The Ilion Sanctuary is the home of Team Ilion, a competitive sled dog team composed of different dog breeds from around the world! Sporting their signature red harnesses, our sled dogs compete in multiple races each season, and training takes place on our 70-acre property located on the edge of Diogenes, Alaska.
In addition to our kennel, we also provide multiple animal care facilities such as a veterinary clinic, doggy daycare, dog salon, and even a dog-friendly cafe! We are open to guests all year round, and invite you to come meet our team and learn about Ilion’s epic tale!
The Ilion Musher has made it their mission to give rescued dogs a place to call their own. Bringing together dogs from across the globe, the team began as a way to give these dogs a chance to find or continue their passion for pulling. Ilion isn't just a home to experienced sled dogs—many of our members have never had prior experience in racing, but sought out the sport, yearning for something new and to connect with their fellow teammates. Ilion’s dogs are always given a choice in whether they want to participate or not, as their well-being and comfort is top priority at the sanctuary.
As our team continues to grow, so does our popularity! Our sled dogs are adored by fans globally, and this has allowed Ilion to expand on its training itinerary and infrastructure. Even though Ilion’s goal is to reach the top of the mushing world someday, what our organization values the most will never change—and that is the love and care we have for our dogs!
The health and well-being of the Ilion team is critical and of the utmost importance for us. For dogs that participate in racing, check-ups and vaccines are given routinely. But it doesn't just stop at the basics—every dog is unique, and Ilion's vet staff always makes sure that each dog is cared for with their specific needs in mind. If a dog is not feeling well, they will not participate in training or races until they are in full health; there are no exceptions to this rule.
The sanctuary also houses dogs that are retired or currently under rehabilitation—unable to race either due to choice or circumstance—Rehabilitation programs are catered to each dog's needs, and put into place for dogs who seek to return to racing someday.
Our vet practice is staffed by passionate and dedicated veterinarians. Attentiveness to patients, quick response times, and providing nothing short of the most quality care for all animals is our primary concern. To read more about our staff and veterinary services, please check out our clinic page!
The Ilion Sanctuary has been a grassroots, non-profit organization since its founding. In the beginning of its development, our sanctuary was funded solely by Ilion's Musher—but thanks to our team gaining popularity worldwide, we have been able to raise awareness towards our sanctuary and operations. As a result, Ilion has received countless generous donations from our fans and local communities, and we have also secured many wonderful sponsors*. We’re grateful to say that with everyone’s loving support, our sanctuary's ever-expanding operations will continue to run smoothly!
You can learn more on how to support the sanctuary by visiting our support us pages.
*As a non-profit organization, all donations received will go towards the care of our dogs, our sanctuary, and expenses at our on-site veterinary clinic. Ilion only accepts support from reputable and trusted sponsors—listed to the left. If you represent an organization that is interested in officially sponsoring us, please contact us here.
NAME: Hector
Hometown: Kotzebue, Alaska
Occupation: Musher & Veterinarian
ARTIST: Roby
Born and raised in Kotzebue, Alaska, Hector hailed from a family of veterinarians. During the winter months, their parents would work as checkpoint veterinarians for various sled dog races. Hector would often be allowed to tag along, holding a deep interest and admiration for their parents’ hard work. Their own desire to help dogs influenced them to take on the same trade that was running in their family for generations.
After graduating from university, they sat on the idea of starting their very own practice, or continuing their family’s. They decided they wanted to open their own—choosing Diogenes, a small but welcoming town, as the location for their clinic. Operations were small in the beginning, and so Hector began volunteering at different sled dog competitions across Alaska in order to gain more experience with dogs.
While they enjoyed working at their practice and volunteering, their feelings on their career shifted one year when they volunteered at the Iditarod—the biggest sled dog competition in the world. There, they saw the drive and passion that each dog had for racing like never before. It ignited the flame of inspiration that made them want to become a musher.
