Basalt Tamaskan

28/05/2026

60F is just a bit hot for Seiche… The first Tamaskan I have owned that will just lay in the pool and even put her entire head under the water to snorkel out objects. Never did I think I was going to own an arctic working breed that thought they were a water retriever. With her love of chasing sticks and balls she may be up for the sport of dock diving.

I did this… Names have power and I named her Seiche and now she creates them. How many times will I need to refill this pool this summer?

26/05/2026

Well these two turned 7 months old today. We all went for a walk and they came to therapy with me. Then they thrashed around in the play pool and played entirely to much chase and fetch before their naps when the afternoon rains rolled in… Then back out to again become muddy messes before dinner.

Still unsure if this boy is staying as the ideal situation for a co-own close in proximity has not come about but I finally had to give him a name. This was very hard name to give up as it’s been on my list for almost 5 years. I was specifically saving it for a boy from the litter I had hoped for between Vesper and Noque. Since that can never be and with this litter’s father being Artu, a name referencing the Star Wars universe seemed fitting. So I will now formally introduce him…

Beskar (Basalt Never Surrender)

Beskar is the metal that the armor is made of that the Mandalorian’s wear if you’re not familiar with the Star Wars universe.

20/05/2026

Grief is a whirl wind and more so in tragedy from my now lived experience. I can’t keep leaving the crime scene closed up like it vanished with them because the daunting nightmare task of reliving it as I go through it. Today was as good as any I guess with it being sunny.

I am unsure there will ever be a good time for this conversation because I have liked these kennels since I got them in 2017 and 2019. But what do you do with the kennels your dogs were in when they tragically died? These were a huge and expensive investment to ensure their safety at home and while traveling to sporting events where kenneling is needed. I had never had issue with them the white kennels even kept my dogs safe when I totaled my truck in February of 2019.

The connection to their deaths has me so conflicted, the sound of the doors opening and shutting, if a dog paws on them or even the rattle when I am moving them. It puts me back to that evening. Can I ever wrap my head around this to be able to use them again at sporting events? Should I even? Do I cut my loss and send them to the scrap yard, should I sell them?

Since I know people are going to inquire.

- Zephyr was not kenneled he had free roam of the dog room he was allowed to stay in the living room too but the day of the tragedy he hurried into be with the rest of the pack.

-Vesper was in the impact crate that did not have the bar guard on the door. She was also the closest to the open window where the window AC unit was still installed.

-Fahren was in the high anxiety crate as her seperation anxiety she chewed things up so for her safety. She loved her crate and never needed me to convince her to go in. She used it like a den when she wanted space and peace and quiet.

-Maez was in Zephyr’s impact white kennel as it was bigger than the Kong wire one she came to me with and she got to continue to use the kong one next to my bed at night.

Noque was in the impact closest to the wall and the dehumidifier. His kennel had a bar guard just like Zephyr’s from their younger years when I Fahren/Pyrite/Graph were in season and they lost their minds.

Graphs impact was folded up and not in use because she was in my room in her whelping box with her litter when I left for short periods and not being kenneled for even weeks prior. I don’t know if I will ever be able to use her impact crate ever again either.

Either way if I keep, toss or sell the bar guards are coming off today as I clean because I can’t help but think that the more limited air circulation because the more closed up doors were one of a handful of the contributing factors to their death when the dehumidifier failed and re-circulated the wet air but heated air. 

On to cleaning the last remnants of the hell they went through with the hose and soap.

10/05/2026

Happy heavenly Mother’s Day to Fahren 🌈 and first Mothers Day to Her daughter Graph. Also Happy 7th Birthday to Fahren’s best and only litter the Great Lakes Litter: Basalt Lake Superior (Graph), Basalt Great Lakes Basin (Odin), Basalt Lake Huron (Pyrite)🌈, Basalt Lake Michigan (Drogo), Basalt Lake Erie (Ayka), Basalt Straits of Mackinac (Matías), and Basalt Lake Ontario (Andraste)🌈

09/05/2026

Six months since the greatest tragedy of my life and the loss of Zephyr, Noque, Fahren, Maez. A event that never should have happened and a loss so immense that it has permanently destroyed me. I now live in a dual-existence, separating life into "before" and "after" while also being split between appearing to be functioning in the world and the internal quiet agony of loss experienced in every waking moment. I live two lives simultaneously. Part of me died and went with the dogs I lost and part of me remains taking care of the dogs I still have. To know what it is like to smile but to no longer feel joy or happiness to still only be consumed by the feelings of loss, sadness, guilt and disappointment is something else.

