FAQs Frequently Asked Questions To help you get the most value and best experience overall, here are a few questions everyone considering a dog sled excursion with any operator should ask, along with Sundogs answers. How long have you been in the sled dog tour business? We have been in the dog sled touring business since 1997. Bradley Muir, Owner-Operator and Head Guide-Host has been dog sledding since 1994 and has experience skijoring going back to 1990. Who actually conducts the trips? What are their qualifications and experience? In the local area? What medical training have they had? Bradley Muir is the head guid. Along with other guides we drive the sleds and conduct the tours. Guides are well-versed in the conditions and topography of the area and live year-round in the area. All have a minimum of current St. John Ambulance Basic First Aid and CPR certification. Some have Wilderness First-Aid certification. Check out our guide’s bios page. How many dog teams do you have operational at one time? We usually run two teams but sometimes have as many as four on the trail when supporting backcountry excursions. Teams are a minimum of 6 dogs and usually no more than 8 depending upon trail conditions. There is one guide for every team. How much are guests involved in handling, harnessing and mushing the dogs? Guests will have the opportunity, if they wish, to harness and handle dogs and may be given the opportunity to drive the team for a short distance on return trips on the Introduction Excursions. They will be given the opportunity to drive the team for longer distances on backcountry trips. At all times guests mushing the team will be accompanied by a guide-host unless specified in the excursion package. What kind of dogs do you use for these trips (freighting, racing)? Our teams are Alaskan Huskies primarily from mid-distance racing stock. They are very enthusiastic. Do you ever have dog fights? Dog fights are extremely rare, but do occur. When on the trail our dogs may have momentary 'tussles' with each other but that is usually the extent of that type of interaction. Are the dogs well-socialized to children and adults? There is a range of socialization among our dogs. The majority are enthusiastic and comfortable with all people including children. Some do not seek out attention and are more retiring. Some of our dogs have come from other kennels as adults and we have spent time ensuring they become friendly and accustomed to different individuals. What ages of children do you take mushing? Kids and sled dogs can have a lot of fun together. Parents will appreciate how Sundogs provides their family with opportunities to learn. But sometimes, really young children (either in chronological age or maturity) chill quickly, become fussy on the sled or their attention wanes easily and parents find it would have been much more fun for everyone to have waited a couple of years to take the kids mushing. Because we want to provide the best overall experiences for parents and children alike, Sundogs has set lower age limits for excursions. See excursion descriptions for details. Is the trip self-supported, or will a snowmachine transport some of the gear and supplies? Only overnight trips are supported by snowmachines. Snowmachines may be used to prepare trails and in emergency situations only. How much of the advertised trip time is used for transportation, preparation, orientation and training? How much time will be spent on the trail? This depends upon the excursion booked. For introductory and half-day trips we usually are running from 70 to 80% of the time allotted for an excursion. At the backcountry camp we ensure your lunch and warm-up time are not hurried. The other time is spent on safety orientation. If an excursion package specifies extensive training or demonstrations the actual running time is also indicated. How many miles do you cover in an average day? Hour long introductory usually cover between 4 and 8 miles and backcountry trips between 10 and 20 miles. Weather and trail conditions will cause these to vary. Is experience required? What level of physical ability is needed? No mushing experience is required. While physical ability is not a major limiting factor on most trips, the activity can be physically demanding. Exposure to cold temperatures can be tiring. The fitter a participant is the more likely they will be prepared to help handle and mush a team. Participants may have to help hold team lines or anchor a snow hook from time to time and must be able to get in and out of the sled bag on their own. While seat cushions are provided, people with back problems or who are pregnant should consult with their physician before booking. Participants must sign a waiver of indemnity and assumption of risk. Will there be pre-trip training or information available? A safety orientation is always a part of our excursions. For longer excursions we provide personal clothing & equipment checklists. A reading list on topics such as mushing and boreal forest ecology and natural history identification are also provided. Do you have liability insurance to cover all of the activities you offer? Third party liability insurance is held by Sundogs and participants are reminded to carefully read and must sign a waiver of indemnity and assumption of risk before booking or embarking on an excursion. Do you have all the permits necessary from the land owner or manager to operate commercial trips in the area? We run in the Northern Provincial Forest (crown land) and in Great Blue Heron Provincial Park for which we have leases and permits. We donate to the local snowmobile club to support trail development and maintenance. Our menu is prepared in certified facilities. We were the first operators in Saskatchewan to have been certified by the Saskatchewan Nature & Ecotourism Association. Bradley Muir is a certified Heritage Interpreter. What do you do with your older or retired dogs? These dogs may be placed in ‘retirement homes’ with other responsible individuals but most of the Sundogs spend their retirement time in the same yard they grew up in and worked out of for their whole lives, in the company of their team mates. When the quality of life for a dog deteriorates because of infirmity or old age the dog is humanely euthanized by a licensed veterinarian. And at least a few (or more) tears are shed as we say ‘goodbye’ to one of our canine partner and friends. Sundogs endorses and applies the “Basic Standards of Sled Dog Care”as described by “Mush With PRIDE (Providing Responsible Information on a Dog’s Environment) Sundogs can provide our 'Environmental Code of Practise' upon request.

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Sundogs Excursions

Box 212  Waskesiu  

Saskatchewan CANADA S0J 2Y0

306.960.1654