from 1,547€

Perfect 4.6rating (57)

Arctic Huskies Caretaker and Dogsled Trainer

location
6 - 12 weeks  ·  Age 18 - 50+

rating  Perfect 4.6  · 
  Verified by Volunteer World
  Excellent response rate

Highlights

  • Take care of Arctic huskies and go dog sledding!
  • Drive ATV 4-wheelers with dogs pulling.
  • Live off the grid in a cozy cabin for the ultimate northern experience!
  • Volunteer in one of the most beautiful sceneries in the world and see the northern lights or midnight sun
  • Discover Canada's Arctic by dogsled!

Especially suitable

Age 18+
Singles
Couples
Groups
50+

About the program

Join a Dog Sled organization in the Canadian Arctic and take care of amazing White Huskies, assist with Dogsledding and help with the day to day operations at the lodge.

Venture to the Arctic area of Canada for the experience of a lifetime. This is the ultimate husky ranch and dogsled experience for the real explorers among us who are looking for an adventurous volunteer abroad project! Have the opportunity to work with pure white huskies, dog sled and gaze at the ...

About the program

Venture to the Arctic area of Canada for the experience of a lifetime. This is the ultimate husky ranch and dogsled experience for the real explorers among us who are looking for an adventurous volunteer abroad project! Have the opportunity to work with pure white huskies, dog sled and gaze at the amazing northern lights or the midnight sun! Or go summer dog mushing and get the experience of guiding tours and training dogs with all-terrain vehicles called 4-wheelers.  This is fun and exciting and happens almost on a daily basis.   

This ranch needs volunteers all year round and has many great opportunities! This project is located in the remotest northern corner of mainland Canada tucked between the icy Beaufort Sea and the mighty Mackenzie river delta. This great experience lets you relive the frontier days where your accommodation will be in style without some of the luxury comforts of the modern world. This ranch is an extremely popular volunteer abroad project and is a great place to experience the Canadian Arctic areas. You will have many opportunities to dogsled during the extra-long winter and of course play /care for the huskies! This project has excellent opportunities in the winter however, summer has its own advantages with extra-long warm days and many opportunities to explore. When volunteering for more than 4 weeks it is important to keep in mind that the program is not with a registered charity therefore you will be required to apply for a working holiday visa. Also, The work on the ranch is physically demanding and it is by no means an’ easy holiday option’! Please consider that you are in a very remote area and this is not the place to be if you are solely interested in pubs and clubs and socializing with people in town. You will always have lots of time to spend with the dogs. Just cuddle or take them for a walk, brush them or take a husky to your room for the night! You will have one day off every week to relax and enjoy leisure time with the dogs or go canoeing or hiking. 

In all cases volunteers will always have lots of time to spend with the dogs. Just cuddle or take them for a walk, brush them or play with them! 
You will have one day off every week and there’s lots of things to do! You can go hiking, biking or canoeing. The nature around the husky lodge is very beautiful with thousands of lakes nearby.

Requirements:
  • Required to commit to a minimum of 4 weeks – Preferably longer
  • Be punctual - Show up on time for work
  • NO SMOKING or DRINKING is allowed on the property.
  • Bush and Forest Fires are an enormous concern during the hot dry summers!!
  • Strong work ethics are required: reliable, responsible, honest, good sense of humour, dependable, physically and mentally fit. 
  • Never yell at dogs except to stop a fight.
  • Do not put food between dogs – make sure that food is directly in front of the dog it is intended for.
  • Working Holiday visa required (we can assist you with the application)
  • Do not leave anything hazardous or any personal items around the dogs – out of curiosity, they may consume something toxic or harmful. Safety is top priority!
  • Make sure you complete your work to the appropriate standard
  • Speak up if you do not feel comfortable completing a task
  • Keep all personal belongings outside of client areas
  • Age: 18-35
  • No animal allergies

The project is located in the most northern part of the Northwest Territory. There is a small frontier town located near the project. This is also where you will be picked up from the airport however you will first have to book an international flight to Whitehorse, Yukon. From there you will take a domestic flight (cost around 700 CA$ for a return ticket, however the flight is amazing). If you are searching for lots of contact with other people, night life or coffee bars, then this is not the place for you. You can enjoy a number of leisure activities on their days off. During the winter there are excellent opportunities to enjoy skiing, snowshoeing and walks on beautiful trails right from the property.  However, the summer has its own advantages  with extra long warm days and many opportunities to hike on a nice nature trail, canoe on the lake behind the guest cabins or do some fishing. Any other tours on a day off  would be covered by the volunteers own expense.

Typical day

Volunteers and Interns are the backbone of the organization. This is a medium sized family run kennel with only pure white Siberian huskies.  
Attitude is the first thing the project looks for in a dog. There dogs are really well-known for strength, will-power and determination as well as for their ...

