Dog’s Best Friend: The story of Skadi

01 Aug Dog’s Best Friend: The story of Skadi

[click “Play” for an amusing story about not-your-dog]

Telluride Inside… and Out’s dog expert, Ted Hoff of Cottonwood Ranch and Kennel, has been sharing the insights he has gained from working for about 20 years with our four-legged friends. This week, however, he decided to take a time out from training, simply review last week’s lesson (training retriever pups) and share a story about one of his favorite dogs: Skadi.

Skadi is the name of a 12-year-old yellow lab, the Grand Dame of Ted’s father’s household. Skadi is a blue blood in the dog world: her daddy was a famous dog named “Lean Mac” who was Canadian and American national field trial champion.

Skadi is also, apparently, well named: Skadi (sometimes spelled Skathi) is the most independent of Norse goddesses and the goddess of the North and winter. Like winter, she can be harsh and unforgiving or gentle and beautiful depending on her mood –  which determines the weather. All of Scandinavia is named after the Goddess Skadi, who is said to dwell in the high snow-covered mountains in that part of the world. Perhaps, however, when she goes on vacation, Skadi visits Telluride, which could easily be the goddess’s second home: skates, skis and snowshoes are sacred to her.

Ted Hoff claims his Skadi is the smartest dog he has ever trained, but tosses in the following caveat:
“A great dog trainer once told me dogs have the brain the size of a grain of sand, and they use a fraction of it.”

He also adds she is one of the strongest females of all time and a complete alpha dog, who trains every dog she comes in contact with.

To learn more about one of Skadi’s misadventures, click the “play” button and listen to Ted Hoff’s podcast.

If you have a story about a dog you want to share, email Ted at info@cottonwoodranchandkennel.com.