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Our Kennel

Fact: Did you know that there are no rules or regulations ensuring ethical dog care and proper kennel management for the sport of dog sledding?   In fact, there are only guidelines which promote very substandard care for the sled dogs subjecting them to unethical care and treatment.  Many mushers provide only the best care to their dogs however; sadly some provide very low and unethical care.   At Snowy Owl we aim for the highest standards in all aspects of our company! Our goal as a responsible dog sled touring company is to provide our readers with the honest truth and information for the greater success of the sport. We hope that by reading this, you will be able to distinguish between humane and in humane and why it is so important.  Our company does whatever it takes to give our huskies the best life!  This said, make sure you do some thorough research if you are considering getting involved in either the sled dog sport or hiring a touring company such as ours. We encourage you to always question the claims of any company or person very carefully!  Read the truth…

The Snowy Owl Kennel:

Operating a large kennel facility like ours is very labour intensive. As owners, we have a huge responsibility to provide a safe, clean, positive and healthy environment for all our huskies.  Managing an efficient and humane kennel set up is very important.  Our kennel is protected by an extremely durable 8 foot chain link fence, professionally installed.  This keeps our 4-legged family of husky heroes safe from un-welcomed visitors who may try to make their way into the kennel. We have also  installed barbed wire at the top of the fence to be certain that a visitor, such as a bear for example, can’t visit the huskies inside their pen. The foundation of our kennel is finely crushed limestone which allows drainage in the kennel. Lime is also an effective mineral used in controlling harmful bacteria. Very importantly, our kennel is set up on an incline, allowing the rain and melting snow to naturally drain off the foundation. This eliminates the chance for puddles to develop in the dogs living areas and will keep the kennel area dry, clean and healthier over all.

In our facility we have six medium sized pens situated in the kennel.  The pens are used for expectant females, puppies, recovering dogs or any dog who does not like to be tethered.   We also have a large free run pen for our older sled dogs to live in. Our kennel is divided into two specific areas. In one area we house all the non-neutered males (intact males) and in the other we house all the neutered males, females and spayed females.  We keep a controlled number of huskies in our kennel as it is not our intention to overpopulate. Kennels that do not control their population in breeding programs are considered very unprofessional.  Financially it is very difficult to care for a larger number of dogs with the high standards we insist upon however, we never compromise the care of our huskies to simply to be known as the “largest kennel” – for us it is quality that matters not quantity! We breed only our huskies only when we need to.  To learn more about our breeding program click here!  Each of our huskies has his/her own tether, at least seven feet long which offers a 14 foot living space. Every dog is provided with a nicely painted and well built wooden house, bowl holders and 4 neighboring pack members for them to play with and interact with.

Why do you tether your dogs?

There are many different methods of kennel set up.  Some mushers choose to use pens and others may tether depending on their dogs likes and dislikes.  Whether you keep your dog in a house, in a yard, in a pen or on a tether – all can be inhumane if done incorrectly.  In our kennel our dogs can reach each other allowing them to play with their pack mates, visit our guests, and receive lots of love and attention all day every day!   It is also important to remember that since we provide high quality care to our husky heroes, we need to keep track of what is going in our 4-legged team and also what is coming out!  We offer our huskies beef neck bones, whole sardines, hard boiled eggs and fresh chicken carcasses as some of their daily/weekly snacks.  As one can imagine, no matter how well trained our sled dogs may be it is their natural instinct to protect their “treats”.  This also means that our dogs like to have time to themselves in order to rest, chew on their bones or snooze…just like people (well minus the bone chewing part!)  This is not easily done when one has all their dogs loose in pens all the time!

Kennel Playing

During the winter months our “furkids” have a very important run/rest ratio.  Since we document the terrain, mileage and distance that each of our sled dogs cover in a day we know how important it is when one of our wonderful husky heroes are on a “day off”.  They must recover just like any human athlete and usually require special stretching and messaging from our kennel managers.  Sadly, things aren’t like this in all sled dog kennels.  These facilities who tether and restrict their dogs from touching their neighboring pack members can cause serious neurotic and aggressive behavior in their dogs.  Also, in kennels that do not allow much human interaction, the dogs can also then become fearful and shy of humans.   Always remember when visiting a professional sled dog kennel facility that the dogs should be friendly to other dogs and humans, well-mannered, healthy and happy be it in a pen or tethered.  Read more about our dog care!