After the race, Hector set out to start their own team–traveling all around Alaska and the world. But as time went on, their journey to start a team evolved into wanting to help and rescue sled dogs and to provide a new home for them. The Ilion clinic and kennel grew and became the sanctuary we know today for these dogs. Now, currently, the Ilion team is composed of some of the most unique sled dogs you’ll ever meet, and Hector wouldn’t have it any other way; treasuring each one with all their heart!
Coming soon!
Next race: training season in session!
Year 5
S Ofuro Speed Race, Japan- first place
S Pleiades Winter Run, Alaska- second place
S Polarstjernen Speed Race, Norway- second place
MD Placidia trail race, Alaska- fifth place
MD Annual Andromeda Run, Alaska- first place
Year 4
S Procyon Sled dog Trail Race, Alaska- first place
S Irijari Star Summit Race, S Korea- twelfth place
S Ganymede Sled dog Cup, Alaska- first place
MD Placidia trail race, Alaska- eleventh place
MD Journey Barca, Switzerland/Italy- fourteenth place
LD Iditarod, Alaska- twenty-second place
LD Kalidonskaya Challenge, Russia- twentieth place
Year 3
S Baltic Winter Sprint, Estonia- fifth place
S Akiak Dash, Alaska- third place
S The Black Forest Cup, Germany- second place
MD Kuskokwim 300, Alaska- eighth place
MD Amundsen Race 180km, Sweden- twelfth place
LD Iditarod, Alaska- twenty-ninth place
LD La Grande Odyssée, France/Switzerland- eighteenth place
Year 2
S Irijari Star Summit Race, S Korea- twelfth place
S Ofuro Speed Race, Japan- tenth place
S Pleiades Winter Run, Alaska- third place
S Fur Rendezvous OWC, Alaska- fifth place
MD Orion Crown Sled Dog Race, Canada- twelfth place
LD Yukon Quest, Alaska- twenty-fifth place
Year 1
S Procyon Sled dog Trail Race, Alaska- fifth place
S Pleiades Winter Run, Alaska- eighth place
S Cynosura Trail Race, Alaska- fourth place
S Ganymede Sled dog Cup, Alaska- tenth place
MD Northern Lepus Sled Dog Race, Canada- first place
MD Eudokia Trail Race, Finland- twentieth place
posted by Ilion Musher
Hello! Long time no post. I just got back from Italy not too long ago. The weather was really nice, and I got to go to Pompeii again. I’d like to thank my friend Efisio for always being my guide when I visit Italy, because otherwise I would be lost! He’s a musher too, but he hardly participates in races unless he has to (I’m not really sure what that means). His team is back in Canada, so I couldn’t say hi to his dogs, but maybe next time I go to Vancouver I’ll get to see them. They’re a really strong team!
Here are some photos I took during my trip. On the left is a photo of a local dog named Lava that lives in the ruins of Pompeii. I met her the last time I visited Italy. I was happy that she recognized me, but she's shy so she kept her distance. The last visit I mentioned I brought my dogs with me. Venus also joined us! If you're unfamiliar with Venus, she's a famous lead dog that belongs to the musher Anya, who happens to be a long-time family friend! Lava got along well with everyone, but she was particularly fond of Venus. Actually, now that I write this, I think Lava was looking for her when she saw me... I'm sorry, Lava! Maybe next year!
The photo on the right is when we went to Trento in northern Italy. Efisio introduced me to his friend, Theo. Theo is a robot dog inventor and sled dog fan! He brought these cool robot dogs with him that I’m posing with in the photo. I’ve never seen anything like it before. They interacted with their surroundings like actual dogs. It made me want one! Theo says his dream is to make a robot sled dog that can race with real dogs. He showed me pictures of the dog he's trying to build, and I told him I’d love to race my team against it one day!
Now for the most important part of this post. The reason why I went to Italy—it was to pick up Ilion’s newest team member, Elba! One of the many reasons why I couldn’t participate in big races this year was because I scouted many new members for the team—well, most of them were by chance, like Elba. I sent Elba to Italy for a few weeks because she was terribly homesick. Originally, her owner was going to send her back to Alaska alone, but I really needed a break from work and training, so I volunteered to go get her.
