We are Adrian & Rose Walker and we live in Cheddar, Somerset, nestling at the foot of the Mendip hills. We have been in love with this fantastic breed since 2001 when, after doing lots of homework, we met Roger and Jackie Berry from the Rticmist Kennel.  We were added to the waiting list after going through the vetting process. We waited 18 months for the phone call to say the pups were due and the rest, as they say, is history.

Since then we have become more involved with the breed through working them.  We are members of AMWA (The Alaskan Malamute Working Association) and Adrian has previously served on the committee in various capacities. We have had success in the show ring but it is not where our hearts lie; we believe the dogs should be encouraged to work – after all it is what they were bred for in the first place.

We currently have 5 Alaskan Malamutes, but have owned 7 in total.  Our dogs are as follows:

  CiCi was born during lockdown in 2020 and is Koby’s grand-daughter (see below), daughter to Fergus (Steelhead) and Loopy (Articrainbow).  She is very stubborn but very loving and enjoys taunting the others to get them to play with her.  She also loves lying on the sofa in the conservatory keeping cool in the evenings. She will be included in the working team in the 2021-2022 working season and we hope she will be a good worker, like her brother Loki and sister Kaiya (see below).

  Kaiya was born in 2018 and is sister to CiCi and Loki (see below).  She stole Rose’s heart as a puppy when we went to choose a boy and ended up choosing her.  She has the sweetest nature and loves lots of cuddles.  She is also the hardest-working and fastest of our sled-dog team and she loves nothing more than to work in harness.  She was instrumental in our 4th place at the WSA (World Sled-dog Association) world championships in 2019.  We plan to have a litter from her in 2021, our first litter as a breeding kennel.

Loki was born in 2016 and is son to Fergus (Steelhead) and Loopy (Articrainbow).  Like his sister, Kaiya, he enjoys racing and works hard when in harness.  He also loves his cuddles and is very often to be found on Rose’s lap, sitting bolt upright for a fuss!

    Zeko was born in 2014 and is son to Koby and Peppa (Articrainbow). He is the spitting image of his dad, but much more mischievous, although with a face and temperament like his you’d forgive him everything. He is still part of our working team, although he is just as happy being fussed and lying on the sofa.

    Indi was born in 2012 and is daughter to Koby and Peppa (Articrainbow).  She also loves her cuddles and jumps onto the sofa without invitation!  If she doesn’t feel she is getting enough fuss, she will tell you – and is quite vocal about it!  We first put her in harness for the 2013 season, and she proved to be a good worker alongside Miska (see below), but she retired from racing in 2019.

    Miska (20017-2020) was daughter to Koby and Star (Articrainbow).  She was very loving and enjoyed sitting on the sofa for a cuddle and lying by the side of our bed at night.  She raced with her dad and was a good worker, although she did, on more than one occasion, try and hide when the harnesses were brought out!

  Koby (2004-2015) was our stud dog and he had probably the most laid back nature of any male malamute we know.  He sired three litters and we kept a puppy from each (Miska, Indi and Zeko).  Two of his daughters have gone on to have their own litters and from them we have had Loki, Kaiya and CiCi.  Koby loved nothing more than going for a walk and also enjoyed racing with his daughter, Miska.  He was not the fastest sled dog, but was very strong and would pull well.

    Tikaani (2003-2016) was definitely head of the pack (with the nickname of Duchess!).  She was a very unusual colour, being lighter than most, but was by far the laziest of them all.  She would much prefer a sleep indoors than going for a walk!  She kept the rest of the pack in line and they all deferred to her when necessary.  It is thanks to her discipline that we have the sort of pack we now own.

 

We love nothing more than to take our dogs for walks around the Somerset countryside.  We can also be seen in some forest or other at various points over the racing season chatting with friends.