The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1948-11-18
Alaskan Sled DOGS Raised In
Libby, Interesting Project

Most people are under the i'm
preston that these dogs are vicious
bloOothirsty creatures; but thC
truth is that they are the one dos
the army could not teach to at
tack man.
The foregoing statement was
made by Bert Hamlin of Libby wro
was discussing the Alaskan sled
dog, a breed which he is raising
in his Sled Dog Kennels at Libby.
Mr.. Hamlin's interest in the Alaska
sled dog came about when he and
his sons, Gene and Harold spent
the summer and fall of l947 work
ing for construction company IN
Alaska. While there they made an
intensive study of the working dog
of the North.
On their return to Montana MI.
Hamlin bought a registered Male
mute, Chez Chez. The Malemute
is strain produced from breeding
the Siberian wolf with a domestic
dog. Chez Chee's dog strain
comes from the noted St. Bernard
breed of life saving dogs She has
had two litters of puppies sired by
Silver, the big Malemute belonging
to d. A. Bollinger of Libby. Half
Of each litter have the fifth or
wolf claw on their hind feet.
This claw is inherited from their
wolf blood, that animal using this
extra claw for tearing purposes :
while fighting Half of the puppies
are males and half females Another |
interesting feature about each of |
hese litters of eight, stated Ham
in, IS that half are white and F..
lalf are silver cOlOred
Six of the Ham lin dogs, includ
ne Chez Chez, the mother have
,een broken to the harness. The
1amlins use them with a miniature
overed wagon equipped with rub
er tired ball-bearing WheelbarroW
wheels The young dogs were early
aught to wear the harness, and
lhen hitched to their wagon, will
raVel at a trOt which covers about
inc miles an hour After about
i've miles when first starting the ,
OgS require a drink of water.
rom then on their endurance ap-
ears to be untiring. The five pups I
yhich compose the team are named I
lueen, Checna, ToSka. Duke and |
4
ne team. The lead dog is reSpon- f
bile for the entire team She takes4E
le orders for starting, stopping and
Irning to right or left etc. The t
,am is guided entirely by verbal
but for added safety in a
affic, the Hamin team also have G
mes attached to their harness by c.
hich they may be. controlled. Ham
I starts his team with the words, 1
Ok" and stops it with the familiar v
Whoa" Right and left turns are
ven by Gee" and "Haw" respec-
yely. y
The Libby dog man whose. sled II
gS recently received a half page ~
pictures and text in the Spokes--M
ln-Review, stated that the Male t li'
lite is very fine household dog. ~
ing gentle, easy to teach and eco p
mlcal to feed each of his dogs -
assuming daily a can of dog food !
a small amount of bread and Oe
Tx. The dogs are nice about the dIl
ice, he said, adding that with s ne
ppies, the family has had no III
uble from hidden Shoes. dis SE
bed washes on the line or chew
of clothes. He thinks this to
something of a record. When Oh
h litter was born, the mother un
uld not leave the puppies for da
eral days except when She was :
e that Mrs Hamlin was going Me
remain with the family Adult sor
s vary in weight averaging from bri
to 100 pounds spe
lr. Hamlin expects to leave in
near futurp for Il rood 4ri,, ,,.itI, u n
oogS' Whlch II plans materlalze Oh
take him and his team through
kane, Seattle, Bellingham. Wn. I
points south. He plans to make of
uslness Of breeding and selling nOu
dogs, and the proposed trip IS {
be both a vacation and adlcr eve
lg trip Jay
ne idea Of a Christmas Seal ~ "
{ tuberculosis originated witt m
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