Hippo

Hippo was offered to me, mid-winter, from good friend Rico and Paula Portalatin. Rico and Paula had gotten Hippo from Brenda Mackey as a yearling, and she raced in their team last year. A super competitive musher, who was focusing in on shorter (30 mile) races and making space for the litter of 10 they had last summer, they were looking critically at their dogs. Facing making room for nine puppies of my own, I totally understood! I thought long and hard, and Hippo came here.

Hippo has the same mother, Minty, as Rocky and Hawkeye. She possesses many of those Minty traits: seriousness, stubborn, and slow pooping when running (which means she slows way down and takes her time). I’m still trying to figure out what she has from her dad, Folsom, who is one of the ‘F’ litter from Mike Santos who have gone on to produce some really impressive dogs across many kennels. Hippo is trained as a leader, but because of her strong and dominant personality, and because I was focusing in on the leaders I knew well, she didn’t get much time up front last year.

Hippo is unbelievably intelligent, and definitely has opinions about things. When I discovered that she could sit for her supper, she clearly was annoyed with herself that I had discovered a secret and something I could ask her to do. She tries to take control of the situation by sitting before I ask her to, flipping from me commanding her to her demanding from me. I think we’re going to have an interesting life together.

Hippo was from an ‘h’ litter, where all dogs were named with the letter H. Mushers often do this to track a litter over time.

Born: 2016

Folsom (Santos) x Minty (Mackey/ Rhodes)

Race Experience:
2020
Blue Mtn 30 mile team (1st place)