Typical day

Volunteers and Interns are the backbone of the organization. This is a medium sized family run kennel with only pure white Siberian huskies.  
Attitude is the first thing the project looks for in a dog. There dogs are really well-known for strength, will-power and determination as well as for their friendliness.You will take part in one or more of the following tasks:

  • Construction/maintenance/general labour
  • Dog yard (working with the dogs)
  • Garden or yard work
  • Cleaning guest cabins and rental cars
Keep in mind that you will not be spending your whole day working with the dogs. You will be working a few hours per day with the dogs and your other time will be spend to help the lodge.  There will be many tasks involved that might not be so interesting at times. It is good to keep in mind that this project is great because it allows you to live affordable in the Artic, while volunteering with huskies and getting the opportunity to dogsled!!!

For more information regarding your typical day please contact us.

Free-time activities

Volunteers can enjoy a number of leisure activities on their days off. During the winder there are excellent opportunities to enjoy skiing, dog sledding, snowboarding, and other winder activities, However, the summer has its own advantages  with extra long warm days and many opportunities to hike, ...

Free-time activities

Volunteers can enjoy a number of leisure activities on their days off. During the winder there are excellent opportunities to enjoy skiing, dog sledding, snowboarding, and other winder activities, However, the summer has its own advantages  with extra long warm days and many opportunities to hike, bike and it is a great place for wildlife viewing, hiking and more. These activities however are covered by the volunteers own expense.

Requirements

Requirements

Minimum Age: 18 years

In order to join the program you need to be at least 18 years old on the program start date. There might be exemptions if you can provide the permission of your legal guardian(s) or if your are accompanied by your parents.

Language Skills

You need to speak English (intermediate level)

Required Documents

CV, Resume, Letter of Motivation, Two pics and signed Policies and Liability Form (provided during application process)

Nationality Restrictions

No restrictions. Helping hands from all over the world are welcome.

Time Commitment

Your helping hand will be required on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 08:00 - 18:00

What's Included

What's Included

Services by Fronteering Travel

The fees include:


  • Airport Pick up & Transfer: You will be picked up from the small airport near the project and transferred straight to your accommodation at the project.
  • Accommodation: Room with heat and electricity – no running water.
  • Meals: You will be need to prepare your own meals. Groceries are included and transportation to the grocery store once a week
  • Mail-holding service: You can use FRONTEERINGS office as a reliable address to have your mail delivered
  • Ongoing service and 24/7 Emergency contact

Airport Pickup at Inuvik Mike Zubko Airport

You will arrive in Northern Canada by flight and you will be picked from the airport and transferred to the project.

Accommodation

Volunteers will get cabins or rooms with heat & electricity but without running water. You may have to share the accommodation with other Volunteers but most likely, you will get your own private room. The washroom is in a bath house in a separate building and the staff kitchen is also separate from your room.  Bedding and towels are supplied.


Food & Beverages

Groceries provided and volunteers will need to prepare their own meals.

Internet Access

Limited access at the project site

What's NOT included?

What's NOT included?

Flight Tickets

The nearest airport is Inuvik Mike Zubko Airport (YEV) in Inuvik. We assist you to find cheap flights to Canada. FIND CHEAP FLIGHTS

Travel Insurance

Going abroad is an adventure and it is always best to be prepared. Sudden illness or injury, cancellation or theft - a travel insurance for Canada provides security and is a plus to have. GET A QUOTE

Vaccines

If you are intending to volunteer in Canada you should seek medical advice before starting your social journey. Check your required vaccinations for Canada. VACCINE CHECKER

Details on arrival

There are no specific start/arrival dates for this project, however, we recommend that you arrive on a Monday.

Availability
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Program fees

6 weeks (min. stay) 1,547€
8 weeks 1,935€
10 weeks 2,129€
12 weeks (max. stay) 2,420€
Average fees 229€/week

Program fees

229€ per week 6 - 12 weeks Age 18 - 50+

Payment methods

Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

NO CREDIT CARD FEES


Duration

6 - 12 weeks

Deposit

The deposit is simply to reserve your volunteer placement. Payments are handled by PayPal, our trusted global payment provider. If you don't have a PayPal account, you can also pay using a credit card.


Final Payment

Your final payment will be agreed with Fronteering Travel during the application process. Common solutions are either via bank transfer or a cash payment at the project site.


Meet your organization

Fronteering Travel

Perfect 4.6 rating (57 reviews)

Non-profit - founded in 2010

Verified by Volunteer World

  Excellent response rate

Coordinated by

Patrick

Spoken languages: English, German, Dutch

About the project

Fronteering arranges volunteering programs related to wildlife and indigenous people in less visited places of this world as well as more unique destinations.

Meet your organization

Fronteering arranges volunteering programs in some of the last frontiers of this world as well as more unique locations that other organizations ignore. From Field research programs in the Far north of Canada and Husky ranches in the Canadian Arctic to Amerindian community programs and wildlife conservation in the Amazon Rainforest and everything in between.

Most of our programs Focus on either wildlife rehabilitation and release, wildlife conservation & research or involve local indigenous communities.

Fronteering currently offers programs in Canada, Guyana, USA, Australia, Brazil, Borneo, South Africa, Madagascar and Panama.

