Pella's First Trail Run

There are moments in any pack's journey that you know you'll remember forever. Today was one of those moments. Pella ran her first official trail run — and she absolutely nailed it.

Preparing for the Big Day

We've been building up to this for months. Pella, our youngest Malamute, has been showing all the signs that she was ready: pulling eagerly on walks, following the older dogs with intense focus, and practically vibrating with excitement every time the harnesses came out.

But "ready" and "actually doing it" are two very different things. The trail is a different world — forests, uneven ground, wildlife scents, the noise of the ATV, the pull of the gangline against your harness for the first time. It's a lot for any dog, let alone the youngest member of a pack of seven.

Choosing Her Team

We paired her with Thor and Zara — Team 3. Thor is one of our most experienced runners, steady and reliable. Zara is strong and calm. Between the two of them, Pella had the best possible mentors for her first time on the trail.

"Pella kept up proudly beside the older two. Not once did she falter, not once did she lose focus. She just... ran. Like she'd been doing it her whole life."

The Run

We started with a shorter distance — about 4km instead of the usual 7km. The first few hundred metres were shaky, as expected. Pella was pulling hard but a bit erratic, looking around at everything, adjusting to the feeling of the harness under load.

But by the 1km mark, something clicked. Her stride steadied, her head came forward, and she fell into rhythm with Thor and Zara. The three of them moved like they'd been running together for years, not minutes.

When we crossed back into the kennel area, Pella's tail was high and her energy was through the roof. She knew she'd done something special. The other dogs were watching from their kennels, and I'd like to think Luna gave a nod of approval from her vantage point.

What It Means

This isn't just a milestone for Pella — it's a milestone for the whole pack. With Pella now running, we have all seven dogs active on the trails. That means three full training teams, and a pack that's growing stronger every day.

Welcome to the trails, Pella. You earned your place today. ⭐❄️