In the photo above, she was playing one of her favorite songs on the piano. Her sister, Fico, accompanied us and even gifted me some white truffles that she found! Fico expressed interest in being a sled dog too, but I think she was intimidated by the amount of running. I told her if she ever changed her mind then she’s welcome to join us anytime. For now she’ll support Elba and the team from the side! I don’t want to spoil too much, so please check out Elba’s dog page. Honami also did an interview with her, so please read it if you can! It gave me a good laugh. Elba’s personality is really fascinating~
Until next time, ciao!
posted by Staff Dani
So there's been a constant downpour here in Diogenes. It's been so much, I started to wonder if it would flood, but turns out we ended up getting a flood of something else... :) Worms!
They're everywhere! Big ones, small ones, slow ones, fast ones... (Seriously!) We even had a patient come in crying recently because her dog gobbled up a worm in her garden... (Her dog's fine now by the way, don't worry!). Earthworms are invasive to Alaska and they're very bad for the ecosystem! Since our dogs can't train in this poor weather anyways, I started a worm taskforce to help me catch all these loose nood-ley varmints!
They're all probably from imported soil, which is actually a pretty common occurrence when it comes to invasive species... Small things like this can have a really big impact in the long run though... Sometimes people will dump their fishing bait carelessly too (Handle your soil and bait properly!)
Polina said I should just leave it and that they'll all be wiped out in the cold... Although it's true that they probably won't survive the harsh winter, the fate of the Alaskan ecosystem depends on me... Plus it's good to handle it now 'cause you never know... :p
Once I catch all these wiggly worms, I'll enlist them in compost duty... I take great care of our compost, so they won't ever escape and end up in some poor dog's gut again...
With all that being said, dogs should never eat worms since they contain a lot of harmful bacteria that could seriously hurt them...
If you feel your dog has worms, come by the clinic for some of our homemade dewormer! FDA APPROVED! (FEDERAL DANI ADMINISTRATION.)
Edit: Our dewormer is NOT homemade and is federally tested and approved!
-Vet staff Polina
posted by Staff Honami
Hi~ It’s me, Honami!
I’m so happy that we can finally share Ilion’s new website. Dani and I have been working tirelessly alongside Hector to make it happen. There’s still many things we want to add, but for now we hope you can enjoy browsing what we have so far. Also, I finally finished conducting and transcribing the interviews with all of the dogs. You can read them on each of the dog’s pages under the “interview” tab. It was a lot of fun doing the interviews with them–each dog is so interesting! If you happen to stop by the clinic, feel free to tell me which interview was your favorite!
Above is a photo that Polina took of me after I had finished compiling all of the interviews. Please don’t mind my messy desk.
Thank you for supporting Ilion! Until next time, bye bye!
posted by Ilion Musher
Hello! It’s been a while since I made a post, I’m really sorry! The training season started a while ago so we’ve been working hard!
Usually during the summer, I use a simple cart to train the dogs, but Andrew told me he had a spare ATV back at his kennel, so we took a trip up to Cantwell to retrieve it. Midway, we stopped by Talkeetna to rest. Andrew drove so fast that we had some spare time to sightsee. There was a painted photo stand of mushers and sled dogs, so we asked a kind stranger to take a photo for us. I really like it so I wanted to share it here! The weather was really nice and we could see Denali from afar! It was a much needed break. I had a lot of fun!
Even though the midnight sun is here, we didn’t want to get back to Diogenes too late—and you would think that the ATV on the back of the truck would slow Andrew down, but he managed to get us back to the sanctuary before it was dinner time. Sometimes I wish I could drive like a Texan, but I think I’m fine going the exact speed limit—but maybe that’s why Andrew is an Iditarod winner, and I'm not!
After the dogs had their dinner, Andrew unloaded the ATV and test drove it around the trails. A few of the dogs were really interested in it, but others were scared of the loud noise it made. Here’s a video of Hina and Marya; they were brave enough to face it and weren’t bothered by the sound at all!
I think once the dogs get used to the sound it makes we will be using it often! I can’t wait!
