ADOPT ME PLEASE!

FYI: Please note that for us, the most important part of an adoption is finding the right dog for the right person but we very much hope that people consider first, either our oldies or those who would be put down on other farms for medical reasons. These dogs would make strong companion pets and would, I believe, have a better life if they could retire to a sofa.

All of the dogs that we consider to be suitable for adoption have spent time indoors and are either completely or nearly 100% house trained. All are open and friendly towards people, although those in the 'special needs' section need experienced owners for various reasons.

Click on the name of the dog you are interested in, to find out more detailed information about them. The dogs are listed in priority adoption order within each category.

Alternatively, take a picture of our QR code and get our 'adoption-ready' app which gives a lot more information about the dogs. Please note, however, that we really do have a 'top priority' list that we are trying to find homes for, first.

Please send all adoption enquiries to [email protected].


READY FOR A SOFA


The dogs listed here have worked hard all of their lives and deserve a bit more constant pampering than we can give them in their retirement.

BONO
TENGRI
GRUMPY
TROUBLE
PINKY
ADOPTION APP

SHY DOGS


We have a number of shy oldies that will probably spend the rest of their lives with us since they are not the dogs that people immediately fall in love with, when they visit. We feel that each of the ones that we have highlighted here, however, have the potential to do well in the right home setting.

JANI
MINNIE
MULLERS
PEKKI
TIMON
LEON

SPECIAL NEEDS


These dogs would make great pets with the right people but would need experienced handlers for different reasons.

KERI
SODA
RONNIE

PRACTICAL ASPECTS OF ADOPTION

It is pretty easy for anyone living in Scandinavia to adopt one of our dogs and if you are looking for a certain type of dog (one that can run with you or one that is good with kids, etc), please do get in touch. We have other dogs than those shown here, that are just not in as much need of a new home as the ones shown here, but which might be perfect for you. Even if they haven't made it to the 'top priority list, if we find the perfect match for you, we would rather that they go to the ideal home than that they stay running, here, if they are not that great as working sled dogs or if they are already on a reduced running plan.

For those living overseas, it can be quite complicated, expensive and time-consuming to sort out the inoculations and paperwork needed to get the dog ready to travel. However, it is not totally impossible and, as you can ready on the lucky dogs page, we have dogs who have moved as far away as Colorado and New York as well as quite a few who have travelled to the UK or Central Europe.

More information about how to travel through Scandinavia into other European Countries overland or further afield, eg using a pet-transfer company, can be found here.


DOGS THAT ARE READY FOR ADOPTION


Bono (1st August 2007)

Bono, Madonna, Princess and Cloud were the first litter to come to us. We got Cloud and Princess first, since they were being fostered on one farm for Christmas and Bono and Madonna were being fostered on another. We were never sure if it was the level of interaction that the pups got on the respective farms or their inbuilt characters (or the fact that Cloud and Princess were a couple of months younger, still, when they came to us), but Bono and Madonna were never as confident as their siblings and never as demanding of attention. That doesn't mean that they don't love it, though. They very much do.

Bono got relatively little attention compared to the others for the first few years of his life. He was the quiet 'no-nonscence' one of the four that was by far the best sleddog. Brave enough and smart enough and dependable enough to lead whilst Cloud was hit and miss and grumpy, Madonna nervous and Princess, a prima donna.

When he was c. 3 we noticed that one of his eyes was clouding over and he was diagnosed with panus, which is an auto-immune response that is common with sleddogs. If untreated, the cloud would make him become blind but since we caught it early on, we were able to largely reverse its affects and we keep it at bay with daily drops / ointments.

There is obviously a cost associated with this but it is not a large one. Otherwise, Bono is super easy and a normal healthy older male. He will enjoy being your one-on-one dog but would also be totally happy if you have another dog around for company.


Tengri (1st Nov. 2008)

Tengri is a total sweet-heart. He is a gentle old man who would never say boo to a goose. We have him near the top of our priority list for adoption even though there are a number of older dogs in need, purely because he needs to be fed hypoallergenic food quite strictly or he gets cracks in the skin of his feet and sores around his eyes etc. Whilst we manage the special food at feeding times without problem, new guides seem to always forget that this also applies to post-running soups in winter. And, whenever they get it wrong, it is Tengri that suffers with his body once more trying to cope with an allergen.

