Meet the Huskies

Our Meet the Huskies visit is a relaxed and personal introduction to life at our family-run husky homestead in Meltosjärvi, Finnish Lapland. Located in the Ylitornio area, about an hour from Rovaniemi, Matara Creek is home to a large pack of working sled dogs — and to the people who have built their lives around them.

During your one-hour visit, we will tell you how we ended up here, why dogs became such an important part of our lives, and how Matara Creek grew from an old dairy farm into a home for sled dogs. You will hear about our journey, our work and the different paths that have brought individual dogs to our pack.

Our dogs have many different stories. Some were born here, some have joined us from other kennels, and some came to Matara Creek because they needed somewhere safe to go rather than facing an uncertain future elsewhere. We call these our Second Chance Dogs. Some stay with us permanently, becoming part of our family and our pack.

During the visit, you will meet dogs at different stages of life — from puppies and young dogs learning the ropes to experienced working dogs and our older retired dogs. We can talk about how sled dogs grow up, how they are socialised, trained and prepared for work, and what life looks like for a dog throughout its working years and beyond.

We have several sled dog breeds at Matara Creek, including Alaskan Malamutes, Alaskan Huskies and Siberian Huskies, each with their own character, history and role within the pack. If we have puppies at the time of your visit, you may also get the chance to meet them.

The visit includes warm hot chocolate and small snacks, with plenty of time to take photographs, ask questions and simply spend time with the dogs. You can meet them, give them a scratch behind the ears and get to know the different personalities within the pack.

Meet the Huskies is a one-hour kennel visit for anyone interested in sled dogs, dog breeding and training, Arctic life, or simply wanting to spend time with a pack of working dogs at their home in Finnish Lapland.