Charlie was born in the High Arctic in a world of snow, ice and polar bears. He had no name, was fed frozen seal meat twice a week and chewed ice for water and lived out on the sea ice. He was owned by an Inuit polar bear hunter. This large, black, Canadian Eskimo Husky is a lovable, gentle dog who lived the life of a typical arctic husky, except for one thing......he was trained to alert humans to polar bears!
      When Helen Thayer, the first woman to walk solo to the magnetic North Pole, decided to walk alone to the Pole at age 50 she knew she would meet polar bears.
      Helen bought Charlie from the Inuit to warn her of the many polar bears she would meet face to face throughout her journey.
      Charlie traveled at Helen's side for 364 miles all the way to the Pole. He warned her many times of approaching bears and saved her life from one that attacked. He quickly learned to love the first human to call him by name.
      At journey's end Charlie returned with Helen to her home in Snohomish, Washington. Helen helped him adapt to a brand new world of grass, trees, flowers and rain. He was quickly introduced to the other three dogs, the family cat and 5 goats.
      These days he romps on 12 acres overlooking the snowy Cascade mountains, runs 6 to 10 miles each morning with Helen and her husband Bill and accompanies them on mountain climbs, hikes and ski trips.
      He steals the show when Helen takes him to schools where she gives assemblies. Children meet him and instantly fall in love with him. He loves children and circulates throughout the classrooms, tail wagging, looking for pats and attention.
      He is the subject of a best selling book titled "Polar Dream" which Helen wrote about their adventures to the magnetic North Pole. He is loved by everyone who meets him. He has added a lot of joy to the human world.
      Charlie was also the star of the 1994 wolf study in which Charlie, Bill and Helen walked 600 miles across the Canadian Arctic above the Arctic Circle to live beside a den of wild wolves in a unique study of the life of a wolf family in the true wild. Helen is writing a book about their experiences.
      These days Charlie leads a life of happy retirement and whatever Charlie wants, Charlie gets.
      Charlie is indeed a very special dog.

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