Mad Dogs & Englishmen
Mad Dogs & Englishmen
5
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Full view
About
We are a small family-owned and operated Sled Dog Touring company running dogsled tours out of Canmore, AB in the Kananaskis Provincial Park adjacent to Banff National Park. We have been in operation for 15 years with the British Army our main client. We run 2-hour, Half-Day, and Full-Day. This year we have opened our Kennel for tours during the summer season so we can offer family-dog adventures year round. We specialize in smaller groups and encourage involvement so you can experience dogsledding like a real musher.
Similar Experiences
Mad Dogs & Englishmen
Booking unavailable on Tripadvisor
Want other options you can book now?
Show optionsTravellers talk about
(50 reviews)
(12 reviews)
(2 reviews)
Contribute
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
149 reviews
Excellent
132
Very good
11
Average
4
Poor
0
Terrible
2
Lizzie C
2 contributions
Dec. 2021 • Solo
I first came to Canada to do a ski instructor course but it got pushed back a month so I thought what else can I do to fill the time. On a whim I researched emailed dog sledding companies near Banff. I was lucky enough to get in touch with Dawn and Russell and they took me in as a volunteer for three weeks. I got to stay with them and their family and work alongside Russell and his daughters. I was amazed at the amount of love, time and effort the whole family puts into the dogs.
Russell and his family take so much pride in the kennel and how the dogs perform and how sweet they all are. Their family loves every single one of the dogs and by the end of the three weeks so did I! This was by far one of the most tiring but rewarding experience I have ever had the pleasure to do, and I owe it all to them.
My parents even ended up coming out and riding with the mad dog crew and they loved it and said it was one of the best experiences they have ever had.
(Ps. The food in the café is amazing too, check it out)
Thank you so much Russel and Dawn, and thank you to all the doggos that I fell in love with.
Russell and his family take so much pride in the kennel and how the dogs perform and how sweet they all are. Their family loves every single one of the dogs and by the end of the three weeks so did I! This was by far one of the most tiring but rewarding experience I have ever had the pleasure to do, and I owe it all to them.
My parents even ended up coming out and riding with the mad dog crew and they loved it and said it was one of the best experiences they have ever had.
(Ps. The food in the café is amazing too, check it out)
Thank you so much Russel and Dawn, and thank you to all the doggos that I fell in love with.
Written March 10, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
chetters2013
Bristol, UK13 contributions
Feb. 2022 • Couples
Dawn was quick to inform us that unexpected high winds would prevent us from going on the longer Spray Lakes tour. She rearranged our tour to the shorter Boundaries Ranch venue. The dogs were excited to be working and all were friendly and in high spirits.
The route was picturesque and at times challenging, which added to the authentic feel of the experience. Delicious hot chocolate and homemade cookies were a lovely added bonus.
The whole team were kind and super helpful and clearly work with the dogs because they love them. Surprisingly exhilarating and a lot harder than I had imagined, dog sledding is a thrilling and awe inspiring experience.
I just wish I could have spent more time immersed in the magic that is created by the team and the scenery.
Thank you for a once in a lifetime thrill.
The route was picturesque and at times challenging, which added to the authentic feel of the experience. Delicious hot chocolate and homemade cookies were a lovely added bonus.
The whole team were kind and super helpful and clearly work with the dogs because they love them. Surprisingly exhilarating and a lot harder than I had imagined, dog sledding is a thrilling and awe inspiring experience.
I just wish I could have spent more time immersed in the magic that is created by the team and the scenery.
Thank you for a once in a lifetime thrill.
Written February 27, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Loewenlifestyle
6 contributions
Jan. 2022 • Family
Fantastic tour! My husband and six month old went on this tour on January 31. We were led by six amazing Alaskan Huskies across the frozen Spray Lake. We got to stop and take pictures with the dogs and mountains. I sat in the sled with the baby in my lap. My husband and the guide rode on the back of the sled. This was such a unique experience, about two hours in length. The dogs are well taken care of, kindly treated and happy! They've been featured in Jumanji 2 and Snow Dogs! I would highly recommend this experience for couples and families!
Written January 29, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JamieMarieB
Canada171 contributions
Oct. 2020 • Family
We were hoping to see the dogs in the summer but most places in Banff and Canmore were still closed due to COVID-19.
