Cold weather is 'the best thing ever' for these pups: Sled Dogs of Windsor out for a run

Huskies prepare to go for a run on the Canard River on Jan. 29, 2022 with their owners who are members of the Sled Dogs of Windsor. (Michelle Maluske / CTV Windsor)

The group Sled Dogs of Windsor is finally getting out for a proper run, thanks to this week’s snowfall and cold temperatures that followed.

“The week before there was all that snow in Toronto and we were so jealous,” says Katya Parker a new recruit to the group with her dog, Moose. “This was going to be our first season actually being out on the sleds, it was really exciting to finally get that snow fall,” says Parker.

She and Moose were part of the group that run up the frozen River Canard Saturday. Many of the group’s 300 members own huskies.

“This is what they’re bred for,” says Founder Sheri Blair. “They have undercoats and they can run when it's -35 out.”

“They (huskies) can definitely do these elements, no problem,” says member Wanda Carr. “They’re bred to run and pull and you let them go and they’re just naturals, it’s amazing!”

Yet not all the dogs in this group are huskies. Blair says be it’s a poodle or a shepherd, “So long as they are over 35 pounds and they can pull and they have the energy and the drive, let’s go.” Says Blair.

The Sled Dogs of Windsor was created 14 years ago, and Blair has been racing with them for the last 10.

“This is the best thing ever,” says Blair who prefers to be outside during the cold winter months. “Everybody said ‘you’re crazy’. I said nope. I’m outside from September to May this is who I am.”

Parker and Moose spent the summer working on commands. “When you want them to go right, you go ‘gee’ and when you want them to go left you go ‘hah’” says Parker.

“So throughout the summer whenever we go on walks we got to use those commands so then Moose, my dog here, now knows what he’s supposed to do.”

The members say they spend most of their time sledding through the local trails, because the temperatures in Canada’s south don’t always make for safe ice conditions.

Parker says in some ways that helps the dogs stay focused on a run.

“It was, I think, a little easier for the dogs with the trails beside to focus on where they’re going. With all the distractions [on River Canard Saturday] it got a little bit wild but that added to the fun.”

The Sled Dogs of Windsor are always accepting new members through the group’s Facebook page.