Husky Ranch Canada
Various provinces, Canada
$1595.00
The Experience
Take this great opportunity to volunteer at one of our husky ranches throughout Canada! Your main tasks will involve working directly with the dogs as well as plenty of dogsledding trips where you will help guiding trips and training the huskies! When volunteering for more then 4 weeks you will require a working holiday visa as this program is not with a registered charity!
Did you ever want to explore the world of dog sledding and the unique way of living the ‘bush life’? You will be placed at on of our ranches located in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario or the Yukon. All our ranches are located located deep in the interior of one these provinces and are far away from any town. These ranches are looking for volunteers year round! The work and tasks for all the projects are in general similar the main difference being the location of the ranch which will be chosen based on avialability and your preferred location. The work with the huskies and on the ranch is physically demanding and it is by no means an’ easy holiday option’! All accommodations are very back to basic and are for those who like to "rough it up" in the outdoors. The minimum duration of stay is 4 weeks with a maximum duration of 12 weeks. Please consider that you will be surrounded by nature & wildlife (no bars and shopping malls here) this for the real outdoor lover who wants a real Canadian experience!
This Is Why
- Ride ATV's and Snowscooters!
- Get Trained in the world of Dogsledding and guide dogsledding trips!!!
- Volunteer in Canada's great wilds!
- Opportunities for Wildlife viewing in the surroundings of the ranch

- Key Start Dates
Year round (keep in mind that in most cases there is no dogsledding from May - October). - Package Prices
04 Weeks: $1595.00 US
06 Weeks: $1795.00 US
08 Weeks: $1995.00 US -
10 Weeks: $2295.00 US
12 Weeks: $2495.00 US - Volunteer duration
4 - 12 weeks - Average Work hours
As a volunteer, you will be required to volunteer 5 to 6 days a week, for 8 to 10 hrs per day. - Number of Volunteers
1 - 5 depding on the ranch and your preference. - Volunteer accommodation
Available - Housing Type
Either a private or shared room depending on the ranch. Accommodaton can be at the main ranch house, trailer/RV or cabin depending on the ranch. - Internet Access
Yes, but limited - Who Are They Looking For?
Love of the outdoors and a passion for wildlife is a priority. You should not be fussy, picky or hypersensitive about cleaning as this is one of the main chores. We will not tolerate smoking, alcohol or the use of drugs. Please remember that you are a guest, therefore, respecting the rules is essential.
Fast Facts: Canada
Where? North America, Canada
Country Size: 9,984,670 km2
3,854,085 sq mi
Population density? 3.41/km2
8.3/sq mi
Country Famous for? Bears, Root Beer, Rocky Mountains, Skiing, Niagara waterfalls, Pacific rainforest, friendly people, dogsledding, killer whales, ice hockey!
When to visit: All year round, skiing and dog sledding in winter and hiking and wildlife viewing in summer
- What's Included
- Placement
Husky Ranch Canada - Accommodation
Either a private or shared room depending on the ranch. Accommodaton can be at the main ranch house, trailer/RV or cabin depending on the ranch. - Meals
3 meals a day included - Aiport pick up Service & Transfer to the project
We will be waiting for you at the airport and transfer you to your hostel or directly to the project. - Mail-holding service
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You can use FRONTEERINGS office as a reliable address to have your mail delivered
- Ongoing service
If there are any problems with your volunteer project we are always there to help you and mediate between yourself and the organization. - Tours
Through FRONTEERING you have the possibility to book tours in Canada after you have finished your volunteer project. - 24/7 Emergency contact
If there are any problems during you stay in Vancouver you can reach us 24/7 to assist you.
What's not included: Flights, Insurance
Package Price:
04 Weeks: $1595.00 US
06 Weeks: $1795.00 US
08 Weeks: $1995.00 US
12 Weeks: $2495.00 US - Placement
- RESPONSIBILITIES
Volunteers are very important for the organization and will be involved with many aspects of running a dog sledding kennel. Volunteering work at the different ranches all involves caring for the dogs and running dog sledding trips.
- Feed, groom and walk the dogs
- Helping with maintenance around the ranch
- Dogsledding and snowmobiling
- Clearing and preparing the dogsled tracks
- Cleaning, cooking and other household chores
Keep in mind that volunteering at the ranch can be very intense due to the weather conditions.
- TASKS AND DUTIES
You will get to learn all there is to know regarding the mushing of huskies and all that is involved with running a dogsledding organization. You will be involved with training, racing and vetinary care of the dogs. Daily chores: Feeding and watering dogs on a daily basis, cleaning of kennels, Grooming during the spring and summer, walks during the spring and summer, maintenance of kennel and dog room (straw, fixing houses, cleaning up old logs from the kennel, keeping the dog room clean and tidy), fixing harnesses and sled when needed. There are additional daily duties which change with the seasons. There is woodcutting and splitting firewood, fixing of the fences, building projects, clearing the dogsledding trails, etc. Bear in mind that winter is the busy time with the dogs and it can be very cold! If you are there during the spring and summer, you will not be dog sledding or training; you will however have a lot of ‘hands on’ with the dogs. Training on ATV’s usually starts in October/November depending on the outside temperature. During the spring/summer, there might also be tasks to help with some work in small vegetable gardens and much more.
- Requirements, Guidelines & Policies
- Required to commit to a minimum of 4 weeks
- NO SMOKING is allowed on the property.
- Strong work ethics are required: reliable, responsible, honest, good sense of humour, dependable, physically and mentally fit.
- Age: 18+
- No animal allergies
- Extreme Weather (heat & cold), dirt and living in a remote area must be something you can handle.
- A love for animals and some general experience of caring for an animal is a must!
