamie!), Karen decided that although Freya could have made Karen's Iditarod team it was in her best overall interest to come live with me.
Freya comes from quite the multi talented family. Her father "Striker" was an Iditarod finisher and her mother "Breezy" was a Canadian Best In Show winner as well as having been a leader for Karen. Freya's two brother's "Loki" and "Odie", as well as her sister "Kara" were part of Karen's Iditarod 2004 Iditarod team and all three were Iditarod finishers and 5 time Iditarod veterans. In fact, Kara made breed history by becoming the first bitch in the breed to finish the Iditarod and then obtain her Championship. Kara was one of Karen's main leaders on her 2004 Iditarod team. Loki and Kara were also Canadian Champions and Kara was a multi Group placer. Two other brothers "Hugi" and "Thor" and another sister "Kadie" were also serious sled dogs with thousands of miles in harness. Hugi also had his RE and CDX titles, was a a multi High in Trial winner in the obedience ring. He was #8 in the Working Group in Obedience in 2003! Quite an amazing accomplishment in itself. What an incredible family!!
I can't think of many other litters with these kind of accomplishments but the accomplishments of this litter did not stop with their generation as several of them went on to produce offspring and grand kids that are Iditarod finishers, High In Trial, Reserve Best in Show, and multi Best In Show winners and 4 generations of Therapy Dogs.
Freya is a very sweet girl with a rock solid temperament. She just LOVES to meet new people and cuddles right into your arms. Although mostly called "Free" or "Free Free" or sometimes "Freedom", Freya has also quickly earned the nick-name "Wags" because she is always so happy and is always wagging her tail. Freya has become particularly attached to Siri. Freya will often seek out where Siri is and lay with her. They also both have this little ritual in the morning of going back into my bedroom to cuddle with their stuffy toys and get their belly rubs before the day starts. Siri has always done this and Freya seems to want to follow in Siri's footsteps. It's really nice to see these two become such good friends. Freya is also a very nice mover with a particularly nice front on her. She has wonderful layback of shoulder and length of upper arm.
On the Trail
Prior to coming to live with me Freya had been running on Karen's "A team", including running lead. She made it down to the last 20 dogs to go up to Alaska in the running for Karen's Iditarod team in 2003. Only the fact that her blood work was off a little for Iditarod standards prevented her from being on Karen's Iditarod team. She did run on Karen 2003 Iditarod Ceremonial Start team. The picture on Karen's home page is the 2003 Ceremonial Start team and it includes Freya. Free is tucked in behind the leaders and beside the black and white dog. Up until I got her in Nov. 2003 Freya had 542.5 miles in harness that fall. In 2002 she had an amazing 2270.5 miles in harness and in 2001, 1133.5 miles. Freya completed the Knik 200 with Karen's team in 2003. Karen's team was the only registered Siberian team entered in this race in 2003. Her team completed this 200-mile race in 28 hours, 48 minutes which placed her 13th out of 32 teams. The fastest time was 22 hours, 40 minutes. As far as Karen is aware this placement was a new Siberian record for this race.
I really looked forward to running this dog in harness and she certainly didn't disappoint me. Free was my main leader in the winter of 2003/2004, along with Siri, and was a very important part of the team in completely the Working Dog titles. Free so SO light on her feet, she moves effortlessly. I call her my "energizer bunny" because she just keeps going and going and going. :-)
In the Show Ring
Although I bought Freya for her ability to work in harness rather then as a "show dog", Freya did finish her Canadian Championship easily while still with Karen. Her wins included WB for 2 pts. from the Bred By Exhibtor Class under Judge Betty McHugh and BWs from the open class for another 2 pts under Donna Cole. Freya finished totally out of coat with another 2 pt win under Judge Donald Fitzsimmons. Hopefully Freya will return to the show ring as a special under judges that will hopefully appreciate this girl's qualities.
St. John's Ambulance Therapy Dog
I thought from the moment I got Freya that she would make an excellent Therapy dog. In the summer of of 2005 Freya passed her St.John's Ambulance Therapy Dog testing and starting working as a therapy dog at a local seniors home. I was correct in my thinking and if anything Freya has exceeded my expectations in her therapy dog work. She bring SO much joy to the people she meets in the home.
Other
This little girl is extremely intelligent and agile. I have just started to do some clicker work with her. She is quickly catching onto what the clicker means. Besides the therapy dog work I hope to eventually do obedience and agility with Freya. Just need the time to do the work with her.
Freya is my "Twist of Fate" dog. I'd been talking to Karen Ramstead (North Wapiti Siberians) about Freya for almost a year, but to lease not buy because in Karen's own words "she would be crazy to sell a dog who had the potential of being both a Champion and an Iditarod finisher". Then in Nov. 2003, fate stepped in. I was suppose to be going to the Show of Shows in Ottawa with Levi. However Levi's handle, John, got sick and could not go. I was extremely disappointed in this because Levi's mom had missed the Show of Shows in 1999 due to her being out of coat so I was really looking forward to taking Levi. In what is really a very uncharacteristic move for me I made the spur of the moment decision to fly out to the Siberian Husky Club of Canada National in Winnipeg. I knew Karen Ramstead was going to be there and I just felt it was important that I take advantage of this opportunity to meet Karen and her dogs.