Housing: 

When most people are imagining their dog sledding adventure it’s rare that they will think about where the sled dogs reside and what it should look like. With this information our goal is to educate our guests and readers that the care of the sled dogs, from what they eat, where they live and what they sleep in is just as important as how much the tour itself will cost!  In fact, this is exactly why we do not offer discounts on our tours!  Our prices reflect the bare minimum in what is costs to look after our sled dogs properly!  This is certainly something to take into consideration when going dogsledding as well.   The houses we have designed and built for our husky heroes are made with high quality spruce and pine. We use wood because it’s a natural, breathable product which allows a cool shaded sleeping area in the summer and a warm insulated sleeping area in the winter. Our huskies comfort, health and safety are incredibly important to us so using run down wooden houses full of holes or only a plastic rain barrel placed on it`s side is not considered humane housing in our professional opinion.

Some mushers use only a plastic rain barrel as housing?  That is not humane!
You’re right!  Although many ethical mushers have improved the plastic rain barrel house by building wonderful wooden platforms for them along with a nice wooden roof above the barrel, there are still some who only use a plastic rain barrel.  Huskies and dogs in general love to lounge in the sun…with a wooden house or barrel with a well built roof they have a large area to snooze on off the ground…this is not possible with a round barrel on it`s side.   Sled dogs work hard whether it be racing, touring or recreational so they deserve top notch care!!

Snowy Owl’s Summer Housing:

The Design:  Our  houses are designed to also be cool during the summer months.  The large roof which over hangs on all 4 corners of the house allows for ample amounts of shade no matter where the sun is.  The roof also shades the four sides of the house which allows for a cooler temperature inside for the dogs.  In addition, the overhanging roof creates protections from rain so the dogs stay cozy and dry.  The snug entrance allows refuge from wind and rain keeping the dogs comfortable and safe from all elements.  Because wood is natural and breathable it allows air to aerate through in case any moisture was to get inside it would quickly be able to dry. In the spring we clear out all the straw from their houses and wash them out thoroughly so they are clean and fresh for the summer months.

Is their bedding for the huskies during summer?
Unlike the winter months we are not concerned about the dogs staying warm but more keeping them cool.  The cool temperatures in the evenings are welcomed by the dogs; this is finally the time where they can be the most comfortable.  If we place bedding in our huskies houses during the summer they tend to push it outside their house making a nice mess for us to clean in the morning!

Traditional husky breeds are capable of withstanding temperatures as cold as -40 degrees Celsius so a mere 5 degrees during the evening is still considered warm for the huskies!  In saying this we do offer Pine, Spruce and Cedar shavings to older huskies and young puppies as they are more vulnerable to the elements.  Only once the temperatures get cooler during the fall will we start providing straw to our huskies again. Keeping the huskies cool is very important! During  hot summer days sometimes the huskies need help cooling off.   Some of our huskies enjoy a swim in the Bow  River near our kennel, and others will lie on top of their house while the  sprinkler comes around and cools them off.   The sprinkler is an important element in cooling off the dogs as well as  the foundation for them to lie on.

Snowy Owl’s Winter Housing:

The Design: Our  houses are specifically made to be comfortable, easy to access and spacious but  within reason.  A really large space is  more difficult for the dogs to keep warm during the winter.  Inside the house the bottom is raised off the  ground creating a sleeping area which is not directly sitting on the foundation.  The foundation is cold  during the winter months so having the house raised allows for a more  comfortable and warm sleep for the dogs!   The roof hangs over all 4 corners of the house creating shelter from the cold wind, and protection from falling snow.  We also take the time to clear away the snow around each of our sled dog's houses to ensure no snow falls inside! Our  dog’s houses have a fairly snug entrance for few reasons:

  • Protection from cold blowing wind and falling snow.
  • Allowing  our employees to give each dog a generous amount of straw.  This way each husky will be able to move  around to their desire in order to create a comfortable “nest” without the  straw falling out of the house.
  • Large  lip at the bottom and side to avoid the males “marking” their straw inside  their house, to keep snow out and to ensure a lot of the straw stays in the house where it is needed!

