Your name and the name of your beloved husky hero!

Hayley and Michael. We adopted Willow

Where do you live?

High River, Alberta

When did you adopt your retired sled dog?

May 2023

Describe your family, partner, kids, and other animals…

We’re a young couple, expecting our first baby in August! We enjoy spending lots of time outdoors exploring, camping, hiking, and snowshoeing when we can. We both have a love of animals and are busy pet parents to three cats: Beamer, the sweet old guy (13 years), Turbo the troublemaker (8 years), and Howard the talkative scaredy cat (7 years). We also have our dog Jasper, a 5 year old black lab x Great Pyrenees who is a bit timid with new people and situations but is a big snuggly sweetheart once you win her trust!

What motivated you to adopt a retired sled dog?

Michael grew up with huskies and enjoyed them when he was younger, so when we found out that Snowy Owl adopted their retired sled dogs, we knew we had to reach out! We had been looking for an older companion for Jasper, our 5 year old black lab x Great Pyrenees, so this was a perfect opportunity!

What do you love most about having an adoptee sled dog join your family?

Willow has been such a great addition to our family! We love how well she has adapted to our lifestyle and the personalities of us and our other pets. Willow is sweet, curious, playful, and eager to accompany us on any adventure! It’s been fun to watch her learn and grow as she gains more confidence and builds her relationship with us and especially exciting to see the bond she is building with Jasper- following her around and learning from and playing with her.

What 3 activities does your adoptee enjoy the most?

• Willow loves joining us on any outdoor adventure, especially hiking, camping, and running around the dog park!
• She also enjoys a good chew toy whether it’s a ball, a bone, or the Kong!
• Willow enjoys sun bathing and curling up for naps with her new furry friends.

What new skills did your husky hero learn since living with you?

When we first brought her home, Willow refused to lay on anything soft, but she quickly realized how nice it is to have a big comfy dog bed! Willow has learned how to use the stairs and how to navigate household terrains such as hardwood, tile, and carpet (even the couch and king-sized bed occasionally). She’s been busy learning some new skills such as sit, stay, and come. We’ve also been working on leash walking as we go on adventures together.

Did adopting a retired sled dog meet all your expectations?

Adopting a retired sled dog has exceeded all of our expectations and we had such a positive experience navigating the whole process! It was so obvious that the staff at Snowy Owl really know the personalities and needs of each of their dogs as they were able to find us the perfect match! We are so glad that we went through the process and found Willow as she fits into our family so perfectly!

Scroll down for more cute photos of Willow…

Are you interested in learning about adopting a husky hero? Our kennels are located just outside Canmore, Alberta.

Take a look at our retired dogs who are available for adoption and find out how our adoption program works.