Updated ABR news. History of the Alaska Beagle Ranch and all the pups.
Updated ABR news. History of the Alaska Beagle Ranch and all the pups.
Alaska Beagle Ranch
Episode 18
Hello everyone and welcome to the Alaska Beagle Ranch. I’m Dave Dorsey and I manage the ranch in Wasilla, Alaska. There are presently 12 beagles and 1 basset with the ranch right now. Alaska Beagle Ranch is the only rescue in Alaska dedicated to beagles only.
Thank you to all our listeners. This week we had new listeners from Germany, France, and Canada. Our largest listening city in the US besides Wasilla, Alaska is Seattle, Washington. I hope you like what we have for you here. We appreciate your support. The Alaska Beagle Ranch has over 600 downloads since we started doing our podcast last November. While we’re talking about it, be sure to like, follow, subscribe, review, and maybe send some feedback or ideas.
You also can help support our podcast by donating on PayPal @Beagle Ranch 907.
I often get asked, why beagles? How did the Alaska Beagle Ranch get started and where is it going? But before we answer all of that, let’s get an update on what is happening right now at the ranch.
Shiloh Two: Shiloh Two has been adopted. Shiloh stayed at his new humans home yesterday and it looks like a good fit. A young couple with a toddler that Shiloh can grow up with. Please wish with me that this family has the best of times with Shiloh Two.
Beagles for adoption: Right now, the Alaska Beagle Ranch has zero pups up for adoption. I hope that means that all beagles in Alaska have a happy home.
You can see photos of our pups on our Facebook page Alaska Beagle Ranch or our Twitter page @beagle_ranch.
Today’s show is dedicated to Shiloh Two. Yes, he has a new home, but I’ll tell you all about him up to now.
Well, here’s Alaska Beagle Ranch’s story. I had found myself single again back in 2009. I’ve always been a dog guy, but they’ve always been large dogs. I’ve had Irish Setters, Labradors, and Dobermans. After about a year, I decided it was time to get another dog. But this dog had to be smaller because I lived in a duplex with a very small yard in Anchorage. A friend of mine just adopted a husky mix, but I wanted something smaller. Something that was friendly and a lap warmer.
I stopped at a coffee shop one day and while I was waiting for my order, I looked at their community bulletin board. On it was a picture of a 2-year-old beagle named Macy that was looking for a new home. Her humans were moving, and she couldn’t go. I thought to myself, beagle. That’s like a small lab. We had a lab/beagle mix when I wasn’t single, and he was a cool dog.
I got my coffee and a bagel and went out to my SUV and called the number listed. I got a call back and they were in Eagle River. They could meet me at noon at their place if I was interested. I headed that way. I was the first to arrive, and Macy 10/27/2011 was in the window barking at me. When her human arrived, she got Macy out and told me all about her. I took her for a short walk and when we got back, I opened my door, and she jumped in. I looked at the woman and said I think she’s going with me. This started my love affair with beagles.
I was still working, so she would be left alone some while I worked. We had some adjusting to do. Dave training. Typical beagle liked the trash can, jumped on the kitchen counter and barked. I got a Thunder Shirt, and the barking was reduced and when she did bark it wasn’t enough to bother my neighbors. We went for a lot of walks and some adventures. If I traveled out of town and spent the night, she went with me. If she couldn’t go, I had lots of friends who wanted to dog sit for me.
After a while, it was time to move out of the city and to a larger house. We found a few we liked, but where we are at now, I say Macy picked it out. It’s the only one she took a dump in the yard while we were looking around. We made an offer that was accepted, and we moved in in 2015. Macy is now 13 years old and queen of the ranch.
After we settled in and got comfortable, my son called me and said friends of his had a beagle that they got that was left behind when his owners moved. He wasn’t getting along with their basset and was wondering if I would like to have him. Macy went with me, and Cooper came back with us for the weekend which lasted almost 7 years until he passed away from cancer.
Cooper 11/26/2015 was the head of security. He watched over his domain while he was inside or out. Nothing got past him. Everyone was safe while he was on duty.
