Into the Wild Adventures, dog sledding tours and winter adventures in the Yukon Territory, Canada - Meet the Athletes

Meet the Athletes

Do they all have a name? How can you recognize them all? These are the common questions people ask when they visit a sled dog kennel for the first time. The answer is, these dogs are as different from each other as people are. Not only are they different physically but also mentally. They all have a name, a personality, a history. They’re all special.

There are the hyper ones, jumping like kangaroos, who cannot stay still, and the stoic ones, looking at the others with disdain. Some of them will feel an irrepressible need to lick your face while the others will just wait patiently for a pat on the head. They can be playful, grumpy, shy, independent. Some will stick to you like glue.

They are all individuals. But they also have one thing in common : the amount of love they can give you. It is a great privilege to share our life with these wonderful animals. We will never be able to give them back all they bring us. We are grateful every day for their patience with us and all the things they teach us. They are not just dogs. They are our best friends.

The working dogs

Aliy

Aliy

2014

Spayed female
Born at Amélie Janin Kennel (Allen’s sister)
Can go everywhere
Aliy is a gossip girl. She’s a mischievous cheeky monkey always bothering her poor brother or anybody who has the misfortune to be on her way. She’s constantly looking for some way to get into trouble. She’s a tough sled dog, always doing her share of work.

Allen

Allen

2014

Neutered male
Born at Amélie Janin Kennel (mum is Snafu’s sister and dad is Yuma’s brother)
Can go everywhere
Allen is the sweetest boy. He is very delicate and very attentive. He’s more interested in people than dogs. He’s a calm and steady sled dog, very focused and always gets the job done. Hard worker and tough. He always keeps a stony face and doesn’t seem concerned at all by his comrades foolishness.

Bannock

Bannock

2011

Neutered male
Born at Ray Zaidan Kennel (a mix of trapline X racing dog)
Lead and everywhere
Bannock is one of my best lead dogs. He’s a perfect gee haw leader and excels at breaking trail through deep snow and finding his way in the middle of nowhere. He works wonders as a single lead. He’s not very fast but he’s very steady. He loves fetching ball and would do anything to please me. He’s also a very, very, very energetic dog. Like hyper. It can lead him to being a bit aggressive towards other dogs. But with people he’s a gentle giant craving for affection.

Blondin

Blondin

2012

Neutered male
Saucy X Yuma
Wheel/team
Blondin is a very powerful and hard working dog. He’s a bit insecure but he improved a lot. He has a high prey drive like his dad Yuma so I have to monitor them carefully when they’re in the big yard with the bunch. They’re just waiting for a fight to start so they can join the fun!

Bredele

2017

Spayed female
Shining X Olaf

Bruno

Bruno

2016

Neutered male

Brutos

Brutos

2014

Neutered male
Oumiack X Ceasar (sprint/open class dog)
Wheel/team
Brutos is a brainless, powerful and hard working dog. Next season he will have to learn how to pace himself. He’s a very promising young dog. He’s totally hysterical and cannot stay still. He has an enormous zest for life and he always has a smile on his face.

Cleo

Cleo

2014

Spayed female
Oumiack X Ceasar (sprint/open class dog)
Team/swing
She’s the tiniest dog in the yard. Very sweet, a bit shy. Fast but not very powerful ! Didn’t run much last year, will show more next winter!

Coho

Coho

2011

Neutered male
Oumiack X Pancake
Can go everywhere
Coho is a very independent dog. He likes to make me wait when I call him and he always seems to have a very important business to do. He’s a smart guy and likes to do things his own way. He‘s not the hardest worker in the yard but he does his job.

Croc

Croc

2015

Neutered male

Team dog

Flam

2017

Neutered male
Shining X Olaf

Fly

Fly

2017

Spayed female
Shining X Olaf

Gino

Gino

2015

Neutered male
Team dog

Grayling

Grayling

2011

Intact female
Oumiack X Pancake
Swing/team
Grayling is one of my best dogs. She has a perfect gait, she’s never tired, she can pace herself and go fast or slow depending on the conditions. She never gives me any trouble. She’s completely crazy and silly. But who cares? No brain, no pain!

Hooch

Hooch

2010

Spayed female
Born at Streeper Kennels
Lead/swing
Hooch is an incredible little dog. She’s very fast, she works hard, she’s responsive, she has a perfect gait. She has a nice temper and she’s the sweetest dog in the kennel. And she knows how to smile and dance. In one word, she’s perfect. A dream dog. She’s my main racing lead dog and I cannot imagine racing without her.

Idéfix

Idéfix

2014

Neutered male
Oumiack X Ceasar (sprint/open class dog)
Team dog
Idefix is totally crazy. He’s the smallest male in the litter, but one of the most energetic ! He’s a very sweet boy.

Ielo

Ielo

2014

Intact female
Oumiack X Ceasar (sprint/open class dog)
Lead/swing
Ielo is a sweet, beautiful little female. On her first season as a yearling she managed to become a very reliable lead dog. I’m pretty sure next season she will join Hooch and Kokanee as one of my best racing lead dogs. She just looks perfect to me.

Jessie

Jessie

2015

Spayed female
Born at Amélie Janin Kennel
Team dog
Jessie is a nice dog, she looks a lot like her cousin Aliy, both physically and mentally. She is very sweet and gentle.

Kokanee

Kokanee

2011

Spayed female
Oumiack X Pancake
Lead/swing
Kokanee works wonders in lead with Hooch. When they’re leading together some special alchemy takes place and it’s magical. Kokanee is fast and furious when running, and she’s a sweetheart with people. She compensates her small size by her never ending energy.

