One of the disadvantages of being a meanderer (minimalist or not) is that it’s hard to have a pet. And if you’ve been following along you know that we are big fans of both cats and dogs. So since we can’t have a pet (at least right now) we try to enjoy them vicariously. Before coming to Kuala Lumpur we read about a place in Malaysia where they breed and raise Siberian huskies. And since this is one of our very favourite dog breeds, we decided we had to pay them a visit.
The Huskitory (as it’s called) is located in Malacca, about a two-hour drive from Kuala Lumpur. We had a lovely driver, Chris, who gave us a capsule history of Malaysia. We had booked an appointment at the Huskitory for 11 a.m., just when they opened. To our surprise, we were the only ones there, so we had the dogs all to ourselves. We had to take off our shoes and socks and sanitise our hands before we went in – to protect the dogs, obviously, not us!
In order to build up the excitement, we watched an introductory video for about 7 minutes. And then we were offered seats, either on the floor or on the low bench that surrounds the room. We chose the floor, so as to enjoy the ‘husky tsunami’. A minute later, they opened the door and in bounded fifteen dogs of various sizes, twelve of them Siberian huskies. There were also two Samoyeds and (oddly) one Pomeranian. If you know dogs, you will know which one barked the most.
For the next forty-five minutes we had the dogs all to ourselves, and they were a real joy. A couple of the younger ones were especially frisky and chased one another around the room. Some of the more sedate ones found a corner to lie down in. They were all happy to receive petting or scratching, though some clearly liked it more than others. Huskies tend to have a sweet disposition, but they are hard to train (so the people told us). This is not because they’re unintelligent but because they’re willful. (We sympathise.)
Towards the end we took a group picture (above) and then went on to our second group of dogs. These were Akita Inus and Shiba Inus, two breeds very popular in Japan. They are smaller than huskies and much more active. They also tend to be more observant of the group as a whole. Whereas the huskies broke up into groups among themselves, the Akita and Shiba were a single unit: if something happened to one, all the others took an interest.
These dogs are different not just in temperament. They are also much more keenly attuned to humans. Indeed, they did not leave us alone the whole time we were there. They make good guard dogs (unlike huskies – too laid back for this!). And they are loyal, as you might know from the story of Hachikō, an Akita Inu who after his master’s death in 1925 continued to wait at the train station for his return every day, for nearly a decade.
Several of the dogs at the Huskitory are award winners, as we learned from the plaques and ribbons on the walls. We learned too that there is a Siberian Husky Breeding Association in Malaysia, and that there are regular competitions throughout southeast Asia. The dogs’ presence here is strange on so many levels, not least that arctic dogs would be kept in this tropical country. But as we have learned repeatedly on our travels, it’s a strange, strange world.
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