Life at Bearhill Husky: Dedication, teamwork, and the dogs who make it worth it
At Bearhill Husky we regularly host interns. They come from different countries, for different lengths of time, and for different reasons. In this series of blog articles they tell their internship stories.
My name is Victor Anglés. Coming from a background in Forest Management and the Natural Environment, I recently completed a two-month Erasmus internship at Bearhill Husky in Rovaniemi. My stay lasted from March 18th to May 18th, which gave me the unique opportunity to experience two completely different phases of life at the kennel.
During the first part of my internship, the landscape was still covered in snow. This was the busy season, which meant daily interactions with clients and running the dogs on traditional sleds. As the weeks passed and the snow melted, we transitioned into the “de-training” phase. With the clients gone, our focus shifted to preparing the dogs for their lighter summer schedule. We swapped the sleds for quads to keep them actively trained – this is also the perfect time for lead dog assessment and to observe how they behave within the team.
Working at a husky kennel is a highly dynamic and collaborative experience, and teamwork is essential. There is always something to do, and the staff are true professionals who support you. The core routine starts every single morning with cleaning up all the fences. Throughout the day, responsibilities include preparing the morning and midday meals for the entire kennel and ensuring all the dogs have fresh water. The more dynamic interactions involve taking the dogs to the running fences or the dog walker, and harnessing them up for the sleds or quads. If you finish your assigned task early, you are expected to jump in and help a colleague with theirs, or move on to a different task in the meantime, such as brushing the dogs or other essential duties. Brief, routine paw checks are also performed, especially before and after attaching them to sled lines, to spot any potential injuries.
The internship also involves learning how to properly manage the pack, requiring genuine dedication. Learning the names and unique behaviors of hundreds of dogs, and having the patience to work with each individual, is a rewarding mental challenge. During my time there, I grew incredibly fond of several dogs.
There was Mukluk, the big, beautiful, and deeply affectionate dog who was always asking for pets.
Then there was Tschakko, a big grey husky who would always sit faithfully next to me while I cleaned his fence. While he was a handful to control on the running wheel, he was a sweet companion inside.
Finally, I will never forget Bewe, a remarkably gentle female dog. I could take her for afternoon walks off-leash, and I swear she had an unmistakable “smirk” every time I petted her.
Staying in the intern accommodation right on-site at the kennel is the standard, and it created a great sense of community. We organized ourselves to give afternoon snacks to the skinny dogs and took on the responsibility of feeding the puppies. A real highlight of the experience is the privilege of being able to bring an adult dog you’ve bonded with into the staff building in your free time. This isn’t just fun for us; it’s a valuable part of their training, helping them get accustomed to living indoors for a future retirement program.
For any future interns considering this experience: it is an incredibly rewarding job if you love dogs. You will have the full support of true professionals who will help you every step of the way. However, it demands real dedication, strong teamwork, and a genuine eagerness to learn. It requires a good level of physical and mental effort, but it is a fantastic adventure that I cannot recommend enough.
