Most dogs can lead blind people. But how many blind dogs can lead people through a whole dog sled course? Isobel the Husky, for one.
Dog sledding is no sport for the weak, as far as canines are concerned. To make it as a good sled dog, you’ve got to be alert, athletic, and lightning-fast.
Think a blind Husky wouldn’t have any place on a dog sledding team? Then allow us to introduce you to an incredible dog in Manitoba, Canada: Isobel.
After the Husky lost her sight three years ago, Isobel’s owner, Jenafor Ollander, thought that would be the end of Isobel’s sledding career for sure. But Isobel wasn’t ready to step out of the spotlight just yet: When Ollander tried to keep her off the trails, the poor dog was so distraught that she refused to eat or drink.
Ollander didn’t think Isobel would be able to run with the pack the way that she used to, but she figured it couldn’t hurt to give the dog a shot. When she hooked Isobel to the sled with the rest of the team, though, Isobel surprised her: “That dog ran like you wouldn’t believe. She ran better than when she had her eyesight,” Ollander told The Canadian Press.
These days, Isobel runs with the team every single day. She relies on her other senses and her leader’s voice commands to stay the course. And Isobel doesn’t let her disability hold her back in the slightest – in fact, most days, she runs right at the head of the pack. No doubt about it: This amazing Husky is definitely top dog.