I am deeply convinced that siberian huskies can be both very fast and sustainable dogs – if only these qualities are highly prioritized in breeding.Read more Breedline
I´m that kind of person who always goes all in. When I bought my first huskies in 2004 it was already written in the stars; a pack, a sleddog team and a small place to live in the woods.Read more Marlene
The females are the core of the Yabasta pack, both in the team as well as in breeding. The typical Yabasta female is highly energic, hot headed with good angulation in front and great elasticity in rear.Read more Females
I have felt like training was a little bit off through the fall. I put a lot of energy into building large kennels for the dogs and tried to keep somewhat a continuity with training every second or third day. The past month, we finally got to extend distances and start, what I feel like, the real training. We are about 500 km behind our regular schedule at the moment so I cancelled Vildmarksracet. Will really miss it though, it’s one of my favourite competitions! Instead we signed up to run in Åsarna. This is a historical arena that now is opening up again. So, our first competition will be 8-dog sprint in Åsarna, to start up the dogs with an adjusted distance and in a way also as a memory of Mats Eriksson who was a great 8-dog sprintrunner and whos lines are one of the foundation lines of the Yabasta kennel.
So tonight we went to Lillholmsjö for a shorter and faster run. The weather has turned and temperature is starting to fall, finally. The dogs rested yesterday and seemed to have gained quite some energy. The plan was at first to run two times 8 km but as I felt the dogs doing really good though higher speed than normal, I quickly changed the plan and chose to finish the training after 8 km only. These sessions are more a mental adjustment than a physical and I believe it can make the dogs even more excited finishing training with lots of energy left 🙂 Tomorrow we go back to regular training, though, trying to brake our second 40+ km for the season 🙂
I knew I would need to rehome a few dogs this year.. Team was speeding up and the situation started to be impossible to solve in a way where every dog could fully be satisfied. Finally Folke and Pila found their way to loving homes where I’m certain they get the best out of life ❤️
9. Meeting Dallas Seavy
I guess I’ve never been as star struck as this moment..
My
8. Breeders education
I finally got the possibility to attend the Swedish kennel club’s education for breeders!
7. A great team
Day before Christmas we had a fast 22 km run on great trails and I enjoyed every second of running my own smooth and fast team.
6. Welcome home, Sonic
Due to changes in life, I got the possibility to take back Sonic to the team. As a breeder, I’m truly grateful to have both trained and competed with all five puppies from the first Yabasta litter!
5. Shit talk
Finally I got someone to talk with about one of my favorite subjects – shit – when I was recruited to the kollamasken-team who are scientists and nerds on worms and parasites!
4. World championships
Running the world championships was one of the coolest things ever! I really want to do that again!
3. Moving to the mountains
Finally taking the step, pack all dogs and move to the mountains was scary as hell but we made it and I’m so happy for that!
2. Vildmarksracet part 1
Starting out Vildmarksracet with my own five dogs and three borrowed alaskans was one of the races I will never forget. We were practically flying! That was the perfect race in my eyes, my goal is to run just like that!
1. Puppies
The happiest time ever, I got to spend together with these small fur balls. Finally my dreams came true, not only to breed my two favorite individuals but also to experience a birth and litter free from complications.
Last, but not least, I wish to thank our sponsors for this year, especially Camilla at Qurts, Tobias and Sara at Swedish Centerlines, Mia at Royal Canin and Bitte at kollamasken!
With a dog, you’re never alone. For the first time we spend Christmas at home with friends and sled dog adventures! Wish you all guys a Merry Christmas!
The Black Powder puppies are now starting to be really active and exploring the world. This is how we have started to build a solid ground foundation for them to cope with the future situations they will meet as competing sleddogs.
