Protecting the integrity of sled dog tours in Lapland
A visit to Lapland is rarely complete without the thrill of a husky ride. For over 40 years, sled dogs have been part of the tourism landscape here. Even though they are not native to Finland, they became part of our story after the war and over time, they’ve become icons of Lapland’s winter experience.
But behind every sled ride is a group of passionate people. The owners, handlers, and mushers who dedicate their lives to these dogs are a special breed themselves. In my 25 years in this world, I’ve met all kinds – some I admire deeply, some less so – but every true musher shares one thing: a profound love of working with sled dogs and seeing them thrive.
We are proud of our dogs. Proud of a well-trained, happy, and solid working team. Each of us finds joy in different aspects of this life: raising puppies, training young teams, guiding sleds through the wilderness, or even testing ourselves in competition. For me, the greatest joy comes in sharing this passion with others: letting guests see our dogs at their best, watching the spark in their eyes as they run, and introducing people to the bond we’ve built with them.
For those of us who live this life, sled dogs are not a business venture. They are a way of being. They are family. They are a responsibility.
When passion meets opportunism
Unfortunately, with the booming popularity of Lapland tourism, our way of life faces a real threat. High demand for husky tours has attracted opportunists – businesses that see sled dogs not as partners, but as a product.
More and more, hotel chains, tour operators, and accommodation businesses are buying up dogs and kennels, often with little knowledge, experience, or long-term commitment to the animals themselves. They see the immediate demand and the potential profits, but they don’t understand the cost of caring for a sled dog team over a lifetime.
A sled dog kennel is a multi-generational commitment. We think in years, not weeks. We plan our breeding carefully. We prepare for retirements and set aside resources to ensure our dogs can live out their lives with dignity. We maintain emergency funds to weather downturns or crises. The dogs are the true stakeholders. As their guardians, we are obligated to reinvest in their care, training, facilities, and eventual retirement.
Opportunistic operators often don’t plan for any of this. When the season ends, the dogs are still there. They eat, they need care, and eventually, they age. Without foresight and commitment, financial pressures will almost always come at the dogs’ expense. Some of these dogs will be abandoned, poorly cared for, or even put down – all because someone saw a business opportunity without considering the responsibility that comes with it.
This is what scares me most: that the hard work and beauty of what our dogs do will be tarnished by those who don’t care about them the way we do. That visitors, who come dreaming of a magical and meaningful husky experience, will instead meet unprepared kennels, inexperienced staff, and dogs who are not treated as the athletes and companions they are.
The dogs deserve better. The guests deserve better. And those of us who have dedicated our lives to this way of life deserve better than to be painted with the same brush as those who are simply chasing profit.
How to find an authentic husky experience
If you are planning a husky adventure in Lapland, I urge you to look deeper than the glossy websites and anonymous booking platforms. Online travel agencies as well as other large tour sellers often offer “husky tours” with little to no indication of who the kennel is, who owns the dogs, or how they are cared for. If a program cannot tell you:
- Which kennel is running your tour
- Who owns the dogs
- Where the dogs live and train
…then this should raise some curiosity.
Authentic kennels – those truly passionate about their dogs – have nothing to hide. They will proudly share who they are, where they operate, and what their philosophy is. You should be able to Google them, see their own website, and get a sense of their identity.
When in doubt, reach out to the kennel directly. Ask questions. Trust your instincts. If the answers feel vague, or if the “husky experience” is treated as just another line on a tourist menu, then it’s likely the dogs aren’t the priority.
Our promise
At Bearhill Husky, and at many other passionate kennels across Lapland, our promise is simple: our dogs come first. Every decision we make, from the tours we run to the way we grow, is with their welfare in mind.
Profit is necessary, yes, but it is never the goal for its own sake. Profit is a tool to feed our dogs, care for them, support our staff, and plan for the future, so that every dog can retire with dignity and every guest can witness sled dogs doing what they were born to do: run with joy.
If you care about the experience and the animals behind it, choose kennels that share this philosophy. Together, we can make sure that the legacy of these incredible dogs is one of respect, love, and authenticity – not short-term exploitation.
— Valentijn Beets
Bearhill Husky
