Internships...

Internships with Hetta Huskies

Unfortunately, we don't offer traditional husky farm volunteer roles (apart from for local kids). Rather, we offer a variety of internships and training courses for those interested in either experiencing the world of mushing or developing professional husky guiding skills. All internship programs offer intensive skills-based training and involve both theoretical and practical learning. Interns work alongside guides as they develop skills in everything from basic dog training to safari guiding, and marketing to animal nursing.

Please note that we have a limited number of placement opportunities and that the opportunities are season-dependent.

Those who send us an initial enquiry directly (ie who don't first receive a link to this page), would normally be sent a first response letter in addition to the relevant guide manual (nearly every question we have ever been asked by potential interns is answered in our manuals) and an application form. Hence, in order to standardise the information that everyone receives prior to starting the application process, please first check out the first reponse letter.

Once you have read through both of these documents, pause one final time to check that you have understood what you are potentially getting yourself into and that you think that you are a good fit for the respective role. Check, too, the flight costs and see if they and any other likely expenses are realistic for you and then, if you are still interested in applying, the next step is to complete and return the application form.

Please email us on staff (at) hettahuskies.com for more information once you have looked at the descriptions for the various course options on our website. Summary descriptions are included below and these link you through to different pages about each specific role, which contain more information.

Our intensive Guide-Training Courses for clients

A few people who initially approach us as potential volunteers realise that they are keen to learn as much as they can about sleddogs and would like the level of knowledge which comes from participating in a trainee guide internship, but that they don't actually have enough time to commit.

If you think this sounds like you, please look at the intensive guide school courses available through Hetta Huskies. They are really good value for money and you can learn a lot in a really condensed time-frame.

NB: These courses run when there is demand but we generally run at least the 1-week autumn training course annually.

Our Husky-Guide Internship Option

Most volunteers choose to come to us as husky-guide interns. This option is fairly unique to us since it is quite different from the role volunteers tend to play on the majority of farms and it involves a real commitment on both sides. All of our (predominately 5*) feedback ratings on forums like workaway, helpx, wwoof etc, to date, have been based on this role, although workaway eventually said that we were no longer able to advertise it through them, because it is more intensive than their normal workaway placements.

Veterinary professionals and building experts with skills which are of particular interest to us are obviously very welcome and might be accepted for shorter time periods than generalists. However, we also need well-rounded individuals who can turn their hand to many tasks.

(FYI: Younger applicants with less proven skills can increase their likelihood of selection if they are also genuinely willing to spend more than their share of time working with our young son, since that helps to relieve the pressure on everyone else.)

The links below take you through to a) our comprehensive guide manual and b) more information about this role.

There, you will also find our standard 'first response' letter for initial applicants and an application form which needs to be completed and submitted by those of you we do not manage to put off!

Click here for more details about the husky guide internships (from 4 months to a gap year) available through Hetta Huskies.

Download,here, information about the many and varied farm roles that guides can slot into, (and the skillsets we therefore look for).

Applying to Volunteer with Hetta Huskies as a Farmhand

This is the classic workaway role which asks less of a time commitment from your side but also offers less in return from ours. You will be carrying out a shared farmhand / child care role.

The links below take you through to a) our comprehensive guide manual and, b) more information about this role. This, in turn, is where you can find our standard 'first response' letter for initial applicants and an application form (which is still as detailed as for the trainee guide role since you still need to show that you would be a good fit within our family and team).

Click here for more information about the Workaway-Specific Farmhand Role.

Applying to Volunteer with Hetta Huskies for those in the Veterinary Field

Veterinary (and other medical) professionals will probably be interested in our dog medical role and you can download some information, here, about this role (there is also a lot of information available on our website about our weekly health checks, for instance).

Please also, have a look, however, at our standard (very comprehensive) guide manual, the 'first response / pushback letter' we normally send out to initial applicants and the application form.

Although your medical skills will immediately give you a step up the ladder when it comes to getting through the application process, you will still need to apply for the standard trainee guide role through the standard application process so that we can be sure that you will generally be a good fit within the team when it comes to the day by day jobs which also need to be carried out.

Click here for those applying to volunteer with Hetta Huskies in the veterinary field.

Applying as an effective 'couchsurfer' for a few days or a couple of weeks

If you only have a few days or a couple of weeks to spare, we MAY still have a chance to take you but it will essentially be if you are lucky enough to be applying when we happen to have a need for manual labour to complete a specific task. Hence, folk applying in this scenario are more likely to get a last minute placement than anything else.

Of course, you are welcome to try to persuade us that your film or photo editing skills or building skills etc are sufficiently high that we should welcome you with open arms anyway, but in reality it generally takes us more time to look after short term volunteers than they are able to give us value in return.

Please expect, therefore, to be joining in with basic manual labour which doesn't need much instruction, (eg pooping, groundwork, trench digging, snowwork etc).

Please email us on staff (at) hettahuskies.com with your availability and basic skills.