Brad Johnson: Pro Rescue and Pro Conscientious Breeding with Siberian Huskies

Brad Johnson lives in Indianapolis IN, not too far from me. I met him through social media, and he quickly became one of my go-to people for Siberians in need. Brad has lived and worked with these Siberian "people" as  call them for 40 years, a love that spawned in his childhood from neighbor's dogs. It was 1975 when he bought his first Siberian from a respected musher/breeder. And like many of us, the addiction to these amazing dogs began, and he started showing in confirmation, adding to his pack, mushing and more. 

Over his years loving this breed, he's seen the division of "show Siberian" and "working Siberian" for lack of better terms, as well as an increase in their popularity for all the wrong reasons. With many of the "snow dog" movies, people see them, think "Oh how cute," and go out and purchase a dog with zero knowledge on the history of the breed and their very specific needs. This has led to a huge increase in the numbers of Siberians ending up in rescues, or worse. It was this trend that inspired Brad to start his work with rescues on eduation and assistance, one of them being Northern Lights Sled Dog Rescue. 

This show will have something for everyone, from the person thinking of rescuing or purchasing a Siberian, to the experienced handler, owner or musher interested in some of the more unfortunate politics involved in the two "types" I mentioned earleir. We will go over the A to Z of being owned by a Siberian, share stories from Brad's 4 decades of living and working with these dogs, and of course his work with Northern Lights Sled Dog Rescue. We will talk about what a "good" and ethical breeder is and is not, as well as promoting rescues. 

So I invite you all to listen in, ask questions and enjoy time listening to someone I consider a friend to Northern Breeds everywhere.