The name “Lapland” comes from the word “Lapp” which is an old term referring to a member of the region's indigenous reindeer herding people. Today this ethnic minority prefer to be known as the Sámi, but the word Lapland is still widely used in reference to the areas of northern Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia where the Sámi traditionally live. The Sámi people’s own name for their land is "Sápmi," which means area, language and man.
Marit's family is not ethnically Sámi, but there are members of her wider family that make their living from owning and herding reindeer.
Our cabin in Finland is located in the interior region of Lapland, which is characterized by a stable inland climate.
We have snow during 200-250 days a year and an average temperature of -14°C in February. During part of the winter it can get considerably colder and in 1999 we recorded an extreme low of -51°C!
While the winter is long and cold we nevertheless have a beautiful summer. On the occasional day, the temperature can even rise to 30°C. Between mid-May and the end of July, the sun does not dip below the horizon even at midnight. For some people, the midnight sun upsets the internal clock and causes sleeping problems. While some of our dogs sleep in the dark and cosy corners of their dog houses, and manage to maintain a normal daily rhythm, others stay awake at night
and seem to sleep considerably less during summer than during winter.
Lapland has a tough climate and for sled dog owners it is necessary to adjust the food and hydration of the dogs considerably during winter. Since a lot of energy is used to keeping warm, our working dogs eat nearly twice as much during the coldest part of winter. In order to limit the volume, we feed the dogs a high energy food during winter and switch to a lighter formula during summer.
Adequate hydration is also extremely important. Since even electrically heated water bowls fail during the coldest days, it is not possible to keep water constantly available for the dogs as the water will freeze within minutes. Instead, we spice the water and make sure each dog drink plenty at mealtimes and a couple of hours before a working session.
Compared to Alaskan Huskies and Hounds, Alaskan Malamutes have a big advantage in Arctic Lapland. While some mixed sled dogs must wear jackets to stay warm, well coated Malamutes are happy as they are, even during the coldest days of the year.
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