Ellie's First Birthday

On August 26th, a very special young lady in our pack turned ONE.

Her name is Ellie.

And just look at her now.

But Ellie isn’t just beautiful on the outside. She’s rare in more ways than one.

You see, Ellie inherited a rare combination of both furnishings and feathering coat traits.

Those are two recessives that, when paired, create the same coat texture as a Briard.

That’s not something we see often in the American Dirus breed!

And yet… the real magic isn’t just her coat.

It’s the way she lives and breathes the very spirit of her lineage.

Don’t just take my word for it.

Here’s what her mom wrote to me this week:

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“Hello Jennifer and Jay,

I hope you both are doing well.  Happy September greetings from Alaska.

Ellie is EVERYTHING I wanted in a companion dog: calm, gentle, slightly aloof, a thinker, sensitive, initially reserved around strangers, incredibly easy to handle, and deeply bonded to me!  She is not purebred, but strong-bred with the best traits from her line of GSD, Alaskan Malamute, and definitely a bit of Irish Wolfhound. I followed your advice and did not try to train her like I would a German Shepherd or a herding/hunting breed.  Actually, I did not do much training at all because she was incredibly intuitive and naturally well-mannered.  Of course I have to calmly wait for 10 seconds or so before she will either “come” or “settle” or “lay down” but what’s the rush…we are enjoying life at calmer pace and we have so much fun together.  When I ask the staff at her Doggie Daycare, “How was Ellie today?”, they light up and respond, “Ellie was Ellie”.  When I press further, “Is that good?”, they typically respond, “it’s actually great!  She has the best temperament!.” She shares my home with a German Shepherd, Chocolate Lab, Shitzu-mix and Abyssinian cat.  She made it through her first heat without a fuss and no need for diapers.  She’s a wonderful foster dog greeter and helps the temporary canine company settle in and feel welcomed. I can’t imagine life without this amazing 95-pound girl.  Just looking into her eyes fills me with joy!

Thank you for trusting me with her care.”

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Now, if that doesn’t make your heart swell, you might want to check your pulse.

Ellie is everything we aim for in this breed — calm, gentle, thoughtful, bonded. She’s living proof that when you trust the process, you get a dog who isn’t just a pet… but a soul-companion.

So today, let’s howl a big Happy Birthday to Ellie.
May her second year be filled with tail wags, thoughtful pauses, and eyes that sparkle with Ice Age wisdom.

Happy trails, Ellie. We’re proud to have you in the pack.

P.S. Want to know what’s coming next for the pack?

Over in the Dire Wolf Project™ Learnistic app, I’ve posted an update on our future American Dirus™ breeding plans.

You’ll find it inside Crafting the Dire Wolf → Future Breeding Plans → September 2025.

Wait till you see which pairs are lined up for next year!

You’ll be tingling right down to your toes.

This year marks the beginning of something truly historic within the American Dirus™ dog strain.

We are now establishing two distinct lines:

• the Borealis Line
• the Permafrost Line

For now, matches will be made only within their own line, not crossing over. This means the pups from these litters will each carry a unique and carefully preserved legacy.

And speaking of future litters…

The only fall litter is about to arrive!

The Fraggle Rock Litter is due September 11th, 2025.

You can follow their journey here:

https://direwolfdogs.com/litters/74/

This litter is OFFICIALLY CONFIRMED!

If you are on our waiting list and want to “go active” for this litter, please reply to this email and let me know.

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Jennifer Stoeckl is the co-founder of the Dire Wolf Project™, founder of the DireWolf Guardians™ American Dirus™ Dog Training Program, and owner/operator of DireWolf Dogs of Vallecito™. She lives in the beautiful inland northwest among the Ponderosa pine forests with her pack of American Dirus™ dogs.