So we were thrilled that we were able to go for a fall tour, my 9 year old daughter could hardly wait to see the sled dogs. The Kennel Tour was so informative, I knew a bit about Working dogs and Alaskan Husky but we learned some new information. Husky’s are typically very vocal (Google youtube of Husky’s “singing”) but they settled down once we started walking around.
It was great to be able to pet some of them, but we wish we could have been there all day to pet them all! We look forward to returning for a winter sled dog tour.
So we were thrilled that we were able to go for a fall tour, my 9 year old daughter could hardly wait to see the sled dogs. The Kennel Tour was so informative, I knew a bit about Working dogs and Alaskan Husky but we learned some new information. Husky’s are typically very vocal (Google youtube of Husky’s “singing”) but they settled down once we started walking around.
It was great to be able to pet some of them, but we wish we could have been there all day to pet them all! We look forward to returning for a winter sled dog tour.
Written October 4, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cmouse92
Edmonton, Canada91 contributions
Feb. 2020 • Couples
We had a really good time! The weather was bad in the morning so my boyfriend and I ended up being the only people who went out to go on a tour, which was great! The weather got nice and it was a great time. The dogs seemed happy, some of them a bit shy but warmed up to us eventually. We learned a lot about them and got to take our time on the very neat stops. 👍🏻
Written July 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mel Nod
1 contribution
Mar. 2020
This is our second dog sledding experience for my family and first with Mad Dogs. It's a smaller organization and we found the tour more personal and interactive. My family had an amazing morning tour through the mountains.
We took the Mountain Musher tour which is a few hours out at Spray Lakes. To be concise I've list what we like and disliked..
Liked..
- dogs were so friendly and obedient. Our kids loved interacting with them. There is nothing to fear about the dogs. We got there early and got to interact with the dogs which was nice.
- mid week tour get 10% off!
- we were in a group of just our two sleds (perhaps because we were mid week)
- the guide (Kelly) was terrific. She loves those dogs. So much interesting information and so nice. If you can get in the sled that a guide, you'll get so much about the area too.
- alternating sleds get to drive by themselves. It's a little scary at the start and you think your going to fall off but you get the hang of it quickly .
- It's an unbelievable sensation being pulled by dogs on a sled, on the lake in the mountains . It's dead quite (dogs don't bark when they pull), air is fresh and scenery is just crazy. It was just our two family sleds out there with the lake all to ourselves. That's a feeling we will never forget.
Dislikes
- Spray lakes is cold and windy. Although the temperature was a pleasant -8C in the trees it was so cold on the lake coming back. I would suggest watching the weather forecast to make sure the wind chill is not too bad when you book. Consider wearing a belaclava and ski goggles (your family will think you look like a geek but you'll be thankful for it especially if you have to drive the sled)
- You have to get to the Spray Lake site on your own. The road up there can be difficult (dangerous) especially if it has just recently snowed. Sanding trucks do their best but it still can be slippery and other local drivers on the road drive fast. Give yourself lots of time to get there.
- you need to be in control of your dogs in the "non-tour guide" sled at all times! (We stopped, and the dogs fooled me into thinking they would stay. They didn't after I got off and it got messy). Someone in the group needs to be alert and working for the two hours.
Overall my family really enjoyed the entire experience with the pros and cons. I would recommend the Mountain Musher tour.
We took the Mountain Musher tour which is a few hours out at Spray Lakes. To be concise I've list what we like and disliked..
Liked..
- dogs were so friendly and obedient. Our kids loved interacting with them. There is nothing to fear about the dogs. We got there early and got to interact with the dogs which was nice.
- mid week tour get 10% off!
- we were in a group of just our two sleds (perhaps because we were mid week)
- the guide (Kelly) was terrific. She loves those dogs. So much interesting information and so nice. If you can get in the sled that a guide, you'll get so much about the area too.
- alternating sleds get to drive by themselves. It's a little scary at the start and you think your going to fall off but you get the hang of it quickly .
- It's an unbelievable sensation being pulled by dogs on a sled, on the lake in the mountains . It's dead quite (dogs don't bark when they pull), air is fresh and scenery is just crazy. It was just our two family sleds out there with the lake all to ourselves. That's a feeling we will never forget.
