'We have some really epic fails': Yellowknife sled-dog team made from unconventional breeds

A mlange of dogs not traditionally known for dog-sledding skills are being trained to do just that at a Yellowknife kennel.

"We have some really epic fails," Jo Kelly, owner of Qimmiq Kennels, said in an interview on Friday.

The team is called The Misfits, and is led by musher Kaja Kotulak, the assistant manager of the facility. She orders her personal sled dogs, the pros, at the front of of the gangline.

"The others, we just hook them up behind, and they don't really know what they're doingat first," she said.

The team is comprised of a changing group of six to eight dogs from the kennel.

One newbie, a German short-haired pointer, "just goes crazy" forthe activity.

There is room for improvement: "He doesn't know how to stop, so don't try and stop with him," saidKotulak."He doesn't know any commands yet. He just wants to go."

The owners of another dog on the team, a purebred black Labrador retriever, wanted to train him for bird hunting, "but he decided he's a sled dog," she said.

"We say he's a huskie in black labbody."

The team goes on trails on and around Kam Lake. Their journeys vary in length depending on the dogs' skill and comfort levels.

Kotulak said she originally went skijoring with the dogs tyingdogs to herself and getting them to pull her on cross-country skis before the kennel eventually introduced dog sledding.

Before, staff at the kennel would ask the owners of the dogs if their dogs can participate. Now, the owners are asking staff to include their dogs, she said.

"I think some of them like to have their dog tired, that's definitely part of the goal, but I think some of them just want to have their dog succeed at something," Kelly said.

Kotulak said she needs help to get the dogs to do the activity initially, and they can struggle to stay focused on the journey.

"They want to stop to sniff, but there's no time to stop and sniff," she said with a laugh.

A lot of dogs do it well right off the bat. Some need to wear body suits and other attire to stay warm, but it's an activity essentially any dog can do, Kotulak said.

For dogs thatwant to run but aren't best suited for off-leash environments, this activity can be especially worthwhile, she said.

"It's just so great to see them having fun," Kotulak said.

Kelly said there are no plans to turn The Misfits into a professional team of any sort.

"We've had pit bulls and other just totally unexpected successes," she said.

Boxers and bloodhounds have done well, Kelly added.

"We have a Corgi mix that's phenomenal" at kicksledding, a similar activity, she said.

"If they have the will, they will find the way."