The Bond

In the harsh arctic climate, the connection between sledge dog and owner is perhaps one of the most important. Their lives depend on it to survive out here. As my journey was only 2 days, not as much food needed to be brought with. For longer (non-touristic) journeys, carrying large quantities of food with becomes unfeasible, and other means of feeding the dogs are needed - such as fishing or hunting seals for meat.

Don't mistake these dogs as cute friendly dogs. The Greenlandic Dog is a work animal, and not treated as a pet. The dogs sleep outside, eat outside, and are trained to urinate and defecate while running. They're not allowed inside the home to keep that barrier between work animal and pet. Still, there is definitely a bond between the dogs and their Inuit drivers who feed and take care of them.

A Greenlandic Inuit sledge dog driver with one of his dogs.