My friend Tina had a coffee stand that I visited often. She had photos of dogs and cats hanging up that needed adoption. She said I had to see a photo of 2 bassets needing adoption. I visited with them, but they had medical issues that were too much for me to handle at that time. The volunteer from Friends of Pets showed me a beagle named Joy 7/3/2016 who was there to receive a mass removed and a dental. She was a long-time stray, hard of hearing and nearly blind senior. I fell in love with her. She came to live at the ranch for about a year and a half before she passed away unexpectedly. Joy would dance for her treats and we all would get a good laugh. I still talk about her.
Then came handsome Hank 9/27/2018. Tina showed me Hank’s picture, but I said I had my hands full and passed. I continued to watch Hank on the internet, and no one was showing any interest. After a couple weeks I said he needed a forever home now. Hank also came from Friends of Pets. Hank didn’t have a bark or howl; he had a scream. I thought for sure my neighbors were going to call the cops thinking I was abusing him. Hank was here a long time before passing away in 2021 from lung cancer. He brought a lot of smiles to everyone he met. He had a weight problem we constantly battled. My friend Karen called him Hank the Tank. I told her it was Handsome Hank.
Next was Aria 6/21/2019. She was a friend from work’s pup. He passed away and asked his ex-wife to have me take her. Aria was her own beagle and did anything she wanted to. She passed away too soon from cancer less than a year after coming to the ranch. She was such a sweetie.
Along come Lilly and Spot 7/6/2019. Brother and sister who were at AARF, Alaska Animal Rescue Friends. They were turned in to Anchorage Animal Control because they escaped too much, and that they did. Lilly was the leader and Spot the follower. I was going to rename Spot because I thought it was silly and so cliché’. But as time went by, he answered well to his name and it was a good conversation starter. Lilly and Spot would escape from the yard about every two months. I got to know my neighbors well and my neighborhood. Age has stopped their escapes and Lilly has a degenerative disc in her back which slows her way down. They both are still with us and doing well becoming senior beagles.
Lucy 4/10/2020 came to us from a friend with Alaska Cat and Dog Rescue. She was a senior, a little thin and had a crooked smile. She had a urinary tract infection and on meds when she came to us. But the issues from a UTI didn’t go away and I took her back to the vets a few times before she was diagnosed with bladder cancer, and we were referred to Tier 1. She was only with me about two weeks when we decided to fight the cancer. She won a lot of hearts and got great support on social media. But as often happens, cancer wins out and almost a year after we started our battle, we lost Lucy and our hearts.
Piper 7/18/2021 came to the ranch as just a temporary visitor while her human was in residence at a hospital in Washington state. Piper was full of young energy and had no recall whatsoever. Pipers’ human came back for her, and they now both live in Seattle.
Winston 8/13/2021 came to the ranch when his humans no longer had time for him. He was broken hearted at first but finally came around. He was a digger. He would dig under the fence and visit the neighborhood. Winston is the one in the group who is the last to stop barking at whatever went past the yard. He’ll run back and forth barking long after whatever it was is long gone. He also likes to sit and watch TV with you. Well, I don’t think he's watching TV. He just wants the pets. Winston is still doing well at the ranch.
I saw a post on Facebook about Charlie in 10/2021. His human had rescued him from a home of hoarders who were neglecting him. She needed to rehome him due to her medical issues and she lived in an apartment that Charlie was making too much noise for. She was right about the noise. Charlie is constantly on the hunt out in our yard. The weather doesn’t matter. It can be -20°f, snowing or raining cats and dogs. He doesn’t care, he’s on the hunt for that ghost squirrel.
