The cooler weather has finally arrived in our area and we have five very happy Huskies (and a cat)! The friskiness, running, and howling is on the rise as the temperatures dip, and I do see wide Sibe smiles on those beautiful furry faces! To celebrate the crisper air, the changing colors of the leaves, and the arrival of all things Autumn, I am posting a slideshow featuring our FiveSibes (and Smokie the cat in a cameo role) in all of their happy, cool-air glory that I hope you will enjoy! So grab a sweatshirt, call your furbuddy, and let's all go for a walk to kick up our heels (and a few leaves) now that Sibe season has finally arrived!

  "If these dogs only knew what a difference they make. Certainly, there's nothing that can replace the precision of a dog's nose—and absolutely nothing that can replace a dog's heart."  — Bob Sessions, rescue worker, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) It’s difficult to believe the ninth anniversary of 9/11 is upon us. In some ways, it is still too raw to even imagine that almost a decade has gone by since that tragic day. September 11th has impacted our lives forever and has touched everyone; families and friends left behind; New Yorkers, Americans, and those who visit our country. My heart goes out to all the families who lost loved ones during that tragic day.  Since FiveSibes is a canine blog, I’d like to reflect upon the call of duty the search and rescue (SAR) dogs, along with their handlers, answered on September 11, 2001, and their loyalty and perseverance to perform their jobs at New York City’s World Trade Center’s Ground Zero, the Pentag...

Bandit is ready for her classes! Back to school time has arrived for the kids, and with it comes everything from shopping for school clothes and supplies to picking out just the right lunch box to having your high school graduate move away to a college dorm. In all of the September excitement, let’s not forget about our canine companions, who just may have some Back to School blues after having been treated to a few months of constant companionship with the children and family during the long, lazy fun-filled days of summer. While the children and parents are busy adjusting their schedules to meet the fall agendas, our pets will be going through an adjustment period as well. As soon as the children go back to school, our dogs may become stressed, sad, and/or lonely with the departure of their buddies on the school bus. Here are some suggestions to help our canine companions feel more relaxed and adjust a little bit easier to the new school schedule: Bandit likes to study too! ...

Gabriel Azariah White I just read this marvelous story about an 8-year-old Kentucky girl, Gabriel Azariah White who asked that for her birthday, she receive gifts for Siberian Huskies in need. The story is by writer Cameron Gillespie of the Phoenix Siberian Husky Examiner and I thought it was so touching that I wanted to share it with my readers. What a thoughtful little girl Gabriel is! What she requested for her birthday present is such a wonderful idea for us to share with our own children, grandchildren, family, and friends. May all good things come back her way!

"Mom's Back!!!" This past weekend we went to a music festival out of town. This was a special treat as my whole family went; something we don’t usually do as we have the FiveSibes to care for with one needing specifically timed medications, and quite frankly, we miss them when we are not home, so we elect not to go away. But this past weekend we enjoyed a nice ride, some awesome music, and had an overall great family day, all knowing our Sibe “kids” were home being well taken care of by a dear friend. Lots of Husky kisses! I am very fortunate that I have two friends who are pretty terrific and really enjoy spending time with my Sibes. They take turns for who gets to Sibe sit for our annual day jaunt, and my Huskies enjoy them both! I am quite lucky to call these two gals friends, as I would not board my Sibes out (they would not like it, plus, with being runners, I don’t want to chance it). These two friends actually come stay at my house for the entire day and pl...

August 26 is National Dog Day, and how well-deserving they are to have their own day! Thinking about National Dog Day (founded by pet lifestyle expert and animal behaviorist Colleen Paige, and sponsored by the Animal Miracle Network), I pondered about what it means to have a dog (or in my case, five)! That prompted me to think about what lessons I, as a Hu-Mom, have learned from my five Sibes. Here is a list (in no particular order) of the Top Ten things I have learned from my Husky "kids" that I feel has made me a better human:   I’ve learned how to enjoy the more simpler things in life: the touch of a breeze, a beam of sunlight stretching across the deck, a butterfly as it flutters by, the feel of raindrops tapping my face, the smell of blooming flowers, the coolness of grass, the sound of fresh snow crunching under foot, and the taste of quietly falling snowflakes. I appreciate food (even more so than before). I am reminded how wonderful snuggling together can be.  ...

With the temperatures finally dipping below the triple "H" category…Hot, Humid, and Horrible…I was able to let the Sibes run free and wild in the backyard this afternoon. As any Sibe owner can attest to, watching them is truly a glorious site to behold. Okay, well, at first it’s crazy, wild, and on the side of mayhem as they pile down off the deck almost riding each other piggy-back style to get to the "other side." First I need to explain the "normal side." The Sibes own not only our deck, which has had a roof constructed over it just for them, but they also have their own yard to chase yard trespassers (a/k/a squirrels, birds, possums, groundhogs, etc.),  dig, gather tree branches, and, well, do their personal business. That’s their typical run. Then there is the "other side." Oh, yes, that is the fun play side of the yard where they can run like the wind, wrestle, fly, fetch, spin, and just be free-spirited Siberian Huskies. When it’s the c...