By the way, Andrew recommended doing summer tours as a way to bring in extra income for the team and to help the dogs with training. He’s been doing tours at his kennel for the past few years, so he says he’s willing to help. I like the idea of it, so I'll talk with everyone about it soon. If everyone agrees to it, we may have Ilion tours in the future!
posted by Dorothy
Hello everyone~✨! Recently there’s been a lot of customers coming by the cafe, and all of the treats have been selling out so fast! So Sparky🐶, Eleky🐭, and I🎀 have been working really hard to make sure there’s enough for everyone who stops by! Here’s a little video I took of the two making a yummy blended iced coffee🐶☕🐭. It’s really cute, right💞?
And here’s a super cute pic I took of Eleky🐭✨ posing next to some of our completed masterpieces~ Doesn’t he look so proud💖? Well, he should be because the treats came out soooo good~~~~! It’s difficult not to eat it all ourselves. If Sparky🐶 and I🎀 try to eat anything, Eleky gets angry🐭😡!
Don’t forget that all of our treats are dog friendly!
Except for our coffee…Please don’t give coffee to your dogs!🚫☕🚫🐶
posted by Ilion Musher
We just finished our last race of the winter season!
The Placidia Trail Race 2024- Mid distance race (120km). We came in 5th place this year which is a huge improvement from last year—11th place! The team has been working really hard to improve their endurance and speed, and I’m really proud of them! The team roster used for the Placidia Trail Race was Alto, Timmy, Aurora, Tanya, Kamira, Hyoji, Bo, Hina, Kirsi, Canela, and Ponchik. Great job, everyone!
Due to my busy schedule, I wasn’t able to participate in many races this winter season. My dogs are itching to run, so my goal for next year is to participate in as many as possible!
Everyone, let's do our best next winter! Let the training season begin!
posted by Ilion Musher
Hello everyone! I want to thank Honami and Dani for setting this blog up! From now on we will be using this blog to keep everyone updated about our activities here and abroad. For our first official post, I’d like to announce that our training uniforms have finally arrived! They’re quite simple, but I think it fits the image of the team nicely, and everyone seems to like them! Here’s a nice photo of Sammy showing off how it looks! I can’t wait for everyone to wear them for the upcoming training season, which is coming up very soon.
One more announcement I have is that I unfortunately had to drop the team out of this upcoming Iditarod. I've just been so busy, that it's been difficult to prepare for such an intense race!
Finally, the other Ilion staff will have access to this blog, so please look forward to updates from them too! I’ll try my best to update this blog when I have time. Thank you everyone for supporting us and Happy New Year!
Down the path through the entrance gates you'll find where the story of Ilion all began. Before our sanctuary grew to what it is today, our humble clinic was all that occupied these grounds. It is a symbol of our desire for animal welfare: a place of warmth, kindness, and healing. Our team is composed of professionally trained veterinarians and assistants, experienced with animals of all kinds.
We offer routine check ups, diagnostics, vaccinations, dental services, microchipping, minor surgeries, and more. Please note that we are not an emergency hospital; however, our staff is well-trained in critical care and triage.
•We are open for the majority of the year sans major holidays
•Appointments: Call or in-person (Walk-ins permitted)
Lead Veterinarian
Hector is our lead veterinarian, and the founder of the Ilion Sanctuary! They have a whole page dedicated to them and their history leading up to the foundation of the Sanctuary.
Take a look here!
Veterinarian
Originally from Sitka, Polina is the second in command here at Ilion, and often takes over the clinic when Hector is out training and racing the team. The two have been close friends since studying veterinary medicine together during university in Fairbanks.
From diagnosing illnesses, providing physical exams, and determining medications—Polina is an incredibly diligent and reputable veterinarian who, despite her cold demeanor, cares deeply about the well-being of her animal patients.
Her dog Suya, who she’s training to become a certified ESA, can be seen following her around the office.
Vet Tech
Hailing all the way from Philadelphia, Dani moved to Alaska with an interest in arctic and glacier worms. Her life's work is making sure that all patients and animals in the sanctuary are safe and healthy from any potential parasites and bacteria!
