How many dogs pull a sled in Tromsø?

Five to seven on a standard tourist run. They are arranged in pairs by job: lead dogs at the front taking commands, swing dogs behind them steering the team through turns, team dogs in the middle for power, and wheel dogs closest to the sled taking the hardest physical load. Racing teams are larger — Finnmarksløpet runs 14-dog and 8-dog classes — but that is not what is in front of you on a tour.

Tourist team5–7 dogs

PositionsLead, swing, team, wheel

Pull per dogUp to 40 kg

Tour speedAbout 10 km/h

One kennel hereNearly 200 dogs

Teams run8–12 at once

Team size is set by the load and the trail, not by decoration. Each dog can pull up to 40 kg, and a tourist sled carries two adults plus the sled itself, which is why five to seven is the usual answer. One kennel around Tromsø keeps nearly 200 Alaskan huskies and runs 8 to 12 teams at a time, so the dogs on your line are a small selection from a much bigger yard. What those dogs actually are is covered at the dogs.

Handler’s tip

Ask which two are the leaders before you set off. Handlers will point them out, and once you know who is steering, the run makes far more sense from behind. More on the day at what to expect.

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Frequently asked questions

How many huskies pull one sled?

Five to seven on a typical Tromsø tour, in pairs by role. Each dog can pull up to 40 kg, and a tourist sled carries two people.

What are the dog positions called?

Lead dogs at the front, swing dogs directly behind them, team dogs in the middle and wheel dogs nearest the sled. Wheel dogs take the heaviest physical work.

Do racing teams use more dogs?

Yes. Finnmarksløpet, first run in 1981 and the longest sled dog race in Europe, has a 1,200 km class with 14 dogs and 600 and 300 km classes with 8. Tour teams are much smaller. Background at the dogs.