Lake-Loving Northwoods Dogs

Photography by Shanna Wolf

There’s an old adage: “In my next life, I want to be a dog.” And these Northwoods canines prove that indeed, they all lead a dog-gone good life.

Karma, Standard Poodle

Family: Molly Rose Teuke and Michael Murphy
Name Game: “She had it when we adopted her,” explains Teuke. “And, she is good karma!”
Favorite Lake Place: Two Sisters Lake in Oneida County.
Canine Pastime: Chasing a ball.
Pet Peeve: Being told to pipe down when guests arrive. Teuke jokes: “What, I’m not supposed to alert the pack?!”
Favorite Food: Popcorn tossed through the air.
Fetching Fact: Karma can do the moonwalk backwards when a ball comes her way.

Renny, Standard Poodle

Family: Mary and Rob Brodhead
Name Game: They just liked the name, say the Brodheads.
Favorite Lake Place: Two Sisters Lake in Oneida County.
Canine Pastime: Boating in his MasterCraft (which he lets Rob drive).
Pet Peeve: Chirping from the smoke alarm when the battery is low.
Favorite Food: Steak from a Blink Bonnie doggie bag.
Fetching Fact: Renny once had a career as a therapy dog. “[He’s] the sweetest dog on the face of the earth,” says Rob.

Gichi, Golden Retriever and Dobby, Mix of Great Pyrenees, Labrador Retriever, German Wirehaired Pointer and terrier

Family: Krystal Westfahl and Tina Breister
Gichi Name Game: “We are water lovers in our family, especially the big lake—Lake Superior or Gichi Gami, as it’s traditionally spelled,” says Westfahl. That was the inspiration for naming their new puppy—especially after he dove right in the water!
Dobby Name Game: “Dobby is the house elf in the Harry Potter series. As any Harry Potter aficionado knows, Dobby is released from his servitude by receiving a sock. Our Dobby had a very bad habit as a puppy of eating our socks!” says Westfahl.
Gichi’s Favorite Lake Place: The family spends most of its time at Clear Lake in the summer. They also canoe in the Boundary Waters canoe area in northern Minnesota and Gichi loves to tag along on rides.
Dobby’s Favorite Lake Place: Any lake that his family goes to. “Dobby wasn’t a natural water dog. It took him some time to get used to the idea of the water … [but] … he has become quite an accomplished swimmer. I think he still would rather roam the shoreline hunting for frogs then taking a swim,” says Westfahl.

Gichi’s Canine Pastime: Retrieve things—especially a ball or stick.
Dobby’s Canine Pastime: Hunting for critters along the shoreline.
Gichi’s Favorite Food: Popcorn … he gives a puppy dog look until his owners give in and throw some on the floor for him.
Dobby’s Favorite Food: Anything. “As a puppy, he was found abandoned and in that time developed quite the knack for finding food. He will eat anything including vegetables and anything you drop,” says Westfahl.
Gichi’s Pet Peeve: He hates it when his brother, Dobby, pulls on his tail when he’s ready to fetch a stick or ball.
Dobby’s Fetching Fact: Dobby is better at picking blueberries than his family. You have to be quick or all the bushes will be picked clean before you get to them!