8/7/25: Meeting Greenlandic Sled Dogs in Qeqertarsuaq!

In the previous post, I wrote about our belated arrival in Qeqertarsuaq, a small town of about 800 people on Greenland's west coast, on the south coast of Disko Bay. After a quick dinner at the local hotel, Steven, Sarah, another hotel guest, and I met Danny, age 26, who escorted us to his dog-mushing camp on the town's outskirts. He explained that he was born in Illusiaat, another town in the bay, but only because there was no midwife in Qeqertarsuaq. ‘Suaq’ at the end of so many Greenlandic place names means ‘big island.' 

Danny began racing sled dogs in kindergarten, with one or two dogs. We immediately felt comfortable that we had made reservations months ago for the tour, as he was obviously well qualified to tell us everything we might want to know about sled dogs. On top of that, his English was very proficient!

As we walked through town, Danny said the design on the building was painted by a local artist and represented the pattern on the thighs of Greenlandic women's pants.

The town's church was built in 1923, and its Greenlandic name translates to 'lodge in a house,' although some referred to it as an inkpot. From above, it looked like a cross.

Disko Island is divided between the high Arctic and the low Arctic; the sub-Arctic is South Greenland, where we had begun our exploration of the island.

Disko Island is the biggest island in Greenland, which is the biggest island in the world.

On the other side of Qeqertarsauq, where Danny lived, was a more secluded harbor than the one where we landed just a few hours earlier.

The purple flower we'd noticed growing everywhere is Greenland's national flower, which in English means ‘broad-leaf willow herb.’

Danny explained that Greenland had sled dog races for students throughout elementary school, as well as separate races for women and men. There are qualifying dog sled races throughout the country, and the whole country competes in the national sled dog race. As Greenland is such a vast country, the organizers try to hold the national race in the central part of the country so that people from all parts of the country can attend. Next year, the national race will take place in Ilulissat, our next stop up the coast.

Danny attended a very intensive six-month program at the Arctic Adventure School, a guiding school. He then attended business school for one year in Nuuk, so he and his partner would be on top of things business-wise. 

The pups were about a month old when we visited in early August. 

There are only Greenlandic sled dogs in the country's Arctic Circle area, on both the west and east coasts, and they've adapted to the harsh climate. South of the Arctic Circle in Greenland, dog breeds include Labrador retrievers, chihuahuas, etc. Sarah, I thought of you when Danny mentioned that Svalbard also has some Greenlandic sled dogs!

Greenlandic sled dogs have strong bones, muscles, and teeth, and two layers of fur in the winter to keep them warm. Because the inner layer of fur is shed in the summer, they looked comparatively skinny in August.

There are lots of government rules for raising sled dogs. For example, dogs over six months of age must be chained. At three months of age, they receive their first rabies vaccine, and at six months, they receive the second dose, along with a microchip. They receive their third rabies vaccine at 9 months and every 3 years thereafter. 

The sled dogs are also required to have access to water, which the blue jugs provide. 

If the rules are not followed, the police or authorities can remove the dogs from the owner's care, according to Danny.

Until about 80 years ago, dogs ran wild, leading to accidents when they interacted with humans, as they are half wild and run in packs.

Danny told us that Greenlandic sled dogs have been proven to be one of the oldest dog breeds in the world. He recounted how waves of the earliest Inuit settlers failed to survive in Greenland because they lacked sled dogs to move from one settlement to another or reach hunting grounds. Unfortunately, too much energy was expended on daily tasks to survive.

If people walk among sled dogs alone without the owner present, the dogs will naturally become aggressive as a form of self-defense. As Danny was the alpha male, we could have safely walked among the dogs without issue because the dogs would recognize us as his friends. None of us chose to test that theory, however!

All the dogs have names, except for two new pups; his girlfriend names them! The alpha male was called Zlatan, after a Swedish football player (known as soccer in North America!).

I think Danny referred to this one as Ballou and said he was a fighter.

Danny was raised in the white house just behind the dogs, and that is where his parents still live.

