Sleddie roll call: Smokey, Patsy, Pluto, Apex, Mary Kate, Roo, Jon Snow, Baloo, Jasper, Portia, Louie, Argus, Blue, Oman

Though it's been over a month since this rainy walk in the woods, I remember it all very clearly.
The dogs, the people, the flooded trails, the bike racers.
Me abandoning my camera for my camera phone because my body was sore from holding my beast of a camera for over  40 dog photo sessions in the previous 2 weeks.
And then putting all that aside to try to just 'be'.
Though I still took some video while talking to dogs and offering treats.

And then I pushed my luck by talking to Apex just one too many times while offering him a treat, which proved to be a bit much for our delicate walkie relationship, so Deb was going to have to head into the bushes to coax him back from 'the dark side' as she calls it. Deb was already managing 4 dogs -- 3 of her own (Apex, Roo + Mary Kate) and one recent intake who was moving foster homes, Jon Snow. Since Roo and MK would want to be with her, once she headed into the woods, I took the leash of the odd man out, Jon Snow.
I didn't even think about it, I just did it.
Something had compelled me to take that leash.
And then as we started I walking I wondered what I had done. Jon was a big boy and a bit of a puller. Some sleddies pull, some don't... Jon did. My greatest fear walking a sleddie is it getting loose and being too scared to come back -- and with my painful body I was suddenly worried. But the muscle memory of years of walking both shelter dogs and sleddies clicked to the 'on' position and off we went. We walked with Ally and Argus, though puddles, around puddles, up hills where I appreciated the bit of pulling help, and down hills where I thought "don't let go, don't trip, don't fall"! Maybe Jon knew just how much tension I could handle because we made it the rest of the forest walk without any problems and best of all... no lost dogs!! (including Apex who was fine once I was out of sight... sigh...)

As we milled about in the parking area with the others Jon did some circles - a common behaviour with sleddies due to their time spent on chains - but then the circles went around me and my legs ended up cocooned in his leashes. I managed to unravel myself without falling over and laughed a bit to myself. I'm not usually the one in these situations, I usually capture it happening to others. But here I was and I was loving every minute of it.
As some began to leave it was a split moment when I happened to catch Jillian's dog Portia stumble getting into her car and Jon Snow noticed it too because he then put his front legs up on me in a 'hug'. Of course it seemed like the cutest thing and others saw him do it too, but then I realized why he was doing it, he had gotten scared. Some sleddies want to bolt, some look to the closest warm body. Thankfully Jon came to me rather than bolt away.
I gave him reassurances and a few kisses on his head and after about 20-ish seconds he put his feet back down on the ground and shook it off.
Recovery... yay Jon Snow!

I'm thankful I saw that happen because it not only informed us of Jon Snow's fears, but it hit home the concept that something seemingly innocuous as a dog doing a small stumble while getting into a car... across a road -- an action that barely makes any noise and doesn't seem like much -- can be scary to a dog that's learning about our big, wide, weird, human world.

Sleddie School is always in session with the dogs as teachers, we just have to be open to listening.

Here are a few photos as well as a video so you can enjoy a bit of the walk too!

xo
​wendy

p.s. Jon Snow has since been adopted and his new family just adores him!!

Cruz, Jack, Louie, Twister
Each group of new sleddie arrivals is different. 
No matter how many dogs arrive in an intake, they can be feeling anything on a scale from calm and super chill to super stressed, verging on shut down. Sled dogs are used to being loaded into vehicles and transported - it's how they go from the kennel where they're kept to the staging area where the excursions operate from. But they're usually transported in cubbies on the back of a truck, not in a vehicle with heat (or AC in the warmer temps) and cushions in their individual kennels, like these four and other arrivals before them have been. Comforts like this can be a bit scary at first, because they're new and different. Add to that the drive from Whistler, BC, the ferry ride, and another (albeit short) drive to get to their destination of Victoria, BC.
When the dogs arrive, their little noses are working overtime. And along with their brains, eyes, and paws, they take in all the newness. Though they know the dogs they've travelled with, there are new faces too.
These are the foster families waiting to help.

Foster families are lined up in advance and the team prepares the food, leashes, harnesses, GPS trackers and vet appointments. Foster families arrive early so they can load their vehicles with the supplies because once the dogs arrive, they are the focus. 

Cruz, Jack, Louie, Twister

Cruz (brown/white, short coat) was a last-minute addition. Another dog was to come, but Cruz needed out first. She's young, only about 4, energetic... and in heat. 
Also into care was Jack with the brown and blue eyes who loved his treats. Louie who seems to find comfort next to humans and excels at resting his head on them and Twister (all white) whose energy lives up to his name and seems to really love scritches on his back end.
Aside from Louie, you'll see that the dogs in this group were a bit twirlier than in other intakes - there was more nervous energy and they ran lots of circles. Running in a circular pattern is a common sight in sleddies. When they're kept on a tether, a circular pattern provides the most area for movement. It becomes ingrained. I've seen it time and time again. The circle can happen just on a regular walk, or act as a reset of sorts when they're uncomfortable. They may not run away from something, but move in a circular pattern next to or behind something or someone - whether on leash or off. But the team knows this sometimes happens, so all the dogs had some time to sniff, pee, have some snacks (if interested) and take a breath before it was time to head out with their foster families. 

It's been a few days now since they arrived and Jack's been neutered, Twister has found his husky voice, Louie continues to rest his head, and Cruz has been rematched with a new foster due to her energy. 
For these four-legged loves, adjusting to this new life is a process that can take days, weeks, months, years. Some take longer than others to decompress - just like humans and other animals of the world - so the team is in place and ready to support the dogs and foster families in whatever they need. 
Thank you to the sleddie team - transporters Jillian and Deb, the amazing fosters (GP, AB, J&M, KG) the retired sleddie community and Victoria Humane Society for continuing to support former sled dogs.

Welcome to retirement Cruz, Jack, Louie and Twister!

xo