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Do they really live outside through the winter? People often ask, and the quick answer is yes. Traditional husky breeds can withstand temperatures as cold as -40 degrees Celsius! A number of dogs go on a heightened watch list below -30C, however, as they are shorter-haired Alaskans or dogs more prone to frostbite. Any injured dog is brought inside to recuperate and then gradually reacclimatised to the outdoor temperatures. At some points in winter we may have up to 20 dogs in our house - Pasi is constantly threatening to move out, since the dogs arguably have better living conditions than we do!
- Traditional husky breeds can withstand temperatures as cold as -40C
- Dogs below -30C frostbite watch list are shorter-haired Alaskans, checked weekly
- Dual system: shared cages (Scandinavian style) plus individual running-circle chains (Alaskan style)
- Females and all pups under one year live mainly in cages to prevent accidental mating
- Caged dogs use double kennels - partitioned, two entrances, so neither can block the other's shelter
- Puppy Hilton (two-floor) and Puppy Kindergarten for raising and weaning pups
- Bedding (straw, wood chips and pine fibres) changed at least weekly in winter
Double Kennels and Cages or Individual Kennels and Running Circle Chains?
In Alaska most dogs are kept on individual running chains, while in Scandinavia most are kept in shared cages. Having visited many sled-dog farms before setting up our own, we see distinct advantages to both, so we use a mixture of the two. A few dogs live more or less permanently in one system for particular reasons (too grumpy to live collectively, or so old they find the chains difficult), but most rotate through both during the year.
Cages: Pros and Cons
In the cages, dogs learn to live side by side, play together during the day and curl up against one another at night - so they benefit from socialisation and use less energy (i.e. food) staying warm, which matters especially for shorter-haired racing Alaskans. It is also harder for females to mate accidentally, so most females and all pups under one year live more or less permanently in the cages. The main negative is a greater risk of fighting injuries, particularly at feeding time. Caged dogs live in double kennels: a large kennel partitioned into two offset inner spaces with two entrances, so neither dog can deny the other access to shelter.
Running Circles & Chains: Pros & Cons
On the chains, dogs live in individual kennels with a large personal running area, so they actually have even more freedom of movement than in the cages. Some areas are isolated for our grumpiest dogs; others overlap so dogs can still have contact. The main benefit is that dogs learn to untangle themselves easily - important for young dogs, who then have less risk of serious injury if they get tangled in the lines when running, especially in the darkest months and on Northern Lights safaris. Pups first learning to live on chains use short chains during the day and return to the cages at night, before graduating to standard-length chains day and night.
Puppy Hilton & Puppy Kindergarten
When pups first move outside, at a couple of months old, they go into our specially designed 'puppy hilton' - a dual-level kennel whose staircase to the second floor is deliberately hard for them to climb at first, so the mom can 'escape' upstairs to food and drink. After a month or so most pups can climb the stairs, but by then they are more or less weaned and move during the day into the puppy kindergarten next door. There are no barricades between the Hilton and the Kindergarten, so the pups still have their mom close by. At around 6 months they start sharing cages with older dogs who keep an eye on their social development.
Choice of Kennels and Bedding
We make a lot of our kennels ourselves from locally sourced materials, and buy some single kennels from ThemeFix in Kiruna, a cooperative offering work rehabilitation. Our sick-dog kennels have a wider entrance so dogs in post-surgical cone collars can still get inside. All our kennels are raised off the ground for insulation and let the dogs sunbathe on the roofs. Yes, the dogs have bedding! In winter we change or top it up at least weekly, using a mixture of straw, wood chips and pine fibres. And yes, they do get to run free - but not all at once, and mostly as a morning activity!
