Est. 2013
Owned and operated by husband-and-wife team Jeff and KattiJo Deeter. In winter, we hire 2 – 4 additional crew members to help with tours and race training.
Jeff Deeter
Owner. Guide. Maintenance.
Jeff grew up in Alaska, moving all around the state as a child. His father was an artist and a carpenter, and his mother was a school teacher who enjoyed working in remote, Alaskan communities. Jeff saw his first dog sled race as a 6-year old while living in Noorvik, a small native village located north of the Arctic Circle. Jeff was immediately enthralled with the allure of mushing, and knew it was something he wanted to try.
After spending a few years on St. Paul island – a wildlife sanctuary where dogs are forbidden – Jeff’s family finally moved to Wasilla, Alaska when he was a young teenager. There he began working with a mushing couple and their 80 dogs. Jeff ran his first Iditarod in 2008 at the age of 19.
Two years later, Jeff met his wife, KattiJo. They were co-workers at a dog mushing tour company in southeast Alaska. In 2013 Jeff and KattiJo purchased a piece of land, started Black Spruce Dog Sledding, and began construction on their home. Jeff or KattiJo now compete annually in the Iditarod, as well as several other mid-distance races.
KattiJo is originally from northwest Wisconsin. She has her Bachelor of Science degree in Therapeutic Recreation from the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse. A lover of wilderness, travel, people and animals, KattiJo spent each summer during college traveling somewhere new and working different outdoor gigs, from summer camps to therapeutic wilderness programs.
After graduating from UW-L in 2008, KattiJo still wasn’t ready to settle down and get a “real job.” So she spent the next couple of years continuing to work her way through most of the contiguous U.S. and by 2010, only Alaska and Hawaii remained on her list of places in America she was itching to visit. A google search for “summer jobs in Alaska” returned an opportunity to work at a dog sledding tour company in Juneau. KattiJo met Jeff that summer and they have been together ever since. They got married in 2014 and honeymooned in Hawaii.
KattiJo ran her first Iditarod in 2022.
KattiJo "Katie" Deeter
Owner. Guide. Office Manager.
Jesse Flory
Grateful Dogs Kennel
Tour Guide
Jesse owns his own kennel of 30 dogs, and lives across the street from us. From November through March we are extremely fortunate to have him join us as an experienced tour guide. His commute to work is by dog sled, and he works with his own dogs while he’s here to deliver our famous, high-quality tours. Jesse’s dogs are beloved for being fat and friendly.
Jesse was born and raised in California, but we don’t hold it against him. He spent some of his earliest dog mushing years in Alaska, learning the ropes from the likes of Martin Buser and Mathew Failor, before heading back to the Lower 48 to work in sled dog tourism in Colorado.
In the early 2020’s Jesse returned to Alaska and moved into our neighborhood. We’ve been friends ever since!
KC Dolbee
Grateful Dogs Kennel
Tour Guide
KC is Jesse’s kennel hand at Grateful Dogs, and he’s become a huge help to us as well!
KC and Jesse met in Colorado during the COVID-19 pandemic. When dog sledding tourism dried up that winter, Jesse had to find other work. These two met when KC hired Jesse as a beer truck deliver driver. It was a match made in heaven. After tourism returned in the following years, the tables turned, and KC started working for Jesse, getting involved with sled dogs for the first time.
KC spends his summers running sled dog tours on a glacier operation in southeast Alaska. In winter, he lives in a small yurt on Jesse’s property (where Jesse lives in an equally small cabin).
Summer Kennel Help
Season: May – August
Apply: In March
Summer Job Description
A super fun and easy gig! Perfect for someone looking to spend the summer in Fairbanks, hang out with dogs, and have their rent covered. Flexible scheduling allows plenty of time to travel around Alaska or work another full or part time job.
1 – 2 days each week, spend time brushing the dogs, fill in the holes they dig in the dog yard, mow the lawn, weed whack, water plants, and walk puppies!
Once a month, be available to “kennel sit” when we go out of town; usually for 2-10 days at a time. Kennel sitting chores are simply feeding and watering the dogs and picking up poop, in addition to the other weekly tasks listed above.
Housing is provided in a 20 x 20 dry cabin on our adjoining, 5 acre parcel. Constructed in 2017. Private driveway. Some utilities covered. When we’re out of town, we invite you to stay in our comfortable, 800 sq. foot home, equipped with running water!
Free rent all summer long + $50/day when we’re out of town, and you’re kennel-sitting
Summer Requirements
- Must be able to lift 40 pounds
- Ability to take direction
- Ability to work independently
- Must live on site in cabin provided
Apply
Send a letter of interest and resume to blacksprucedogsledding@gmaill.com.
Hiring begins in March.
Work begins in May.
Winter
Kennel Help
Season: September – April
Apply: In July
Winter Job Description
Our busy season! Help with all tasks related to caring for our dogs, running tours, training for long distance sled dog races, and living off-grid in Alaska. This is an awesome opportunity to experience the beauty of Alaska, learn all about dog mushing, and get paid for it!
5 days each week, your job tasks include (but won’t be limited to): feeding, watering, scooping poop, walking puppies, caring for sick or injured dogs, running tours, cutting firewood, clearing trails, shoveling snow, and helping with office work.
Average work days can be 12 – 18 hours long. We do not recommend this position for people who have their own pets.
Two housing options are available. One is a 20 x 20 dry cabin on our adjoining, 5 acre parcel. Constructed in 2017. Private driveway. Some utilities covered. 5 minute walk from the kennel. The second option is a slightly larger cabin, with running water, located about a mile away — a 30 minute walk or 3 minute drive in your personal car.
$600/week salary
Winter Requirements
- Must be able to start in early or mid-September at the latest
- Must be able to stay through April
- Serious desire to learn about sled dogs and kennel management
- Ability to take initiative and independently identify tasks that need to be done
- Ability to retain information after the first telling, and ask pertinent, clarifying questions
- Communicate clearly, quickly, and effectively through text
- Retain a positive attitude throughout the entire season
- Remain clean and professional in appearance, and in all things – handwriting, dress, tools, sleds, feeding supplies, etc.
- Ability to work independently and be happy alone during downtime
Apply
Please complete the form below. We recommend using a PC or laptop.
Hiring begins in July.
Work begins in September.
Hiring is now complete for the ’25-’26 winter season. Please apply again in July of 2026