Tengri has spent a lot of time indoors - mostly with a cone on his head to prevent him from worrying his sore feet so being indoors hasn't really been much of a joy to him...it has always been about just stabilising him and then getting him back in a good enough condition to put him back outside. Tengri isn't a very needy dog so he sometimes gets bypassed when there are cuddles available but he certainly enjoys gentle cuddles. He is happy and content with whatever focused attention he can get.

I believe that Tengri could be happy in a house without another dog. He doesn't have a huge amount of energy to burn off...he could quite easily become a couch potatoe at this time in his life. Just please don't get his food wrong!


Grumpy (1st December 2007)

Grumpy is a total sweetheart who desperately wants a sofa and 'her' person that will give her constant cuddles.

Ideal new home: Grumpy is not fussy...she just wants a family that will totally love her and relish her. She is happy with children or without so long as there is someone who will want to focus on her. She is very sweet and a little needy for attention. She was probably designed to be a house dog. It would break our hearts a little to let her go but it would break our hearts a little more for her to not have access to the sofa she so desperately craves. I also know that constant love and sofa access is what she would love at this point in her life.
How would she deal with being alone during a working day: Grumpy should be fine, she has not been tested alone (of course) but has never been known to chew or damage anything inside the house. Obviously most of our dogs would be happier in a house with additional dog and Grumpy, Trouble and Pinky would of course be happy together but at this point, a sofa is probably a higher priority. Grumpy is completely house trained.
To what extent can she still do canicross in summer / go skijoring with me in winter? Grumpy is a strong healthy adult for her age and will enjoy walks once she realises that the sofa is there to stay.


Trouble (1st December 2007)

I wrote a lot about the three little soulful sisters in the section on Grumpy but I would say that Trouble is the least needy of the three. They earned their nicknames 'Trouble' and 'Grumpy' when they were adolescents but they never really deserved those names as adults. Trouble will loyally bond to you once she knows that she is yours to be with forever. She is the perfect mix of fun and quietfulness.


Pinky (1st December 2007)

I wrote a lot about the three little soulful sisters in the section on Grumpy but I would say that Pinky is the one that still has the most energy and is the most 'full of life' and the craziness that is in it. She will LOVE you to pieces but I am sure that she would settle down and just focus all of that energy on you, in a forever home. With her excited nature, Pinky has always been more on the lean side than her sisters. She would probably benefit from being on a sensi-plus diet since I think she produces stomach acids from excitement at times, and sometimes has a yelp moment when you touch her stomach. But this isn't a big deal. I thnk she is also fine on normal food.


SHY DOGS


Jani (Dec 2007)

Jani has not run the past few seasons because of a chronic limp. He is not able to run the same distances as the other working dogs without hurting himself, and would be better off finding a couch to live on. Spending most of his days inside now, Jani is a bit timid and slightly difficult compared to Merlin2 in his behaviour. He is mostly frightened of men and new people, hence better off with women and it will take time to grow a relationship with him. For this reason it would be nicer for him to be in a quiet, peaceful environment with just a few people. He is otherwise low-maintenance and really just looking for a place and family to call home.

Jani is prone to limping since his wrists are not quite strong enough to support his gangly legs and frame. He would have a far better quality of life in a house with normal levels of exercise. For that reason, however, he wouldn't be a good candidates for a household looking for a husky to go running long distances with.

Ideal new home: A quiet, peaceful home with a soft couch or dog bed one or two cuddly human being(s), without too much activity. Jani might be scared of children and other loud pets but is very sweet with puppies.
How would he deal with being alone during a working day: He has spent a lot of time inside, should be fine once he is comfortable in the new environment.
To what extent can he still do canicross in summer / go skijoring with me in winter? Would be better not to, his limping can get pretty bad (also not a young dog). If you do go very slow and easy.


Minnie & Mighty (Sept 2008)

Minnie and Mighty (both sisters who came to us as rescue dogs at c. 8 months of age) do well on a reduced running plan and therefore would probably be fine, 90% of the time, running or walking to the same level, or more, than most households with dogs. However, they are both very shy little dogs that would need special handling. For that reason, I debated as to whether to put them, rather, into the 'special needs' category. These scared little muts were unbelievably good sleddogs in their day, whereas Patapov, for instance, was always pretty useless. There is a surprising amount of 'zest for life' behind their fearful demeanours.