Shiloh 7/20/2021 came to the ranch via a few fosters and Kodiak, Alaska with Alaska Cat and Dog Rescue. He weighed in at 60 lbs. He has a very hyper thyroid. We got him on the right meds and the put him on a diet and the pounds started falling off. He is very food aggressive. To this day I must be careful how he’s given treats. He’s been on a few adventures and all life threatening. Twice he got into the food storage. I was able to weight the opened bags and figured he at 2 ½ lbs of kibble. The last was getting out of the yard and having an encounter with a moose. Fortunately, no broken ribs or internal injuries. He loves playing with Chuck It balls. He’s had a ruff past but he’s a joy to have here at the ranch. Oh, btw he weighs in at 37 lbs now.
Xena 12/7/2021 came to the ranch from Alaska Animal Rescue Friends in Anchorage via Ketchikan or Bethel. I forgot which one. The hair on both of her sides was gone and she weighed in a 43.5 lbs. On her visit to the vet her thyroid checked good. We started treating her for allergies. Within a few months we had hair regrowth. She took my buddy Hanks place with a scream for a bark. Loves to ruff house on the bed before I leave for work. A cutie patootie for sure.
Josies 3/22/2022 human got her from the shelter in Homer about 2 years ago. Unfortunately, he passed away last year. Josie went to stay with his daughter who has a growing family and travels between Homer and the Valley a lot. Needless to say, Josie wasn’t getting quality time and thankfully the daughter realized that and was looking for a new home Josie at one time was a breeding pup who lived mostly in a kennel. She posted Josies availability on FaceBook. Friends and a neighbor forwarded her post to me. Even though I already had 11 residents here at the Beagle Ranch, I couldn’t say no. Josie is a sweetie and is doing fine here. She likes Chuck It balls also. We’re not sure on her age. I’m guessing 7-9.
I recently heard from Josies original human. She has had 3 litters. She had to give her up when she personally had medical issues and could care for Josie as she needed. Josie went to a friend of hers and she lost touch until she saw this on FaceBook.
Today 3/19/22 is Ruger’s gotcha day. He’s been with us one year and his 5th birthday is next month. His last human rescued him from a man that was beating him to death. She has an in home day care and Ruger wasn’t getting along with the kids. I can understand him after what he went through previously. We hooked up through FaceBook and Ruger has been an awesome addition to the ranch. He loves his lap time and chasing whatever goes past the ranch.
Monday is Pearl’s gotcha day. Pearl 3/20/22 came to the ranch from her human who had started a new family and has a full-time job. Pearl was spending her life in the kennel a lot and her human knew that wasn’t fair to Pearl. She contacted us on FaceBook and we hooked up.
Pearl is an alfa gal. She steals the Chuck It balls from the boys and won’t give them back. She hides or buries them. She’ll also stand over them daring the older and bigger boys to take them in the snow. She also steals the tug rope from Bill the basset. She’s also the fastest runner.
Duke One 5/19/2022 came from Alaska Animal Rescue Friends. I watched him on FaceBook for a couple weeks. His foster was trying hard to get him adopted but there were no takers. I messaged her and then messaged Bev at AARF. I picked him up a few days later and he’s been at the ranch ever since. He’s a sweetie. He’s a beagle and blue tick beale mix. Loves playing Chuck It ball with Shiloh One and Pearl. Also loves being in you lap.
Duke Two 9/17/2022 Came to us from Talketna, Alaska. His humans had taken him from a couple in Florida who were divorcing and he wasn’t being treated well. Unfortunately for his new family, finances didn’t allow him to stay. I was contacted by them on FaceBook and drove that next Saturday to Talketna. I don’t like changing names, so her became Duke Two and eventually answered to Two. He’s a serious lap warmer. He also has a scream for a bark. He’s one we fight ear infections with. He puts on a happy dance when you bring him his food dish. He’s a happy boy!
Bill 6/4/2022 is a basset that came to the ranch when a friend was moving out of state and Bill couldn’t go. I like to say Bill identifies as a beagle. He’s very playful and is a 70 lb lap beagle. His deep bark and howl are awesome and so is Bill. He has quite the following on FaceBook and Twitter.
