Dodge Gets Licky for the Chickies

Hey it's Dodge here!

Just a quick one with a funny video - well Mum and Dad think it's funny anyway. I think it is payback for Mum's sore leg after the "Quick Chicks" incident, they decided to give me a piece of cheese to eat. Now that sounds like a great treat to some, but it makes my tongue feel funny. I need to lick and lick and lick... I just can't stop... my tongue is tingling and it's kinda numb... watch this and you will see....

Love, Licks & Woo-woo's
Dodge xxx

Dodge Can't Catch Quick Chicks

Well as Mum sits with her leg up on a cushion and complaining about a big pain in her leg, I thought it time to "paw" a new blog. Komika has penned the last few so it must be my turn. I'll tell you what we've been doing and I promise I'll explain more about Mum's leg.

It starts with Mum and Dad's holiday, they organised us a pet-sitter. Funny word, pet-sitter... should be The Cool Dogs Minder or the Nice Lady Who Let Us Be Naughty sitter. Well what do they say, while the cat's away... I guess we weren't too naughty, or we didn't think so anyway. Rules, rules, rules, or no rules, no rules, no rules. You know which one we liked! Anyway, we had a great time, got plenty of walks, ate dinner and treats, and lots of cuddles. Mum and Dad can do that anytime!

We snapped this picture of Komika (see Mum and Dad it wasn't me!) curling up on the leather lounge... not bad for 45 kgs of Alaskan Malamute on a single seater hey!

A few days after Mum and Dad came home, they took us for an "off-lead" romp in the yard. We already know the fencing isn't great, it's farm type barb wire fencing, so we are always supervised for these runs. Our yard has some other occupants than us too - a few ducks, some "turbo" chickens, wallabies and pademelons. We've watched them from the verandah and usually they find hiding places when Komika and I come out to run, but not this day... I saw a turbo chicken (that's what we call them anyway, some sort of native hen) and she turned on her "turbo" and RAN! What more does a Malamute love than a great chase, so I just had to RUN! (Komika stuck around... silly!) I ran up to the fence and stopped, what was this obstacle in between me and the chicken? Ah, who cares, I just popped my head through and the rest of my body just followed - I was free! 

I did hear Mum calling so I knew where she was, but then the calling stopped. I heard later that Mum jumped the creek, coming after me, and did something to her leg. Ooops. Something about a torn muscle? I was having way too much fun to stop and think about Mum! I turned around though and saw Dad. If I knew rude words, I'd probably have barked one, as he looked angry. There was no way I was going to let him catch me, not with that look on his face. I figured I should probably come back through the fence, so I just repeated what I had done to get out. Easy! I was back and standing with Mum when Dad got back. Funny though, Mum didn't say a word, but I think she wanted to bop me on the head... 

Well what is a Malamute to do in Tasmania? We sure didn't have anything as exciting as turbo chickens in Queensland. I was told that my next play time in the yard is back on lead - so I guess it wasn't such a good move after all. They do say the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence... not sure what that means, but it was long and I couldn't find the chicken after all that fun. I'll just be waiting to see her come back on my side of the fence!!

Until our next adventure, that's me signing off for now...

These are some of Mum and Dad's holiday snaps...

Fields of golden canola...

A big Koala... how cool!

Love, licks and woo-woos 

Dodge xx (and Komika) xx

Malamute Tsunami Warning - Bait 3D

Wow! Did you know that I was on television last night and that I'll be on the big movie screen this Thursday? Yep! I got a part in Bait 3D Australia. It was so exciting! I got to spend the day "on the set" with the movie stars just howling and howling... and howling! They made me do it so many times. I think it's because they liked the sound of my voice... Dad and Mum usually tell me to be quiet but the director wanted me to do it over and over. I was a star for the day. Don't forget to tell your friends to come and see me.... woo woo woo woo....

This is my movie face... x

Love, Licks & Woo-woo's
Komika xx (The Star)

Don't Eat The Yellow Snow

Snow. What comes to mind? Something you love? Something you've never seen? Something you love or just an inconvenience? What if you are an Alaskan Malamute? Snow is the best thing since sliced bread... as they say! Snow glorious snow.

It started as an ordinary day. Breakfast and then chilling on the verandah but then we were off for a trip in the car. Every time we go out, it's something new as there are so many places we haven't been in Tasmania, but who knew we would get to play in this white, powdery stuff that we had never seen. It almost feels like sand as your paws sink, but cold and light.

As Alaskan Malamutes in Australia, the conditions our ancestors knew is far removed from our memories and instincts, though we could feel their blood in our veins as we were finally where natured intended. We leapt, we ran, we played and if it's possible for a dog to show intense happiness - we smiled. Snow, snow, snow.

