Rescue dogs are worth it.

How a Siberian Husky Captured My Heart & Changed My Life

I was divorced, starting over, and craved a companion.

I’m captivated by the breed. Huskies have such wolf-like behavior. I love their howl. You can train them for such different activities. They have great stamina and endurance. My first Husky loved to swim and adapted to the canoe. She was great with my children.

I searched the website of AdoptaHusky.com. I wanted a female with black and white markings. She had to be past the puppy stage. A picture popped up matching those qualifications. There was a two year old fostered in Nine Mile Falls, Wa.

I contacted the foster parent, stating my interest. She explained there was a process involved before I could adopt her. She recommended I fill out an application. If I passed a home visit and paid a fee, the dog was mine.

I thought to myself, “You’ve got to be kidding. I’m adopting a dog not a child.”

The day arrived for the visit.

A woman stepped out of a truck equipped with a carrier for sled dogs. She wore outdoor clothing and exuded a confident athletic bearing. She rang my doorbell. Her mind was set. No way would she approve an adoption to someone who lived in a three story condo.

I invited Gail upstairs to my main living area. On my dining table I had an album showing pictures of two Huskies I owned in the past. I had photos of a sled dog trip I had taken the year before. I had also entered three pets that I trained myself in a sled dog race.

I learned that she was a Forest Service Ranger, who also fostered Huskies for adoption. She didn’t have any two year olds at that time. As we talked, we realized we had a lot in common. She was a mountaineer also and knew the Cascade range very well.

I was approved for a weekend visit with Crystal.

I met the van transporting Crystal in a town near I-90. My initial contact parent was on her way to Seattle for a dog show. The agreement was to keep the dog for a trial period that weekend. If I decided to adopt, she was mine.

I opened the rear door of my Subaru Outback so she could jump in. Crystal hesitated, not knowing what she was to do. I picked her up and placed her aboard.

On the drive to Chelan, I noticed she was drooling like crazy on the back seat. Before I brought her inside my condo, I walked around a grassy spot so she could pee. After some minutes I felt she didn’t need more time to go.

As soon as we entered the main living area, Crystal squatted and pooped on the rug. “Jeez, this dog isn’t even toilet trained?” I led her to a dog crate with a mattress. She entered right away. At least she was familiar with that. She showed no inclination to leave it.

Strange behavior for the rest of the day

I put her leash on and took a short stroll. She was all over the place on the sidewalk and grass verge. I realized she had never taken a walk. I shortened the leash to keep her right beside my leg. We continued our walk. I talked to her the entire time. It seemed to calm her down. Passing cars agitated her.

By late afternoon I poured dry food in her bowl with a half can of Purina chicken and barley. She gulped the contents like a starving animal. When I sat down to eat my own dinner, she started to go after my plate.

“Oh, NO, this isn’t acceptable sweetheart.” I confined her to the crate for a bit.

When I opened her door, I sat on the floor and petted her. She seemed wary but tolerated the gesture.

“

Where have you been for two years of your life? You act like a wild undisciplined animal.”

That night I slept on the floor beside her in my sleeping bag. The entire day had terrified her. Everything was so strange and new.

Sunday rolled around. Time for a decision.

I took her outside to relieve herself for longer periods. There were no further accidents. We went for a couple of shorter walks. She was becoming more comfortable. I fed her twice. The food disappeared but at a slower rate. I pet her while in the crate. She preferred that to being outside her safe place.

I thought long and hard. I knew she needed a basic training class. The two of us had a long road ahead. But I sensed something in her. She was timid and shy, true. Yet, there was potential.

I called her foster parent, “I’ll keep her.”

“I was so hoping you would say that. She was dropped at our kennel, with no note or explanation. The dog was malnourished and looked terrified. We know nothing of her past.”

I changed her name to Chan Teh, meaning sweet heart in the Sioux language. We showed up at Basic Class. The trainer cringed. “Not another stubborn northern dog.”

I couldn’t understand her negativity. I’ve never had any trouble with Huskies. I find them very willing to learn new skills. They’re smart dogs.

Chan Teh became socialized. Traffic no longer bothered her. Gail and I went on many hikes in the mountains with our Huskies. Chan Teh would balk three times when I asked her to step over a small stream or cross a log. I would patiently show what I wanted. Then the third time she would comply. After that she never hesitated.

Her favorite activity was going on high mountain trails. She even climbed in snow. She learned sled dog commands by following Gail’s dog sled team. She pulled me on skis and tolerated the crunch of snowshoes.

In due time we became quite a team. She was my soulmate. I have never felt closer to a dog. As long as we were together, she adapted to new experiences fine.

She even slept with me in bed at night. She had come a long way from our initial time together.

When you rescue a dog, there is often a big learning curve, because you don’t know their past. But with love and patience, they can become your best friend.

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