It may have taken 9 years, but it happened!

Super Sleddie Reunion #8 happened on September 27, 2025 and it was a sight to behold.

27 sleddies gathered to run, play, steal snacks, swim, get muddy, explore, sniff, make new friends and even nap. 
You may think it would be noisy with over 30 dogs in all, in attendance, but it's not. The dogs have found new routines that are more than just being "on" or "off" for work. They've found a middle ground that allows them to make their own choices on their own time. To choose friends. To have some license when it comes to their daily lives.

The reunion took place at Victoria Humane Society’s new property - the site of what will be an incredible animal care and adoption centre - located in a magical forested area, just outside of Victoria. 

Since the first gathering in November 2013 to this latest almost 12 years later, I’ve had the honour to meet and photograph 278 former sled dogs who’ve had the opportunity to leave working life behind and live life as beloved family members. 

Aside from sweet Smokie who’s 15 (maybe 16?), the dogs at this gathering is a new generation of sleddies. The inspiration for this project - the survivors of the Whistler sled dog massacre - have all passed away, but their names and faces live on in some pretty cherished memories from those who knew them, along with photographs and stories on this site. And some of those original families have continued to adopt sleddies!
The majority of this crew have come from the Whistler area, but some are from the Yukon and beyond. 

To the new friends visiting this page/post, you will see many photos below. I haven’t picked out just the single portraits because I share as many photos as I can as this project is not just about the ‘pretty pictures or posed portraits - it’s about sharing the realness - the fun, the messy, the eyes closed, the turned away faces. 

There is a magic that comes along with sharing your home with a sleddie, a camaraderie between the human and the dog as you both learn about each other. The comfort that can be found in new routines. The time for the dogs to learn that life is not just about being “on” and “off” for work because there are now opportunities for mid-range adventures, hikes, or afternoon naps with their bestie.

But as it can be when bringing any new dog into your home, some assimilate very easily and some need a little more time. Time to learn about their new roles in a home. Time to trust.
But this group has stepped up.

These days I generally only get to see the dogs upon arrival, so it’s super special to see how those sweet, yet fearful dogs, have learned to relax and bond with their family. 

As long as there are sled dog operations, the Victoria Humane Society will need foster and adoptive homes, so if you’re interested, please contact them.

Sleddie roll call: Bagheera (adoptable!), Baloo, Biggie, Blue, Clyde, Dawson, Elton, Gadget, Heart, Idéfix, June, Keelah (formerly Akeela), Lady Arthur (adoptable!) (formerly Arthur), Louie, Louise, Oman, Patsy, Peach, Penny, Pepper (adoptable!), Raksha (adoptable!), Shine (formerly Shining), Smokie, Star, Titan, Toledo, Zuzu

As it's taken me over a month to actually get to sharing this post (life sometimes takes over), some super cool news has come in! At the reunion there were 4 adoptable sleddies (Bagheera, Lady Arthur, Pepper and Raksha), and I'm happy to say Bagheer, Raksha and Pepper have all been adopted! Our sweet Lady Arthur is, however, still awaiting her forever home.  I ask you to just take a look at the photos of this sweet girl near the end of this post -- most of the dogs had gone home, but Lady Arthur continued to request loves and attention in her very gentle way from any human close by. This girl is a 100% a gem. So sensitive and sweet. Whoever adopts her is going to be very lucky. 

Some other friends came too — whether they were sleddie siblings, honourary sleddies or “fake” sleddies… they all had a blast! Flurry, Murphy, Rachel, Wesley, Zoe

Thank you so much to the organizers (Jill + Deb) and all the fosters, adopters and supporters of this incredibly special group of sweet dogs!
Names and captions are included for all photos (fingers crossed I got them all correct!) - just click on the photo to view captions!

~wendy
​xo

p.s. printable versions of images from this reunion can be ordered for $10 each, with the money raised going back to help sustain this project and fund future sleddie-related advocacy. Please contact me for to order!

Sunday was the day of some super sweet summer sleddie arrivals. Amidst a jumble of "things that can go sideways, did", and a record-breaking day of summer heat, 5 sleddies were lovingly transported into care. 

Welcome Arthur, Bagheera, Heart, Pepper and Raksha!

Life as a sled dog is quite predictable - so it's no surprise that when new sleddies arrive into care they can be very concerned. Even the most relaxed sleddie can be having some tremors and/or stress panting upon arrival. 
But one of the most beautiful things is to see photos of them that same evening in their foster homes. This group was no exception. 
And I even got to see it with my own eyes as I had to drop off some medication to one of the fosters who lives close to me just before 9pm. When I peeked around the corner, there was Bagheera flat out on his side, lying in front of the open screen door. After his arrival home, he had some outside time and then came inside and lay down by the door, where he continued to snooze in the cool evening air.
Ahhh... 

The intake also brought a couple other surprises -- a 'pirate' by the name of Arthur (a female), who had recent surgery to remove her left eye. Having shared 12 years of my life with a 'pirate' dog, I hold an extra soft spot for these sweeties and Arthur was no exception.

