Dog Training with a Cart – The Foundation for Great Sled Trips

Training our dogs begins in August, when the temperature drops below 12 degrees. It is important that the dogs do not work too hard when it is too warm, as they can overheat.

We start gently with training runs of around 5 km, five days a week. Slowly but surely, we increase the distance throughout the autumn. On dry ground, the dogs rarely run more than 30 km a day.

We are fortunate to live right by the Alta River. During training, we often drive the entire dog team into the river, where the dogs have the chance to drink and cool down at the same time.

The area around Trasti & Trine offers excellent conditions for cart driving, with fine forest roads both through the woods and along the river.

When the snow arrives, usually sometime in November, the dogs are ready for longer trips – and we are ready to harness up the sled! The first training sessions on snow are usually around 40 km.

Good, steady training throughout the autumn gives the dogs a solid foundation for all of winter’s trips with guests, as well as for competition driving.

A well-trained dog is a happy dog, and a good autumn lays the foundation for a fantastic winter season!