«30 Years of Sled Dog Sport — Anny & Marco on What Truly Matters»

Cover Interview — Nutrition in Sled Dog Sport

Kennel Malo-Rivest, Québec, Canada

PART 1 – BIOGRAPHY & BACKGROUND

Anny, you are a biologist – how does this background influence your work with the dogs?

Absolutely—I've always felt that being a biologist and living the musher's life are closely connected. My passion for biology was fueled by a natural curiosity about life and the world around me, the kind of curiosity that pushes you to explore, ask questions, and make new discoveries. In fact, I remember as a child spending hours outside, completely absorbed in watching animals interact in their habitats—that sense of wonder really sparked my drive to become a biologist.

Being a biologist aligns with the musher's way of life because both require a deep appreciation for nature, resilience in outdoor environments, and a spirit of exploration. As a scientist, I'm constantly observing, learning, and connecting different pieces of knowledge—skills that are just as valuable when working with a team of dogs out in the wilderness. Most biologists, myself included, love the outdoors, and mushing lets me fully embrace that passion. In many ways, the adventurous, inquisitive mindset that drew me to biology fits perfectly with the daily life of a musher—every day brings new challenges, discoveries, and opportunities to deepen my bond with both nature and my dogs.

How did you and Marco first get into mushing? What role did your children play in this shared family project? How has your career as a musher developed over the years?

Marco started mushing at 10 years old by taking care of his uncle's dogs who has a tourist business. He had been racing since he was 11 years old on a mid-distance circuit in Quebec, competing in races of 50 to 60 km. He already had trophies and medals to his name. At that time, Marco already had a kennel with around sixty dogs, and his whole family had their own teams.

I started in the world of sled dogs fairly late in life, at the age of 25. It was Marco who introduced me to this sport. In fact, we always joke that he used his four-legged friends to court me. Every evening after work, he would take me along in his sled and we would go for rides covering several kilometers.

I ran my first 50 km race in 1996, and that's when the adventure began.

The following year, we looked into going to Alaska to handle for a musher and learn everything about the sport where mushing is the national pastime. In 1998, we made the trip after contacting Joee Redington, a racer specializing in the longest sprints.

It was the experience of a lifetime—eight months learning about sled dog bloodlines, training, equipment, trails, etc. Pure paradise!

When we returned to Quebec, we participated in several races on the provincial circuit, but the races were getting shorter and we were craving bigger challenges. In 2002, we traveled to Alaska for a second time to race at ONAC. Marco ran with young dogs who would become the foundation of our bloodline. Tristan, our first son, was nine months old. Marco and I agreed that this would be a family adventure for as long as the children stayed at home. On the way, we stopped on the western Canadian circuit and really enjoyed those 60 km races over three days with mass starts. We returned sporadically with our little family, which had welcomed Elliot, our second son. It was at these races that we learned most about the qualities we were looking for in our athletes: long distances, often very cold temperatures, and above all, very fast. Our breeding program began to focus on these traits, and we raced there until 2010.

That year, I learned that I had breast cancer, and my life was put on hold for two years. We reduced the kennel and our activities to take care of ourselves.

During my remission in 2012, we decided to treat ourselves to a trip with the dogs to the famous Pedigree Stage Stop in Wyoming. Marco raced the team, and I enjoyed the scenery with the children.

After that difficult period, Marco let me race the competition team, telling me he had done it enough and that it was my turn now. Trips to western Canada and the United States followed every winter, with the family, our dogs, and our trailer.

It's always teamwork, so we do everything together. Even though the children are adults now, they're never far from the kennel.

We now race all winter long on the road with our forty dogs on the mid-distance circuit and stage stop races.

PART 2 – EVERYDAY LIFE WITH THE DOGS

What does a normal day at your kennel look like?

The day begins with morning cleaning chores, followed by watering. Depending on the season, we train the dogs differently: using sleds in winter or four-wheelers when the temperature is below 12 degrees Celsius during the rest of the year. Sometimes it's playtime in the yard with the puppies and adults, or activities like leash walks. These tasks continue throughout the day. At the end of the day, it's feeding time for the dogs.