TLC turns neglected DuPage husky into team leader

Dallas came to the volunteers with Adopt A Husky in an almost catatonic state.

The 1-year-old Siberian husky knew nothing other than the crate in a darkened basement he grew up in.

From extreme abuse and neglect, the blue-eyed, black-and-white pup slowly emerged and began to trust. That guarded trust coupled with a sled harness gave him the courage to become a leader.

Dallas will lead a team during dog sledding demonstrations at the Morton Arboretum during its Husky Heroes event from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 29 and 30.

The fifth annual event showcases the remarkable talents of Siberian husky sled dogs, as well as the organization that works to keep them in good homes, Adopt A Husky.

For two weeks after Adopt A Husky Treasurer Noel Dagley brought Dallas to her home, he sat in a corner and didn't move.

“He literally couldn't do anything — he couldn't interact with people. He couldn't eat when we were in the same room,” she said. “He was very shy, not confident at anything. He had no experiences at all. He spent his life in a basement in a crate. He had no idea what the world was like.”

About a month and a half after he arrived, she and her husband, Mike, president of Adopt A Husky, decided it was time to introduce him to sledding.

“Basically we put a harness on him and hooked him up with our team and he started pulling,” she said. “Within a week we had moved him up to the lead position because he did so well. And ever since, he has been one of our leaders.”

Like humans, not every dog is a born leader.

Dallas fits the criteria — he's slightly more intelligent and follows commands perfectly. He can ignore distractions along the sidelines such as wildlife or humans. And he's able to recognize danger in situations such as cracked or unstable ice on a pond, and he's able to steer the team away from it despite commands from the musher, who may not be able to see the danger.

Mushers will describe the commands and history of dog sledding before the demonstrations, which take place at 11:30 a.m., and 12:45, 2 and 3:15 p.m. both days.

Between races, people can stop to visit and pet the dogs, who typically relax and hang out.

But once the dogs get an indication that a race is about to take place — maybe they see a harness or one of the mushers starts moving into gear — it's time for business.

“They start to scream and yell because they want to go,” Dagley said. “They get very excited and they want to make sure they don't get left behind.”

Visitors can warm up between races with a showing of “The Last Great Race,” a story about the Siberian huskies' heroic history pulling sleds in subzero temperatures to get medicine to Nome, Alaska, just in time to help residents. The movie shows at noon, 1:30 and 3 p.m. Complimentary tickets are available one hour before each presentation in the Visitors Center.

Visitors also can stop by to see Dallas, now 6 years old, but don't be surprised if he's hard to find.

Dallas' husky peers instinctively protect him, Dagley said.

At home or while sledding, you may never know the difference between Dallas and dogs with less extreme pasts, she said. But around strangers, when the other sled dogs gladly eat up the attention, he still shies away.

“My guys know that he has a fear of people, and they usually go in front of him,” Dagley said. “They shield him from the crowd. It's pretty cool to watch.”

It's been a long road for Dallas, but Dagley believes that doing what he's naturally predisposed to do — sledding — allowed Dallas to put his past behind him.

“If he's by himself someplace, you can tell he's shy and more timid, but at least he can exist out in the world right now,” Dagley said. “He can do things by himself. He doesn't like it, but he can do it.”

The demonstrations take place snow or no snow. If the snow melts, dogs will pull sleds on wheels.

The event is free with admission to the arboretum, which is $11 for adults, $10 for seniors, $8 for ages 2 to 17 and free for younger children.

“They're beautiful animals and it's wonderful to watch them,” said Diana Fischer-Woods, special events coordinator. “They love to do it. They jump up and down with their harnesses, and they bark, and they're ready to go.”

For information, visit mortonarb.org or call (630) 968-0074.

If you go

<a href="http://www.mortonarb.org">What: Husky Heroes </a>

When: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 29 and 30

Where: Morton Arboretum, 4100 Route 53, Lisle

Cost: Included in arboretum admission of $11 adults, $10 seniors, $8 kids ages 2 to 17, free under 2

Info: (630) 968-0074 or mortonarb.org</a>