Maryland Sled Dog Adventures LLC, Central Maryland's only dog sledding operation, offering dog sledding educational tours, programs, rides, and programs for scouts in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Washington, DC, and Virginia.
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Dryland dog sledding near Phillips, Maine.
Training in Phillips, Maine, Vale and Flare lead an eight dog team!
Flare and Vale lead the team down the trail

What is in dog sledding for the dog team?
People some times ask "what is in it for the dogs?" The dogs really do love to run and you can see it in them as soon as you get ready to go out. Here, Vale and Beaver go airborne in the starting chute of the CAN AM Crown Sled Dog Races in Fort Kent, Maine.

Beaver and Vale jump at the 2015 Can-Am

Image: Leslie Marquis

Dog sled racing is popular in the North Eastern United States.
Dog sled racing is popular with many mushers. Dog sled races fall into three categories: sprint races, mid-distance races, and long-distance races. Maryland Sled Dog Adventures LLC is often on the trail with guests on the same weekends as races, but competes in a few mid-distance races each year. In recent years, the team has competed in the KIW 30 race in Brownville, Maine with the Maine Highlands Sled Dog Club, the Maine State Championship Sled Dog Race with the Down East Sled Dog Club in Farmington, Maine, the Blue Mountain Sled Dog Race with the North Country Mushers in Grantham, New Hampshire, and the Pepsi Bottling & Allen's Coffee Flavored Brandy Can-Am Crown 30 in Fort Kent, Maine, which is part of the Can-Am Crown International Sled Dog Races.

Eric on Main Street during the Can-Am 30

Image: Leslie Marquis

Catherine in the Maine State Championship Sled Dog Race near Farmington Maine

Image: Bethany Hoyt

Ethan wanted to take the sled for a spin

Image: Linda Powers

Catherine returns from the Maine State Championship Sled Dog Race in Farmington Maine

The view from the sled during the Maine State Championship Sled Dog Race in Farmington Maine

The Iditarod is one of the most famous sled dog races in North America.
When you mention dog sledding, sled dogs, snow dogs or anything similar, the first thing that people think of is Iditarod. Unfortunately, living in Maryland, it's not realistic to have the large kennel required for a race such as Iditarod or the Yukon Quest. Besides, if we had 120 dogs, how would they all fit on the bed?

Agility can be used to build confidence with sled dogs.
Our smallest dog (T-Bone) and our largest dog have shown surprising aptitude for agility. We find that agility builds confidence in the dogs and helps them as sled dogs.

T-Bone, our resident small dog,  proved to be an adept agility dog at Mushing Boot Camp.

Working dog logo
So what do they do when they aren't working? If they are like Sobo, they get silly!

Sobo, in his dog sledding harness, rolls on his back, showing his true working dog tendencies.

Sled pets are extra special sled dogs except that they sleep on your bed, not outside.
Is there a difference between a working dog and a sled pet? Our dogs like to think so, especially when it's cold and windy outside.

Okemo asleep at the cabin

Working sled dogs require a specialized dog food.
People always ask us "what do they eat?" Our dogs are working dogs and expend a large amount of energy when running, dog sledding, and training. During the dog sledding season, if we are not careful, it's easy for the dogs to expend more calories than they take in and lose weight. As a result, we feed our sled dogs a high quality, high protein, high fat performance dog food. While there are several good performance dog foods available, our choice is Inukshuk Professional Dog Food. We order Inukshuk by the pallet and use three varieties: 32/32 (protein/fat), 30/25, and 26/16. If you would like to try Inukshuk, please email Catherine for additional details. During the running season, the dogs kibble is supplemented with meat.

T-Bone, our Sheltie-Siberian Husky, eats his dinner after a run.

We travel extensively with our sled dogs.
We travel a lot with our dogs, both as part of dog sledding trips and for other vacations. We frequently travel with the sled dogs to our cabin in Maine. For photos of the dogs dog sledding in Maine, visit our Maine Winter Cabin Adventure website. Traveling with sled dogs can be a challenge, but it's well worth it. A few ultra-dog friendly places have sprung up, which makes it easier to travel with your pooch. Often, however, it means bringing one or more crates for them to sleep in, additional blankets to cover the furniture, and taking other steps to preserve the rented rooms. The work is worth it and the dogs seem to enjoy seeing somewhere new. Our dogs have traveled and stayed in motels, hotels, inns, bed and breakfasts, and rented houses, cottages, and cabins from Maine to Virginia and just about everywhere in between. Our dogs have even mushed through New Brunswick and Quebec, Canada. The dogs have spent months traveling with us. The primary consideration when traveling with your dogs is advanced planning and preparation. Below, retired wheeldog Okemo relaxes at our cabin in Maine.

