Meet the Dogs of Wild Root

The Pack

These well traveled Alaskan huskies are the backbone of the team and bring experience, confidence, and enthusiasm with them on every run.

Featured

Bean

Bean comes to us from SP Kennel’s coffee litter. She is a sweetheart and a goofball, and loves cuddles and ear rubs. She is also an expert bone hoarder and has secret stashes all over the yard. After stepping up during a misadventure at the end of her first season with us, Bean has become the team’s main leader, running up front for nearly every mile we’ve traveled over the last four years since.

(Nacho x Olivia) b. 2015

Toad

Toad hails from Ryno Kennel’s Mario Kart litter. He joined our pack in 2019 after spending his yearling year learning the ropes with Ryne’s experienced race dogs. He’s a cautious guy who takes a while to warm up, but solicits lots of affection from the people he trusts. He makes up for his small stature with enthusiasm, and is one of the calmest, steadiest, and most hard working members of the pack.

(Goblin x Ace) b. 2017

(Hai)Ku

Ku, affectionately known as HaiKu these days, is a big powerful boy out of Judy Currier’s kennel in Two Rivers. Even as a yearling, he was driven and focused on every run and never lets his lines slack. For all his serious hard work, this gentle giant is a sweet momma’s boy who will curl up in a lap if given half a chance - even if he doesn’t technically fit.

(Toureg x Cinder) b. 2017

Kona

Kona is full sister to Haiku. She is a little shy around strangers, but cannot give you enough love once you have earned her trust. She’s vocal about her demands for attention in the yard, and a hard driving, powerful girl with endless energy on the trail. She whelped two litters of puppies here at Wild Root, and I couldn't have asked for a better momma dog.

(Toureg x Cinder) b. 2017

Saami

Saami is a ball of energy and enthusiasm for whatever comes his way - be it work in harness, or snuggles on the couch. As a three-month-old puppy, he taught himself to play fetch by watching Ersta. He’s a hard worker and throws his heart into harness, thrives bikejoring and is working on proving himself as a lead dog.

(Caswell x Kenai2) Summer 2018

Sahka

Sahka is the pack sweetheart. Eager to please and happy to climb into your lap for a cuddle, she is confidant in harness and continues to work on her skills as a lead dog, although she is still very tempted to play with her teammates at stops!

(Caswell x Kenai2) Summer 2018

Hanners

Hanners was a thoughtful, serious puppy. She was the first with the focus to dig all the way out of the puppy pen, but after a run-about came home to sit patiently by the front door for me to come home. As a lead dog, she is confident but head-strong about the direction she wants to take the team. When I put her in single lead for the first time in the White Mountains as a two year old, she turned the nine-dog team around to come find me, after I lost them while trying to care for an injured team-mate. She is a legend in the making.

(Bailey x Zig) Fall 2018

Taz

Taz has a sweet, earnest nature that wins over everyone who meets her. Her puppy klutz ways didn't cause her to miss a beat on her high energy romps and first runs. Incredibly social, she was the only puppy to figure out how to escape from the play-yard, and used her secret to go visiting her aunties and uncles at every opportunity her first winter. She continues to attempt to fill the Lead Dog Booties, but her ADHD (#relatable) has kept her in swing position for most of her career so far.

(Supai x Izzy) Fall 2018

Link

This hunk of love is the biggest boy in the yard, towering above his dad and brother. Any time I need low-gear power in deep powder or brutally steep climbs he delivers, unwavering. He’s a old-soul, gentle and calm, and enjoys quiet evenings snuggling by the fire as much as running beside his siblings in the mountains.

(Saami x Kona) September 2019

Bolt

Hailing from our very own Hardware Failure Litter, Bolt sports the deep red-and-black coat and cuddly personality of his dad. He’s an enthusiastic young dog with a steady, solid drive and sweet disposition. Always ready for a gentle snuggle or a long peaceful run, Bolt is a go-to wheel dog for his consistent power and positive attitude.

(Saami x Kona) September 2019

Swivel

This snuggle muffing will win your heart, and then turn around to steal your pillow. She is all business on the line, and brings nearly as much power as her brothers with her into harness. But give her a crack at the comforter, and she's as likely to steal your spot in bed as pull you up that mountain.

(Saami x Kona) September 2019

Flint

This Big Friendly Giant is a goofy, soft-hearted love. He spends much of his spare time learning to imitate the noises of the forest animals around the kennel. This budding linguist is becoming proficient in Fox and Squirrel, and has recently taken up Ermine. Still a ball of chaos at hook-up, he is beginning to settle down and demonstrate what a powerhouse he will become as he matures.

(Cedar x Kona) April 2022

Seven

The second-smallest puppy from the Make Your Own Luck litter, Seven caught up and passed all but two of his siblings for size and is proving a calm, steady presence on the line. This wolfy boy is lanky and fast, and his soulful eyes hark back to the deep Hedlund roots in those bones.