Things quieted down for a bit, and I decided that the Beagle Ranch needed to become a rescue / sanctuary. I started applying for business licenses, nonprofit status, etc. Not as easy as it seems especially working a full-time job also. Friends who worked with me at rescues volunteered for the board. We called it the Alaska Beagle Ranch Inc to keep it from being confused with others and a rock band. Of course, we started a couple social media pages. ABR has over 1K followers on FaceBook and over 800 on Twitter. We started our podcast back in November and have a growing audience. We’ll start a website soon.
On the same day we got our Certificate of Incorporation, Trigger 10/24/2022 came to us from a single mom that couldn’t afford him anymore. She and her husband at the time got him in Kentucky. They lived in Ketchikan before moving to Anchorage. Trigger is a Blue Tick Beagle. He went with our first foster and board president Joy. After being vetted, he was adopted on Christmas Eve 2022. We’ve got update pictures and all are looking happy. YaY Trigger!!!
Jasper 1/5/2023 came to us from the Matanuska Susitna Animal Control as a stray with no collar or chip. We put it out on social media asking what his name should be and the final count was for Jasper. A beautiful pup guessed to be 2-3 years old. He also was fostered by Joy but came back to the ranch when she went on vacation. While here Jasper met the human he was meant for and was adopted 3/5/2023. I visited last week and got a warm reception from Jasper and his new human. Jasper is a lucky pup.
Shiloh Two 1/21/2023 came to ABR from a local couple moving and couldn’t take him with them. He was about 6 months old and part jagd terrier. He’s very sweet and full of puppy. On 3/11/2023 he was adopted by a young family that are in love with him. I’ve got several updates and all positive.
That’s the short story. We’re still getting our name out there and keeping an eye out for any beagles needing a happy home.
Beagle Spotlight: Shiloh came to the ranch in January but found his fur ever home last weekend. He’s with a nice young family with a 3-year-old toddler and a couple cats. According to his new mom, he and her young one has teamed up together and are as thick as thieves. He’s 8 months old now and mom is starting the much-needed training. Happy days ahead for Shiloh and his new family.
Shoutout: Congratulations to Ryan Redington on his first Iditarod win. Ryan is the grandson of the co-founder of the Iditarod, Joe Redington. Ryan who is Inupiat, becomes the 6th Alaska Native to win the Iditarod.
Alaska Beagle Ranch is a nonprofit and we depend on donations to help us with our mission. What is our mission? Our mission and our goal are for every beagle, especially in Alaska, has a happy home. For our beagles to be happy, they need to be healthy. We only adopt out healthy beagles, so we need your help in paying their medical bills to get or keep them healthy so they can find their forever home. Beagles that can’t be adopted out become resident beagles at ABR. Their medical, food and upkeep can be costly. We know that the economy isn’t as good as we would like for it to be. Just a few dollars add up and goes a long, long way. You can find us on PayPal @Beagle Ranch907 or go to our Facebook page of Alaska Beagle Ranch and you can find links to PayPal and our Amazon wish list.
Looking for a sponsor.If you have a business or product that is dog related and you’re looking to sponsor or advertise on a dog related podcast and you like ours, give me a call Dave 907-202-4226. It can be dog food, treats daycare, training or whatever. It doesn’t have to be strictly for beagles. Let’s talk about it.
We are also looking for some wonderful fosters. There can be a lot involved in being a foster, so think it over. Some of our beagles might have special needs like having to go to the vet, or they might need to take meds and maybe it might need some additional training. Of course, they always need some good loving. Sorry, but you must live in the Matanuska Susitna Valley area, specifically near Wasilla or Palmer. Email me at akbeagleranch@gmail.comor call us at 907-202-4226 for more information. Remember, our goal is for every beagle, especially in Alaska, has a happy home.
Thank you for listening to the Alaska Beagle Ranch. If you know someone who is looking to get a beagle, please share our podcast with them. All the episodes will tell you what you need to know about beagles. If you have any questions about beagles and if they are right for you, email me at akbeagleranch@gmail.com or call us at 907-202-4226. You can follow us on Facebook at Alaska Beagle Ranch or on Twitter at @beagle_ranch.
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