Vacation/Sled dogs

I'm offering an adventure trip sticking out by the fact that you will be the only participant! We can go for individual day trips with two sleds into the Fjäll around the Helags independent from any peer pressure.

There are trips for beginners as well as for “experienced Mushers”. We will have challenging day trips through varying countrysides in the marvellous Härjedalen. The trips will lead us across frozen lakes, into deeply snow-covered woods, up to the steep ascents in the Fjäll region and over icy rivers.

We will carefully plan each trip together so that your physical state is influencing very much the current events. You will decide if your day is more like a tour day,

 a holiday or an expedition day!

Finally the most important point: Of course you will have to look after your team of sled dogs.

Service

individual offers for single person,

possible transfer from/to the airport or train station in Östersund or Funäsdalen,

seven nights at simple standard accomodation,

bathroom and shower,

full board, tour guide

your team of dogs, 5 sled dog trips, rental of special equipment

An example schedule

For example:

Day 1: Arrival by plane, car, motor bus or train.

Day 2: Get in contact with “your” sled dogs. Learn the correct handling of the sled and the material, and an introductory[tour.

Day 3 – 7: Day trips across diverse landscapes, depending on the weather.

Day 8: Say goodbye to the dogs and departure.

Fees: One week – 1.550 €

Accommodation

Härjedalen near the border with Norway is probably the most snowy mountain region in Central Sweden with the highest mountain peaks south of the Polar Circle. As a base station we use a standard standard cabin about 2 km from the village of Ljungdalen.

We will eat together in the kitchen / living room. Of course we feed the dogs first before we get the hot dinner.

You live in a single room overlooking the river.

There you can relax after the day trips. The day is generally determined by our tours and the work with the dogs. The dog's break day you will spend yourself.

The sled dog is among the longest human companions.

Neither he had to watch over home and hearth, nor he was a typical family dog. His role was to do a heavy pulling job even under extreme weather conditions.

This type of dogs is characterized by his vitality, robustness,

his fond of humans and his working morale.

In the course of time technology and civilisation superseded his mere labour power.

Today a species-appropriate activity can be found in the racing and touring sport.

To go sledging with a team of dogs some expertise is necessary.

This affects nutrition, anatomy, training and handling of animals and equipment, as well as the competence to get involved with another creature.

Furthermore there is a need for an unchanging series of acts (kennel rituals), flexibility and physical skills.

The more soundly you learn these things, the more pleasure and fun you will get.

The main idea during the training is that a dog never makes a mistake!

He either inheres his actions or he learned them by practice.

It is the fault of the trainer if the dog does not follow the commands or acts unrequestedly.

In Scandinavia it is a tradition for more than 50 years to race with German Shorthair and English Pointer. At the beginning of the 80's, the first Alaskan Huskies were imported to Scandinavia. One recollected the old but still valid sentence "breed the best to the best" and paired the best scandinavian German Shorthair and English Pointers with the best imported Alaskan Huskies and received a new type of sled dogs: the Scandinavian Hound.

The Scandinavian Hound is characterized by its superior athleticism and his overwhelming pleasure in running. He is an extremely friendly dog with a pronounced social behaviour. Even in large groups, there is hardly any conflict. This type of dog is tightly bound to the people. Due to the desire to please his musher he is easily trainable. The ability to learn quickly is strongly pronounced. The Scandinavian Hound is a robust and healthy dog with very good paws.

At temperatures down to -25 degree Centigrade, these dogs have no problems with the cold.

This dog is a gain for the sled dog sport through its versatile and straightforward nature.

That's me

Name: Ingo Bartelds

Year of birth: 1961

Profession: freelance outdoor education coach

Main focus of my work:

Juvenile labour, team coaching, sled dogs, subject oriented lateral learning, climbing, canoeing, ropes elements.

I am Musher since 28 years with about 90,000 kilometre of covered distance.

I have 15 years of experience with guided long distance tours.

There are 20 northern sled dogs living in a pride with me. Depending on the weather and temperature, we are practising with the sled or the trolley, respectively. Working with a long distance team spans the whole year.