(Cedar x Kona) April 2022

Rabbit

Rabbit scaled the puppy pen at six months, and jumped the seven foot dog yard fence from a standing start two months later. But by then it was too late to rename her. She's a smart, thoughtful girl (subtext: trouble!!) with a strong personality but the charm to fool kennel visitors into giving her all of the treats in their pockets, every time.

(Cedar x Kona) April 2022

Couch Hounds

These canines are dedicated to their job of holding hold down the fort and keeping the pillows warm for our return, but are always excited to join us on adventures when they can.

Featured

Pico

Old Soul Pico is the golden dog and grumpy uncle of the kennel, a favorite of the puppies. He tried his hand as a sled dog, but was ultimately much better suited to holding down the couch and accompanying his humans on road trips and slower-paced backpacking adventures. He spends his winter days alternating between the couch and the stove hearth, but is always, always up for the zoomies.

b. 2008

Willie

Willie is an experienced leader hailing from SP Kennel. A veteran of multiple Iditarod and Yukon Quest races, he was our main puppy trainer and is enjoying a mellow retirement helping Pico hold down the couch. Willie is a happy, mellow guy who is just as enthusiastic leading the team across the mountains as he is waking up from a nap in the summer sun.

(Oddball x Chacha) 2008 - 2024

Former Teammates

As we have grown as a kennel, some dogs have gone to live with other teams, with friends as skijoring dogs, or are happily retired to the couches of long-time supporters. We miss each one, and look forward to updates about their new lives and adventures.

Featured

Tinder

Tinder hails from SP Kennel’s fire litter. A veteran of both the Iditarod and Yukon Quest, he was Wild Root’s primary lead dog for our first three years. He is a vocal guy, and an all-around happy, friendly, sweet boy who loves playtime with his buddies.

Tinder has retired to the home of a long-time fan from his days at SP kennel, joining several of his siblings. He spends his days enjoying treats, sunshine, creek swims, and fun runs through the Adirondacks with is new pack.

(Nacho x Olivia)

Savannah

Savannah comes to us from Happy Jack Kennel. A beautiful girl from Osmar lines, she’s feisty and bossy in the yard, and the most vocal and enthusiastic at the start of every run. She carries a lot of lot of power in her solid little frame, and is a steady, dependable team member on the trail.

Savannah has gone to live with our friend Mercy and join her on wild remote skijoring adventures to places as far flung as the Porcupine River (and we are so jealous!)

Nulato

Nulato comes from Happy Jack Kennel in Cantwell. With an Osmar/trapline pedigree, she is tiny but mighty in harness. She is out to prove that there is no such thing as too many belly rubs, and would love for you to join her in this campaign.

Nulato has gone to live with our friend Mercy and join her small pack on wild remote skijoring adventures to places as far flung as the Porcupine River (and we are so jealous!)

Bethel

Bethel came to us from Happy Jack Kennel in Cantwell. Sired by Jeff King’s Barnum, she is a first-cousin to yearling Hanners. A tall, reserved girl, she loves mellow ear rubs and butt scratches at home, but thrives on steep, challenging trail, pounding her harness to keep climbing if we take a break before the top. After four years as a core team member, Bethel let us know she was interested in more small-group adventures and joined our friend Christine and her retired sled-dog Fuel on runs, hikes, bikejors and skijors on roads and trails all over Alaska. She’s enjoying a very active retirement with all the TLC a dog could wish for!

Mako

Mako hails from Ryno Kennel’s shark litter. He’s a big, powerful guy with sweet temperament and turned into an incredible puppy trainer and one of the most reliable, hardworking dogs on the team. Mako developed a chronic injury that prevented him from continuing to work with us, and he is enjoying an early retirement as a family couch-hound and clinic mascot at the primary care office where one of his new humans works. His side-gig as a master-excavator continues unabated in their yard.

(Goblin x Yam)

Gypsy

Gypsy spent three years with with our team, proving an incredible boost power and some of the best full-body hugs a musher could wish for. She has moved to a different tour kennel to enjoy even more snuggles with visitors from around the world.

Zeya

Zeya is the happy, go-lucky pup, and sister to Taz. She loves to irritate the older dogs until they give in to chase, and always has a huge husky grin on her face. She’s always got an opinion about what’s going on in the yard, and is not shy to let everyone know about it! She sometimes runs up at the front of the team, but needs a confident buddy alongside to help keep her focused.

(Supai x Izzy) Summer 2018

Latch

Sweet little Latch is the smallest of the Hardware puppies. She’s a solid, happy little team dog, always ready to go, give kisses and hugs, scarf down her food and head out on another adventure. Latch recently took an opportunity to race with Northern Lone Star Mushing in Two Rivers!

(Saami x Kona) September 2019

For more photos and videos of the team and their travels, visit the gallery.