Acadia and Zoe on Acadia mountain.

Contact Maryland Sled Dog Adventures LLC by phone or email

Phone:
(443) 562-5736

Email:
catherine@marylanddogsledding.com

Maryland Sled Dog Adventures LLC is a mushing educational program provider in Baltimore, Maryland.

Our educational programs include sled dog training, dog sled rides, boy scout and girl scout patch programs.

Come experience dog sledding with Maryland's only dog sledding operation. Our focus is on teaching others about our favorite sport, mushing. We offer a variety of dog sledding adventures and can tailor an adventure to suit just about anyone or any group. Among other things, we offer educational programs on dog sledding for children and adults, Girl Scout and Boy Scout dog sledding patch programs, and classroom presentations on dog sledding. We also do special events including childrens' birthday parties.

Maine Dog Sledding! Looking to immerse yourself in four days of hands-on dog sledding, snow shoeing, and cross country skiing, then check out our women's Maine Winter Cabin Adventure.

Unless otherwise noted below, non riding guests are $10.00 per person.

Unless otherwise noted below, Maryland Sled Dog Adventures LLC's dog sledding programs are suitable for adults and children ages five and older.

Virtual Dog Sledding Programs All About Sled Dogs

Stuck at home? Have you ever wanted to learn all about sled dogs and mushing? Now you can do so right in the comfort of your home.

It's all about the dogs! Sled dogs that is. Come out, virtually via Zoom, and meet Catherine Benson and her crew of happy sled dogs. During this Zoom program, we may include the following: virtual meet and greet with six to eight of the Maryland Sled Dog Adventures LLC sled dogs; types of harnesses used for dog sledding and how to harness a sled dog; equipment used in dog sledding; famous dog sledding races; our dog truck and how we transport the sled dogs; and what the dogs eat. Watch live as we feed the dogs their dinner! After, we will hold a short question and answer your session for all of your burning dog sledding questions. Each session is live and content may vary.

This program satisfies all six requirements for the Girl Scout Brownie Dog Mushing Try It badge and five of the six requirements for the Junior Girl Scout Dog Mushing badge. Additional requirements are easily satisfied with your Girl Scouts at home (e.g. read a book or watch a movie; watch a sled dog race). If you would like to add on an official Girl Scout Dog Mushing Badge, the cost is $4.50 per badge (shipping included). Please let us know at the time of registration.

To register, email catherine@marylanddogsledding.com. Pre-registration is required. Payment is via Venmo or Zelle only. Registration closes one hour before the event.

This program is available to entire Girl Scout, Cub Scout, Boy Scout troops, groups, or individual participants.

Cost: $25.00 per person

Looking for a video of a sled dog team? Here are a few videos of our team.

The Maryland Sled Dog Adventures LLC team ready to head outA short video of the team during one of our toursThe Maryland Sled Dog Adventures LLC team training in Phillips MaineMushing in Baltimore County

Dog Sledding For Groups

Maryland Sled Dog Adventures LLC offers educational patch programs for Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts.

Maryland Sled Dog Adventures LLC offers hands-on experiential programs teaching Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts about dog sledding and dryland (wheeled) dog sledding. Scouts will work with our team of well-behaved sled dogs. For more information on our friendly sled pets, visit Our Dogs page. Topics covered during this program include: the care of sled dogs, nutrition requirements for sled dogs, training sled dogs, equipment used in mushing, and major sled dog races including Iditarod and the Alaskan Serum Run. Hands-on components of the program allow the scouts to harness and unharness a dog, water and feed the dogs after the run, and a take short one on one dog sled ride with the full team.

