Arboretum's Husky Heroes showcases huskies as pets, athletes

For all the impediments snow creates for motorists navigating slick highways, the presence of enough ice crystals paves the way for a different sort of transportation: dog sleds.

Siberian husky dog teams and their sled drivers will gather Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 27 and 28, at Morton Arboretum to show visitors how the hardy canines can whisk human tundra travelers over miles of snow-covered terrain.

Dog sled demonstrations and the chance to visit with dogs and their owners are highlights of the annual Husky Heroes event, a popular family winter attraction.

“It's definitely a fan favorite. We're going on our 16th year,” said Gina Steele, the arboretum's special events coordinator. “We get a couple thousand people out here each day.”

Steele said 15-minute demonstrations are scheduled for 11:30 a.m. and 12:45, 2 and 3:15 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

If there's no snow cover available, Steele said the dogs will pull wheeled carts along trails.

“Whether there's snow or not, they do dog sledding,” she said. “In between the demonstrations, visitors can meet the dog teams and pet the dogs.”

Partnering with the arboretum for the event is Adopt A Husky Inc., a nonprofit, volunteer rescue organization that helps find homes for Siberian husky dogs.

Noel Dagley and her husband, Mike, will bring several of their own dogs, as will other dog sledding enthusiasts.

In all, Dagley said, six or seven dog teams will be on-site, along with several huskies available for adoption. Visitors can meet the dogs, inquire about adoption procedures and ask questions about raising, training and living with huskies, she said.

“They'll be up front where people can meet them and pet them,” she said. “Last year, we had several adoptions come out of it.”

Dagley said she likes huskies for “their intelligence and loving qualities. They're not, for the most part, lap dogs. They do like attention. They like being in a pack. They like being in a family. Because they are pack animals, typically they get along better if there are other dogs in the family.”

Shortly before last year's event, the Dagleys adopted Gunner from PAWS of Tinley Park. The young husky was rehabilitated after suffering two gunshot wounds.

Gunner, now fully recovered, will be a sled lead this year alongside the Dagleys' newest canine addition to their family, a 1-year-old female husky pup named Spirit, Dagley said.

The two dogs took to each other immediately, she said.

“When I brought her in, he took her under his wing,” she said.

Dagley said huskies love cold weather and they love to run. And they can reach impressive speeds.

“Typically, when they're running and they're in their stride and they've gotten their initial excitement out, they can run five to seven miles per hour,” she said. “They can continue for a long time, unless they see something that interests them, like a deer or a coyote.”

If they decide to give chase, their speed can increase dramatically for short sprints.

“I've clocked my guys at up to 24 miles per hour,” she said.

Dagley said the breed comes in a variety of colors and combinations: all white, black and white, gray and white, and red and white. While many huskies are blue-eyed, some have brown eyes, some have one brown and one blue eye and others have eyes that have part-blue and part-brown irises.

They all have different personalities.

“If you're interested in a husky, if you're thinking about getting one, go there,” she said. “We try to pair up the right dog with the right home.”

Admission to Husky Heroes is free with arboretum admission, Steele said. The entire event is outdoors.

“It's one of those things, people get all bundled up if it's cold,” she said. “It's a wonderful thing that draws people of all ages.”

Husky Heroes

<b>Where:</b> Morton Arboretum, 4100 Route 53, Lisle

<b>When:</b> 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 27 and 28

<b>Admission:</b> Free with arboretum admission of $14 for adults, $12 for seniors, $9 for ages 2 to 17

<b>Info:</b> (630) 968-0074, <a href="http://www.mortonarb.org">mortonarb.org</a> or <a href="http://www.adoptahusky.com">adoptahusky.com</a>