Why  do we use straw for our huskies bedding?

We  always choose the finest, most sanitary straw for our huskies.  Soiled musky straw which has become damp and  continued to dry can cause serious respiratory illness as well as eye and ear  infections.  To ensure our straw stays  dry and free of any small animals we keep it off the ground and completely  enclosed at all times.  For bedding,  straw is the best given that hay is still full or nutritional value making it  heavier which means less air flow.  Straw  does not consist of any nutritional value making it light, fluffy and most  importantly warm!  The straw works off of  the dog’s body heat creating a warm “blanket” for them to curl up in!  We supply all our huskies with a plentiful amount of straw to keep them cozy and warm during the winter months!  Of course the straw is checked daily to  ensure proper sleeping and living areas for the dogs. Huskies are known to be territorial so in  order for them to “claim” an object the males will generally “mark “it.   It is not uncommon for them to mark the  entrance of their house as well as their straw to inform the other huskies who  it belongs to! 

This, in turn keeps our  kennel managers very busy! Is there are reason the dog’s are house outside?  From our experience we have found that a  husky will not grow a proper winter coat if kept indoors regularly.  Because the temperature is warm it affects the thickness of their fur growth.   Huskies, like wolves are very sensitive to temperature (temperatures is what will trigger a husky to shed or to re-grow its winter coat.)   This is why they will shed their insulation (their down layer closest to the skin) during the spring/summer months and then re-grow it in the fall.  Because our huskies spend most of their time outside enjoying the snow and cold it is vital that they grow a thick fur coat to keep them warm over the winter.  

Feeding program:

Fact: Did you know that some kennel facilities feed their dogs on the tops of their houses with no bowls!  This very unsanitary method of feeding is inexcusable and creates an environment for scavengers such as ravens and crows to enter the kennel facility.  Scavenger birds are very dirty animals that carry diseases as they feed on dead animals and garbage which can then spread to the dogs.  In addition to this, some mushers do not provide fresh clean water to their dogs full time and if they do some will use rusty coffee cans.  These methods are very out dated and unfortunately there is no organization or program created in these kennels for what each dog is to eat based on their very individual needs – they just feed them all the same amount.

Snowy Owl’s Summer Feed:
During the summer months our huskies are not as energetic due to the heat. They still get out for a short, relaxed run in the mornings and evenings however, they are not burning nearly the amount of calories they do in the winter. Their summer diet is much lighter, yet contains enough fat to allow them to develop a slight, chubby reserve by the time winter rolls around. It’s very important that the huskies begin the winter season with some extra fat to burn, as without it their body would burn muscle within a week of high exercise levels.   Here are the ingredients we use for the summer feed:

  • Inukshuk - the highest quality Canine Cereal also known as kibble.   This “kibble” is specifically designed for sled dogs; it is high in fat, protein, vitamins, oils and minerals.  It is a mixture of chicken and herring protein and there are animal by-products making this kibble.
  • We also keep a variety different kibbles for dogs with sensitive stomachs and allergies.
  • We keep lots of canned puppy growth formula on hand for puppies, as well as the expecting females. Older huskies with sensitive teeth or huskies recovering from being spayed or neutered are also put on a soft food formula. This food formula is also used for dogs who may feel a little under the weather or don’t have an appetite for their regular “kibble” meal. These formulated foods contain higher fat levels as well, which we often use as a supplement if needed.
  • Our huskies are offered beef knuckle bones regularly, to keep their teeth strong, healthy and clean. During the winter months we do not offer them as often as we find the dogs will forfeit their regular feed for the bone and become somewhat territorial within their living space, feeling they need to protect their important prize. In winter, their caloric intake is very important and cannot be compromised; therefore introducing bones is more of a summer treat.