Dislikes
- Spray lakes is cold and windy. Although the temperature was a pleasant -8C in the trees it was so cold on the lake coming back. I would suggest watching the weather forecast to make sure the wind chill is not too bad when you book. Consider wearing a belaclava and ski goggles (your family will think you look like a geek but you'll be thankful for it especially if you have to drive the sled)
- You have to get to the Spray Lake site on your own. The road up there can be difficult (dangerous) especially if it has just recently snowed. Sanding trucks do their best but it still can be slippery and other local drivers on the road drive fast. Give yourself lots of time to get there.
- you need to be in control of your dogs in the "non-tour guide" sled at all times! (We stopped, and the dogs fooled me into thinking they would stay. They didn't after I got off and it got messy). Someone in the group needs to be alert and working for the two hours.
Overall my family really enjoyed the entire experience with the pros and cons. I would recommend the Mountain Musher tour.
Written March 20, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for the review and great feedback for future clients.
Written April 25, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Lauren C
1 contribution
Feb. 2020 • Friends
My trip to Banff was absolutely amazing EXCEPT for my experience at Mad Dogs. As a huge dog lover, I was so excited to go dog sledding & take photos & pet the sled dogs. Please don’t make the same mistake I did - please research this company & how these dogs are treated before booking and losing $600 and entire day of vacation.
When my friends and I arrived at the site, it was immediately clear that these dogs were not happy and that these dogs were not being treated well. I am shocked by the amount of five star reviews this company has.
As we pulled up to the ranch 20 minutes before our tour was scheduled to start, we saw one of the staff pulling a dog out of the crate by his neck and dragging him to his spot on the sled. I personally, would never drag my adult dog by his neck. After seeing this we had a bad feeling, but were still hopeful for a fun day.
After signing waivers, we went to pet the dogs who were already chained to their spot on the sled. Of the 30 dogs that were there for the tour, I can confidently say that at least 24 of the dogs had their tails tightly all of the way between their legs. The staff had told me that the dogs are simply “shy.” Dogs that are happy and feel loved DO NOT have their tails between their legs.
Again, we witnessed staff dragging other dogs by their neck to their spots. The dogs were not walked with leashes nor were they carried comfortably. Staff either dragged them or tossed them over their shoulder and threw them to the ground.
After petting these sad and depressed dogs and witnessing the staff interact with them, it was extremely obvious that these were not dogs that were loved or were happy to have a “job.” Although we had already paid in full for the tour, we knew there was no way we could go on the tour and support this horrible business.
When I told the staff that we would NOT be going on the tour because we felt uncomfortable watching the dogs be dragged by their neck and standing in complete fear, the staff had ZERO response. The staff did NOT reassure us that these dogs were well-treated or loved in any way, rather the staff made fun of the jacket I was wearing.. great customer service alright.
I wish I had done more research before booking because at first I had only found five star reviews. I also found on the company’s website that these dogs live there entire lives outside on a five foot chain. The pictures of these dogs living conditions make me so sad. I think of my own dog and how scared and sad his life would be if he had to live outside in negative 10 degree weather on a chain with no love, no warmth, no toys, no bed.
Two weeks later, my friend talked to the owner in an effort to try to get our money back. Although I was not surprised, they did not refund us even though we did not go on the tour. The owner actually accused my friends and I of being part of a vegan activist group in Calgary - nope.. we are just dog loving girls from NY. If we were vegan activists would we pay for a tour and for an entire day of our vacation to be ruined? Nope.
Please don’t make the same mistake I did - please research this company & how these dogs are treated before booking and losing $600 and entire day of vacation
When my friends and I arrived at the site, it was immediately clear that these dogs were not happy and that these dogs were not being treated well. I am shocked by the amount of five star reviews this company has.
As we pulled up to the ranch 20 minutes before our tour was scheduled to start, we saw one of the staff pulling a dog out of the crate by his neck and dragging him to his spot on the sled. I personally, would never drag my adult dog by his neck. After seeing this we had a bad feeling, but were still hopeful for a fun day.
After signing waivers, we went to pet the dogs who were already chained to their spot on the sled. Of the 30 dogs that were there for the tour, I can confidently say that at least 24 of the dogs had their tails tightly all of the way between their legs. The staff had told me that the dogs are simply “shy.” Dogs that are happy and feel loved DO NOT have their tails between their legs.
