Want a Winter Adventure? Muddy Paw Dog Sledding

One of my Travel Bucket List activities was dog sledding but I always thought I’d have to go to Alaska for the experience.  That’s when I discovered Muddy Paw.  Located in Jefferson, NH, this amazing experience will make you want to sign up for the Iditarod.  Ok…that may be pushing it… but you will definitely fall in love with sled dogs and be in awe at how intelligent, hardworking, and snuggly they can be. There was not one dog that was not friendly.  My girls still talk about Blue and Jack!

Your Adventure:

Your experience starts off with an introduction to the musher and then the main attraction…the dogs! These cuties will win you over in seconds. They have Alaskan Huskies, Siberians, Malamutes, and mixes of those breeds.  You’ll be able to meet all the dogs individually and they will tell you some great stories of what the dogs did in their past.  They have several dogs that did compete in the Iditarod. You will learn how to harness a sled with the dogs, and learn the different roles the dogs play as part of a sled team.  It’s amazing how much you need to know about each dog’s personality to pair them up with their sled partners and choose an appropriate spot for them.

Then off you go…soaring into the woods of NH with snowcapped mountains rising up around you.  You will learn different commands and learn about steering and controlling this group of pups.  Then comes the best part for my girls…they got to actually become the musher of our sled.  Our musher let my daughter stand in front of him and control the dogs with commands.  They will remember that feeling forever!

Want a sneak peek of a ride?

What should you bring?

• Warm kids = happy kids! Since you’ll be outside for 2-3 hours you’ll need all the essentials: gloves, hats, winter coat, scarf or face mask, snow pants, and a good set of boots.  You will want to bring a set of goggles, or just a pair of sunglasses for when you’re on the actual ride. Hand and boot warmers are always a good thing to bring along in case kids (or adults) need some extra heat.
• Bring along some yummy treats for the dogs to thank them for their ride!
• Don’t forget to bring some cash to thank the mushers for all their hard work.  They deserve it!
• There will be plenty of photo opportunities so don’t forget your camera!

Price:

• 2-hour dog sled experience in Jefferson $300

3 guests: $345 (up to 340 lbs)

Shared sled $350

• 3-hour dog sled experience in Jefferson $400

2 hours spent on trail (up to 340 lbs)

What happens if you fall in love with the dogs so much you won’t want to part with them?

Look into their adoption program and consider giving these old guys a new home.  They will adopt out their dogs, “if one of our dogs is ready to retire or give house life a try.”  There is an adoption process and information about it can be found here: http://nhsdrhec.com/