At Aavasaksa Adventures kennel, our dogs are at the core of everything we do. 
Their wellbeing, health, and motivation define both the quality of our work and the experiences we offer.

This page is designed as an open and detailed look into our kennel and dog care. Here you will find information about the dogs’ living environment, feeding, daily routines, training, health care, and how we make decisions regarding their workload and wellbeing.

Wether you are considering visiting or working with us, we want you to feel informed and confident about how our dogs are treated. And if you have questions, we are always happy to answer them. You can contact our kennel via email kennel@aavasaksaadventures.fi.

Our kennel is a year-round home for ~130 alaskan huskies. The kennel area is divided in 3 smaller kennels, all having their own closed free-run areas accessible straight from the pens. The dogs live in pens of 2-4 dogs, 2 dog pens being sized 21m2, and 4 dog pens 34m2. The pen floors consist of a 20–30 cm layer of large stones for drainage and dig prevention, topped with wood chips to provide a dry and comfortable surface. A handful of the pens also have wooden flooring.

All the dogs have their own doghouse. The log doghouses are insulated through the floor and roof and equipped with heated pads when needed. Bedding consists of a bottom layer of soft wood shavings and a top layer of absorbent wood fibre (RutiRex), helping to keep the resting area dry, warm, and comfortable.

While building the kennels, we wanted to leave all trees and stones on their places, both in free run area and inside the pens. The dogs can play around the trees and jump on the stones, and the trees provide excellent shade to the kennels during summertime.

Outside of these kennels we have also few pens for short term use, for example to separate female in high point heat or mildly injured dog. On our lot outside the main kennel area we also have a little kennel for employee dogs, kindergarten pen with small puppy house for puppies, and Dogspital (=dog hospital), little cabin with indoor and wooden outdoor space for injured dogs needing frequent treatment.

All the kennels, including pens and free run areas are cleaned every day. Dog waste is collected daily and stored in a designated waste container before proper disposal.

Free running and social interaction are an important part of our dogs’ daily welfare and routine. Every dog is taken out of its pen every single day of the year. During the off-season, all dogs run freely in smaller groups daily. During the training and winter seasons, dogs that are not running in a training or sled team on a particular day are also always given free running time.

These sessions allow the dogs to move naturally, play, socialize, and express normal dog behaviour outside of working in harness. Daily free exercise and social interaction help maintain both the dogs’ physical condition and mental wellbeing throughout the year.

Free runs are always supervised by staff. In addition to benefiting the dogs, these sessions provide valuable one-on-one time between the dogs and staff, helping to strengthen the relationship, trust, and understanding between them.

We combine free running with sniffing activities by scattering dry food around the area. This encourages natural searching behaviour and provides additional mental stimulation alongside physical exercise.

Our dogs’ feeding is adjusted seasonally to match their activity levels, workload, and individual needs. Feeding routines, amounts, and energy intake vary throughout the year depending on training intensity, working days, weather conditions, and each dog’s condition.

Off-season: Dogs are fed once daily with Brit Premium by Nature Medium Breed dry food and VOM #33 raw meat. Dogs also receive enrichment feeding during free running sessions by searching for scattered kibble

Working season: Dogs start the day with a warm meat-based soup. Working dogs receive a thin meat soup and salmon or chicken fat snacks after running. In the evening, all dogs are fed Brit Premium by Nature Sport dry food together with VOM #33 raw meat. Dogs on rest days receive enrichment feeding through scattered kibble during free running sessions.

To allow precise individual feeding, dry food and meat soup are kept separate during preparation. Each dog’s meal is individually portioned and mixed into its own bowl during feeding, allowing us to adjust both quantity and ratios according to the dog’s individual needs, body condition, workload, and preferences.
Some of our dogs have individual dietary requirements, most commonly involving different kibble types or adjusted feeding plans. All special dietary needs are carefully monitored and accommodated individually. Up-to-date feeding instructions are always displayed on a whiteboard in the dog kitchen. These include general feeding guidelines, feeding quantities, and all individual dietary notes or special requirements for specific dogs.
Puppies are fed puppy-specific raw meat and puppy kibble suitable for growth and development.
Dogs always eat under supervision.

Looking after our dogs' health is part of our everyday work. Every dog is observed daily, and any changes in appetite, movement, behaviour, or condition are followed up.

All dogs are microchipped, registered, and vaccinated according to Finnish legislation. They also receive a yearly kennel cough vaccination. The kennel is dewormed twice a year and more often if needed.

We keep an eye on each dog's weight, body condition, fitness, and overall wellbeing throughout the year. During free runs we have a good opportunity to watch how the dogs move and behave, and to check them over individually. During the winter season we also check paws and harness fit continuously.

Food and water intake are monitored daily. If a dog does not finish its meal or something seems unusual, it is reported immediately with the kennel team and followed.

Nails are trimmed monthly, and dogs receive physiotherapy, or other supportive care if needed. Dental health is checked regularly. In autumn 2025, all dogs in the kennel had their teeth examined by a veterinarian, and urgency based treatment list was made. Any treatment needed is carried out according to veterinary advice.

Small scratches and minor wounds can be treated at the kennel, but any dog that is sick, injured, or needs further examination is taken to a veterinarian without delay.

We also have a recovery area called Dogspital for dogs that need recovering or post-operative care with closer observation. It includes heated indoor spaces with access to outdoor pen.We aim to sterilize dogs that are not intended for breeding whenever it is considered beneficial for their welfare. As of spring 2026, 23% of our dogs have been sterilized, and more procedures are planned over the coming summers.

All health-related observations, treatments, medications, feeding notes, and special care requirements are documented in the kennel’s internal database, which is accessible to all kennel staff. This allows continuous monitoring and helps ensure consistent care and communication between team members.
Dogs that are retiring or not suitable for tourism work we try to rehome. Read more about our rehomable dogs here. We only euthanize dogs based on veterinary recommendation and welfare considerations. When euthanasia is necessary, it is always performed by a veterinarian. After euthanasia, the dog is cremated.

We breed puppies only for our own kennel and future working teams. Litters are planned according to the kennel's long-term needs, and our goal is usually to have one or two litters each year.

We prefer puppies to be born in early summer. This gives us time to focus on their care, socialization, and early training during the quieter months before they reach the age to join the following autumn's training season.

Parent dogs are selected based on temperament, work ethic, performance, health, and overall suitability as working sled dogs. We place particular importance on stable temperaments and good teamwork abilities.

The mother and puppies live indoors in our puppy cabin. The cabin is insulated and heated and is connected to a fenced outdoor play area where the puppies can safely explore, play, and develop their coordination on different surfaces and terrain.

Puppies are handled daily from an early age by staff and visitors. Early training includes learning their names, recall, eating independently, and being comfortable around people. Later they are gradually introduced to collars, leash walking, and harnesses.

Young dogs are not introduced to pulling work until they are physically and mentally ready. Proper training begins only after one year of age, allowing the dogs time to mature and develop properly before starting work.