Again, we witnessed staff dragging other dogs by their neck to their spots. The dogs were not walked with leashes nor were they carried comfortably. Staff either dragged them or tossed them over their shoulder and threw them to the ground.
After petting these sad and depressed dogs and witnessing the staff interact with them, it was extremely obvious that these were not dogs that were loved or were happy to have a “job.” Although we had already paid in full for the tour, we knew there was no way we could go on the tour and support this horrible business.
When I told the staff that we would NOT be going on the tour because we felt uncomfortable watching the dogs be dragged by their neck and standing in complete fear, the staff had ZERO response. The staff did NOT reassure us that these dogs were well-treated or loved in any way, rather the staff made fun of the jacket I was wearing.. great customer service alright.
I wish I had done more research before booking because at first I had only found five star reviews. I also found on the company’s website that these dogs live there entire lives outside on a five foot chain. The pictures of these dogs living conditions make me so sad. I think of my own dog and how scared and sad his life would be if he had to live outside in negative 10 degree weather on a chain with no love, no warmth, no toys, no bed.
Two weeks later, my friend talked to the owner in an effort to try to get our money back. Although I was not surprised, they did not refund us even though we did not go on the tour. The owner actually accused my friends and I of being part of a vegan activist group in Calgary - nope.. we are just dog loving girls from NY. If we were vegan activists would we pay for a tour and for an entire day of our vacation to be ruined? Nope.
Please don’t make the same mistake I did - please research this company & how these dogs are treated before booking and losing $600 and entire day of vacation
Written March 10, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This review is posted by an animal activist who on the same day as other protests across the country, booked onto a tour with the single intent to cause a scene and commotion, then refuse to do the tour while taking photos and video footage. We do have proof of this affiliation which has been given to the police. This harassment is an ongoing investigation.
We do not mistreat our dogs and the dogs love the work they do. What they don’t love is people screaming and yelling around them and scaring them half to death. We had other clients on the same tour who have written blogs and reviews about how wonderful their experience was (after these 4 left of course). Their reviews can be seen on Facebook.com/urdumom and urdumom.com. It is amazing that these people were on the same tour? This is the truth of it. What they are saying is completely untrue. We have not refunded due to the fact that we could have had other clients on this tour who actually did want to go dogsledding. After all, we do still have to pay the guides for their hard work and feed and care for the dogs. You would think they would think of this.
Written March 13, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
BuffaloTraveler
1 contribution
Feb. 2020
When I arrived for the tour, my friends and I saw the staff dragging the dogs by their neck out of a van.
The dogs had their tails tightly between their legs and were visibly scared. It made me very sad to see that these dogs clearly were not happy. If these dogs loved their lives & loved pulling sleds, they would all be wagging their tails. After seeing how sad these dogs were, my friends and I decided to not go on the tour.
For some reason, the owner thinks my friends & are part of an organized activist group... this is very false. In fact, the employee himself even pointed out that my friend was a "hypocrite" for wearing a fur jacket while she was questioning if these dogs were being treated well. I am not an activist, I was a tourist who felt uncomfortable and sad when seeing these dogs be dragged and tremble with their tails between their legs.
Before booking please research this company fully and ask yourself if you are okay with supporting a company whose dogs live their entire lives on a chain outside through freezing temperatures.
The dogs had their tails tightly between their legs and were visibly scared. It made me very sad to see that these dogs clearly were not happy. If these dogs loved their lives & loved pulling sleds, they would all be wagging their tails. After seeing how sad these dogs were, my friends and I decided to not go on the tour.
For some reason, the owner thinks my friends & are part of an organized activist group... this is very false. In fact, the employee himself even pointed out that my friend was a "hypocrite" for wearing a fur jacket while she was questioning if these dogs were being treated well. I am not an activist, I was a tourist who felt uncomfortable and sad when seeing these dogs be dragged and tremble with their tails between their legs.
Before booking please research this company fully and ask yourself if you are okay with supporting a company whose dogs live their entire lives on a chain outside through freezing temperatures.