Aside from making sure everyone is parasite-free; Dani provides assistance to our veterinarians with exams, medications, and will occasionally oversee appointments when days get busy. On her days off she loves to travel outside of Diogenes to nearby glaciers to study more about the worms, bringing them back for the dogs and staff to see, describing them with a fascinated glee.
Receptionist/Vet Tech
From a young age Honami has loved marine biology and dreamt of working at the marine center near the Sea of Okhotsk in Hokkaido. Being born into a military family, however, led her to moving too far and too often to settle in one place.
But her love for animals prevailed, and after finishing university with a degree in animal health and marine biology, she eventually found her way to Diogenes–where she fell in love with the town and its surroundings, making it her new home. Honami single-handedly takes care of the Ilion clinic’s reception work, sometimes also personally assisting the vets.
Breed: Labradoodle
The heart of the clinic, Jacky! She is the Ilion musher's personal assistant and also works as a support dog for the sled team. Though she was born deaf, the musher has taught her sign language, so she is easily able to navigate her daily life!
Breed: Miniature Schnauzer
Roxy is one of our beloved assistants that you can always spot following closely behind Jacky–you could consider her Jacky's assistant! She's easily excitable and sometimes she can be quite clumsy, but that shouldn’t detract from the fact that she’s incredibly helpful and hardworking!
Breed: Rottweiler
Lotte is brimming with a calming aura. Due to this, she was trained to be a therapy dog to help anxious patients. She is mostly seen in the back of the clinic to accompany the vet staff during their appointments.
Breed: Dachsund
Suya belongs to our vet staff, Polina–she is currently being trained to become an emotional support dog. She roams the front office and stays closely by Polina. If you see her, feel free to say hello!
With the help of Meryem, our dedicated nanny dog, Ilion offers a stimulating daily adventure for your beloved companion at our doggy daycare! Boasting both an outdoor playground for your dog to enjoy the fresh Alaskan breeze, and an indoor section for when the weather gets rough, our variety of playdate programs are designed for dog breeds of all shapes and sizes.
We do not offer onboarding at the moment, but we do plan to expand our services in the future! Our doggy daycare was built as a thanks to the town of Diogenes for their ongoing support of Ilion; therefore, Diogenes residents can enroll their dogs in our daycare program free of charge.
•We accept enrollment through in-person query only
Ilion's Nanny Dog
Breed: Anatolian Shepherd
Meryem was once a herding dog in Rize, Turkey, and would help her owner shepherd sheep and goats. Having been trained exceptionally well, she had a second sense for finding any of the livestock with just her nose—she was especially protective of the lambs and kid goats. However, a few years ago, she injured her leg on the job and wasn’t able to work as well as she used to. As a result, her owner had to retire her, adopting a new herding dog to take her place. Meryem’s injury has completely healed now, but her veterinarian recommended against letting her herd again, as she can’t overexert herself lest she possibly reinjure her leg to the point where it becomes irreparable.
Although her new retired life was cushiony and stress-free, she was yearning to feel depended on again. Her owner saw how depressed she had become, and sought out the Ilion musher for their assistance—and just their luck! The Sanctuary, wanting to give back to the town of Diogenes, was in the process of starting a daycare program for the town and its residents. It was the perfect fit for Meryem!
No need to drive hours to Anchorage for a grooming appointment—not while La Pomme Dior is here! Located on site within our veterinary clinic, our talented stylist Paris offers a wide range of grooming services. Full haircuts and styling, nail trimming, and luxurious baths with our house shampoo and conditioner—this is without question a salon experience fit for royalty!
🎔A complimentary set of accessories (your choice of cute, cool, and more) is included with our salon & spa services!
🎔Appointments are accepted through in-person query only
☆Ilion's Dog Groomer & Stylist☆
Although Paris is the younger sister of our Sanctuary's Musher, she spent much of her life on the coast of Southern France with close family friends attending a prestigious all-girls academy. While she did enjoy her experience there, she spent her daily life following her graduation feeling aimless until a series of fateful events led her to pursue dog grooming. The plethora of methods and vast variety of styles piqued her interest.