And then a tall, gangly youngster arrived... it was Yukon! 
Yukon was one of Willy's puppies who arrived from the Yukon late at night in February 2023 (https://www.iwasasleddog.com/blog/14-new-arrivals-14-new-friends) . His family is fostering one of the new sleddies -- it's so amazing to see adopters continue to help with fostering. 

It's not quite been 48 hours since they arrived, but I wanted to share what I noticed as well as some updates from their foster homes:
Bagheera - gave me the most adorable head tilts for me! He's been enjoying his yard and napping.
Arthur - (now known as Lady Arthur) the cutest sleddie pirate, with a penchant for very close snuggles when she's nervous! She has spent lots of time napping and is now learning how to go down stairs (going up is fine, down is a bit of a learning curve, which may have something to do with depth perception missing an eye)... what a champ!
Pepper - she reminded me of a spry old lady -- and so loving. She apparently didn't move off the sofa for the first 24 hours -- which is totally normal. It's been a lot of change in a short time.
Heart (now nicknamed Hermes) - the blue-eyed heart melter and a bit of a 'bulldog' in a sleddie costume, also quite goofy... (see him appear under Jill's armpit), he has had some issues chewing his tail (which are being monitored). On Sunday he attended the VHS bottle drive and has been taking dirt naps in the shady yard with the other family dog.
Raksha - a very snuggly girl when she's nervous, also a serious sunbather.

Below I share the photos of the arrival and intake. From jumping out of the van to vaccination to heading home with their foster... there are many images because I feel that helps communicate where each dog may be at, what they may be feeling... those brief moments of relax amidst the unknown... 

Also included is a photo of Bagheera with his eyes closed. If you know me, you know how much I love and embrace photos of dogs with their eyes closed. 
Sigh.

For the intake photos, please see my previous post: https://www.iwasasleddog.com/blog/august-23-2025

Thank you so much for stopping by, 
Wendy

p.s. our crew has a reunion coming up in September, so if you have a sleddie and would like to join, please get in touch!

I heard my old friend Mr B (Bruno) was coming to town recently so of course I invited myself along for the visit! Those who know me know this is a common occurrence, though what they may not realize, is that it's not just for photo ops. I really and truly love meeting their sleddies, hearing their stories and just being around them.

The visit was arranged with Shannon and Tica, Mr B's second foster home. It's very common in our sleddie world for fosters and adopters to keep in touch and it's that community and support that helps both the dogs and their new families navigate the good times, the silly times, the hard times and the sad times.
Bruno not only left his mark on his foster family, but on me too. While in foster Shannon, Tica, Bruno and I started meeting at Fleming for weekly walks, and his legacy lives on after his adoption because Shannon, Tica and I continue to meet up weekly at Fleming, for almost two years now!

Walking Mr B back then was like walking a balloon. And it still is. 
Being in his presence creates a sense of calm... encourage deep breaths... and being in the moment. He's a man of few 'tells', but if he likes something (like shoulder massages or rubs under his chin) he'll tell you in his subtle way. It forces you to just "be" with him. 

When Mr B was adopted, his new family had two other dogs - Murphy and Goose - who have since passed away. So in keeping with the sleddie theme, his family adopted Dawson earlier this year. Dawson was just a wee pup when he came into care back in Feb 2023 with 13 other adults and pups, all the way from a commercial sledding kennel in northern Canada. It's hard to believe Baby D was so small because he's got legs for days and when he stands up, he's almost as tall as his dad who's 5'7"!
​
In true Mr B fashion, he's handled a puppy in the house with patience and gentleness and in turn, even though Baby D is super silly and full of energy, he's very gentle with his big, ol' brother.

We met at our regular spot on a sunny afternoon at Fleming Beach. Tica was there for dog hellos with her friend Bruno and Shannon said her human hellos, holding his chin in her hand... as he moved in closer... and closer... to her.
​When we walked back toward the car, Bruno just fell into walking along with Shannon and Tica, like the old days in this same place.

Until we meet again Mr B.
xo

Mr B, aka Bruno, aka Bru came to town and thanks to Shannon, I got to visit with him and meet his new brother, Dawson!

Bruno looks amazing. His coat shimmers and it's sooooo soft. He played shy a bit, but once he knew that the neck massages were on offer, he let me know that was cool by stepping closer for more. Being his foster family, Shannon got loves and shared some treats and Tica gave him a few big sniffs of remembrance. But the best is the connection between Bruno and his mom. Most of the time he just stands next to hear while she runs her hands through his fur - they're a beautiful match.
Bruno's new little brother is Dawson, who came into care from northern Canada back in February. He's one of Willy's three puppies, and he's also doing amazing. He's got those tall sleddie legs, flippers for paws and teeth like icebergs! He and Bru get along well though his humans are careful that Bruno (who's about 14 now!) doesn't get overwhelmed by Dawson's exuberance for life!

I absolutely love meeting up with sleddies after they've been adopted and have settled into their new home. All too often I only get to see them when they arrive - scared, confused and out of sorts - so these meets ups are so special.

Thank you so much to R + S for opening up their home to sleddies and continuing to advocate for them. They told me they get so many compliments on Bruno where they live... why am I not surprised!

​Thanks to Shannon and Tica for letting me tag along!

xo
​wendy

I've also included some photos of Dawson, aka Baby D (and his two siblings) from the night he arrived...