09/05/2025
Jen and Michael Raffaeli are the owners and operators of Lead Dog Athletics LLC (www.leaddogathletics.com). They will be helping teach sessions during the clinic and presenting on “What is Canine Fitness & Why Should Dog Mushers Include It Their Training?". They will share the far reaching physical and mental benefits of incorporating a few short, targeted fitness sessions for your dog in your weekly routine. In addition to canine fitness, Jen & Michael teach dog powered sports including canicross, bikejoring, skijoring, and kicksledding to people and their dogs (whether it’s 1 or 2 dogs or a team) in hopes of nurturing the connection and communication between them.
Jen & Michael spent almost 15 years in Alaska raising, training, racing and traveling with sled dogs. They worked for Iditarod and Yukon Quest racing kennels helping raise, train and race young teams in 200, 300 and 1,000 mile races. In 2010, Jen took the job as Kennels Manager for Denali National Park. Jen & Michael spent the next ten years overseeing the breeding, raising, and training for a kennel of 35 traditional freight hauling huskies and patrolling 2 million acres of designated Wilderness by dog team all winter. Soon after moving to Truckee, they started their business to share their knowledge and their deep love of working with high energy, working breed dogs. Their goal now is to help provide fun, a sense of purpose, and enrichment for all through pulling sports. Their retired Denali National Park sled dogs, Lucky and Annie, provide daily inspiration for the work they do.
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