There is absolutely nothing I wouldn’t give to have them back, every day since, my house, my truck, my job, my legs, my arms, my eyes. I would give my life to even be given the chance to go back and say goodbye. Life goes on and every day I get a little closer to them and further away from the event that haunts me.

My remaining dogs and I moved home but until my house can be bulldozed and rebuilt to code they will never be left on the property unattended again. So where I go they go or we don’t go.

30/04/2026

Almost a week late but the Resilience and Perseverance Litter turned 6 months old last Friday (April 24).

Basalt Forged in Fire (Seiche)- 41.6lbs
Basalt From the Ashes (Valkyrie) - 37lbs
Basalt Never Surrender () - 46.4lbs

07/04/2026

150 days. The rest of the world moved on and to me it all feels the exact same as the evening I lost them. Every morning the disappointment that they are gone and I am still physically here. Never a single waking moment I don’t feel that crushing grief. It’s all I feel anymore. Loosing six family members in less than a year all tragically and before their time definitely has the ability to destroy someone. I miss you Zephyr, Noque, Fahren, Pyrite, Maez, Karhu.

31/03/2026

Basalt Never Surrender
TDR01685G2/2025
D.O.B 10/24/25

I am looking for a co own home preferably in the Midwest. I would love for him to have a home with an active owner who will try sports with him and be his person. He loves playing with my other dogs but really looks for that human connection that my heart is just too broken to give. With the uncertain living situation for myself and my life with dogs, I think it would be best for him and his potential to not stay. I would like him to stay intact with the prospective to contribute to our tiny gene pool in the United States pending health tests and proofing. So here it is he is for sale. He is now fully vaccinated, kennel trained and knows some basic commands. He is a really good eater and snuggle extraordinaire. He would love another dog sibling over being a solo dog.

If you’re seriously interested reach out.

09/03/2026

This has been an extremely hard and messy project but if you have it in you to be around your deceased pet…Do it! I started this with Pyrite when she tragically passed and then left the project half finished when summer projects took over my time. So after the tragic loss of Zephyr, Noque, Fahren, Maez and then Karhu this fall, I was thrown back to the project. It took me 74 days before I was able muster the emotional energy to take their bodies out of the freezer and thaw them enough to cast their feet and they were only done this soon because I had a friend encourage me to not keep sitting on it and then spending almost 8 hours helping me get the molds done and ready. Thank you Danielle! It took another 45 days to get here with the time they needed to dry, cleaning them up individually, painting and then sealing.

If this is something your interested in I will tell you buy the kit to have on hand for when your pet passes. If you can cast the molds while their bodies are still warm do so. Use liberal amounts of oil on their foot and fur. When you think you have used enough oil, you haven’t… use more. Some of their fur will be stuck in the mold forever. There is some cleaning of the casting you will need to do with a exacto blade. Then you seal, paint, then clear coat. It’s a process.

I am happy how they turned out but also don’t have any interest in making anymore of these for a long time. Still taking donations to fix my house that is currently not livable since the tragedy: https://gofund.me/5450e2540

04/03/2026

Spring is coming and I am hoping to get the funds so moving back to my property is an option.

It is with the heaviest of hearts that we share the passing of these 4 beautiful so… Mary Hunt needs your support for Help Kate Rebuild After Devastating Loss

02/03/2026

Thank You Jen and Pete of Lost Mile Mushing for inviting me to hang out and handle. Third year at CopperDog together and it’s turning into a real consistent tradition of everything being about the dogs first, followed by the same food, visiting the same shops, and really strange hotel conversations.

This year really hurt having the majority of my family in little boxes in the front seat before their time and not on the drop bar singing, snuggling up in the truck or on the trail racing. I am unsure if I will ever come back to racing or know if I will ever want anything so matter fact again as I wanted tamaskan dogs to race. I appreciated the distraction from the unstable funk that is my life. So thank you again Jen, Pete, and Liza for this weekend. Congrats Pete on your teams CD120 finish.

Also thank you to those that approached me to give their heart felt condolencesand hugs at the loss of my family, closest friends and team. Pictures of the last three CopperDog family/team photo’s 2026,2025,2024 (the two CopperDog races before 2023 and 2022 I apparently never took a photo of the whole team together on the drops or at least I can not find at this time).