Marius

Marius

2015

Neutered male
Team

Olaf

Olaf

2014

Neutered male
Oumiack X Ceasar (sprint/open class dog)
Team/wheel
Olaf was injured at the beginning of last season so he did not run much. He has a beautiful body and moves really nicely, so I’m looking forward to seeing him at work next season! He’s a very sweet boy.

Pancake

Pancake

2011

Neutered male
Born at Ray Zaidan Kennel (Bannock’s brother)
Lead and everywhere
Pancake is a solid, strong, calm and powerful dog. He’s a very good gee haw lead dog but sometimes he just gets bored and decides that someone else has to take the lead. He’s an epicurean. He just seems to enjoy everything and every day of his life, and loves nothing more than a roll in the snow. It’s a pleasure to see his goofy face and he’s an important part of the racing team.

Riesling

Riesling

2017

Intact female
Shining X Olaf

Saber

Saber

2013

Spayed female
Born at Deb Knight Kennel
Team dog
Saber is a very, very, very shy dog. She improved a lot since she arrived here, she’s much more confident and she behaves much better with the other dogs. She’s never run much until now so next season she will show us what she can do!

Sacapus

Sacapus

2014

Neutered male
Oumiack X Ceasar (sprint/open class dog)
Team dog
Sacapus is a very affectionate and very energetic boy. So far he’s been running pretty good, he’s not a loper but he has a very nice and fast trot. Like his brothers, he will show more next season!

Schnaps

Schnaps

2017

Intact male
Shining X Olaf

Sentenza

Sentenza

2012

Spayed female
Saucy X Yuma
Can go everywhere
Sentenza is a powerful little dog. She has the bad temper and high drive of her dad and brother, and the autistic behaviour of her mum. But she’s very sweet and patient with people. She’s a good sled dog but not very consistent in the long runs.

Shining

Shining

2015

Intact female
Grayling X Snafu
Team dog
Shining is a beauty. She has a perfect body, beautiful eyes, and high spirits. She’s gorgeous. I never tire of admiring her. She’s very hyper like her mum, but she might be a bit smarter. As a single pup she has lots of character and doesn’t let anybody walk over her.

Sigrid

Sigrid

2015

Spayed female
Born at Amélie Janin Kennel
Team dog
Sigrid is a Yamakasi. A ninja dog. She’s a true acrobat who jumps and walks on the fence. She’s a little fur ball of energy. When she’s not training to become Superdog, she spends her time arguing with her sister. She’s a very promising yearling.

Snafu

Snafu

2012

Neutered male
Born at Steve Gibbons Kennel
Can go everywhere
Sweet dog but very insecure. He does not feel comfortable in big groups of dogs, and has a hard time communicating with others. He’s a powerful giant with a beautiful gait. I’ve never seen him tired and he’s tough as nails. He’s an essential member of the racing team.

Sockeye

Sockeye

2011

Spayed female
Oumiack X Pancake
Team/wheel
Sockeye is a strong and steady dog. She’s very nice and protective with people but can be temperamental with her team mates. She’s very thoughtful and she takes her work very seriously.

Spaetz

Spaetz

2017

Neutered male
Shining X Olaf

Tally

Tally

2011

Neutered male
Born at Bill Kornmüller Kennel
Can go everywhere
Tally is with no doubt the most stupid dog in the yard. Probably the most affectionate too. He’s a fast, steady, hard working dog. He’s a great sled dog. He works wonder in lead if he has to follow the same trail for hours. He loves barking at his water bucket, emptying it and taking it for a walk. And before pooping he always runs in circle and barks so everyone knows what he’s up to. He’s the yard idiot, but he loves me and I love him.

Zeros

Zeros

2014

Neutered male
Oumiack X Ceasar (sprint/open class dog)
Swing/team
Zeros is the calmest of the litter. He’s incredibly kind and gentle. He meditates a lot and looks complacently at his brothers craziness. But once hooked up to the sled, he’s 100 % on the job. He’s fast, smart and very promising!

The retired

Ash

Ash

2009

Neutered male
Born at Lou Serré Kennel
Team/wheel
Ash is a nice big guy, a very insecure dog who looks like a big baby. He’s very strong, pulls hard but he cannot handle pressure so he does not do good in races. He loves going on camping trips and working in deep snow. He has a big heart and loves affection, even if he’s a bit too shy to show it.

Chinook

Chinook

2011

Neutered male
Oumiack X Pancake
Wheel/team
Chinook is a big brainless boy. He’s very sweet. When we hook him up he seems to enter a trance. He gets totally hysterical. He never learnt how to pace himself and he overheats very easily so he doesn’t race and we have to monitor him carefully when he’s running.

Fluta

2017

Spayed female
Shining X Olaf

Goofy

Goofy

2010

Neutered male
Born at Arleigh Reynolds kennel
Team dog

Saucy

Saucy

2007

Spayed female
Born at Moe Boksa Kennel (Diggle’s daughter and father unknown)
Lead dog and wheel dog
My first, best and favorite lead dog. All my dogs are exceptional of course, but she’s a one-of-a-kind. I fell in love the first time I saw her, short legs, stocky like a pit bull, bulging eyes…such a beauty ! She likes nothing more than jumping at you and licking your face. She’s not the smartest, she lives in her own weird world and behaves like an autistic dog. When she runs and pulls the sled she looks like a bulldozer. But surprisingly she’s become an incredible gee haw lead dog. She’s like a remote control dog. She led many races for me, but unfortunately she cannot keep up the pace with my formula one anymore, so she’s retired from racing but still leads my B teams.

And gone but not forgotten

Tuco

Tuco

 

Taters

Taters

 

Diggles

Diggles

 

Yuma

Yuma

 

Oumiack

Oumiack