Sheryl's Alaskan Malamutes - Taylor - circa 1993

Sheryl's Alaskan Malamutes - Taylor - circa 1993 - 2004
Alaskan Malamute Lovefest

Taylor - circa 1993 - June 2004

Wolf Sable Alaskan Malamute - Open Face with necklace
26" shoulder - 110 lbs trim weight

Taylor came into my life at about 7 years old in 2000. She was a rescue from the Alaskan Malamute Rescue society. She'd been left chained to a fence outside the Ocean City, NJ animal shelter. (This is evidently quite common in vacation areas, people decide they no longer want their dogs and just leave them. They said it was not uncommon in vacation season, to find 10 dogs chained to their fence on a Monday morning. Disgustingly irresponsible!)

She trusted me instantly, which turned out to be an incredible thing, as she ended up really only trusting one other person in the 4 years she was with us.

She'd evidently been abused and always found spots in the house that were defensible, only one way to get to her. She'd put up an incredible fuss if the gate had been left open, until it was closed and she was safe again. Or, she'd walk to the front of the house and fall asleep on the front porch. We did get that gate fixed!

She was also initially a garbage eater, which we broke her of. Never did get her out of the habit of scooping up cigarette butts on our walks. Embarressing, to say the least, when the vet lets you know "we found a cigarette butt in her stool".

It took time, but she ended up getting along with the cats and on rare occasion playing with them.

Taylor rarely 'sang' for me, but for my best friend (she'd knock me out of the way to get to him) she always sang, even if he were singing to her on the phone! All he had to do was laugh at something, and she was at his side "woo-wooing", and he'd join her. They could go on quite a while with their chorus.

Boy, did she have the famous Malamute stubbornness, intensified I'm sure because of her past. She was also a diva. Oh, the goings on when she was in full diva mode, trying to get her own way. I've never seen the fake hurt paw routine done better!

I loved Taylor, but sometimes she was hard to like. She was so often in her own way, because she thought there was some scheme going on, and she was determined to outthink the scheme. There never was a scheme, and she would feel bad that she hadn't been a good girl from the start in that instance. She wanted so badly to be a good girl, but sometimes, she just overprotected herself and got herself into jams. I could always see the wheels turning with her.

I miss her monthly 5 minute howl-along when the power plant tests their sirens. Even in her last days, when she was asleep, she howled to it without waking up.

I'm glad we were able to make her last 4 years, happy ones! The "Diva" is missed! Taylor basking in window sunshine

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My Mals
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