Is Dog Sledding Cruel? Our Personal Experience
We travelled to the Yukon in Canada’s far north and signed up for a 4-day dog sledding tour with Sky High Wilderness Ranch. These guys were known for being of the best dog mushing operators in the country, and we couldn’t wait to check it out.
Our timing to Canada couldn’t have been any better for this research, as we actually landed in Whitehorse the night before the Yukon Quest started.
This is one of the most challenging dog sledding races in the world, but unlike it’s infamous counterpart the Iditarod in Alaska, the Yukon Quest isn’t plagued with horror stories.
In the morning we wandered down to the Yukon Quest starting line to check out what the atmosphere was like, and most importantly to see how the dogs were doing.
In the yards were dozens of trucks and sleds, and there were countless gorgeous dogs getting prepared for the race ahead.
We chatted with quite a lot with vets and racers at the Yukon Quest when we were walking around at the start of the event, and they all assured us that the dogs genuinely loved racing, and were never pushed beyond their capabilities.
Watching the lead mushers play with their dogs also seemed to us as though they sincerely loved their pets, and weren’t treating them purely as tools for their trade.
We watched one man spend nearly 5 minutes with each of his dogs, lovingly patting and massaging them, and the smiles on the dogs were undeniably real.
Our feelings about dog sledding were improving, and it only got better once we headed off for our own adventure.
From the moment we arrived at Sky High Wilderness Ranch it was apparent that the owners and workers loved the dogs like family members.
Everywhere we looked were people playing with the dogs, giving them snacks, hugging them and showing affection. It wasn’t an act for the tourists, here the dogs came first.
When we headed down to the yard to meet the sled dogs we were at first confronted to see they were all chained up to their pens (a timber box with hay for insulation).
As we got to know more about the sled dogs though we learnt that it was necessary. Dogs are pack animals after all, and in such a high energy place if huskies were allowed to walk around on their own they would inevitably end up challenging each other, leading to fights and injuries.
Their pens were basic, but provided plenty of warmth and protection from the elements in case of real bad weather.
One of our first concerns was that the dogs were left outside when the mercury plummets to -40. However huskies are blessed with an extremely thick coat of fur, and even when it was that cold we never saw them seek shelter or shiver. Rather they could be found rolling around in the snow and ice, loving every moment of it.
The older sled dogs that were retired roamed around freely, living out their golden years in peace with the freedom to go where they want, whenever they want.
We asked if the dogs at Sky High Wilderness Ranch were ever given up for adoption, but were told that it wasn’t possible as they had grown up on the property and only knew a life of mushing.
They were far too high-energy for somebody from the city to take into ownership as standard pets. That’s why they lived out their days in the world they had always known.
When it came to the actual mushing, this is where we really saw how much the dogs loved the activity.
As soon as we would walk up towards their pens with a lead in hand, the dogs would excitedly jump up and down, pulling on their chain towards us as we got closer. The happiness in their faces was irrefutable.
Once we collected them and took off the chain to their pen they basically dragged us towards the sled-loading area. They knew what they were doing, and wanted to do it.
It was the same once we started getting them prepped for the day. They would immediately calm down as we put on their harnesses, allowing us to lift their legs through the loops (or even lifting them already to help us).
At the final stage, getting ready to go, we would tie them to the sled. At this point the dogs turned into mushing machines, jumping in the air and trying the hardest to drag the sled forward. We had to have the anchor firmly in place, or else they would be gone before we had a chance to load ourselves on.
Once we were out on the trails the dogs kept a steady pace, constantly moving forward and looking back to see if we were ok.
Our guides were very strict on us that if we ever came to an uphill section, we were to get off the sleds and push them to assist with the dogs.
Likewise if we were going downhill we must constantly be leaning on the brakes so we didn’t get out of control and accidentally run into the backs of the dogs.
We were under instruction to always be watching the sled dogs, making sure the ropes didn’t get tangled up, and to immediately let the guides know if we noticed one dog leaping or slowing down.
Dog sledding was a fun activity, for sure, but it was not to come at the expense of the dogs’ health.
When the days were over we’d take the dogs back to the yard, feed them, give them massages and make sure they were safely back in their pens.
We spoke at length with the guides and the owner of Sky High Wilderness Ranch, Jocelyn LeBlanc, about the perception that dog sledding was cruel.
They all agreed that there has been some tragic examples in the past, but that these were actually quite unusual. The dogs were their livelihood, and without their wellbeing they couldn’t run a business either.
Customers weren’t foolish either. They could tell if something didn’t feel right the minute they stepped onto the property or took one look at the dogs.
It was also obviously clear that these people genuinely loved their dogs. They knew them all by name, they were always playing with them, and were constantly showing affection.
Our personal experience at Sky High Wilderness Ranch was nothing but positive, and it completely convinced us that this was a perfectly responsible activity.
During our next couple of weeks around Canada, we travelled to Quebec and Banff, two places that were also famous for dog sledding tours.
While we didn’t join any new tours on this trip, we did visit dog sledding company in Quebec and spent some time chatting to the staff and owner.
It was the exact same experience as when we were Yukon. These people put their dogs on a pedestal. The owner even adopted dogs that the RSPCA were going to put down, even though they couldn’t be put to work, purely so she could give them a wonderful life at her property.
