photo by Peter Acker

photo by Peter Acker

Kingmik dogs

Our dogs are beloved members of our family and the stars of the show. We do everything we can to keep them in top form.

Yes, we know the names of all our dogs - and their nicknames, their personality quirks and their likes and dislikes. Trouble is a trickster, Boo is pure sweetness, Fancy is tough and savvy, Logan is all tomboy, Jitsu tears the truck apart if left behind.

While they all have very distinct personalities, just like humans, they are bred to pull and run. This they do with great gusto. Our dogs are a breed known in mushing circles as the “Alaskan Husky.” Alaskan Huskies are bred for performance, not appearance. You will see different sizes, shapes, and colors, but one common characteristic is their superb athleticism.

Many visitors expect to see the large, thick-coated Malamute or Siberian husky at Kingmik, and are often surprised to find the smaller, and shorter coated Alaskan leading them down the trail. The Malamute and the Siberian, originally Northern working dogs, were bred for a specific look and their physical abilities are secondary. In fact, they are mere shufflers in comparison to the Alaskan!

The Alaskan Husky has roots in the Arctic and sub-Arctic villages. They were extremely resilient working dogs, working trap lines and hauling mail across Alaska and Northern Canada. As recreational races sprung up, dog drivers wanted a quicker dog to put them on the winner's podium.

Therefore, to the Northern village dog, speed breeds such as Greyhound and Saluki were crossbred, and more recently, Pointers. These dogs were as tough and faster than the original village dog, and today these are the amazing dogs that run the 1200 mile Iditarod Race clear across Alaska in under ten days!

About thirty dogs in our crew have a prestigious position on our race team. These dogs don’t miss out on work completely though, because they love to meet visitors from far away and spend some leisurely days doing tours. Ask about our racing when you come for a ride.