Why I love my Malamute:  Just one more reason

(A Face-Book Post)

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Today I took a chance on skiing with my Nico.

We have no snow to speak of - mostly ice, crust and bit of poof underneath, in some places.  But when we walked the trails this morning it seemed like I could maybe get a run out of it.

So we took off.  Me and my Nico, my spooky Rescue Nico, also the smartest critter of any species much less breed into whose paws anyone would ever want to put their life.

And I did.  Many times over. But his best save today was when I found myself  headed down a hill, not too steep, but because of the crust, it turned out, fast. Then one ski went through the crust and I got turned sideways and couldn’t get out, but the other one was still on top and going fast. So when the other  popped out I was not where I should have been and was going somewhere worse fast with no control whatsoever.  Then my dog got behind me and I thought oh s....  What’s wrong with him? I’m now headed somewhere bad at speed with no control and now my dog has dropped  behind me?

I reach down  to pull the quick release on my ski-jor belt. Whatever Nico is doing, I don't want him mixed up with me in what is about to come next.  |Then thud: I am brought up short, not sharp enough that I fall, just whoa and stop.  Oh oh! I am afraid: worst case scenario:   my Nico got tangled and gone down and hurt himself.  I turn around and standing there in show stacked  alignment with his harness picture perfect and the line just right tight is my Nico,  facing in exactly the opposite direction.  That dog had executed a perfect 180 keeping the line  just right so as not to tangle then drawn up enough  to stop me in my headlong descent into wearing fence wire, and I don’t mean as  a fashion choice.
 
We all know Malamutes think for themselves.  My Malamute not only thinks for himself, he thinks for me!  Nico came to us a death-row Rescue with an abuse history.  He was totally messed up and terrified of all things human. He is still skittish with strangers and  can’t do crowds, but in the comfort of his home and his own woods he has shown us his mind, his heart, and his spirit. These are incomparable, these are Malamute, and we know ourselves to be greatly blessed.