Written March 9, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This review is posted by an animal activist who on the same day as other protests across the country, booked onto a tour with the single intent to cause a scene and commotion, then refuse to do the tour while taking photos and video footage. We do not mistreat our dogs and the dogs love the work they do. What they don’t love is people screaming and yelling around them and scaring them half to death. We had other clients on the same tour who have written blogs and reviews about how wonderful their experience was (after these 4 left of course) We have been in contact with police in regards to this matter. What they are saying is completely untrue. We have not refunded due to the fact that we could have had other clients on this tour who actually did want to go dogsledding. After all, we do still have to pay the guides and feed the dogs. They should have thought of that.
Written March 10, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Jeff Z
4 contributions
Jan. 2020 • Couples
I cannot express enough my level of satisfaction with the staff and treatment while on the Mountain Musher tour.
This is now my 3rd stay in the Canmore area and I am so glad we found you guys. The staff were attentive and truly went above and beyond to help make our experience memorable.
This was most definitely the biggest highlight of our trip to the Canadian Rockies. I’ve traveled to over 35 different countries through my filming with Discovery Channel, and this Dog Sled experience is most definitely a world class travel experience.
I will be highly recommending your company to all of my fans and followers for their next vacation.
I have already recommended this tour to our Discovery Channel executives and we are very interested in making this an official “must do activity” while filming in the Banff/Lake Louise area.
Once again I thank you for such an incredible experience. Please pass along our heartfelt thanks to all of the employees who helped make our stay memorable.
I will surely be posting some incredible photos and videos to all of my verified social media channels, and recommending this tour to all of my fans and followers.
Warm regards,
Jeffrey J. Zausch
Producer/Celebrity Television Host
Discovery Channel
This is now my 3rd stay in the Canmore area and I am so glad we found you guys. The staff were attentive and truly went above and beyond to help make our experience memorable.
This was most definitely the biggest highlight of our trip to the Canadian Rockies. I’ve traveled to over 35 different countries through my filming with Discovery Channel, and this Dog Sled experience is most definitely a world class travel experience.
I will be highly recommending your company to all of my fans and followers for their next vacation.
I have already recommended this tour to our Discovery Channel executives and we are very interested in making this an official “must do activity” while filming in the Banff/Lake Louise area.
Once again I thank you for such an incredible experience. Please pass along our heartfelt thanks to all of the employees who helped make our stay memorable.
I will surely be posting some incredible photos and videos to all of my verified social media channels, and recommending this tour to all of my fans and followers.
Warm regards,
Jeffrey J. Zausch
Producer/Celebrity Television Host
Discovery Channel
Written January 10, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you Jeff! Such a pleasure to have you out on our tour! I am happy you enjoyed your experience and time in Canada.
Written January 11, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Harrogate and Happy
Harrogate, UK597 contributions
Dec. 2019 • Family
Fantastic experience. We booked the Husky dreamcatcher tour. The meeting place is around a 40 minute drive out of Canmore. There were a total of 9 guests on the tour, and our party had 3 of the 5 sleds and dog teams. We had one self guided sled and 2 organiser guided sleds. As the driver of the self guided sled this was great fun. The dogs know where they are going so there is no steering involved, though our dog team were very keen and we constantly had to try and slow them down so they didn’t crash into the sled in front. It’s a great experience which everyone enjoyed and the one and a half hours were over in no time, and we all agreed we would have liked longer.
Written December 29, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you Richard for your review! We are really happy you enjoyed your experience with us!
Written March 13, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Joanne Lieu
4 contributions
Hi there - I am planning a trip for a group of 10 at the end of April. Are we able to book dog sledding at that time of year? Or would it be too warm (with no snow) at that time? Thanks!
Hello! Unfortunately our season is usually finished by the first week of April. Occasionally we can make it through to mid-April but the end is very questionable. You could contact us closer to the date to see how the trails are keeping.
Dawn
Wandalee C
Oshawa, Canada
Hi there. We are traveling to BC in February and looking to do some adventures as a family. Dog sledding is on our list :-)
My question is this, are we allowed to bring our small dog in the trip with us? She will be in a small soft carrier if needed.
Thanks!
Hello, I wish we could say yes but we can't have other dogs at the site or on the tours. The dogs are very friendly with people but as a breed they can be very territorial and we prefer not to have any issues. I hope you understand. The vets in town do have space usually to care for pets when leaving them is an issue. You might try them.
Dawn