I had one of those moments today.. When the whole world stops turning. The puppies had their first time outside the puppy box.. I was just sitting there, absorbing the smell, the sounds, the beautiful small creatures exploring the new world around them. I had my camera in my right hand, just pulling of a few photos now and then while my whole mind was filled with that moment of total joy. One of my happiest moments in life ❤
Yabasta Black Powder ….. (“tvåan”)Yabasta Black Powder Colt (stays at kennel Yabasta)Yabasta Black Powder BoltYabasta Black Powder NinyaYabasta Black Powder ….. (“sexan”)Yabasta Black Powder Sniper (stays at kennel Yabasta)Yabasta Black Powder RocketYabasta Black Powder Bullet (stays at kennel Yabasta)
Now the time finally came to welcome the Yabasta Black Powder litter to the world. Those of you who followed Yabasta for some while, know that we have waited a long time for this litter to become reality. For me, this was not only a dream coming true, but also a way to push myself to face my greatest fear. The first (and only) Yabasta-litter was a trip through my worst nightmares with the mother almost dying and the loss of four beautiful puppies..
Bolt, the first born puppy. A fudge coloured male.
The water broke just before 14.00 last friday. My had been restless and wanted me to be close to her during the whole week, but friday was especially intense. She refused food and had a hard time resting. I was hesitating, not knowing when or how the delivery would begin. You can read all the books in the world and I read plenty of them last time – yet I couldn’t see that something was wrong. This time, I had nightmares over and over again during the last weeks. It scared me deeply, the thought of me doing something wrong and risking both My and the puppies lifes..
But the water broke. And before I knew it, he was there..
Experienced mother My resting..
His name is Bolt. The firstborn. I didn´t even see him coming. When I took a peek to check on My, suddenly there he was. And I cried. The surprise as well as the relief shook my whole body. We made it the whole way. Now they finally were coming.
Three small boys, eager for mommys milk..
It went fast, the first hour. I presented some food and water to My and she rested and recovered with her small one close to her. There was hardly one hour until she started to take deep breaths again. After minutes, or it might even have been seconds, he was there. The second male. His small nose urging for air. Of this I had read in the book. There can be water in his nose. With My’s permission, I carefully lifted him up and put his face to my mouth. A short sip and a salty liquid landed on my tongue. Now he could breed. The feeling was amazing.
The first puppies started to dry..
I just needed to sit there and watch. My had litters before and proved herself to be a wonderful mother. Now I could experiense that for myself. One after another, the puppies came. No complications, just My working herself through the delivery bit by bit. Me presenting her with food and water. Trying to update my closest friends, combined with a overwhelming feeling of gratitude. Piece by piece, the fear loosened up. At nine in the evening, seven puppies were born. They were just about the same size, and all of them eager to eat. Five males and two females.
On saturday morning there was a surprise..
I woke up from a deep sleep and went to check on My. She rested calmly with the small ones close to her. One, two, three.. Four, five, six and seven. And eight?! I couldn’t believe my eyes. There was another puppy! A dark brown male, born during the night.
Sleeping close to mommy..The fourth pup was born with a shout! His name will be Ninja.The dark brown girl came as number five. Her name will be Bullet.The fudge-coloured girl came as number seven. Her name will be Sniper.Eat, sleep, repeat!Bullet.. I can’t believe those small paws will be racing one day..The eighth puppy surprised me. A dark and healthy male.
There has now been a week since the small ones were born. They are all growing. The first days, My didn’t want to leave the bed at all. Now she has started to take short walks between the feeding hours. There has been a few critical moments. She refused food two times. And the past days the temperature in the room have dropped. I could see that My had tore up the bottom blanket in her bed. Took me some time to realize she wanted to cover her puppies to keep them warm. I presented a blanket to her and raised the temperature in the room. Soon, she was satisfied.
I have always had a great respect, an admiration, for My. She has been, and still is, a great sleddog with more experiense than most. Spending this first week with her as a mother, has taught me so much. I have learned things from her that will be my strength for the rest of my life! My love for her has only deepened. I´m hoping so much to have her many years to come. And I’m incredibly greatful to have her as foundation in the Yabasta breedline. Ulveheia’s My.
The siberian husky rarely fight and I try to avoid buildning hierarchies in the pack. I slowly work for the dogs to interact and work in a good way together. But this time I failed..
