Explore Finnish Lapland: How a Dog Sled Team Powers Through the Arctic

Hello, fellow adventurers! Today, I’m will pull back the snowy curtain on one of the most thrilling aspects of mushing in Finnish Lapland—the fascinating world of dog sled teams. At the end of this article, you’ll discover details about my personal dog team and why I had to run up hills… ⬇️🏃🏼‍♀️

How to Choose the Best Sled Dogs for Your Lapland Adventure

The selection of sled dogs is a careful process that focuses on health, stamina, temperament, and compatibility. Breeds like Alaskan Malamutes, Siberian Huskies, and Canadian Eskimo Dogs are popular for their endurance, strength, and adaptability to harsh climates. Each potential sled dog undergoes rigorous training and assessment to ensure they’re not only physically capable but also enjoy the work, ensuring their well-being and performance.

Optimizing Your Sled Dog Team: Positioning and Strategy in Lapland Mushing

In a four-dog sled team, the arrangement of each dog is meticulously planned according to their skills and personality, ensuring optimal performance and harmony:

• Lead Dogs: At the very front are the lead dogs. These canines are the strategic thinkers and decision-makers of the team. They need to be highly intelligent, confident, and focused, capable of interpreting commands accurately to navigate through twisting trails and challenging conditions.

  

• Swing Dog: Directly behind the leader, the swing dog plays a crucial role in helping the team maneuver turns and curves. This position requires a dog that is a quick learner and adept at responding to the lead dog’s movements, ensuring smooth changes in direction.
• Team Dog: The third position is occupied by the team dog. This dog bolsters the team’s power, providing the necessary drive to maintain momentum. The team dog must be strong and diligent, working in sync with the others to keep the sled moving efficiently.
• Wheel Dog: Positioned closest to the sled, the wheel dog is essential for pulling the sled out of tight spots and navigating around physical obstacles like trees and rocks. Strength and steadiness are key traits for this role, as the wheel dog must handle significant load and pressure during the ride.

Communicating with Your Canine Crew

Effective communication between the musher (which was me 😋) and the sled dogs is essential for a successful journey. Commands are typically vocal, with standard commands like “Haw” (left turn), “Gee” (right turn), “Whoa” (stop), and “Let’s Go” (start moving). Building a bond based on trust and respect is crucial, as these commands need to be executed swiftly and accurately by the team

Fun Fact: However, since I was completely inexperienced at giving commands, I simply said “okay,” which was my way of signaling “let’s go.” So picture me sitting on the sled, repeating “okay” about a hundred times a day…

Training: A Journey of Mutual Respect

Training a sled dog team is about creating a synergy where each member trusts and understands their role. Starting with basic obedience, the training gradually integrates more specific sled-pulling commands. Young dogs learn from seasoned veterans, creating a mentoring system within the pack. The training also heavily focuses on building stamina and adapting to different weather conditions, ensuring the dogs are prepared for the varied landscapes of Lapland.

Personal Sled Dog Team

I originally thought I’d get to pick my own sled dogs, but it turns out our guide did that for us. They chose based on stuff like how much we weigh and whether the dogs get along. Being on the smaller side, I didn’t end up with the strongest dogs. My team included a super young, bouncy puppy still figuring things out and an older dog who knew the ropes but wasn’t the most powerful puller.

Each dog had its own harness, made just for them to fit perfectly and feel comfy. But let me tell you, getting those harnesses on was no small feat! It required a lot of patience and careful handling. We had to tackle one dog at a time and couldn’t rush it at all, especially with one of my dogs who always tried to chew his harness. I had to wait until everyone else was set before I could even start with him.

Once we got all the dogs harnessed, the energy at the starting line was just buzzing. The dogs were all barking and jumping, pumped to get going. As soon as they were hooked up to the sleds, we had to move quick. There was no time to mess around with all that noise; you just had to get going and keep up.

I was in the third spot right behind the guide, which was actually a pretty good place to be. The pros were at the back. During our practice run, I had a bit of trouble keeping up. My sled was lagging, and my friend behind me had to keep braking so she wouldn’t run into me. And when we hit hills? I had to jump off and run up to help my dogs pull, all bundled up in my winter clothes. Talk about a workout! (Could start a marathon career…what do you think?)

After a bit of struggle, we switched one of my dogs for another, and wow, did that make a difference! Everything just clicked, and we started moving smoothly. That whole experience really opened my eyes to how much goes into mushing. It’s not just about being physically ready; it’s about connecting with your dogs, trusting each other, and working as a team. It was tough but seriously rewarding, and I ended up loving my team and their energetic spirits.

Check out my other Posts about my Mushing Experience:

• A Mushing Adventure in Finnish Lapland (Video)

• Meet the Sled Dog Stars: The Remarkable Companions of Our Arctic Mushing Adventure

• Winter Wonderland: Mushing and Magic in Finnish Lapland

• Ultimate Guide to Mushing Gear: Essential Tips for Staying Warm in Finnish Lapland (Video)
• Dog Sledding Adventure in Lapland: Living Off the Grid in Finnish Wilderness

📽️ Check out my Videos on YouTube: 📽️

• Summary of my Blog
• Essential Tips for Staying Warm in Finnish Lapland