Our dog sledding patch program can be tailored to meet the needs of Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts age five and up and is offered October through March. Cost is $100 (which includes our fun patch) per scout with a minimum of fourteen (14) scouts and a maximum of twenty (20) scouts. Official Girl Scout Brownie Dog Mushing Try Its and Girl Scout Junior Dog Sledding Badges are available as an optional add on at $4.00 per badge. There is no charge for adult chaperones or leaders. Likewise, however, we do not give rides to adults during our group programs, nor do adults count towards the program minimum or maximum. A minimum of three adults must accompany all groups of children and must remain throughout the program. The program is held on the beautiful Torrey C. Brown Rail Trail in Northern Baltimore County and will last approximately three to four hours. Our scout dog sledding programs are held entirely outdoors. We run rain, shine, sleet, or snow. Please dress for the weather the day of your program. For information on what to bring and what to wear, please consult our FAQ page. All participants must wear a helmet and safety glasses when on the rig or sled. Each scout should bring their own helmet. Any type of helmet is acceptable (bike, ski, snowboard, equestrian, etc.) Maryland Sled Dog Adventures LLC will also have 1 - 2 helmets and a pair of safety glasses available for use. For more information on reservations, please read our Reservations page. Please email catherine@marylanddogsledding.com for reservations. Pictures from some of our recent dog sledding scout patch programs are available on our Facebook page.

Maryland Sled Dog Adventures offers dog sledding programs for all ages.

Maryland Sled Dog Adventures LLC offers dog sledding programs teaching kids about dog sledding, sled dogs and dryland (wheeled) dog sledding. Participants will work with our team of well-behaved sled dogs. These programs are perfect for parents who are home-schooling their children, Venture Scouts, youth groups, 4-H clubs, church groups, and field trips for school children age five and up. Topics covered during this program include the care of sled dogs, nutrition requirements for sled dogs, training sled dogs, equipment used in mushing, and major sled dog races, including Iditarod and the Alaskan Serum Run. Hands-on components of the program allow the kids to harness and unharness the dogs, water and feed the dogs after the run, and take a short one on one dog sled ride with the full team.

This program can be tailored to meet the needs of children age five and up and is offered October through March. Cost is $100.00 per child (which includes our dogsledding fun patch) with a minimum of fourteen (14) children and a maximum of twenty (20) children. Minimum age is five. No children under the age of five should be brought to our programs. A minimum of three adults must accompany all groups of children and must remain throughout the program. There is no charge for adult chaperones. Likewise, however, we do not give rides to adults during our group programs, nor do adults count towards our minimums/maximums. The program is held on the beautiful Torrey C. Brown Rail Trail in Northern Baltimore County. Our educational program lasts three to four hours and is held entirely outdoors. We run rain, shine, sleet, or snow. Please dress for the weather the day of your program. For information on what to bring and what to wear, please consult our FAQ page. All participants must wear a helmet and safety glasses when on the rig. Each child should bring their own helmet. Any type of helmet is acceptable (bike, ski, snowboard, equestrian, etc.) Maryland Sled Dog Adventures LLC will also have a few helmets and safety glasses available for use. Please email catherine@marylanddogsledding.com for reservations. Pictures from recent educational programs are available on our Facebook page.

Birthday Parties

How many kids get to have sled dogs at their birthday party? Maryland Sled Dog Adventures LLC offers childrens' birthday parties with a sled dog theme! To see photos from some of our recent dog sledding birthday parties, please visit our gallery. Topics covered during this program include the care of sled dogs, nutrition requirements of sled dogs, training sled dogs, equipment used in mushing, and major sled dog races including Iditarod and the Alaska Serum Run. The kids will also learn how to harness and unharness the dogs, and will get an opportunity to feed and water the dogs. Last, but not least, each individual child will take a short one on one dog sled ride with the entire team.

This program is appropriate for children five and up and is offered October through March. Cost is $1400.00 for up to fourteen (14) children and each child thereafter is $100.00 for up to twenty (20) children. There is no charge for adult chaperones or parents, but likewise due to our small team, we do not provide adult rides during our group programs nor do adults count towards our minimums/maximums. A minimum of three adults must accompany all groups of children and must remain throughout the program.

Our dog sledding birthday parties are held on the Torrey C. Brown Rail Trail in Northern Baltimore County and last approximately two to three hours. Our children's dog sledding birthday parties are held entirely outdoors. We run rain, shine, sleet, or snow. Please dress for the weather the day of your program. For information on what to bring and what to wear, please consult our FAQ page. All participants must wear a helmet and safety glasses during the dog sled ride. Each child should bring their own helmet. Any type of helmet is acceptable (bike, ski, snowboard, equestrian, etc.) Maryland Sled Dog Adventures LLC will also have a few helmets and safety glasses available for use. For more information, please read our Reservations page. To make a reservation, please email Catherine.

