The joys of unconventional employment at Snowy Owl Sled Dog Tours
Sydney Smith, a 25-year-old dog musher, works for the Snowy Owl Sled Dog Tours in Canmore, Alta.
Just starting her fourth season with the company, Smith is one of the supervisors and senior instructors.
“We just absolutely love the dogs and we love what we do so we’re going to continue to do all
of the hard work that it takes to do,” says Smith.
The job requires a lot of physical work; from lifting 40 kilogram dogs in and out of their boxes, to moving around 18 kilogram bags of dog food and 38-litre containers of water, Smith is left drained by the end of the day.
She also has to ensure both her dog team and the guest-driven dog teams are safe on the trail.
Produced by: Polly Eason
Despite the hard work and dedication the job requires, Smith says the smiles of her guests make it an amazing experience.
However, for Smith, it is the bonds of love and respect made with the sled dogs that make it most rewarding for her.
Thumbnail photo by Polly Eason.
The editor responsible for this article is Zoe Choy, zchoy@cjournal.ca