C E L E B R I T Y
Were you fond of pets since childhood?
Yes! We had cats and I volunteered at the
local animal shelter. I leaned cages and
walked dogs. I worked on a dairy farm
taking care of baby cows from the age of
9-11. Those were the happiest years of my
childhood! rescue and rehabilitate.
We are not like your typical kennel. Our
training is all positive and natural, keeping
the dogs very happy. The dogs that do not
make it to the racing team stay to run tours
or we find a nice place for them that can
recognise their needs and talents.
What pets do you have at home?
I still have Ethan with me. He is now 16 years
old and another husky mix named Maudie.
Sometimes retired sled dogs come to the
house as well. We also have two bunnies for
our daughters. We aim to educate and teach what is
now considered a lost skill or dying lifestyle
by bringing groups of like-minded people,
schools and touring visitors into our kennel
and teaching them about training, care,
racing and all around mushing. The races
are visible and easy for people to follow
and a great platform for us to teach others
about making positive changes within the
sport.
How did your family members react to your
new job?
My mother was very supportive when I told
her I was moving to Alaska. She knew I was
looking for a change and was excited to
see me so passionate about something I
truly believed in. Most importantly, she loves
dogs and we share the same affinity
towards animals.
In what ways has your life changed since
you got involved with animal welfare?
I have lots of responsibilities now if you think
about it! I went from being a single girl to a
kennel owner of 50 dogs, a wife and now a
mother of two young children (5 years old
and 3 months old.) I spend a lot of my time
outside working with the animals.
On Friday nights, instead of being out with
girl friends, I am most likely found on a sled
running my team under the moonlight
through the mountain terrain. I have to
work hard to pay for this lifestyle with dogs.
We train full-time with the dogs to prepare
them for racing. We rescue dogs and
rehabilitate them here; we run the kennel
like a business - daily hours, routines and
schedules. It involves keeping a good
record on training miles, dog’s personal
history and lineage. My working week is not
less than 60 plus hours a week!
What are the aims of “The Crazy Dog Ken-
nel”?
We aim to have successful racing each
year! The Crazy Dog Kennel is quite small
compared to its competitors. Yet, we feel
proud of ourselves that we aim to make a
difference in the lives of each dog we train,
We want to see all the dogs trained in a
positive way. The races make our kennel
visible to the world on a global level. We
also aim to build an indoor facility here on
our property for education and rescue but
need to raise more money first through
private donors or sponsors.
What triggered your interest in the Iditarod
race?
That is the only race I had ever heard
about. It receives the most media attention
out of all the races. I was intrigued because
the idea of camping with the dogs in the
wilderness, running long distances and
running over varied terrain was interesting.
Running day and night seemed like a great
adventure! The Iditarod race offers
mushers a 9-12 day trip across Alaska with
some of the world’s best dog teams and
drivers. What a grand way to travel!
How do you feel about the stereotype that
women cannot compete in mushing races?
There are definitely more men than women
in this sport. I do like to prove that women
can do anything they set their heart and
mind on to! I was just thinking I could do it
just as good as the men when I first started
12 years ago. My mother always told me I
could do or be anything I set out to be. She
was right. So I set no limits on myself. Ever!
I just kept faith, worked hard and always
kept trying. It was like one foot in front of
the other.