Snowy Owl’s Winter Feed:

Just like people, all dogs are individuals. Each has his/her own personality and eating habits. Understanding this we recognize that not all the dogs are going to eat the same amount of food. To guarantee that our dogs get what they need, we feed them top quality ingredients and vitamin supplements. Whatever it takes…we do it! Keeping track of what each dog eats is very important. We implemented a system called the “feed board” which lists all the dogs’ names in the order of their rows and what they eat in the morning and evening. Each portion of food is represented with a different colour on the board, for example; the black marker is used for H which is a heavy portion. We use different colors to make certain there is no confusion for our staff. We also have a kennel log which is used by the kennel managers to document food and water intake or any abnormalities a dog may be displaying. It is very important to know how much a dog is eating and drinking or if it isn’t finishing its meals. This detailed information allows us to quickly recognize potential illness, fatigue or allergies which need to be addressed ASAP.

We feed our huskies twice a day; the morning feed is more for hydration for the dogs since we can’t leave water out for them all day long. In five gallon buckets we add kibble, meat and hot water. This is served within the hour to all the dogs so they receive a nice hot drink on a cold morning. Some dogs that have high metabolisms may require additional food in the morning. In the evening when the dogs arrive back to their houses they receive a large meal. Some dogs will eat up to 5lbs of food at night! The largest meal is fed at night so it’s not burned off right away. Each dog has 2 bowl holders on the side of its house. This ensures that they do not spill their food by accident. It also allows them to eat comfortably. One bowl is for food and one bowl is for water. We use stainless steel bowls and serving utensils to guarantee that no rust gets into the dogs’ feed. Our cups are equal to ¾ of a litre. Here is the list of ingredients we use for the feed during the winter months:

  • Inukshuk - the highest quality Canine Cereal also known as kibble.   This “kibble” is specifically designed for sled dogs; it is high in fat, protein, vitamins, oils and minerals.  It is a mixture of chicken and herring protein and there are animal by-products making this kibble.
  • A raw protein mix made by a renowned supplier.  This raw meat mixture contains human grade organ meat from chicken, beef, turkey and salmon or white fish.
  • A multi-vitamin powder is added to each dog’s food to ensure they receive everything they require.
  • GlycoCharge is added to the dog’s hot water after every run. It helps replenish the electrolytes lost when the dogs exercise.
  • We use hot water in all the dogs’ feed, morning, night, and in between their tours and training. We monitor each husky’s drinking and eating. If we notice abnormalities in a dog’s eating habits we are quick to offer canned food. All our huskies love canned food and when offered they will always eat it. If the dog is offered canned food and does not seem interested it is an indication that the husky may not be feeling well. At this point we will bring the dog to one of the owner’s homes for the night to be monitored and medicated.
  • In fact, we  are the only company that uses  thermoses to keep their  “Doggie  Gatorade” warm and fresh throughout  the day!  Here’s why:   Just like  us, eating the cold snow dehydrates  the dogs, as they spend too  much  energy warming up again, so watering  the dogs with cold water is not   serving any purpose other than  dehydrating them further.  We care about  our huskies health and in  order  for them to stay happy and eager to  perform we serve all their  meals warm in  the winter…after all what  would you rather drink, hot  tea or cold tea.  This  “Doggie Gatorade” is made up of a few key elements:
    1. Hot water which is refreshing, comforting  and hydrating.
    2. Chicken fat which is high in energy, calories  and oils which  is  excellent for our working huskies that are burning  anywhere from 2000 tp 7000 calories a  day!
    3. Tripe which is full  of very important and  helpful digestive  enzymes, oils and vitamins.
    4. So on average each dog  drinks 3 liters per day!
Food bowls

 Ensuring that all our huskies drink  and stay  hydrated is very  important so often times we will even mix in other  tasty meats such as  turkey, buffalo, duck and salmon!   We  also offer  delicious treats to  our huskies once they have finished drinking  their  water and are  enjoy their rest.   Variety is the spice of life so we  offer many  different types of treats  such as duck, chicken, yams  wrapped in  chicken, Milk Bones, beef liver etc!  Learn  more about our  dog care here!