Paris started studying the art of dog grooming and soon began to enter competitions; bringing home many awards and medals! She came to understand that it was her life’s calling to make every dog as beautiful as can be! As she continued to rise in popularity within the world of dog grooming, she came to learn about the Ilion Sanctuary’s notoriety as an altruistic and competitive organization. Though it wasn’t an easy move, Paris relocated to Alaska to reunite with our Musher in order to start her very own salon. It wasn’t as glitzy or glamorous as the dog show world, but she found the work to be incredibly fulfilling.
Thank you everyone!
Ilion creator, coordinator, and main illustrator: Roby
Website coding: Kiang
Website layout/design: Aoneko
Clinic:
Dani design- 8wrns
Suya and Lotte design- Lisa
Cafe:
Cafe logo- Uga
Menu items- Lisa
Sparky and Eleki design/artwork- Soreyu
Dorothy artwork- Soreyu
Dorothy design- Nutritiousmilk
Salon:
Paris design/artwork- Meatfriedsteak
Salon logo- Nutnutye
Daycare:
Meryem design/artwork- Tazumar
Affiliate banner- Ichigo
Sponsor logo designs
Borrowed:
Sweet&Spicy, Chaibitt, Squarefrog- Soreyu
LCE: Happyhoney
For Ilion:
Amydon- Dansanugrah
Lycian, Hippos, Mysi- Xshiik
Halibut- M0squito0
Arctic slopes, Delta Junction Pet Supply- Zurafruit
Beta readers/testers/editors- Nutritiousmilk, Ellie, Komewgi, M0squito0, and Tazumar
*Ilion is a work of fiction and has no affiliation with the real world competitions mentioned throughout the website. Real world competitions are used/mentioned for immersion purposes only.
July 26, 2025 - Housekeeping
"The last time I updated the website was when I posted Elba's dog page at the beginning of the year. I've been so busy, but I've decided to do some housekeeping since the first anniversary of the new website's launch is on the 31st of July (in a few days from writing this). Most notably, I've updated all of the "ARTIST" section on each dog page. I updated the artist's links and included an underline so visitors know that the names are clickable (I didn't realize it wasn't obvious until a whole year later). I also included underlines on the credits page (click the Yukola dog at the bottom left). New dogs and hopefully new content will be uploaded soon! Please look forward to them!"
-Roby
October 13, 2024 - Firefox and Mobile
"Mobile is finally here (phones and tablets)! Actually it's been here for about a week before I made this note update. I apologize that the cool features and layout, such as the snow, of the PC version are not available on mobile, but at least you can still enjoy all of the content! Kiang has been busy with school, so I sought out help on fiverr. The amazing Rokibul helped us optimize the site for mobile AND fixed the firefox issues (both on mobile and PC). He was a pleasure to work with and I highly recommend him if you're stuck with any coding issues. I'm really happy that Ilion is available on mobile now because I want everyone to be able to see the website!"
-Roby
July 31, 2024 - Website launch
"Hello everyone, thank you for taking a look at Ilion's new website! The new site has been almost 2 years in the making. I started drawing the dog page thumbnails back in November of 2022. Originally it was going to be released in 2023, but there have been many delays. Balancing work, other projects, and just being tired amongst a plethora of other things caused me to work so slowly…But I'd rather work slowly and carefully than to put out a rushed product! I think I can safely say now that I am very happy with everything and am very excited for everyone to see!
Also I want to thank my amazing friend Kiang for doing the coding and for bearing all of my countless instructions and changes. He's been incredible to work with as always! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for working with me, Kiang! By the way, the two of us often work together on games and such~ So keep an eye out for our future projects together!
Also, another big thank you to Aoneko-san for designing the website layout! They followed my ideas and instructions perfectly and created something so amazing for Ilion! I'm still amazed at how Kiang was able to put together Aoneko-san's work into a functioning website, exactly as it looks from the examples drafted up! Thank you so much!
And of course, thank you to all my friends who have contributed dogs, artwork, characters, and other assets! The world of Ilion wouldn't be what it is today without all of you! And lastly, thank you to my editors and beta testers for spotting errors and such that I missed! You guys have helped greatly in contributing to the website's function!
