My name is Mikko Kääriäinen and I have four retired sled dogs from Bearhill Husky. Here is the story of how these dogs ended up with me after or during their working careers.

I started my sled dog hobby about 20 years ago, in a time before social media as we know it today. Back then, there were only forum platforms for writing and discussion. I was just a beginner and needed guidance. One of the people I turned to was Valentijn, the owner of Bearhill. He gave me advice on how to start and develop my passion.

Over the years, I built my own team. I bred my own litter, kept a few pups, and faced the moment when I had to part with a truly excellent lead dog. A sled team without a good leader is like trying to drive a car from the passenger seat.

At the same time, I began studying to become a nature guide and needed a workplace for my internship and thesis. Naturally, I wanted to focus on sled dogs, as that was my passion. I contacted Bearhill Husky, asking if I could join as a helping hand while completing my studies. To my delight, they welcomed me. That was the start of my journey with Bearhill dogs.

The first year I met a dog named Volt. Volt had recently been diagnosed with epilepsy, which meant he could no longer work with clients. However, Volt was a truly amazing dog, and since I had the experience to handle him, we decided that Volt would join my wife and me, along with our pack of eight sled dogs. He was about five years old at the time. Today, nearly eight years later, Volt is still doing well and even runs with our team – retired, of course, at a slower pace and shorter distances.

Year after year, I worked at Bearhill Husky from Christmas until Epiphany. And each year, somehow, another dog came home with me. As my wife put it: ‘I can’t let you go there anymore because you always bring one back, and soon we’ll run out of kennel space.’

That was true until COVID came along. Then one day I got a call: ‘Hello Mikko. Do you need one more dog?’ ‘No, sorry, we don’t.’ ‘Are you sure if that dog is Diego?’ Long silence. Diego was the finest lead dog I had ever driven. So, of course, I made room for him.

Later, we also welcomed Diego’s brother Manny. They often ran side by side in the lead. Most recently, Amur joined us. Amur is a huge, powerful sled dog who loves running and being with other dogs, but he is shy with people. With time and patience, he too relaxes and enjoys his life with us.

The most beautiful part of this journey is that these dogs – retired from Bearhill for various reasons, whether due to age, illness, or shyness – have found a place with us. My wife and I love traveling with our sled dogs, and what could be better than giving them a meaningful retirement filled with adventure and family life?

At our home, retired dogs continue much the same way they lived at Bearhill, but with the added warmth of being family members. They come inside in the evenings, rest on the sofa, join us for walks, and even mushroom-picking trips. They remain sled dogs at heart. Even when their speed slows down, their passion doesn’t. It’s clear in their eyes, they still love to run.

For us, caring for retired sled dogs means keeping life enjoyable and meaningful, with health and happiness first. Each Bearhill dog has come to us for a reason: some grew too old for tourist sleds, some had health challenges, and some were too shy. But every single one has found the right home here, where they can live the life they were born for.

Today, we share our lives with eight dogs – four Bearhill Huskies and four of our own homebred Siberians. Two young huskies even worked a season at Bearhill to gain real sled dog experience. The older dogs run lighter duties, but they all continue to live the sled dog life they love.

“A dog always does its best – it’s just a matter of how well you know how to teach it.”

— Mikko Kääriäinen