Onsite Dog Sledding Programs

If you are a teacher and looking for something different for your students, Maryland Sled Dog Adventures LLC offers classroom programs to suite your teaching objectives.

We come to you! Maryland Sled Dog Adventures LLC offers on site classroom programs on dog sledding and dog sledding demonstrations for local area schools and other organizations studying or focusing on dog sledding, dog sled races, or sled dogs. Meet Maryland Sled Dog Adventures LLC’s owner Catherine Benson and her happy sled dogs. This presentation includes a detailed discussion of mushing, the equipment used in the sport (samples will be brought in), sled dog care, harnessing a dog, putting booties on a dog, and famous sled dog races including Iditarod. This program can be individually tailored to be suitable for all ages of children, but is particularly appropriate for classes studying Iditarod, the Serum Run, or reading Jack London books. This program is not just for schools. Maryland Sled Dog Adventures LLC has visited a number of different organizations including libraries and various festivals and events. If permitted, a demonstration may be arranged. This program does not include rides. To see photos from our recent classroom presentations on dog sledding, please visit our Facebook page.

Classroom dog sledding programs are offered year round, however, classroom programs including dog sledding demonstrations are offered October through March.

Onsite programs start at $1100. The base price includes one half (1/2) hour of travel. Beyond that, travel surcharges may apply. Email for exact pricing and to make a reservation.

Programs for Individuals and Families

Maine Cabin Winter Adventure

Maine Dog Sledding! Each Winter Maryland Sled Dog Adventures LLC offers a unique four day dog sledding experience based out of our cabin in Starks, Maine. This women's only program gives up to four participants the opportunity of a lifetime: to experience dog sledding as a full time musher! Our Maine Winter Cabin Adventure includes opportunities for participants to drive a dog sled on snow, try their hand at cross country skiing, and enjoy snowshoeing through the scenic Maine woods. Visit our Maine Winter Cabin Adventure page for more information.

Yappy Hour Dog Sled Rides are short rides with a real sled dog team!

Our Yappy Hour dog sled rides are an opportunity to take a short dog sled ride with a real team of trained sled dogs. Our Yappy Hour takes approximately one hour and includes opportunities to harness the dogs, work with the dog sledding equipment, and take a several mile ride on the Torrey C. Brown Rail Trail in Northern Baltimore county. We will spend approximately 20 to 30 minutes doing a meet and greet with the dogs, harnessing the dogs, and learning about mushing. After that, each person will take a 20 to 30 minute one on one ride with the team. The cost is $490.00 for one person and $380.00 per person for two to four participants. Only one person can ride in the sled or rig at a time and weight restrictions do apply. There is a maximum of four riding participants. Non riding guests are $10.00 per person. This program is suitable for adults and children age five and up. Our Yappy Hour dog sled rides are offered October through March. One person Yappy Hours are available Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. Two to four participant Yappy Hours are available Monday through Sunday including holidays. For information on what to bring and what to wear, please consult our FAQ page. All participants must wear a helmet and safety glasses when riding. Personal helmets are welcome and may be used. Maryland Sled Dog Adventures LLC will also have a few helmets and safety glasses available for use. We run rain, shine, sleet, or snow.

Maryland Sled Dog Adventures LLC offers dog sled rides and dog cart tours in Central Maryland.

Come experience dog sledding or dryland dog sledding with us in the scenic hills of Northern Baltimore County. Your tour will include an approximately three hour mushing experience. When you arrive, you will meet and greet the dogs, you may help harness and hook up the dogs to the sled or rig, water the dogs, and, after a brief introduction, you may drive the sled or rig (wheeled dog sled), if you wish.

This program is suitable for both adults and children age five and up. Young children, however, may be limited to riding on the rig or sled instead of driving. One (non riding) adult must accompany each child under the age of eighteen. Non riding guests are $10.00 per person. Cost is $670.00 per person. Due to time constraints, we only schedule one tour per day. Only one person can ride on the rig or in the sled and weight restrictions apply. All participants must wear a helmet and safety glasses while riding. Personal helmets are welcome. Maryland Sled Dog Adventures LLC will also have a few helmets and safety glasses available for use. Our dog sled tours are offered October through March. Please email catherine@marylanddogsledding.com for reservations.

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