Dog Sledding Tours Canada

History and dog sledding today 
Archeologists have uncovered clues that dog sledding was brought into Canada by Thule Inuit people around 1,000 AD. These Intuit people used dog sledding for trading, hunting and fishing, and general transportation around their territories. With more settlements beginning to sprout up in northern Canada, the reliance on dog sledding to deliver mail and supplies to these outlying settlements was increased. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police even used dog sleds to patrol the vast snowy wilderness. When snowmobiles were introduced, the reliance on dog sledding decreased significantly but it was still considered the most reliable transport in extreme winter weather conditions. 

Today, dog sledding is more of a recreational sport. Races and events keep the dog sledding industry alive. Husky tours and dog sledding journeys give adventurous tourists exciting opportunities to experience dog sledding first-hand and keep the tradition going. 

Important racing events in Canada
With its rich history and weather conditions ideal for dog sledding, it's no surprise that some of the most amazing dog sled races are held in Canada.

The Canadian Challenge Trail Race takes place in the province of Saskatchewan. The race begins in Prince Albert and continues for 600 kilometers to La Ronge. Teams from all over North America, as well as Europe, come to compete.The race has three categories: twelve dog teams, eight dog teams, and Junior races. The grand prize is $5000 for the 12 dog race winner. Mushers and their dog teams will be physically tested by crossing frozen lakes and passing through narrow bush trails. This race is recognized as one of Canada’s top events and is the longest race ran within the country’s borders.

The Yukon Quest race was first held in 1984. It is a 1000 mile trail that follows the historical gold rush trail from Whitehorse, Yukon to Fairbanks, Alaska. It is one of the most famous dog sled races in Canada.

Haliburton Highlands Dogsled Derby is held in Haliburton, Ontario, Canada. It features many events with an average of seventy dog teams coming to compete from Quebec, Canada, and some areas of the northern United States. One increasingly popular special event that is held is known as "skijoring" — where participants are pulled along on skis instead of sleds. These races are part of the Ontario Federation of sled dog Sports.

The Northern Manitoba Trappers’ Festival holds annual dog sledding races as part of their festival. These races are affiliated with the World Cup Series of the International Federation of Sled dog Sports. They have four and six dog team races as well as Junior races.

Ivakkak Dog Sled Race takes place in northern Quebec every year. This race is extremely unique because the only mushers able to compete are the Inuit of Nunavik, and participating dogs can only be purebred Inuit Husky dogs. These restrictions keep the race very traditional and the breed of Husky pure. The town maintains this tradition to remember the close relationship with and reliability of sled dogs through their history.