Seriously, thank you everyone. I know the site is not perfect across all devices, especially mobile, but I'd like to continuously update this site from time to time with Kiang so that the world of Ilion can stay alive! There's many characters and dogs that I've created since I first started the project, and I really want to introduce everyone~ So please look forward to our future updates!!"
-Roby
"I started working on this website in Fall 2022, and I built it from scratch, like literally a blank file folder. I've learned a lot of web development techniques since then, and while I am very happy with how the Ilion site came out in the end, there's a lot I would do differently if I were to create another website.
That's a good thing, though—it means that I seriously levelled up my skills. If you really try to break the site, you'll find a bunch of jank. But, everything is there for a reason—it was a welcome challenge to perfectly recreate the diagrams of Roby and Aoneko-san, which were often incredibly specific and required creative workarounds. But, as you can see, they look AWESOME and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Roby really went and coordinated with 30+ other artists for all of the dogs on the site, which is seriously incredible. Me, I have trouble scheduling a 5-person D&D night. I'd like to give my congrats and thanks to everyone who worked to put this art project together!
It is my earnest hope that everyone can enjoy the wonderful, creative world of Ilion."
-Kiang
NAME: Sonja
BREED: Alaskan Malamute + German Shepherd mix
FROM: Germany
POSITION: Team and Wheel
TEAM: Mid-distance and Long-distance
ARTIST: Pika
Adopted and raised by a family who owns a hunting facility in Germany, Sonja was originally chosen at a young age due to her speed and “seemingly” natural affinity for hunting. From face value, she was able to keep up with targets quite well, and so this made her a prime candidate to become the family’s lead hunting dog. However, it soon became obvious to her new family that Sonja was running after prey because she found it fun, and was not taking the hunt seriously, constantly losing focus. For Sonja, running was the ultimate thrill, but her lack of conviction to actually fulfill the hunt became a problem for them.
The family continued in their efforts to train her to become a proper hunting dog; but their frustrations continued to rise as she continued to fail in her hunts, letting prey escape. They decided to give her one last chance during a planned hunting excursion in Alaska. When they arrived, the father of the house sternly begged Sonja to focus. “Please, just do your job,” but she could not. Like clockwork, she ran after a prey, soon forgetting why she was running, and allowing it to escape. When Sonja realized she had strayed too far, she went back to look for her family, but they were nowhere to be found. They were gone–they had given up on her.
She traversed the forest, wandering for miles in search of them. Then she ran. She ran, and ran–the bitter cold biting at her skin as she continued her search for them. The unforgiving cold was painful, but not nearly as painful as the feeling that welled in her heart. “I think I smell them! I’ll find them! I know I can!” she would tell herself as she continued her search. She called them repeatedly, but to no avail. What seemed like hours turned to days, and Sonja found herself exhausted–unable to continue, she settled down to rest, closing her eyes and letting the snow blanket her.
Luckily, on a drive back from a nearby town, the Ilion musher had found her. Bringing her back to the sanctuary, she was hastily given the proper care to recover. When she regained consciousness, she learned of the sanctuary’s mission and its sled team. Each dog had a different goal and reason for running on the team. Despite knowing her former family’s feelings towards her, Sonja still wanted to find them. With that, she decided to join the team–even if she wasn’t meant for hunting, she still wanted to show them that she could be serious, and that she could run with a goal in mind.