When Karen found out I was coming I then got this incredible email from her saying "you may want to consider bringing a crate"! Of course I took a crate. When I arrived in Winnipeg Karen told me that she had made the very difficult decision to let Freya come live with me permanently! Apparently after a month of training in Minnesota, and some discussion with Jamie Nelson (thank you Jamie!), Karen decided that although Freya could have made Karen's Iditarod team it was in her best overall interest to come live with me.
Freya comes from quite the multi talented family. Her father "Striker" was an Iditarod finisher and her mother "Breezy" was a Canadian Best In Show winner as well as having been a leader for Karen. Freya's two brother's "Loki" and "Odie", as well as her sister "Kara" were part of Karen's Iditarod 2004 Iditarod team and all three were Iditarod finishers and 5 time Iditarod veterans. In fact, Kara made breed history by becoming the first bitch in the breed to finish the Iditarod and then obtain her Championship. Kara was one of Karen's main leaders on her 2004 Iditarod team. Loki and Kara were also Canadian Champions and Kara was a multi Group placer. Two other brothers "Hugi" and "Thor" and another sister "Kadie" were also serious sled dogs with thousands of miles in harness. Hugi also had his RE and CDX titles, was a a multi High in Trial winner in the obedience ring. He was #8 in the Working Group in Obedience in 2003! Quite an amazing accomplishment in itself. What an incredible family!!
I can't think of many other litters with these kind of accomplishments but the accomplishments of this litter did not stop with their generation as several of them went on to produce offspring and grand kids that are Iditarod finishers, High In Trial, Reserve Best in Show, and multi Best In Show winners and 4 generations of Therapy Dogs.
Freya is a very sweet girl with a rock solid temperament. She just LOVES to meet new people and cuddles right into your arms. Although mostly called "Free" or "Free Free" or sometimes "Freedom", Freya has also quickly earned the nick-name "Wags" because she is always so happy and is always wagging her tail. Freya has become particularly attached to Siri. Freya will often seek out where Siri is and lay with her. They also both have this little ritual in the morning of going back into my bedroom to cuddle with their stuffy toys and get their belly rubs before the day starts. Siri has always done this and Freya seems to want to follow in Siri's footsteps. It's really nice to see these two become such good friends. Freya is also a very nice mover with a particularly nice front on her. She has wonderful layback of shoulder and length of upper arm.
On the Trail
Prior to coming to live with me Freya had been running on Karen's "A team", including running lead. She made it down to the last 20 dogs to go up to Alaska in the running for Karen's Iditarod team in 2003. Only the fact that her blood work was off a little for Iditarod standards prevented her from being on Karen's Iditarod team. She did run on Karen 2003 Iditarod Ceremonial Start team. The picture on Karen's home page is the 2003 Ceremonial Start team and it includes Freya. Free is tucked in behind the leaders and beside the black and white dog. Up until I got her in Nov. 2003 Freya had 542.5 miles in harness that fall. In 2002 she had an amazing 2270.5 miles in harness and in 2001, 1133.5 miles. Freya completed the Knik 200 with Karen's team in 2003. Karen's team was the only registered Siberian team entered in this race in 2003. Her team completed this 200-mile race in 28 hours, 48 minutes which placed her 13th out of 32 teams. The fastest time was 22 hours, 40 minutes. As far as Karen is aware this placement was a new Siberian record for this race.
I really looked forward to running this dog in harness and she certainly didn't disappoint me. Free was my main leader in the winter of 2003/2004, along with Siri, and was a very important part of the team in completely the Working Dog titles. Free so SO light on her feet, she moves effortlessly. I call her my "energizer bunny" because she just keeps going and going and going. :-)
In the Show Ring
Although I bought Freya for her ability to work in harness rather then as a "show dog", Freya did finish her Canadian Championship easily while still with Karen. Her wins included WB for 2 pts. from the Bred By Exhibtor Class under Judge Betty McHugh and BWs from the open class for another 2 pts under Donna Cole. Freya finished totally out of coat with another 2 pt win under Judge Donald Fitzsimmons. Hopefully Freya will return to the show ring as a special under judges that will hopefully appreciate this girl's qualities.
St. John's Ambulance Therapy Dog
I thought from the moment I got Freya that she would make an excellent Therapy dog. In the summer of of 2005 Freya passed her St.John's Ambulance Therapy Dog testing and starting working as a therapy dog at a local seniors home. I was correct in my thinking and if anything Freya has exceeded my expectations in her therapy dog work. She bring SO much joy to the people she meets in the home.
Other
This little girl is extremely intelligent and agile. I have just started to do some clicker work with her. She is quickly catching onto what the clicker means. Besides the therapy dog work I hope to eventually do obedience and agility with Freya. Just need the time to do the work with her.