Minnie & Mighty come from a litter who are all fairly timid around people. Minnie is the bolder of the two, still requiring time and patience to get comfortable around you. However, she will eventually curl up in your bed and let you stroke her. Mighty is the smallest and shiest of their whole litter, and would rather find the furthest corner of a couch or room to sleep than near people. When touched she tends to freeze up and mostly wait for it to be over. However, the small improvements we have seen in her sisters mean that she has potential as well.

All of the dogs from this litter are prone to limping and they would have a far better quality of life in a house with normal levels of exercise since the distances that the working dogs should ideally be comfortable running, are too much for these little girls.

Ideal new home: Hopefully together so that they can gain confidence from each other (if able to adopt a third sister this would be even better for them). Somewhere calm with patient owners who are not expecting to see immediate results.
How would they deal with being alone during a working day: Having spent some time inside, the girls know what the rules are for the most part but should not be trusted in the beginning. If too nervous or excited either one might still pee inside, and Mighty is known for swallowing objects.
To what extent can they still do canicross in summer / go skijoring with me in winter? You would need to watch them carefully for limping. Not really the ideal dogs for this, would be better as house pets who get regular walks.


Mullers (Sep. 2008)

Although Mullers is shy at first, he does warm up tothe guides here. We think he may be a "one person" dog. Once just one person is feeding and walking him, we feel he will become a very loyal dog to his new owner. He is not so good with other dogs, and we feel this comes from a lack of self confidence. This may well improve after some time with one owner and gaining more self assurance.

Ideal new home: A calm house with no other dogs.
How would he deal with being alone during a working day: He would probably be fine alone in the day and have a good snooze
To what extent can he still do canicross in summer / go skijoring with me in winter? He loves to run, but he can sore elbows or shoulders. So he can run and pull, just not too far and with careful monitering.


Pekki (Mar.2007)

Pekki secretly likes to be stroked. He is unsure and shy about it at first, but he enjoys it. He is a dog that will slow a sleigh team down. He seems to be keen on running, just not pulling. With care and attention, Pekki could make a great house dog. Though he may be a bit too shy to live with young children.

Ideal new home: A calm house with or without dogs.
How would he deal with being alone during a working day: At first, Pekki may not be able to stay alone all day, but if he started being alone for a short time and then had that time alone increased gradually, he could be happy.
To what extent can he still do canicross in summer / go skijoring with me in winter? He can do these sports, though he may not pull so well .Which would make him good for a learner.


Timon (March 2007)

Timon nearly got an adoption opportunity last year but then, unfortunately, he developed a large swelling on his neck which needed weeks of investigation and he missed his chance. The swelling was either a form of hyperplasia or a lymphoma but it is currently not being treated (although a hypothyroid condition, which is fairly common in sleddogs, which was discovered at the same time, through blood work, is treated daily with low-cost pills).

Timon was very shy when we arrived at the farm, but he has a strong natural play instinct which was only just hidden under the shy demeanour he had learned to show. For instance, right from the beginning he would bark and wag his tail at you to get your attention but then when you would go over to him, he would run away and when you had finally given up on him coming to you and started to leave his circle, he would run after you and maybe even nip your bottom to say 'come back...give me another chance!'. We put him on the front row of the farm for a while and he got a lot braver after a season of being approached by clients with treats so now he is at the stage at which he will come forward to sniff even a stranger's hand (in case they have treats) and he plays comfortably and lovingly with the guides.

He is a large, fluffy and gorgeous dog but even though he is definitely at the easy end of our spectrum when it comes to interaction with other dogs, he doesn't necessariy like every male dog so we would need to check how he would be in a household with other dogs.

Ideal new home: A house with calm people, so he does not get too excited.
How would he deal with being alone during a working day: We believe Timon would be ok during the day, especially with a dog bed or sofa to relax on.
To what extent can he still do canicross in summer / go skijoring with me in winter? Timon does enjoy working and would be enthusiatic to do these sports.


Leon (July 2006)

This is Leon, almost hidden by the fireweed garden around his kennel 🌷
For many years in a row, he was our #1 top runner at Hetta Huskies.
Now that he is 12, some youngsters are on the podium.
He ran more than 21000km in his life. 🐾

If anyone would like to offer him a soft sofa for his retirement, we believe that this gentle old man would make an awesome companion...


