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Gemini was purchased by my mother as a companion for Bruin shortly after I had picked up Hera from the same breeder. Since Bruin was strictly an outside dog with no other company Gemini was just what he was longing for.

She found an instant friend in Bruin and they quickly formed a strong bond but Gemini found herself torn when he preferred the company of the people who would come and visit. Gemini and Hera have always been a dog's dog and she couldn't understand why Bruin would want to associate with the two legged creatures who took care of them.

Most of the time she would stay away from human company and never got the proper socialization she desperately needed. She was content to be alone but this didn't help when it was time for her to come and live with us. I had thought she would be living with my mother permanently but when she started taking in foster children Gemini proved to be too much for her. As she grew older she became even more antisocial and needed to find a new home.

When I heard that she had nowhere to go (not many people want to take on such a shy dog) I felt obligated to take her in. After all, she was already family being Hera's full sister but if I had known what kind of a challenge she was going to be I might have changed my mind!

Raising a dog from a pup allows me to train them specifically to the rules of our particular kennel but since her puppyhood was spent over at my mothers she had no idea what our rules were and how to react to the things in our day to day kennel life.

The first time I let her off her tie out for some free time with the other dogs she was very hard to catch and it was not long before she picked up a bad habit of running off into the woods. Some times she would run off and not be seen for hours. This behavior was something that could not be allowed to continue. I had no idea what kind of trouble she might get into but I couldn't keep her on her tie out 24 hours a day. Every dog should have the time to interact with their kennel mates, kick up their heels and have a wonderful time.

When I started to think about her behavior and why she was running off when all the other dogs were content to stay in the yard I realized it must have been a trust issue between her and I. This problem will take a while to correct but I see something great in her that I cant explain. I believe her place is here with us, through the good and bad of her behaviors.

A few days ago we tried Gemini on her first official free run out in the flood control. Aquila and Buddy accompanied her and showed the proper way to behave and come when called. The run started out well but as we got further out into the flats she started to go her own way and the distance between us increased. I stuck to my guns and continued traveling with the other two in the proper direction and before long Gemini realized that if she wanted to travel with us she would have to know where we were at all times. This lesson is slow in coming and while she would not let me catch her in the field she did make it home with us and let me catch her once we were back in the dog yard.

I am confident that after a few good runs, and all the running we will do with the sled in a couple of months, that she will come around and agree to play by the rules.

Over the years I have found that running and exercising a dog, or any animal, helps with the bonding process. Just like humans, exercise calms the soul and allows our minds to think clearly. This might not be the cure-all for Gemini but we are adamant about training and working on giving her everything she needs.

Gemini, like her sister Hera, has been very challenging to raise but in doing so I have learned so much. As I train any dogs, they are also training me. In the time I have been with all of them I have discovered an immense amount of patience within myself that I never knew existed before.

I have been lucky enough to take these trips deep into the mind of my dogs focusing on what they are thinking and why. I have always prided myself on selecting the smartest, strongest dogs but at times this can be quite the challenge...

May 2003



			Gemini was purchased by my mother as a companion for Bruin shortly after I had picked up Hera from the same breeder. Since Bruin was strictly an outside dog with no other company Gemini was just what he was longing for. She found an instant friend in Bruin and they quickly formed a strong bond but Gemini found herself torn when he preferred the company of the people who would come and visit. Gemini and Hera have always been a dog's dog and she couldn't understand why Bruin would want to associate with the two legged creatures who took care of them. Most of the time she would stay away from human company and never got the proper socialization she desperately needed. She was content to be alone but this didn't help when it was time for her to come and live with us. I had thought she would be living with my mother permanently but when she started taking in foster children Gemini proved to be too much for her. As she grew older she became even more antisocial and needed to find a new home. When I heard that she had nowhere to go (not many people want to take on such a shy dog) I felt obligated to take her in. After all, she was already family being Hera's full sister but if I had known what kind of a challenge she was going to be I might have changed my mind! Raising a dog from a pup allows me to train them specifically to the rules of our particular kennel but since her puppyhood was spent over at my mothers she had no idea what our rules were and how to react to the things in our day to day kennel life. The first time I let her off her tie out for some free time with the other dogs she was very hard to catch and it was not long before she picked up a bad habit of running off into the woods. Some times she would run off and not be seen for hours. This behavior was something that could not be allowed to continue. I had no idea what kind of trouble she might get into but I couldn't keep her on her tie out 24 hours a day. Every dog should have the time to interact with their kennel mates, kick up their heels and have a wonderful time. When I started to think about her behavior and why she was running off when all the other dogs were content to stay in the yard I realized it must have been a trust issue between her and I. This problem will take a while to correct but I see something great in her that I cant explain. I believe her place is here with us, through the good and bad of her behaviors. A few days ago we tried Gemini on her first official free run out in the flood control. Aquila and Buddy accompanied her and showed the proper way to behave and come when called. The run started out well but as we got further out into the flats she started to go her own way and the distance between us increased. I stuck to my guns and continued traveling with the other two in the proper direction and before long Gemini realized that if she wanted to travel with us she would have to know where we were at all times. This lesson is slow in coming and while she would not let me catch her in the field she did make it home with us and let me catch her once we were back in the dog yard. I am confident that after a few good runs, and all the running we will do with the sled in a couple of months, that she will come around and agree to play by the rules. Over the years I have found that running and exercising a dog, or any animal, helps with the bonding process. Just like humans, exercise calms the soul and allows our minds to think clearly. This might not be the cure-all for Gemini but we are adamant about training and working on giving her everything she needs. Gemini, like her sister Hera, has been very challenging to raise but in doing so I have learned so much. As I train any dogs, they are also training me. In the time I have been with all of them I have discovered an immense amount of patience within myself that I never knew existed before. I have been lucky enough to take these trips deep into the mind of my dogs focusing on what they are thinking and why. I have always prided myself on selecting the smartest, strongest dogs but at times this can be quite the challenge... May 2003



			Over these past few years we have worked with Gemini extensively on the trail and here at home. Every day has been a delight and we have come so far with her. To this day she remains one of the most intriguing dogs in my yard and I love her so much for that. While we don't maintain a relationship like many of the other dogs here, Gemini and I hold a unique bond that is hard to describe. It is unique in a way that I am uncertain if it can ever be duplicated. She still LOVES to play with the other dogs and I can often find her at the bottom of a dog pile while the others pull on her and wrestle. She loves being the chased one, pulled around and yet she is not afraid to tell the others when enough is enough. Boreas especially loves her and cant wait until I let her off her tie out so he can chase her all around the yard. But even though she prefers the company of the other dogs she knows how delightful human fingers can be. It has taken many years for her to feel comfortable approaching me on her own, allowing scratches under her collar and belly rubs. Each year when the dogs shed out their coats Gemini is the first in need of a good brushing but will often hesitate since being in close quarters is still hard for her to do. Some dogs remain aloof, and may always will be... but even though she is not what many would expect in a loving companion we still love her dearly... She retired early for her age but it is our policy that no dog is worked if they don't want to. These past few years she has decided to stay off the trail and out of harness and even though her body is fully capable of pulling and working hard, mentally she decided it was too much stress to be confined within the team. But now that our dog yard has a wonderful fence up she is more than welcome to enjoy free time with the others and delights in the relationships she has built with the dogs. I still miss her presence on the trail and the way she would stop the entire team for me if things got out of hand or if I slipped off the sled during our more challenging runs. But I do so delight in the brief kisses she gives at dinner time. I'm not sure how our ritual came about but one day before I gave out her dinner she reached up and gave me a very quick kiss on the lips, a thank you for the food to come. Its been a habit of ours ever since... July 2009