Our Greenlandic sled dog is the world’s oldest dog breed, having adapted over thousands of years to life in the Arctic. Its genetic heritage is so pure that it remains, by and large, identical to its ancestors, which lived in Siberia 9,500 years ago. The oldest dog bones found in this country date back to the Saqqaq culture, which most likely used dogs for hunting. It is not until later in history, with the Thule culture, that we find certain evidence of dog sleds.

Since then, the dogs have carried us safely between hunting grounds, allowing us to hunt across greater distances and bring food home to our settlements. With the dogs, we were able to move with the game, discover new areas, and settle freely across the country.

The Cooperation Between Dog and Human

The close cooperation between dogs and humans has been vital to our survival and resilience. The dogs’ strength, endurance, and ability to navigate our harsh natural environment made them indispensable. When snowstorms struck and wiped everything from sight, it was precisely this close cooperation between human and dog that showed the way home. That remains the case today. In addition, many hunters train their dogs for hunting, so that they can, for example, locate a seal’s breathing holes beneath the ice. They can also be used in polar bear hunting, where the dogs are released to surround the bear, giving the hunter a better line of sight. But the dogs can also pull other heavy loads besides sleds, for example when a boat needs to be hauled ashore. At the same time, they are also excellent guard dogs, able to warn against polar bears approaching the towns.

In recent years, more women have taken up dog sledding. The standard is high among both new and experienced drivers, and for many it is a community centred on beautiful, well-cared-for dogs, where training, cooperation, closeness, and responsibility for the dogs are central. Today, keeping sled dogs in Greenland is to a large extent a hobby and a way of life, often combined with tourism. People travel here from all over the world to experience nature from a dog sled. In this way, tourism has also become a new means of carrying the dog sledding culture forward.

From Everyday Life to Cultural Heritage

The world is changing, and dog sledding culture is changing with it. There are only a few places left where keeping sled dogs is an indispensable part of hunters’ daily lives. In most places, sled dogs have been replaced by ATVs or snowmobiles, which do not need to be fed every day and can move quickly across the terrain. At the same time, the winter ice is becoming thinner and climate change more apparent.

Although there are fewer dogs today, the culture lives on within us as part of our DNA. They are part of our stories, traditions, and identity — something that is not only about the dogs themselves, but also about a unique craft that has been passed down from generation to generation, with knowledge of the sled, the lines, the harnesses, the knots, and their maintenance. This makes the sled dog a bearer of culture, knowledge, and craftsmanship that is still worth protecting, because it unites and strengthens us as a people.

The Sled Dog’s Extraordinary Survival Genes

• They are muscular and can absorb oxygen more efficiently than other dogs. This enables them to endure long, demanding journeys while pulling a sled.
• They can eat a very high-fat diet without the risk of becoming overweight or developing cardiovascular problems.
• For long periods, they can replace drinking water with snow and eat frozen meat or fish.
• Their thick winter coat, rich in lanolin, keeps them dry and warm, even in rain and frost.
• They can sense even the slightest changes in temperature.