The experience

A week spent in genuine proximity to Greenland dogs — in the kennel, on the trail, in camp. The formal curriculum covers harness work, movement on varied terrain, reading body language, pack carrying, and camp behavior. But the real learning happens in the gaps between sessions.

The morning you arrive, the dogs assess you. Not aggressively — simply. By day three, something has shifted. You have learned to move differently, to read differently, to wait where you would previously have pushed. That shift is the course.

We keep the group at four people maximum so that every participant has genuine time with every dog. Some sessions are together. Some are one-to-one. The evenings are unstructured — around the fire, talking through what the day produced. This is where much of the understanding consolidates.

Shape of the week

What the days look like

Day 1 Arrival and kennel introduction. Meet each dog individually. Learn names, characters, history. Begin to understand what you are working with.
Days 2–3 Harness work and basic movement. How to approach, fit, read response. First trail sessions — short, focused on the handler-dog dynamic rather than the destination.
Days 4–5 Longer terrain work. Pack carrying introduction. Camp behavior and overnight stay with the dogs. Reading the team through a full day.
Days 6–7 Independent sessions. Each participant works with chosen dogs without close handler guidance. Debrief and documentation of individual observations.
"Having previously worked with Alaskan teams, Greenland dogs offered me a new mushing and kennel experience. Significantly stronger than those I had experienced before — they both challenged and improved my handling techniques."
— Sarah, New Zealand, Spring 2025

Who this is for

Complete beginners

No dog experience needed. If you are considering owning a Greenland dog, or simply want to understand what working with one actually involves, this is the most honest introduction we can offer.

Experienced mushers

Greenland dogs are genuinely different from Alaskan or Siberian teams. If you have sled dog experience and want to understand this breed specifically — its independence, its psychology, its capabilities — the course meets you where you are.

"In only two weeks, getting to know a variety of adventure styles and equipment types allowed me to develop significantly. Having arrived comfortable driving my own team, a future entry-level event now feels like a realistic and achievable possibility. The experience in true wilderness with Greenland dogs will stay with me forever."

Sarah · New Zealand · Spring 2025