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This story ran in the Detroit Free Press on September 3, 2006:

 ERU Eskies & Rescuer Profiled in Detroit Free Press

West Bloomfield woman goes all out for Eskies She finds homes -- including her own

BY JUDY ANN JACOBS

September 3, 2006

"Once you've been truly owned by an Eskie, you never want to change," says Susan Ashe of West Bloomfield.

Eskies are American Eskimo dogs and Ashe is involved with breed rescue. Her own two Eskies are rescued dogs.

She responds to calls from humane societies and individuals, often traveling long distances and sometimes out of state. "I've done 10-hour drives," she says.

"I know Eskies don't do well in shelters, and I know how to evaluate and rehabilitate those that are trainable," she says.

The first thing she does is take a rescued dog to a veterinarian to make sure it is healthy. She then helps find good foster and permanent homes. She keeps in touch with the adopters and even babysits the dogs.

Chimo and Jack are the Eskies that Ashe and her husband, Brian Ashe, adopted. The intelligent, lovable canines are therapy dogs. They help at the West Bloomfield Township Public Library in the children's Read to a Dog program, and they visit nursing homes.

Ashe, a portrait artist, has always had dogs and she's had Eskies for more than 28 years. "I'll rescue any breed, but I only provide long-term foster care for Eskies, the breed I know best," she says.

Chimo and Jack are the best of buddies. They play well together. Chimo is a standard-size Eskie. Ashe adopted her last October. "She's around 8 years old and weighs 32 pounds. I rescued her from Canton, Ohio. She was one day from being euthanized. Everyone loves her."

Detroit FP Pic

Susan Ashe with her Eskies, Jack, left, and Chimo. (BRIAN ASHE)

Jack is a miniature. Ashe rescued him from a shelter in Cheboygan. He's around 6 or 7 years old and weighs 17 pounds.

"Jack's a sweetheart dog. He's well socialized and is gentle and sweet with children. Jack has high energy and is very agile. He's a leaper. We call him Jumping Jack Flash," says Ashe, adding that she plans to do agility training with Jack.

Despite their name, American Eskimo dogs are not sled dogs. They are companion dogs.

The breed derives from dogs that German settlers brought to America. It has been in this country for about 200 years, Ashe says. "They were a favorite breed of dog for the circus, where they pranced and danced on top of horses," she says.

American Eskimo dogs are only for families willing to put in the time in to socialize and train them, Ashe emphasizes.

They are smart, friendly, loyal and protective of their family, she says, but they are also willful and obstinate if untrained.

For information on Eskie rescue, contact www.eskierescuers.org and the Michigan American Eskimo Rescue at www.petfinder.com.

Copyright © 2006 Detroit Free Press Inc. ERU has permission to reprint this article.