These are the dogs that have gone away in body,
but will always be in our hearts.

Part of the contract humans have with dogs is that we will feed them, we will shelter them, we will take care of them. In turn they will work for us, they will love us. What cannot have been in the contract when it was written was how much we would love them and how hard it would be to say goodbye.

Ginger
Gail's first and only childhood dog. She was in the family for only a short time as Gail's brother was allergic. Known for eating crayons, which makes for colorful poops.

Cody
Red's wonder dog. Exceptional frisbee player and coconut maniac.

Kit
Teacher that Siberians will run away no matter what you do or how much they love you, and get themselves killed.

Kiska
4/21/1984 - 9/19/1994
Kiska, named after Mt. Kiska in Alaska, was Gail's first puppy--ever. Throughout her life, Kiska taught her human MANY things about Siberians, dog care, obedience training, and sled dog training for skijoring. Kiska was a great companion with no end to her love and devotion. Always eager to please, but she was also a perpetual escape artist always trying to go for a run (and sometimes getting into "mischief")! Because of Kiska, Gail continued to learn and love adventuring with sled dogs--and stayed with Siberians. Winter bushwhacking adventures through the woods with Kiska are forever in my soul.

Shami
6/24/1996 - 12/1999
(We were too distraught to even write down
the day of her passing.)

Laska
1/21/1998 - 3/21/2007

A big boy with an even bigger heart that gave out way too soon and who had the loudest bark in the World.

Murron
9/22/2001 - 6/1/2007

The sweetest dog you ever met. She never met a pet she didn't like and she liked to steal kisses.

Laska and Murron
Best Friends & Kennel Mates Together Again

Dolby
7/25/1992 - 6/6/2008

He came to us at 12, gave us 2 pups,
and left us at (almost) 16.
"ARK!"

Dawson
8/12/1994 - 10/7/2008

All dogs are good dogs, each in their own way, but some are better. Dawson was one of the best, indoors, outdoors, everywhere.

Woody
Ch. Ripanco's Believe It Or Not
8/22/1995 - 4/18/2009

A show ring champion who, for us, was the hardest working wheel dog ever. He "screamed" to pull.

Frankie
3/29/1999 - 11/2/2009

If she could have stood still, she would have been an AKC Champion; but if she could have stood still, she wouldn't have been Frankie.

Weasel
Kimlan's Kara Lynn of Ripanco
Dec. 28, 1993 - Jan. 9, 2012

She came to us when 9 mos. young and made our lives all the better because of her. Thank you!

Demavand's Osceola
May 12, 2000 - August 6, 2013

Oscie came to us for the second phase of his active life, when he was 8 years of age: happy, healthy, loving with a great attitude and lots more time and miles to spend on the trails. He was no longer fast enough to remain on the competitive "A team" as a "racer" as in his previous years and since I was no longer racing that was fine.

Thank you Gail Castonguay, Kim Berg and Kelly Berg for the joy, love and fun we had with Oscie in our family for the past 5 happy healthy years of his life. Thank you for raising, socializing, loving and training him and all else you provided and did to make him such a great, happy, loving, well behaved "easy keeper"--on and off the trail.

Rationally, I know he had a good, long, adventure-filled, happy, active life in all the seasons--with all of us--but that didn't make it any easier to say farewell to him.

Osceola was as strong as his name--and he is leaving as deep a hole in my heart as he did in the snow that he loved and frequently preferred to sleep in.

Flip, Preston, Elias, & Hobbes the cat

All missed, all valuable memebers of the team, including Hobbes. More to be added, sometime.