09/20/2026
Today we said goodbye to our queen. Our alpha. Our Denali.
It’s hard to find the words to describe such a special dog. If you had the privilege to know her, you understand why.
Denali was Joy’s first canicross partner, and had the opportunity to compete at the ICF World Championships in Poland in 2018.
She was a lead dog on the rig/sled team, and was the perfect match for R***r.
Denali kept our pack in line, and the respect shown to her through her final days is remarkable.
A rescue from Wayside Waifs in Kansas City, Denali joined our family in 2012 at just under a year old. She quickly became R***r’s best friend. Later in life we often joked she and R***r were married as she would monitor how roughly he played with kids, and put him in timeout if he did something she didn’t like.
As a young dog, Denali once ate a rabbit whole (no chewing involved) because she was afraid we were going to take it from her. She moaned for a couple days after she sucked down that rabbit.
Denali, R***r, and Calypso once found a dead deer, ate it, and vomited up the organs in the only room in the house with carpet. All three were so proud.
Denali loved to get out of the fenced yard and go sit on the front porch just for fun.
Denali loved doing repeats with Joy. Mile repeats were her favorite. She knew the word and would get so excited to go. She also loved doing long runs, and once tried to fight a blowup snowman that looked at her wrong on a run.
She met a UPS driver when she was young while doing a run. He offered her a treat, and for the rest of her life, she was so excited to see a UPS truck.
She chased a frog into a culvert on a run and would still check every culvert for frogs through her last run.
Later in life, Denali loved being a house husky. Going outside was such a chore, and she preferred spending her days snoozing, following us around the house, helping with chores, and just enjoying extra snuggles. She loved going for hikes.
Denali’s personality can be described as courageous, stoic, loving, and generally a baddie.
She never complained. She didn’t show pain. She was the type of dog you look at and realize is a true leader because they’re both courageous and gentle.
Denali, you are irreplaceable.
We love you to the moon and back times infinity and beyond.
7/10/2011-9/20/2026
4,926.01 Miles