- Must read and agree to abide by guidelines and ethics
- Good communication skills and the ability to work alone
- Good knowledge of the English
- A valid driver’s license would be an asset, but is not required
- Volunteer Benefits
- Have the opportunity to care of Huskies and learn about the fun world mushing!
- In the winter have the opportunity to dogsled and ride snow scooters and in the summer ATV's and mountain bikes!
- Assist with dogsledding trips
- Fast Facts
- Project location
Interior of BC, AB, Ontario or The Yukon - Area Famous For
Dogsledding, Wineries, lakes, nature, wildlife viewing, hiking, biking, rocky mountains, bears, moose, eagles, ranches - When to visit
All year round the project is great place to volunteer at. In summer for taking the huskies for a bike ride and view wildlife and in the winter to go dog sledding! - Wildlife viewing
You can view an abundance of wildlife no matter which ranch you will be located at. Moose, Bear & Lynx often travel the path through these pristine lands.
- Project location
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- Itinerary & Details
Day 1 - Arrive in Canada;
You will arrive in you will be met at the airport and transferred directly to the project.
For 4 - 12 weeks – Volunteer at a husky ranch!
For the coming 4-12 weeks you will have a great time working directly with the huskies of the ranch while being surrounded by beautiful mountain ranges, lakes and nature!
Your last day – you will transfer back home. Of course it is possible to extend your stay in Canada and travel around or visit Vancouver or the Rocky Mountains; we can help you with trips and/or accommodation you would like to arrange.
- Itinerary & Details
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- Accommodation
Your accommodation will vary depending on the husky ranch you have been placed at you will either share accommodaiton with other volunteers in a cabin/trailer or live in the ranch house as part of the family. THe accommodation can either be private or shared. Some of our accommodations are quite back to basic and you might have to make use of a outhouse as well as heating in some cases might be provided through your own fireplace! If you have any preferrences for the type of accommodation please let us know.
Things to bring from home
- Clothes for cold temperatures as well as for summer for warm temperatures. Make these clothes are allowed to get dirty. Make sure to bring gloves, a toque and warm socks with you.
- Comfortable walking shoes are essential, and you should also pack a raincoat and some sun block
- Linen and towels will be provided.
Meals
Food is provided for all the husky ranches. In some cases you will have to be involved in cooking the food and helping to buy groceries.
Location
The location of the ranch will depend on your placement. The ranches are located in Either British Columbia, Alberta, the Yukon or Ontario. All of the ranches are set in a natural environment away from towns and cities. At all locations there is plenty of outdoor activities to do from Hiking to biking, to dog sledding and wildlife viewing this is the place to be for all outdoors lovers!
It's nearly three weeks ago since I arrived here in the bush, so it's time for some news!
I already saw quite a lot of new things. The wildlife is really great and I discover almost every day a new animal.
Here a little overview: a motherbear with 3 cubs, marmots, squirls, a lot of deers, snowrabbits (still with white paws, that looks funny), snowchickens, a snake (one bite and you've 3.5 min left), different eagles and an endless amount of birds, known and unknown, including hummingbirds (colibri).
On the other side, the plants also start to grow slowly up here. The first leafs at the trees are coming out and the grass becomes green.
And there are the first flowers in the grazing land which begin to bloom.
Down in the valley, the willows and daffodils are flourishing.
So I'll be really happy if it becomes warmer and I look forward to the summer.
In fact they say, that they have about 30° here in July!
The dogs behaviour is pretty good and I didn't have any troubles with them. I know them now by their names and I feed them every day twice and change the water. Another thing we're going to do soon, is brushing the dogs because they're changing their skin. Unfortunately I can't do a lot more with the dogs at this time because they have their summer break and are out of training.
But there's a lot of other work to do. We cut and split trees for firewood (for the next long winter), painted dog- and beeboxes and did other daily jobs around house and garden.
The couple I live with is also managing a camping resort with cabins besides their husky ranch. It's on a very nice lake and we spend there some days a week to cut dry grass, repair some facilities and get rid of old things, because the resort was absolutely disregarded in the last years.
And I can drive with a V8 7.2 l truck with 4 wheel drive on the worst road I've ever seen, that's not only a pleasure.
Living in the middle of this bush is great but sometimes it feels really strange if I like to buy something in a market, but the market is 25 km away and I know I don't get there for the next days. That means that we've to live with the goods on stock.
Furthermore I miss Swiss food, although they cook very well at the ranch.
Joel from Switzerland
Hello Miranda,
Although the beginning went a little rough, I'm very happy that I've experienced this all. I was given a warm welcome in a warm and friendly environment. After I explained what I expected of this stay here I learned and did every week something new. They taught me about the basic tasks and why they are so important. They also taught me how to train a husky. After a little while the family allowed me and the other workers here to plan our working days ourselves. From training the dogs to cleaning the yard, they appreciated what we did for them and the Huskies.
For this ranch and the family two things are very important; take a good care of the dogs and be honest and show commitment.
Do I recommend this place to other volunteers?
Yes I do. It has been a great experience. Not only do you learn a lot about huskies, you also get to know what you're capable of.
Kind regards,
Jade from The Netherlands
First of all I have to say that i couldn´t imagine anything better than my homestay with Don and Faye. They took care of me and gave me one of the best experiences of my life. I was allowed to help Don and Faye with everything. Starting by cooking turkey for thanksgiving. Furthermore I helped with the Dogs: Feeding them, taking the puppies for a walk and most important training the dogs. In the end I also was allowed to drive my own dog team! In addition to this I helped Don with all work he had to do, so I learned a lot about working and figuring things out. Last but not least Don and Faye are very nice and welcoming and I definitely want to go back!
I hope this helps future volunteers.
Best regards,
Kolja from Germany