Alaskan Kennels was established in 1947 by Earl & Natalie Norris (Lisbet’s grandparents). Earl and Natalie were Alaskan pioneers and adventurers, and it is due to their dedication to the breed we still have a genetically rich pool of working Siberian Huskies in Alaska. The breeding program has been taken over by their son J.P. Norris and his wife Kari Skogen (Lisbet’s parents).

 

For seventy years, the primary focus of the kennel has been to preserve and promote the original function and appearance of the Siberian Husky as a sled dog. Alaskan Kennels has come to be known as the preeminent breeder of working Siberian Huskies, producing dogs that compete successfully in both sprint and distance races, an accomplishment few kennels can claim. The line of dogs produced by Alaskan Kennels are known as Anadyr Siberians.

 

The Norris’ are committed to maintaining the workability of the Siberian Husky. They believe that participating in sled dog races, both sprint and distance, is is the best way to benchmark the breed.

 

The main branch of the kennel is located in Willow, Alaska and operated by Lisbet’s parents. Puppies, young race dogs, and retirees live there. The young dogs train for the Fur Rendezvous, and the retirees teach the puppies how to be good sled dogs.

Lisbet’s father, JP, is an accomplished sprint musher who has successfully competed since the 1950s. His race season culminates each year at the Fur Rendezvous World Championship Open Class Sled Dog Race in Anchorage, a historical Alaskan sled dog race his parents helped found. Lisbet’s mother, Kari, is a 2-time veteran of the Iditarod (’84, ’86) and today competes in limited and open-class sprint races.

 

In 2016 Kari became one of few people in the world to have participated in all three of Alaska’s major sled dog races: the Fur Rendezvous, the Open North American, and the Iditarod.

 

Working with the family's dogs, Lisbet completed the Iditarod, Alaska’s famous 1000-mile sled dog race, in 2014, 2015, and 2016, finishing as the #1 Siberian Husky team in 2015 and 2016. 

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Fun fact:

Lisbet and Kari are only one of two mother-daughter pairs to have completed Iditarod (Barb & Lisa Moore were the first). Kari ran Iditarod in 1984 & 1986; Lisbet ran exactly 30 years later in 2014, 2015, & 2016.