Intro: Marv comes to us from another fabulous breeder, Lin. He is out of one of the top Siberians in the country, Mo, and another one of my favorite Siberian bitches, Keeper. Marv was one of the most promising puppies that I’d ever seen. Even though we weren’t planning to add another male, we just had to have him. I don’t know how Lin managed to part with him! Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, he cannot be shown or bred. It is such a shame because he shows wonderfully. He is maturing extremely nicely, though, and is an excellent sled dog.
Health & Conformation: Since Marv will not be bred, we aren’t doing hip checks on him, but will do eye checks. Marv is a large male and on the heavier side at 22.5 inches and 54 pounds. Marv has very nice movement. He also has very nice proportions and a stunning headpiece. He is the easiest dog to show (for fun) — he is calm and focused, free stacks perfectly, and holds a stack for ages. Completely unlike his “brother” Juno, who made me work hard for every one of his points!
Temperament: Marv is an extremely calm, quiet, and well-behaved boy. The best way to describe him is that he is a giant baby. Even though he is as big as Juno now, he likes to hide between our legs when he is done being chased. At the dog park, he loves playing with other dogs, especially puppies. At home, he calmly chews on toys and blankets. He can be a bit of a grump when woken up from a nap. Like I said, a giant baby! The funny thing is that he is very quiet 99% of the time, but if another dog is whining, he starts to howl. He does not have the best singing voice, and it sounds like a loud police siren. If anyone is upset, you can bet on Marv to tell you about it.
Drive: as calm as Marv tends to be, we were very surprised the first time we put a harness on him. He has an on/off switch and is a very willing and steady puller in harness. He has an extremely smooth and efficient lope, and we are excited to go longer distances with him as he gets older. As young as he is, he is very focused in harness and follows the trail well. He could be one of our leaders in the future. Together with Cece, he won the 2020 Tug Hill Challenge 2-dog 6-mile skijor race! It was his first race ever, and I was so proud of how he did. He was hot and tired, but he pulled the entire way and kept Cece going too.