STRENGTH: ■■■■□
ENDURANCE: ■■■■□
SPEED: ■■□□□
DETERMINATION: ■■■■■
🐾 Enjoys making wood carvings, mostly of bears, but she’s able to carve other animals too
🐾 Loves making snow and ice sculptures
🐾 The medallion on her belt is the crest of the family that abandoned her
"I’m thankful that Sonja’s tail was visible under the snow that had fallen on her, otherwise I would have never seen her. When she told me about what had happened, I felt angry for a multitude of reasons. Hunting is strictly regulated in Alaska, and even stricter for non-residents, and it was the dead of winter when I found her. It was incredibly irresponsible for them to bring her out here to hunt. I know Sonja wants to reunite with her family again, but I do have some choice words for them! Anyway, I won’t get into that right now. Since Sonja’s arrival, she’s adapted very well and gets along greatly with the other dogs. It is true that she loses focus sometimes, but a gentle push quickly resolves that. After training and racing with her for some time now, it’s very clear to me that she learns from simple encouragement and patience–something her former family never gave her. Apparently they would reprimand her whenever she made a mistake. Dogs cannot learn from that and will only feel anxious in the long run. But despite all the strife, Sonja still deeply cares for them. I want them to see how much she’s grown. Even if she can’t catch prey, she has captured my heart and Ilion’s (Corny, I know, but I couldn’t resist)! Also, I learned that it’s not that she can’t catch prey, it’s that she doesn’t want to. She’s very kind!"
Hi! Thank you for letting me interview you. First thing's first. What's your name, and tell me about yourself!
Hello!!! My name is Sonja! (Her tail wags excitedly)
...Ah! (She suddenly jumps up and stands properly; she begins to shake my hand vigorously. Her grip is strong, but enthusiastic!)
My position on the team is team and wheel, but I used to be a hunting dog!
What's it like being part of Ilion? How has your experience been?
It has been great! (She finally releases my hand.) I can run all I want, everyone has been kind, and it is a lot of fun! You should run with us too!
What's your favorite part about racing?
(Her eyes sparkle as she speaks) Ohh, I could go on forever....! The feeling of the cold wind on my skin, the crunch of snow beneath my feet, the joy of winning, the obstacles, the rewards, the (She gets distracted by someone running past and trails off. It seems like she really loves running…!)
What about your least favorite part?
(She looks genuinely perplexed by this question. Paw on her chin, she thinks for a second before speaking.) When I have to stop...perhaps? Hmm.....
Do you ever get nervous before a big race? How do you usually feel beforehand? And if you do get nervous, how do you psych yourself up?
I do! I get all rumbly...(Her paws move down to her stomach) But it goes away when I touch this! (She motions to her belt buckle) It is like a lucky charm, yeah?
When races get difficult, what inspires you to keep going?
Seeing my team members doing their best! It makes me want to push forward!
What do you do outside of racing? Any hobbies or passions?
Hehe... (She smiles before reaching into her pocket. Shuffling a bit, she pulls out a small wooden bear statue. It's rough around the edges, but the overall shape is there!) You can have this one, if you'd like! I made it myself!! (I happily accept it. I think I’ll put this on my desk~)
What's your daily life like? Give us a run down!
I wake up quite early, eat breakfast, and then go for a quick run. Then I come home, eat again–I have to replenish my energy, yeah? And then I run again. Sometimes other dogs join me! It is so fun!!!
You've been to races all over the world! Which country has been your favorite? Tell us about your time there!
Mmm...France! It has such a unique smell...! I think I could smell it all day…(Smell France all day?)
Outside of racing, is there any place in the world that you would like to visit?
I would like to visit Germany. I believe that is where I am from! (She goes quiet for a bit.)
Do you have any ultimate goals or dreams that you'd like to achieve?
I want them to see me win! (I’m unsure of who she is referring to, but she looks determined.)
The musher has asked me to ask you (and the team) if there are any suggestions or improvements you have in mind for the sanctuary?
Ah... I saw a treat on our visit to France...Would it be possible to bring it over here? Am I allowed to ask this? (She looks sheepish; i’ll have to ask.)
They also asked me what they can do to improve themself to be a better musher towards you and the team. Is there anything you'd like to tell them?
I think they are perfect the way they are! (She smiles fondly) I thank them for everything they have done!
Now for the big question: Togo or Balto?
Hm...They are both so cool, I do not think I can choose! Can I say both?
Anything you'd like to say to Ilion's rivals?
Thank you for making racing so fun....Ah! (She gets distracted, once again, by someone running past.)
Thank you for taking the time to answer these questions! Is there anything else you'd like to say before we wrap this up?
Anytime!! Are we done? Come, come run with us!!!! (She attempts to drag me along.)