The reason we didn’t go sledding there was because it had snowed so much the night before. “It’s too much work for the dogs to pull through this much snow, better to give them a rest day and give the customers their money back,” she proudly said.
While we were exploring the best things to do in Banff, we joined a company for a day of ice climbing and asked the guide if had any experience dog sledding.
“I’ve never done it myself,” he shared, “but I have a few friends that work at dog sledding companies and the dogs absolutely love it. They’re born for it, and they have a really good life!”
During our questioning we never came across another story of sled dog animal cruelty outside of the two examples we had seen before. In the end we made up our mind. Is dog sledding cruel? Not in the slightest.
Can the Dogs Handle Pulling Sleds?
This is often the question people ask when considering whether or not dog sledding is inhumane. Here’s what we found out.
The dogs that are used for sledding are mostly huskies, or very similar breeds to huskies, and these dogs are well and truly born to mush. It’s in their blood.
They are strong work animals, and given the opportunity they will run for days without stop. They have so much energy to burn that the crave exercise.
As for the added weight of the sleds, this is why dogs are always put in teams of 4, 5, 6 or even more, depending on how many people will be riding in the sled.
Once the sled starts moving as well, it’s all about momentum. It’s easier to keep something on the go once it’s already moving rather than pulling a stationary object.
For this reason whenever the sled takes off with the dogs, the person in control jumps off and pushes as well to assist the dogs. The same is done with uphill sections – the human pushes so the whole job isn’t left to the dogs.
These sled dogs have very thick fur that is meant for living in sub-zero temperatures. While we might need plenty of layers at -20, these dogs barely feel the cold at that temperature.
When it gets really cold though (-40 for example), the guides will often put little jumpers on them, and sometimes booties to protect their feet. These aren’t necessary, but they do provide a little bit of extra comfort for the dogs.
Dog’s Can’t Wait to Get in the Truck
It was so much fun to watch the dog’s excitement when they saw Hank’s truck filled with kennels pull into the yard. They lined up like school children anxious to get in to their beds because they knew that this truck meant a good long run.
We asked Hank and Tanya about a terrible scandal that happened in Whistler where a company slaughtered their dogs due to the economic downturn. They said it was heartbreaking and that they didn’t understand why someone would do that.
The dogsledding community is a tight-knit community and if anyone was in dire straights, everyone would be there to help them out.
They said if only that person sent out an email or made a call, he’d have had his dogs places within 48 hours. They didn’t need to do what they did. Sadly, like everything in life, there is a chance to have a bad apple in any community.
There are bad people in every aspect of life and this company wasn’t only a bad dogsledding company, they were bad people.
We’ve followed dogsledding in the past and we already knew this about the North American dogsledders out there.
We’ve met dogsledding legends Lance Mackey and Jeff King while traveling in Alaska and like Hank and Tanya, you could see how much they both love and respect their dogs.
People seem to not realize that sled dogs are made to run. They need open space and they want to go for as long as they can. My family grew up with a Husky and lucky for us, we lived in the country where our dog could roam free.
She’d disappear for days at a time and come back smelling like a skunk or a dead animal, but that didn’t concern us, because we knew she had to run.
Dave owned a husky for a short time as a child and even though his family had the best intentions, it didn’t fare well in the city. It chewed at the fence, had anxiety and eventually they had to give it away to a farm.
Dogsledding Huskies have the best of both worlds. They get the attention and love that they need but also get the chance to run a lot.
HUSKIES GO DOG SLEDDING | Oakley can Pull the Sled
Snowy Owl Dog Sled Tours offers one- and two-person sleds until mid-April, weather permitting.The Globe and Mail
Jereme Asenault loves his huskies – all 180 of them – and he’d really like his guests to be dog lovers, too.
Asenault owns one of Canada’s top dog sled tour operations, Snowy Owl Sled Dog Tours. His parents founded the company in Canmore, Alta., in 1983, and he’s worked in the business practically his entire life.
Asenault says his dogs “immediately love every client,” and will pull anyone,any time, “because that’s what they’re bred to do; it’s what they want to do more than anything in the world.”
But Asenault wants to know that feeling is mutual before handing over command of one of his dog sleds to a visitor.
Before a guest is taught mushing (or sled-driving) basics – “Gee! Haw!” (Go right! Go left!) – they learn that they will meet and greet each member of their team of four to six dogs and that each dog loves positive reinforcement from their musher, like encouraging words, pets and hugs.
Snowy Owl Sled Dog Tours offers winter sled tours until around mid-April that can last anywhere from two hours ($472.50 for a one-person sled) to a two-day, winter-camping expedition. Guests dine on filet mignon as the Aurora Borealis shimmers in the sky and stay cozy in a heated tent when it’s below zero outside.
During the overnight trip, participants take in “so many amazing vistas,” says Asenault. “It’s an unreal experience but most people will tell me, the best part of the whole trip is connecting with the dogs. I love hearing that.
”You can just sit back and relax at the campsite, he says – “or you can learn to make the dogs’ food, feed them, set up their straw beds, put them down for the night and harness them for the run.”
Most campers go all in because, “looking after the dogs is a large part of the tour,” he says.