What the Dog Knows The harness came in from overnight at negative eighteen and I had to run it under warm water before I could work the buckles. Frozen nyl
Author: Helen Corlew
Helen Corlew
Helen L. Corlew runs a team of Samoyeds, Alaskan malamutes and Alaskan huskies. I am a Tellington TTouch practitioner and use this mode of work with training and living with my dogs. Helen Corlew founded Prairie Isle Dog Trekking in Petersburg, North Dakota in 2010, and has spent the fifteen years since doing something most people only read about: teaching real dog sledding on real prairie terrain, at the edge of a landscape that doesn't apologize for being difficult. She is not a weekend enthusiast. She harnesses working dogs in January cold, trains handlers who have never touched a sled, and has built one of the only hands-on mushing education programs on the Northern Great Plains — from a single address on Highway 2, with no marketing budget and no shortcuts. Her writing on Prairie Isle Dog Trekking reflects the same philosophy. Whether she is covering trail safety across the Rockies, breed behavior in extreme conditions, or what it actually takes to trek with a dog in the Alps, Helen writes from the position of someone who has done the work before writing the sentence. She lives and runs dogs in Nelson County, North Dakota. Kindly follow me on Social Media!
Hiking with a Labrador Retriever combines outdoor endurance activity with one of the most physically capable dog breeds. Labradors are athletic, obedient, and built for varied terrain. A well-prepared hike strengthens the human-dog bond and supports long-term canine health.What Is Hiking with a Labrador Retriever?Hiking with a Labrador Retriever is structured outdoor trail walking that uses the breed’s natural stamina, muscular build, and social temperament. Labradors, also called Labs, are classified as sporting dogs by the American Kennel Club (AKC). They excel on moderate to challenging trails and adapt to diverse environments, including forests, mountains, and coastal paths. For the…
There’s a particular look a working dog gets when it’s locked onto a job. Not excitement. Not the frantic energy people mistake for enthusiasm. Something q
The harnesses were still cold when I hung them, stiff in a way they don’t get above minus ten, and the dogs had gone quiet in the kennel the way they do wh
Paw checks are the last thing I do before I put a team away for the night. Right rear, left rear, right front, left front. I run my thumb along each pad, c
The family asked about it during the warm-up walk, the mother holding her phone out before I’d even finished explaining how to approach the dogs from the s
The harness smelled like it always does after a night below zero. Frozen nylon and something older underneath. Lanolin maybe, or just the particular funk o
Hiking with German Shepherd: 9 Trail Tips, Gear Guide, and Safety RulesHiking with a German Shepherd is outdoor trail walking that covers 5 to 20 miles with a German Shepherd dog. German Shepherds are working dogs bred for endurance, intelligence, and physical strength. The American Kennel Club (AKC) ranks them among the top 3 breeds suited for long-distance hiking. For the previous guide in this series, see Best Dog Breeds for Hiking: 10 Top Breeds, Key Traits, and Trail Suitability Guide.A healthy adult German Shepherd hikes 5 to 20 miles per day. Puppies under 18 months should not exceed 2…
The best dog breeds for hiking combine high endurance, joint durability, and strong heat or cold tolerance. Research from the University of Helsinki’s Canine Genetics Research Group identifies stamina, body structure, and coat type as the 3 primary physical traits that determine a breed’s trail suitability.What Are the Best Dog Breeds for Hiking?The best dog breeds for hiking are Labrador Retrievers, Siberian Huskies, Australian Shepherds, Vizslas, Border Collies, German Shepherds, Bernese Mountain Dogs, Weimaraners, Rhodesian Ridgebacks, and Portuguese Water Dogs. Each breed demonstrates high physical endurance, stable temperament, and structural fitness for extended outdoor activity. For the previous guide in…
What the Race Already Is She was twenty-four and she’d run the Yukon Quest the previous year and she knew things I hadn’t figured out until I was past thir