Danny indicated that dog sleds typically have only one passenger and the driver, and that most dog sled tours are 2 to 3 hours long, some to a settlement with about 40 inhabitants, traveling through the Windy Valley. The dogs love to run, depending on the conditions, but they must work up to it. October marks the beginning of the season, so they're not as quick then as they are in April, when they can run 100 kms without getting tired. Then, they can run flat out for 200 meters before slowing down to a more sustainable pace.

As we listened to Danny, we heard a tremendous roar as a glacier broke apart, a process called calving.

There are no limits to how many dogs anyone can have in Greenland. Danny said he had 350 dogs spread around the island. Now is puppy season! Sled dogs live to an average age of 13.

To run sled dog tours profitably during the winter, sled dog owners need the option of running multiple teams.

Ella was the name of the new puppy. Danny joked that the dogs have the 'best' life, as they run, play, and eat!

Greenlandic sled dogs lose their teeth, just like humans do!

Though the litter consists of several dogs, none of them is identical to the others, unlike human twins. The darker pup was Dulfie. Danny said he wouldn't be surprised if Dulfie might end up being the alpha male when he's older, as he was bigger and always pushed other dogs away. He could tell he had a different temperament based on when he played with other dogs.

Danny, sitting on the sled, explained that the guide sits in the front, and one passenger sits at the back. The sleds move to the side depending on which way they tilt. They are made in town or by the guides themselves. The 14 dogs travel in a fan formation to equalize their weight on thin ice. The guide sits on a caribou skin, which is soft and warm. 

The caribou skin was usually much darker, but it had faded. 

Danny added that when he interacts with his dogs, he must speak with emphasis. The whip is used only to indicate direction for dogs and is never used to touch them. When Danny cracked the whip, it sounded like a gunshot; the sound was so loud. 

Here is a photo of Danny showing Sarah how incredibly soft the whips made from sealskin were.

We were very fortunate that Danny extended our tour long enough for us to watch him feed his dogs who are only fed at night! He said it was his responsibility to balance what they eat so they're neither too fat nor too thin. The dogs need more food when it's cold, as they expend more energy then. They are fed codfish and seal meat; kibble is available if fresh food is unavailable. However, fresh food is best for them. They have less poop if they eat fresh food!

Danny showed us that the sled dogs were mostly socialized and trained not to bark. As Danny walked among them to feed them, they knew not to bark. If the younger ones did, he simply walked past them, paying them no attention. When they stopped barking, he returned to feed them.

The mom of seven puppies is fed all day, as she was feeding eight, including herself. She was fed twice earlier and will get food later, too. She didn't eat the entire final serving, so she hid it to eat later!

Greenlandic dogs' closest relatives are wolves.

I was so impressed watching the whole feeding procedure, because I don't think Danny uttered a word the entire time. The dogs knew they had to heel and be completely quiet as Danny neared them. Only when he made a motion were they permitted to eat.

Danny told us that the dogs are bred to get the best offspring. Females should be 2 years old to breed, and they must be pretty heavy. However, if they are fed too much, they're all in heat! They are bred at the end of the sledding season, generally. There is a 62-day gestation period. 

We were thrilled to know that new ones had been born that day, including one in this doghouse while we were on the tour! Danny kindly showed us the picture he took of the pup that was just minutes old!

Danny was well deserving of the tip we gave him for his excellent tour, which shed light on Greenlandic dogs for the three of us!

Just a couple of minutes away was our abode for the night, which I think was the most expensive of any place we've ever stayed! Once we got over the sticker shock, Steven and I were happy we'd chosen such an exquisite location far from town and views to die for from our deck.

I took these shots about 10:30 that night!

The apartment's interior comprised one large room containing a couch, table and chairs, and a small kitchenette, and one decent-sized bedroom. We were so exhausted that, I assure you, we slept well, even though some of the dogs barked most of the night! What a shame that, because our ferry had been delayed a day in Aasiaat, we had less than a day in Qeqertaesauq.

Next post: Traipsing around Qeqertarsauq.

Posted on October 30th, 2025, on yet another sun-filled day in Denver. Although we missed summer at home because of traveling in Iceland and Greenland, the glorious fall weather has more than made up for it! To my fellow Canadian baseball fans: Go Toronto Blue Jays! They have beaten the LA Dodgers, considered the favorites, not once but twice in LA. The Jays need only win one of the next two home games in Toronto to win the World Series.