Project RePaw: From Sled to Sofa - Boson’s New Chapter Begins
Some dogs are born to lead the pack through snowstorms and over frozen lakes, barking with excitement, tails high, energy bursting from every muscle. And then there’s Boson.
Boson is turning three tomorrow—still young, still strong, still very much a husky. But he is also a dog who never quite fit the typical mold of the “party-hard” sled dog. Calm instead of loud. Affectionate instead of fiery. Focused on people rather than the thrill of the sprint. And maybe that’s exactly why we found each other.
I’m Janina, and I started working at Bearhill Husky in the fall of 2024. I was new to mushing, just learning the ropes, when Boson trotted into my life—quite literally. He was in my very first dog team during a solo cart training. While the rest of the dogs were exploring, jumping, playing around after the run, Boson quietly came up to me, pressed into me for cuddles, and stayed. Again and again. That moment was different. We connected—and from that day on, I kept joking to the kennel manager, “If he ever needs a home, I’ll take him.”
I didn’t think it would happen so soon. Boson was, after all, the best sled dog of his litter, the last one still working at Bearhill. But there was one ongoing issue: eating. He was a notoriously picky eater and, while he could keep up on the trail, his body wasn’t made for the high-performance demands of a big kennel. And then there’s his sensitivity—he clearly inherited his mom’s need for human closeness and calm. While his teammates howled and jumped with pre-run adrenaline, Boson stood still, almost bored by the chaos, waiting patiently in the lines. It wasn’t fear or anxiety—it just wasn’t his kind of energy.
That’s the essence of our RePaw program here at Bearhill: not every sled dog thrives in a large, high-energy kennel. Some are simply too introverted for the hustle of dozens of dogs, rotating staff, and daily customers. Others, like Boson, are perfectly capable runners, but their temperament or specific needs call for a different kind of life.
So, when the season ended and Boson’s name came up for rehoming, it felt like fate. I brought him home—and that’s when the real adventure began.
Boson joined my household, where he met my long-time companion Buddy—a desert dog with a wildly different personality. Buddy is independent, territorial, and a bit of a challenge at times. Getting the two to live together in harmony wasn’t instant magic. We spent weeks of careful introduction, training, and mutual observation. But now? They’re the perfect pair. They play, share food without drama, and nap together like old friends.
Boson, true to his nature, has adapted beautifully to home life. He’s clean, calm, and adores affection. Still, he keeps his distance from strangers—he needs time and space to trust. But I’m hopeful. He’s still young, still learning, and still full of that quiet potential that first made me fall for him.
And no, I haven’t retired his sled dog career entirely. He’s a husky after all—pulling, working, being part of a team is in his blood. We’ll take it slow and figure out together how he can keep doing what he loves, in a way that suits his pace and personality.
Boson’s story is just one of many from our RePaw program, where we match our dogs with new homes that better suit their individual needs. Because every dog deserves to be seen, understood, and loved—not just for what they can do in harness, but for who they are beyond the trail.And maybe—just maybe—this is only the first chapter of many of Boson’s “RePaw” stories we’ll share.
