3 - 4 month Internships

Since there is no professional qualification in sleddog guiding, we have effectively come up with our own diploma and modular training scheme with course options that run year-round.

This is a full-on program with one-on-one training followed by mentoring and self-continuation training linked to specific targets within set timelines.

We can cram a valuable component of our basic guide-training internship programme into a few months, and we feel that 3 months should be the absolute minimum length of stay for anyone who is serious about wanting a glimpse into the world of sleddog guiding. If you want our advice, however, we would recommend opting for 4 months + since that way you can truly find your feet in this world and also see at least one transition between the seasons since every season on a husky farm is completely unique...

FYI: We normally suggest a minimum of 4 months because in the first month, much of the time investment is from us to you and there is a lot of patience involved in teaching a detailed approach to a myriad of tasks…anything from preparing client food, to feeding dogs, to participating in quad training or running safaris, depending on the season of your visit.

In the second month, the more ‘switched-on’ folk start to really thrive and days that seemed long at first, whiz by as they start to have their own areas of responsibility. By the third month, the new person is normally able to function pretty much independently in terms of everyday basics, and to teach others competently. They also start to get more of a picture of how the different jobs fit together through the different seasons and to understand more about why certain things are done in a particular way. By the fourth month, the season will have started to transition to a new one so there willg be new learnings and new challenges to master but this time with a sound core compentency when it comes to being around the dogs. When you transition between the seasons you gain a deeper understanding of the reality of life and work associated with being a musher in the arctic.

Those completing this length of stay generally feel like they leave as competent dog handlers, if not fully experienced sleddog guides. If you are interested in working professionally in the industry, we recommend staying through each successive season - there are training modules specific to each - and then completing a second winter season in which you can graduate through from trainee guide to guide and then to lead-guide. Those who have gone through our training program are highly regarded in the industry.

Modular Competency Targets
Guiding Related Dog-Related Team-Work Related Business & Marketing Seasonal Outdoor Capabilities
Safety Planning & Risk Assessment Dog Welfare Lean Project Management Booklet, Poster, & Brochure Design Dog-sledding
Building and Maintenance Skill Training Leadership Strategic Planning Canoeing & Kayaking
Food Preparation, Presentation & Safety Dog Nutrition Mentoring Lean Project Management Snowmobile Guiding
Client Communication (Oral & Written) Dog Handling Staff Training Website Maintenance and Development Wilderness Navigation
Problem Solving & Change Management Safari Guiding Record Keeping Mapping Skiing & Snowshoeing
Management of Client Groups Condition Training Systems Building Book Keeping Arctic Bushcraft, Safety & Survival

In the words of Leah, one of our previous interns who came to us having participated in multiple workaway-style placements over a 2-year period around the world... (and who returned to the US with an adopted dog from here)...

This experience is just “more”. More crazy, more fulfilling, more stressful, more engaging and more all-encompassing than anything I’ve ever been through, for good and bad.  After 2 years of travelling the world and interning and volunteering everywhere I went, I thought I knew myself pretty well - but I’ve been through things here that I never would have dreamt of. I’ve loved more, cried more, worked more and thought more than in any other job; and every second of highs and lows over the last few months was worth the exhilarating sled time and seeing a dog team stretched out in front of me on the tundra under the waning arctic sun. At the end of it all, I have grown in confidence and take from here some unique life skills which will stand me in good stead in my professional life.

In other words, this role is an all encompassing one. You can expect to live and breathe and talk 'huskies' 24/7 and you are expected to want to excel, despite much of the work being repetitious in nature. Be warned that we also explicitly aim to push you to your limits and beyond, particularly in the winter season, because, as former endurance athletes, we believe that the hardest things in life bring the most rewards and that life is far too soft, nowadays, for the young generation. We believe in creating an atmosphere in which satisfaction comes from having done a job well, irrespective of notice or praise. If that doesn't entice you just a little bit, then it probably isn't the right internship position for you.