Hi my names Lorna Bartlett and I have been married to Steve for 32 years and in that time we have been blessed with four children and one grandson, we are also the very proud owners of 8 Malamutes Nabu, Star, Chilli, Dooby. Peppa, Loopy, Elvis and Taggie.   Nabu and Star have now left our family home, but not our hearts and are now running free over Rainbow Bridge.

 

In our early years of marriage we had 4 ducks: Gerty, Harriet Jemina and Egg-but-no-bacon, 1 huge lop eared rabbit named Lotte, a guinea-pig called Betsy, various fish and many hamsters, we were going to get an Anglo-neon goat, but decided that may not be such a good idea as I was expecting our first baby and at the time we were all squashed into a one bedroom bungalow with no heating, no telephone and at the time no money.

                                                                            

Our first dog came into our lives in the form of a Lhasa Apso named Pebbles who sadly crossed the rainbow bridge in February 2003 after fourteen unforgettable years, she is missed as she was loved - very dearly.

                                               

Nabu (my big cuddly bear) was bought for me as a birthday present by Steve.  I had the choice of a holiday in the Maldives or a malamute, no competition a malamute it was as I have been wanting one for a very long time, but wanted to wait until the children were older before taking on such a challenge, well anyone who has malamutes will know that one is not enough and when Steve was about to buy a huge flat screened telly for the same price as a malamute I cried STOP and our second Malamute Star (the sweetie) arrived, so we still all huddle around our little telly with kids arguing about who will sit on the nearest chair so they can see and hear our antique of a TV with two malamutes drooling in their laps or the dogs being used as TV cushions, but I wouldn’t change a thing, well maybe the TV.

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We are now 17 years into our crazy Malamute lifestyle and have bred 6 awesome litters, we still enjoy our dogs today just as much as we have had and would not change anything.  The TV has been updated a few times over the years and we have added 2 horses to our family, Rio and Nikita. 

 

As an animal care tutor I am able to take the dogs into work, so they are part of the course, Students benefit educationally and emotionally from having access to dogs on site. The experience increases their understanding of responsibility and enables them to develop empathy and nurturing skills through contact with a dog. In addition to these benefits, students take great enjoyment from interaction with a dog. 

 

Occasionally we show our dogs, but we have most fun when we are working our dogs, albeit: racing, trekking or backpacking.