Chaine, a friendly husky living in Tokyo, was 5 years old when her owners, Motoko Shiraishi and Yasushi Ishikawa, took her to see a sled-dog race in Gunma Prefecture in the winter of 2003.
Although Chaine's ancestors were from the harsh wilds of Siberia, where the breed has long been used to haul loaded sleds long distances over snow and ice, Chaine grew up indoors, didn't like "walkies" in the rain and refused to step in puddles.
So when they reached the site of the sled race, Shiraishi said that Chaine was clearly culture-shocked at the sight of all the big strong canines there.