The dogs at Howling Huskies love their work. Photo: Supplied
The dogs at Howling Huskies love their work. Photo: Supplied
Justine Costigan meets the rescue dogs offering the wildest ride in the Victorian Alps.
It's icy cold but the sky is blue and clear. My cheeks are pink, my fingertips frozen, I'm stamping my feet to keep them warm, and air is coming out of my mouth in little puffs.If you're lucky to also get a good snow season, these are the perfect conditions for sledding.
Howling Husky Sled Dog Tours owner Jake Greaves is setting up the sled for our ride. A dozen Siberian huskies are resting, but as soon as they see Greaves they're up and eager.
He chooses six dogs, connecting their harnesses to the rope that links the dogs to each other and the sled. Two of us are squeezed in tight with thick blankets over our knees. Behind us, standing on the edge of the sled, is our guide (musher) who will direct the dogs, feed them treats, and clean up any messes, making sure this pristine Victorian alpine bush environment stays that way.
The team waiting to start a Howling Huskys sled ride. Photo: Supplied
As soon as they're attached, the dogs are raring to go. Running is what they love to do, and when they hear our guide's short, sharp "hike!" we're off with a lurch, the dogs leaping ahead to start their sprint through the winding mountain tracks.
Soon we're away from the resort, and all we can hear is the pounding of their legs, the swish of the sled, and shouts of "haw", "gee" and "haw" as our guide urges the dogs to swing left, then right, then left.
The dogs aren't racing, but this low to the ground the turns are fast enough to make you grip the side of the sled and squeal. Even when they're running at a trot, it's a magnificent sight — six dogs running in sync, a ballet in the snow.
It's not just a thrill for the passenger either, huskies really do love to run.
The dogs at work on a Howling Huskys sled ride. Photo: Supplied
First domesticated by the Chukchi people in remote Arctic Siberia, huskies were used as sled dogs and raised to live with families. They've had a long history of living and working with people ever since.
Beyond the Arctic, Siberian huskies were brought to the Alaskan goldfields in the early 1900s to be used as sled dogs, mostly for freight. But when sled dog teams ran almost 1000km to bring emergency diphtheria medicine to remote Nome, Alaska, in 1925, the remarkable story of these life-saving dogs captured the popular imagination. A statue of the lead dog, Balto, was erected in Central Park with an affecting plaque that reads "Endurance, Fidelity, Intelligence".
Soon they became a much-desired pet.
But with a history of living and working in the wild, huskies are not designed for small, enclosed, suburban backyards, something the then-Melbourne-based Greaves quickly discovered when he took on his first pup.
He was fascinated by these energetic, intelligent animals and, from a single dog, Jake, he soon had two, then three, then more, and he learned that giving them enough exercise to keep them happy required lots of time and outdoor space. (And it's why many husky owners eventually give them up.)
After a three-week holiday in the Victorian alps to give his dogs a place to run, the landscaper took a job and moved there permanently, adopting more dogs and eventually launching Howling Husky.
Greaves now has 76 huskies, a mix of rescue dogs and his own planned (and sometimes unexpected) litters.
Taking a sled ride at Howling Huskys. Photo: Supplied
"At one point, 80 per cent of my dogs were rescues," says Greaves. He now offers sled adventures from June to September across 15km of trails on Mt Hotham and Dinner Plain, and demonstrations at dog shows over the summer.
Genetically close to wolves, huskies' distinctive howl — they don't bark, but they do sometimes "sing" — their almond eyes in blue, brown or black, or a mix of both, and thick grey and black fur, offer a glimpse of their wild ancestry. But these dogs have been domesticated for generations and the wolf has definitely been tamed.
They're well cared for too. Sledding is strictly regulated and Greaves goes above and beyond, only allowing the huskies to run at below required temperatures, and taking less weight than they can actually pull so the runs aren't demanding. Breaks, days off and downtime are strictly controlled.
Their gentle nature is also a drawcard.
"Some parents tell me their children are afraid of dogs," says Greaves, "but after they've seen them run we take them to meet a couple of quiet ones. Soon they're giving the dogs belly rubs and cuddles."
There's one moment with the huskies Greaves says he'll never forget.
"I took a 90-year-old man for a backcountry tour and when we returned I brought a couple of the dogs over to meet him. We started talking about the dogs, and I noticed his family seemed upset. Later, after the man had left, one of the family returned to tell me that it was the first time the man had spoken in a long time. It was one of the best experiences."
CHECKLIST:VICTORIA
DETAILS Howling Husky Sled Dog Tours offers a range of experiences from Mt Hotham and Dinner Plain, ranging from 30- to 75 minutes. howlinghuskys.com.au ONLINE visitvictoria.com
