Sled Dog School - pre season training

This wonderful small husky farm is located in Northern Finland. It has a great informal atmosphere with guests immediately feeling welcome and becoming part of the owner Timo’s extended family. Visitors to the farm soon realise that Timo and his team always have their dog’s best interest at heart and love working with them.

This is a unique opportunity to work alongside the experts for a week as they share their knowledge and answer all your questions, a must for all dog lovers.

Prior to the start of the season the huskies need to get in shape and new dogs need training, something you will help with. You will join the team and learn about the dogs, how to train them physically and also mentally to be able to run in front of a sledge. You will also learn the racing rules, safety, how to repair and build sleds and the outdoor skills you need to survive in the surrounding nature.

During the week a visit is made with the dogs to some of the wilderness cabins for a sauna, dinner and a cosy overnight. This allows the younger dogs to get used to staying away from home.

Besides training there are opportunities for hiking in the Nature Fitness Park, to visit an old fashioned Russian shop in the village of Taivalkoski and to learn about the local culture and nature. On the husky farm they heat the garden sauna every evening and sometimes cook in the kota over an open fire for example salmon or reindeer meals.

The farm has a good husky-library with books, videos and DVD's about racing, expeditions etc.. The farm also has cross country skis, mountain bikes, snowshoes and kick sledges that guests can use for free. Depending on weather there will also be an opportunity to try snowmobiling or Rallying in the forest.

While the week is wrapped around the life of the dogs there is an opportunity to learn about the local culture and nature. During the season, Autumn and early winter the weather is unpredictable. Early September is Ruska (Autumn) when the colours are spectacular in the forest, as you get into November the snow may have arrived or it may be on its way, but don’t worry, training continues either with sledges or using special training wagons.