Humans often say that the brains are with the girl Malamutes, well my brain told me to eat snow. I wanted to eat as much of it as possible - oh no... brain freeze! What's that? Yellow snow! Dad said don't eat the yellow snow! Dodge had to pee on everything, leaving patches of yellow snow as he leapt from one mound of snow to the next. I'll attach a video of him at the end of our post to show you that we think Dodge is really part rabbit or kangaroo - or maybe related to Superman - able to leap small mounds of snow in a single bound.

So where in Tasmania do you get to play in snow? We were at Mt Wellington, but there are many locations where snow falls in this wonderful state. We've heard that most people only visit Tasmania in summer. Why would you want to miss out on this white winter wonderland? We know our brothers and sisters in the other southern states get to go sled dog racing so luckily many other arctic breeds in Australia have this opportunity. We think all good dog parents should take Malamutes to the snow. It's something not to be missed.

Alaskan Malamutes and Siberian Huskies who live in this environment often work hard and live hard, sleeping out in the icy wind and snow. Us, we got to enjoy a big bone for dinner and then curl up beside the wood heater. We are so lucky.

Now we've conquered Mt Wellington, we are praying to the God who sends snow to the Huon Valley, asking that snow falls in our front yard one day. So if you are saying your prayers, please add us in and ask him to send snow... and lots of it.

Until next time,
Love, Licks and Woo-woo's
Komika (oh yeah, Dodge too) xx

Photos, as usual, are by Moots In Kahoots Photography but a special thanks to Alecia Oldfield for her photos and video.

Alaskan Malamute Catches A Wild Salmon

It's dinner time again and it's salmon time. We have told you how much we love our raw food diet however we really love salmon. We started eating salmon frames when we were in Queensland but now we get huge heads and tails full of red salmon flesh straight from Tasmanian salmon producer, Tassals. Not only does it taste great but it's fantastic for our skins and coats, almost a little more like a natural Alaskan diet. Now we eat salmon two or three times a week. Other times we have things like chicken frames, wallaby meat, chunky raw bones, apples, carrots and other goodies that may be left over from the fruit and vegetables Mum and Dad eat.

Let us show you some of our dinner time photographs. Here we are waiting patiently for dinner time to begin.

And salmon arrives... we are ready to catch it and start eating...

This is us devouring our salmon heads and tails. It doesn't take us too long to eat a head or a tail.

This is our brother Morgan. He is blind but he listens to where the salmon is thrown at his feet. He loves it too and gobbles his salmon down fast.

And down it goes... as the tail disappears into Dodge's mouth...

And when it's all over, Komika stands licking her lips waiting to see if there is still more to come... Mum says not until tomorrow! Thanks Tassals, we love salmon!

Are you wondering about feeding a raw diet? You can search the internet or check out a site like http://www.drianbillinghurst.com/. There are even raw food patties made up that you can buy ready to feed, but it's not that hard and inexpensive to get your Mum and Dad just to visit the local butcher and buy a selection of bones, meat, offal, fruit and vegetables. It keeps us healthy and stops upset tummies and itchy skin. Grains are for chickens, not for us!

Here's a video of our feeding time too!

Did we mention that all our great photos are by www.mootsinkahoots.com?

Until next time, keep reading and don't forget to follow our blog so you don't miss a single post!

Love, Licks and Woo-woo's
Komika & Dodge xx

Spring has Sprung

What did another day in Tasmanian paradise hold for Malamutes today? We will let the pictures tell the story...

First there was some snoozing in the sun on the verandah....

That's our brother, Morgan... little fellow isn't he?

We snoozed while Dad chopped wood for tonight's fire...

Then we checked out the buds on the trees... this is our fruit that is growing ready to eat in summer. We love fruit! Mum and Dad think they are getting to eat it all but we may have to beat them to the apples, cherries, nectarines and plums...

We stopped off on the way back for a smell of the wattle tree... wattle is everywhere in the Huon Valley at present, it is like a sea of yellow flowers...

And then we checked on our duck family busily looking for food in our yard. Who said we had to share with ducks? Ah well, we think there is plenty to go around here...

And then we finished off watching the sparrows and finches play on the wire fence, darting around with their light wings and pretty sounds...

All of this without even leaving the front gate. Tasmania is beautiful, it seems to know Spring is here as everything living is waking up from the cold.

Enjoy the photos Dad took today... and see some more of his work at www.mootsinkahoots.com

See you tomorrow,
Love, Licks & Woo-woo's
Komika & Dodge xx

Malamutes with Wind

How windy was it in Tasmania last night? It was amazing. Felt like the house was rattling. Mum and Dad spent a lot of time over the weekend planting new fruit trees and luckily this morning they are all still there - although we did think they may end up in Antarctica by today. It was wild! Here's a picture of the amazing sunset we had last night, such beautiful colours we saw laying out on our verandah. Wonder what today holds? A sleep? A run? A treat? We'll keep you posted on how our day turns out in beautiful Tasmania - four seasons in one day!

Love, licks and woo-woo's
Komika & Dodge xx