SPECIAL NEEDS DOGS


Keri (2006)

KERI WOULD BE SUITABLE FOR AN EXPERIENCED HANDLER ONLY

Keri could only go to an experienced dog handler. His behaviour is unpredictable and has improved inconsistently during his time here. We believe that he would do great with an owner that can put the effort into their relationship, but this may require a lot of work.

Keri is extremely intelligent and obedient (though grudgingly so), but behaves unpredictably in different environments. Generally he is timid with people, though he has a calculating and interested look in his eyes the whole time. If you do manage to catch him, and stroke him in a calm, confident manner he does eventually enjoy it. Often it helps if you have something to distract him as you approach him. Keri hates being surprised or touched lightly (have had to massage him for stiffness in joints), and has often nipped guides out of fear or surprise. In the line he gets overexcited and clips his teeth together while barking, often scaring the other dogs (and people). Currently living in a small running fence with an easy dog (Pegasos - could potentially also be persuaded for adoption), Keri appears happy and engaged, coming up to sniff your hand. In the right environment and with the right person we think Keri could make a lovely companion, but creating a real relationship with him requires a long time commitment.

Ideal new home: Somewhere peaceful and quiet with calm and experienced dog people, would probably be better in a home without children or other pets (unless he gets along with the other dog, in which case it might be better for him).
How would he deal with being alone during a working day: Would need to be watched closely in the beginning. Keri is old and not high-energy but still strong. He has not spent a lot of time inside the house, appeared frightened at first by all the new things but eventually settled down and came to enjoy receiving more attention.
To what extent can he still do canicross in summer / go skijoring with me in winter? He would probably be quite good, still a strong boy but is getting quite stiff which needs to be watched out for.

Keri is a little unpredictable and can snap if stressed. Pasi is unsure about the wisdom of letting him be adopted. On the other hand, he does enjoy people and being inside. He would do better in a home with another dog. Soda has doggy asthma / slight laryngeal paralysis. I am sure we could have found a home for him as a pup but he was one of the most crazy pups we have ever seen.


Soda (July 2014)

Soda is not an aggressive dog but he is huge and high-energy, often frightening other dogs. Similar to asthma in humans, he was born with a respiratory problem from the larynx causing wheezing during exercising or excitement (laryngeal paralysis probable). For this reason we do not run him further than 4km distances with the other huskies. With the right handler Soda would make a lovely companion: he is overly affectionate and wants nothing more than to please you, but does not understand his own size or strength. On the lead Soda has a tendency to lunge forward and run around in wide circles, though if you can get him to walk next to you he just looks up at you and does not pull (until he forgets and lunges forward again). As long as you can get him to understand what you want he is obedient, but his attention span appears similar to someone with ADHD. As he is still growing into adultood now would be a good time to find Soda a home where he would get the attention, training, and love that he needs.

Ideal new home:With people that are able to handle such a huge, strong, and high-energy dog. Most other dogs get frightened or defensive with him, has one dog on this farm he has lived with consistently without problems (Moscow).
How would he deal with being alone during a working day: Soda is still quite young and has improved inside the house over his time here. He used to pee whenever he got too excited, now is more in control of his bladder and better house-trained but needs to be watched inside the house at the start, could easily break things. Has short fur so better inside if living in a cold environment (Eurohound heritage on father's side).
To what extent can he still do canicross in summer / go skijoring with me in winter? Difficult to do anything other than hiking because of his strength and lunging in circles, but definitely needs exercise as long as he is given breaks to monitor his breathing.



Ronnie

Ronnie is the son of a Pyrenean Mastif and an Alaskan Husky mother. As such, he combines the best of both worlds and is quite a big boy. He adores cuddles and isn't a great sleddog. In fact, he was rescued from Valimaa to save him being put down.

In the summer of 2019, we didn't think Ronnie had too long left. He had a couple of episodes in which he 'blew up' with bloat and has needed to have the air released (with a needle). This is often indicative of a tumour on an organ like the spleen even though we didn't find anything when we ultrasounded. If someone still wanted to take Ronnie at this point in his life, it could literally be as a hospice offer to give him as nice a last few months as possible. (In-between the bloat episodes he is happy and enjoying life so we do not believe he is ready to be put down quite yet). Obviously we are not expecting anyone to really offer to take a dog that might have only weeks or months to live but we have kept him here just in case.