Some sleddies got together this morning to support their friend, Sparky, who recently lost her brother.

Sweet Sparky has been a bit out of sorts after Buddy's passing so with help of a couple sleddie friends and a walk in the forest, she was able to have a break from her day-to-day and get some new sniffs in.

Summer has hit us here in Victoria, BC, and it's been day after day of sun and warm temps, so a morning walk in the woods was refreshing and welcome.

Joining Sparky was Blue and Zuzu (formerly Zouave) and low-riders, Frankie and Ollie. 
I know I've said this before, but because I mostly only see sleddies when they arrive into care, it's such a cool thing to see them after they've had time in their new homes. Time to decompress, time to be dogs. And today was no exception.

Blue came into care in Feb 2023 as part of an intake of 14. (read about Blue's arrival here: https://www.iwasasleddog.com/blog/14-new-arrivals-14-new-friends) and Zuzu arrived in September 18, 2023. I may have an extra soft spot for this guy as I picked him up from the airport myself and got to deliver him to his foster home (5 mins from my house!)... and I think I still have his fur embedded into my car seats (https://www.iwasasleddog.com/blog/welcome-zouave).

Sparky has some arthritis so while she kept up with the group, it was Blue and Zuzu who put on the mileage. The zoooooomed along paths, jumped over stumps and even had a wallow of sorts in some mud (*ahem* Zuzu!). But not to worry, there was also plenty of time to: refuel at various treat-dispensing machines (aka humans), show off skillz (Blue's treat catching), avoid the camera (Sparky) and stretch out those looooong sleddie legs (Zuzu).

Thanks to the crew who was able to make this forest bath for Sparky. Our community has said goodbye to a few too many  friends over the last while because age and/or illness has a way of catching up with our sleddie family, but the crew steps up to support when and how they can.
Like today.
It's a remarkable group.

So please enjoy the photos of today's adventure - but before you begin, I would like to point out I finally got one photo of Sparky looking at me (!), Blue's photobomber of a tail and Zuzu's stillness in the Blue-catching-treats series! ;) 

Sleddie roll call: Sparky (white socks), Blue (one blue eye), Zuzu (floopy ears) along with low-riders Frankie (yorkie adjacent)  + Ollie (pom adjacent)

For more on the sleddies in this post, click on their name over to the right under 'Categories' or use the search option located on the home page.

I met Homer on June 29. He had arrived late on June 24 and was whisked away into a foster home. Not much is known about Homer other than he was running loose for about three weeks before being trapped. He then ended up at the SPCA in the NWT who then kennelled him at a dog boarding/day care/sled dog kennel where he's spent the last few months. And though it hasn't been confirmed he was a sled dog and if so, which kennel he may have escaped or been released from, between the video of him in harness attached to both a sled and a bike, he seems to know what he's doing in both situations, and where he was found, well... we've been told it's not uncommon to find sled dogs out on their own 

So without any ID or a microchip, this fearful stray became Homer.

Five days after his arrival in Victoria I met Homer at his foster home. One look at him and he broke my heart. There was nothing physically wrong - no scars, cuts, broken limbs, he wasn't starving. But inside, that's where the broken bits are.
There he was. Sitting as far back as he could in the crate that's in his kennel. Front legs stuck together and head lowered looking at me.
We make eye contact. 
He wears a collar - the kind used at sled dog kennels with the big 'D' ring on it and a GPS tracker attached to that. 
His left foot looks to be wearing a spotted sock - is there heeler in there or pointer?
I have my camera ready and move it slowly up to my eye and he watches. Click. No response. That could mean he's in freeze or it doesn't bother him. I click some more, moving slowly, taking breaks and watching him. 
Deb, his foster, goes in to his kennel and attaches the long line to his collar to bring him out.
He's not ready. 
So we sit in her yard with her other dogs - Apex, Mary Kate and Roo - and talk for a while. Every once in a while we can see Homer's feet come out of his crate, walk to the gate of the kennel, perhaps to see where we're all at. Two hours of our visit goes by and Deb tries again.
Success!
Homer comes out and the dogs do their sniffing and Deb and I pretend we're not watching him. I continue to photograph him at a distance which he's not seeming to be bothered by. He also doesn't mind the kids riding their bikes on the street. And when Mary Kate gives him a lip when he gets too close, he backs off. He rubs back ends with Apex and follows Roo into the best dirt holes in which to lie down.
It's a delicate balance helping a fearful dog with no history -- sometimes they need the gentlest little nudge to help them along, but not enough that it sends them into a backward slide. Teeny tiny steps along with seemingly thousands of decisions every day for both the foster and the dog. 

Everyone's trying.
So hard. 

But Homer is going to need a champion, or 20. People who will show him kindness and patience and understand he's doing his best. 
He's eating and drinking and doing his business which are great to see. But like so many sled dogs, when he's outside in the yard on his long line, he starts the circling behaviour so ingrained in many dogs from sledding kennels. When dogs are kept tethered, circling is about all they can do... for entertainment, for stress release, out of frustration, for attention. It's their 'go-to'.

On Homer's side is an experienced sleddie foster home (thanks Deb!), a community that has helped hundreds and hundreds of former sled dogs make the transition into a retired life, and the Victoria Humane Society who will ensure whatever help Homer needs, Homer will get. However long it takes.

In my photo story, I captured Homer as he was and include my usual sets of series to help illustrate the nuances of his behaviours and movements.

Thanks for stopping by,
​wendy

For adoption info on Homer or to donate towards his care, please contact: https://victoriahumanesociety.com/save-animals-everyday/