True good causes: FRONTEERINGS volunteer abroad projects are either existing local projects or projects that are build from the group up by FRONTEERING. What these projects have in common is that you will be supporting a true good cause! You will have the opportunity to help where the need is the greatest. Our projects focus on helping the local communities, wildlife, indigenous people and the environment in cooperation with the local/indigenous communities. We focus on true volunteer projects where your effort really makes a difference. That’s why through Fronteering you will rehabilitate injured & orphaned wildlife with the goal to release the animal. That is the reason why will not send you to some far southern country to cuddle with tame lions & tigers with any real purpose. If you want to volunteer abroad with a real purpose, contact us!

Safety: At FRONTEERING we do our outmost best to provide the safety measures needed for our Volunteer Abroad projects and Adventure Travel Trips. However due to the fact that many of our projects and trips involve wild animals and/or are in remote locations there is a small element of risk involved. Not all of our projects and trips are for the faint at heart however we do cater to those of all walks of life. If you are not too sure about the suitability of a Volunteer Abroad project or an Adventure Travel trip then feel free to ask as we are always ready to answer any questions or discuss any doubts that come to mind. For more information please check our Safety & In-country Support section before you volunteer abroad.

A real adventure: We do not want our volunteers to end up trying to safe or clean up some small patch of rainforest which in some places they might call a wilderness. Instead you will volunteer in the immense jungle of the Amazon rainforest or venture in to the vast Canadian wilderness! Our volunteer abroad projects are situated in the remote areas of the world and we focus on countries and regions with the lowest population densities. We at FRONTEERING focus on what works; from sleeping in the jungle underneath the stars with nothing more than your own private hammock to back-to-basic cabins in the northern tundra with a cozy smothering fireplace and no electricity! When you volunteer abroad with FRONTEERING you can be sure it will be adventure.

Off the beaten path: With FRONTEERING volunteer abroad projects you will venture to places less visited. We focus on places that are fairly undiscovered where the nature, wildlife and indigenous cultures are still common. You will have the great opportunity to see these amazing places while they are still unspoiled and pure. It is these places where there is the most to lose but even more to gain through successful conservation work and sustainable tourism. 

Community involvement: Foremost when volunteering abroad the well being of the community should come first. For all of our trips we use local guides, local transportation and local communities so that through sustainable tourism we can help to protect the environment, wildlife and sustain the way of life of indigenous cultures & communities. More and more and governments choose the long term benefit of sustainable tourism over the short term gain of mining and logging. A good example is Gabon which in 2002 after recommendations from environmental researchers set up 13 new national parks. The government of Guyana is currently considering protecting its entire rainforest region which still covers 80% of the country. Hopefully through our combined effort this dream will one day become true.

Mission
FRONTEERING specializes in organizing volunteer abroad projects to preserve the environment, wildlife and indigenous people throughout the world while giving the volunteers a real and raw experience in some of the most beautiful and often remote places in the world to make a true difference.

Vision
FRONTEERING strives to provide real off the beaten path volunteer abroad experiences worldwide that satisfy the need for volunteer projects that truly makes a difference for the environment, wildlife and indigenous people.


57 reviews · rating4.6

Deirdre Conroy rating4.2

2024 at Pantanal Wildlife Research

My experience on this volunteer program was excellent due to the hard work and planning by my host Alexine. She is a fund of knowledge and is dedicated to her project (Peccary Project, see also on Instagram, peccary_queixada_project). I also worked with an amazing team working with the giant ant ...
Liliane Zistl rating5

2023 at Exotic & Domestic Animal Caretaker

I really enjoyed my stay at this program. I had the chance to work with different animals that I woudn't have gotten otherwise. The people there are very kinde and courteouse. Because the work is not always the simplest, they give you the weekend of with the possability to go to Saint Pete or Tampa. ..
Hanna Somsky rating5

2023 at Exotic Wildlife Caretaker Assistant

Can get really good hands on experience with a very diverse group of animals. Ranch care takers are very knowledgeable about the animals and will gladly spend time sharing their stories and experiences with you. If you are looking for somewhere that can you know the place and people you're ...
Théo SMITH rating4.8

2023 at Scottish Husky Ranch Caretaker

I spent 6 weeks there, it was a great experience. The hosts are super friendly and very welcoming. The dogs are adorable and kind. The landscapes are magnificent and unique If you are looking for a new experience, go ...
Cindy Lamaha rating5

2023 at Exotic Wildlife Caretaker Assistant

Dear future volunteer, The Hawaii sanctuary is not just a project where you will be taught about all the different kinds of animals and their behaviors, you will also learn a lot about humans, about yourself and you will learn how to feel home at a place that is not your own. If you thinking about ...
Jasmine McPherson rating5

2023 at Exotic & Domestic Animal Caretaker

This sanctuary is an absolute amazing place, I'm glad I stayed. They provided a good place to stay and I learnt a lot while with them. They let me experience different situations while with them. Definitely recommend for any volunteer. ..

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English, German, Dutch

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