Why did we name our kennel “Wild Spirit Samoyeds?”
Our Story:
We are Tim and Katie Dubois. Originally from Upstate New York, we moved to the Austin, Texas area in 2015.
Our first-love Samoyed was born in May of 2000, but we didn’t meet him until August 13, 2000. We answered a puppy ad in the newspaper for a male Samoyed and piled the kids into the car to go meet him. He was a fluffy white ball of love at first sight. The kids ran around with him and chased him hill and dale (and he them) and there was no way we were leaving that property without him. He came home with us that day, a purebred, but not AKC registered Samoyed who we decided was to be named Juno. We had just begun what would become a very active pastime of hiking with our children Nicholas and Ashley (9 and 7 at that time), so mountains and mountainous areas were something we were all drawn to. Having owned a Siberian Husky for 7 years by this time, we had an affinity for Alaskan type names for our Northern Breed Dogs. “Kita” was our first Siberian, followed by “Kojak,” (an accidental Siberian Husky adoptee whose time with us was very short comparatively) and now Juno would be the new addition. The theme of our breed type and naming convention was set.
Juno stole our hearts. He and Kita were instantly the best of friends.
Sadly, Kita was only with us for 2 more years as she left us in December of 2001 after we discovered she was in advanced stage cancer. Not wanting to leave Juno without his canine companion, we sought out another Siberian Husky to fill the very big footsteps of Kita.
Enter Denali. Specifically Denali’s Sable Flower, a purebred AKC registered Siberian Husky female. She was sass and snuggles and everything Juno needed as we tearfully said goodbye to our beloved Kita. She was our healing remedy. We lost Kita too soon and we were all heartbroken. And truth be known, Juno was never the same. He and Denali were best friends and playmates and got along beautifully, but Juno lost a little bit of the spark in his eyes when Kita left us, and he never got it back. We sometimes likened him to Eeyore. Sort of mopey and sad-eyed, but as soon as you engaged him in playtime or a walk or ride in the car, he lit right up and was the happy boy we knew.
Juno was Katie’s shadow. Her “little lamb” as it were. He could always be found at my feet or sharing my chair or sofa spot, however he had to manage fitting on there with me. He and Denali joined our family as we embarked on our ever-present hiking adventures. We marveled at his herding instinct on the trail; running to the front of the group but then circling back to the back of the group, then back to the front. He was counting and making sure we were all there. Such a smart boy. In the morning when he wanted me to wake up, he’d woo quietly and pat me with his paw. He was such a joy to our family. He lived a wonderful long life and we said goodbye to him in 2013. All that we had left was Denali and she missed her boy, as we all did.
In January of 2015, Katie was stricken with puppy fever and only a Samoyed was going to cure me. I searched the internet in earnest and found the perfect breeder. I had already resolved that we’d be making a long journey (Arizona) for this puppy, but if that’s what it took to get me another Samoyed, so be it. Our new puppy had just been born a few days previous and we were able to follow her growth online for the remaining weeks until it was time to pick her up in Northern Arizona.
On the very first day that the breeder and I communicated, she asked, “Would you be interested in showing the puppy?” to which I immediately thought “NO!” but I said, “Maybe, but I don’t know anything about that.” And on that very day, after Tim and I talked about our new puppy, we decided that we would, indeed, try showing her. We knew we had a LOT to learn, but our kids were grown and gone at this point, so it seemed an ideal “empty nester” hobby for us.
In March of 2017 we picked up Bark Bark’s Sedona Spirit of Juno and in May we took her to her first show. We were “all in” and took to the dog showing world like it was a new mountain to climb. In March of 2018, that puppy, whom we named “Sadie” (shortened from “Sedona”) finished and became an AKC Champion at 14 months of age. Meet Sadie.
Rewind just a bit to Fall of 2017. Denali and Sadie got along great although Denali at 15 years old was showing her age and we knew she’d be leaving us soon. We said goodbye her in September of 2017, she was just shy of 16 years old. Remembering Juno’s painful loss many years before, we wanted to give Sadie a companion. Our breeder was anticipating another litter (repeat breeding) and agreed to sell us pick of this upcoming litter. We jumped at the opportunity, wanting Sadie to have a sister she’d grow up with. Another dog we could take into the ring!
Baby “Aster” was born in December of 2017. Just 11 months after Sadie. Full genetic sisters. Again, we watched our new puppy grow and change every day thanks to our breeder posting many photos and videos online to enjoy. As Aster was growing, the seeds of Wild Spirit Samoyeds were beginning to take root. We decided our new kennel name would be part of Aster’s AKC name. We packed Sadie and a puppy crate in the car and drove once again to Arizona and met Bark Bark N Wild Spirit’s Desert Star “Aster” just after Valentine’s Day of 2018. We took Sadie back to the place she was born and she and her mama immediately recognized each other. It was a magical sight. Aster and all of her littermates romped around with Sadie as we watched in awe how a “strange” dog (but not actually) entered their territory and they welcomed her in like the family member she is. A very special day. Meet Aster.
Wild Spirit Samoyeds is a kennel in it’s infancy right now, but we have mentors and resources that are helping us every day. Our mission is to breed, care for and celebrate our Samoyeds (all three, even though only two are with us today) by furthering the breed and honoring the tradition in which Samoyeds were bred for, which was to be working dogs. Our dogs will continue to show and earn their AKC titles and they will get to experience more activities as their ages and development permit. We will have a blast escorting them through that process, and we are eternally grateful to our breeders Claire and John O’Neill for their beautiful puppies that they have entrusted into our care.
Sadie and Aster are our foundation and we could not be prouder to present them and their future offspring to the Samoyed community.
Thank you for coming to our site.
August, 2018