Alaska: Mush Your Own Sled Dog Team & Iditarod Champion Kennel

You'll Actually Drive the Dogs at an Iditarod Champion's Training Grounds

You mush your own team of sled dogs for 45 minutes on a dryland rig through private forest trails, stop halfway for a water break and photos, then return to the kennel for a tour and puppy time. Pickup from downtown Talkeetna is included, and groups stay under six people with a dedicated guide.

Step-by-step itinerary

Mush your own sled dog team

• Pickup in downtown Talkeetna
• Drive to kennel with guide
• Watch dogs hooked to mushing rigs
• Start 45-minute mush on trails
• Stop at checkpoint for dog water break
• Take photos with dog team
• Mush 20 minutes back to kennel
• Take team photo and pat dogs
• Walk through kennel and learn about dogs
• Snuggle puppies or walk with dogs
• Visit gift shop and trophy display
• Return to Talkeetna

The experience

Most places let you pet a sled dog and call it an experience. This one hands you the lines. You get picked up in downtown Talkeetna and driven out to Dallas Seavey Racing's homestead (the training grounds of a four-time Iditarod champion), where the dogs aren't just friendly. They're the real thing. Some are retired racers. Some are currently on the race team. Some are puppies being groomed to become the next generation of champions. The whole operation runs year-round, and when you show up, you're not visiting a kennel. You're joining the training program for a day.

The mush itself is 45 minutes on a custom dryland rig: basically a wheeled sled that lets the dogs run at full speed on forest trails without snow. Your guide hooks up your team, and then you're holding the lines while the dogs pull you through heavily-forested private trails. Halfway through, you stop at a checkpoint to let the team drink water and cool off. That's when most people grab photos, because you're standing there with your own dog team, and it hits you that you're actually doing this. After the checkpoint, it's a 20-minute mush back to the kennel.

Once you're back, you get a final moment with your team before the kennel walk starts. This is where the day shifts. You wander through the homestead, learning how these dogs live and train from puppyhood through retirement. There's a giant run pen where you can sit down and hold a puppy if you want, and most people do. The gift shop has Dallas Seavey's Iditarod trophy display if you're curious about the racing side. Groups stay small, usually six people or fewer, with a guide assigned to your group, so it never feels rushed or crowded.

What’s included

Hotel or downtown Talkeetna pickup and return shuttle, a 45-minute mush on a custom dryland racing rig with your own dog team, a water break and photo stop at the checkpoint halfway through, a tour of the homestead and kennel, time to walk with the dogs and cuddle puppies in the run pen, and access to the gift shop and Iditarod trophy display.

Before you book

Days and timesNext departure: 15 May 2027

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (15 and older) · Child (6 to 14 years) · Infant (1 to 5 years)

GroupUp to 6

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical levelNot for heart conditionsNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by AK Sled Dog Tours

Is this one for you?Right for anyone who wants to actually drive sled dogs rather than just watch them, and who's fit enough to stand and manage lines while a team pulls you through the forest. The small group size and dedicated guide mean you get real instruction and personal attention, not a cattle-pen experience.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 to 14 years); Infant (1 to 5 years).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

Can I really drive the sled dogs myself, or is it just a ride?

You hold the lines and control the team. A guide follows or rides with you, but you're the musher for the 45-minute run.

What if I've never mushed before?

No experience needed. The guide teaches you how to hold the lines and give commands before you start.

Is this safe for people with back or heart problems?

It's not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries or poor cardiovascular health. You need at least moderate fitness because you're standing and managing the lines while the dogs run.

How long is the whole experience?

Plan for several hours total, including pickup from Talkeetna, the 45-minute mush, the checkpoint stop, and the kennel tour and puppy time afterward.

Are the dogs friendly?

Yes. They're active athletes, but they're also extremely friendly and love attention. You'll interact with them before and after the mush.

What's the difference between a dryland rig and a sled?

A dryland rig is a wheeled cart that lets the dogs run at full speed on forest trails without snow. It's how the team trains year-round in Alaska.

Is there a gift shop?

Yes, and you can see Dallas Seavey's Iditarod trophy display before you leave.