Bride & Groom

Northern Exposure, CGC, WLDX, WTD, WPD, all of whose titles Buck immediately elicited and all of which he understood. BISS is Best in Specialty Show, a speciality being a show limited to one breed, in this case, the Alaskan malamute. Ch.: Champion is conformation competition, in which dogs are judged according to the ideal spelled out in official breed standard. CGC: Canine Good Citizen, a title conferred by the American Kennel Club for passing a test designed to evaluate the dog’s training and deportment, and the owner’s responsibility in taking care of the dog. The last three titles are given by the Alaskan Malamute Club of America: Working Lead Dog Excellent, Working Team Dog, and Working Pack Dog. As my father was irritatingly quick to point out, Rowdy’s and Kimi’s work in harness had been occasional and strictly recreational.
    Gabrielle tried to insert a few brags about the titles my dogs did have, but Buck’s bellowing drowned her out.
    “Gabrielle, don’t!” I whispered. “Let him. The more he stays focused on North, the less attention he’ll pay to the wedding, and—”
    “An excellent plan,” said Gabrielle, who, I should mention, looked entirely unready to run sled dogs. Or to run, for that matter. Her fabulous bone structure and pretty gray-blond hair wouldn’t be assets on the trail, and she was distinctly plump rather than muscular. “North really is beautiful,” she went on. “It does seem a shame that he had to do all that work, though! Leading a team! How would you like it?” She patted the fluffy white head of Molly, her bichon, whom she held, as usual, in her arms.
    Although Gabrielle probably addressed the question to Molly, I said, “I might love it. And North certainly does, and please don’t say any such thing to Twila. Working breeds like to work, and Twila positively dotes on North. She’d never ask him to do anything he didn’t love.” I paused. “Besides, aren’t you going to mushing boot camp next weekend?”
    “Yes, of course,” Gabrielle said, “but that won’t really be work, will it? It’ll just be fun. A grand adventure! Molly and I can hardly wait.”
    I followed the wise course of not interfering in my father’s marriage. By this time, my father was enthusiastically greeting the kennel help Twila had brought with her, a sturdy young woman who, as far as I could tell, reserved her powers of speech almost exclusively for dogs. He insisted on helping with the entire team, which consisted of North and seven other malamutes. As he did so, he got to examine the incredible box trailer.
    In response to Buck’s questioning, Twila said, “It’s six thousand pounds. That’s because of all the stainless steel diamond plate.”
    Gabrielle whispered in my ear. “Do the dogs have to ride in it?”
    "That’s what it’s for,” I said, “and they’re a lot more comfortable than my dogs and I were in my old Bronco.”
    Meanwhile, Twila was showing off the luxurious dog vehicle, which had drops, as they’re known, for twelve dogs, an elaborate venting and cooling system, and a gigantic sealed storage compartment for gear.
    As the kennel girl let out one of the dogs, Hussy, and spoke softly to her, Gabrielle suddenly took an interest in the trailer and went so for as to stick her head into the box that Hussy had just vacated. “It’s really a little private room, isn’t it? And the door has louvers. It’s very cozy and comfy. And perfectly safe. With padlocks for each little room. There’s not a chance that someone could get hurt in there.”
    “Of course not,” I said. “Twila is not about to endanger her dogs. Now we’d better unload everything. Everyone’s expected for drinks at seven.”
    “Let’s just leave Buck where he is. He had some fanciful notion of doing a real lobster and clam bake, but there simply isn’t time, and you don’t want your yard dug up, do you? And nothing would be ready for hours and hours, and we’d end up eating raw lobster, so if you don’t mind—”
    “Mind? I don't mind at all.”
    For the next hour and a half, Buck had no opportunity to cause trouble. On the contrary, he made himself useful by carrying luggage to the third floor, toting in plastic boxes of lobsters and clams, feeding and walking all five of Steve’s and my dogs, and lending a hand as Twila and her helper fed and watered the dog team. When Steve got home, Buck acted glad to see him and happily introduced him to Twila and her crew. Meanwhile,