Top 5 Questions I Get Asked as a Guide

Out for training with Scott, Atlas, Yard, Collin and Jokki.

1. What happens to the dogs when they get old? 

For the most part, we let the dog decide when they are done running. Some dogs clearly don't enjoy sledding even in their prime, and try to wriggle out of their harness on the line (Joyce's dog Trix was like this, so now she is just happy being in the kennel). Most dogs start slowing down when they are 10-11 years old. We notice that they aren't as excited as they used to be when we bring out the harnesses, or their muscles start shaking after shorter runs, or they start having joint pain. Our oldest dog Koyuk was still pulling until he was 15! He had his last run three days ago. We can try to re-home the old dogs to local families, or they can stay in the kennel and be used for a "husky walk", which is a type of tour that we plan to offer next season, and would be preferable for the older dogs.

2. What do they do in summer? 

In summer, everything is green and there is sun 24/7. Of course it's too hot to go training on the wagons, so the dogs get let out most days for a free-run around the kennel. There is also the option of opening up the gates to let them swim in the lake. Most alaskan huskies don't like water, but there are a few brave dogs in the pack (Luna for example).

3. How far can they run?

Cuddles with Blade (light) and Blitz (dark).

Our half-day trails are currently ~15 km each, so on a busy day, the dogs will run this twice. Last season, the trails were slightly longer, and the dogs were running ~50 km/day, averaging 5 days a week. Alaskan huskies are one of the most athletic breeds on Earth, and our dogs only run a fraction of what 'racing' dogs do. The longest races that take place in North America (the Iditarod and the Yukon Quest) are ~1,800 km long, and take place over ~10 days.

4. Do they ever get cold?

We see them start to shiver on the line when temperatures are below -25°C. We give them a down-jacket, and put straw down on the snow so that there is some insulation, but once they start running, they heat up very quickly. Inside their night-cabins is a thick blanket of straw, and sometimes we see both dogs in the same night-cabin - either for comfort or for warmth.

5. Do you have any puppies?

YES!!