Creating a path to well-being with human-animal partnership. words :: Jim Stinson.
As I pulled up to the visitor centre at Cape Croker Park on Ontario’s Saugeen Bruce Peninsula, the sound of barking was deafening. It was a cold January day, and I was as enthusiastic as the yelping dogs to begin an eight-week dogsledding program for Indigenous youth from the Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation.
The program is part of the Planetary Health Partnership, a collaboration between York University and the Bagida’waad Alliance, an Indigenous environmental organization based at Neyaashiinigmiing. The program aims to promote human and environmental well-being through outdoor recreation and stewardship initiatives with Indigenous youth. In partnership with Mandy Hutter of Green Feet Ecosystem Services, the dogsledding program provides Indigenous youth with a unique and culturally rich recreational experience during the winter months, and nurtures the well-being of both human and non-human participants.
Unlike traditional kennels, Green Feet doesn’t own the dogs used in their programs. Instead, they train and work with pets, offering them a day filled with adventure. Hutter highlights the collaborative aspect of this approach: “I have 20–40 extra eyes from those who care for the dogs one-on-one, and the owners have a healthy way to let their stellar canine athletes do what they love to do best: run and pull!”
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The program emphasizes training the dogs as friends, focusing on the skills and character of each dog—a concept Mandy inherited from her father. The transformative power of dogsledding is key for her: “I really believe in these dogs. They all have incredible skills, and they all are very different characters. My job is to make sure the very best is brought out of each dog.”
And it’s clear the dogs benefit from their outing. Owners consistently report improvements in behaviour and fitness, describing calmer, better-behaved pets. Hutter notes the excitement in dogs when they anticipate a run, emphasizing the strong bonds formed between the dogs and their human counterparts.
Green Feet’s involvement in dogsledding aligns with their broader mission of promoting recreation in nature as an essential ecosystem service. Mandy underscores the carbon-free, traditional nature of dogsledding, calling it a “quiet, gentle way to travel” that fosters an enduring appreciation for nature. She believes building this appreciation is a potent starting point for addressing issues like climate change and sustainability.
She also reflects on the profound impact on the youth. She’s heard from teachers and parents about the students’ enthusiasm, and how they talk about the experience for the entire journey back to school, continuing until bedtime and even into the next day. The program facilitates bonding and relationships between the youth and the dogs, creating a space for healing and self-expression.
Mandy believes dogsledding, when undertaken with care and connection, imparts transferable skills crucial for youth, irrespective of their background. She cites teamwork, leadership, respect, problem-solving and a love for high-energy outdoor activities as integral aspects. “Dogsledding teaches these skills in a very hands-on manner, which I find is always appealing to youth.”
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