Around Moquehue on a Sled

Gustavo Luna arrived in Villa Pehuenia some years ago. He has known his Samoyed dogs deeply ever since he was a kid and he has developed his idea to offer rides on the snow with their help in this location.

This is how we headed for Moquehue to meet Gustavo and his beloved dogs. Their strong barking led us to the kennel he shows off proudly. His passion for this activity started back in Hurlingham, where he was born. When he was just 7 years old, he organized races with wheeled-sleds among the neighborhood kids.

There were strong reasons for Gustavo to fall in love with this peculiar Siberian dog breed. ‘They are Artic Spitz, proud dogs. They would be used as reindeer shepherds, to pull sleds and in game hunting. They are friendly, open-minded and always alert. They are sociable and really strong’ said Gustavo as he led us into their habitat.

Once at the Samoyed boxes, Gustavo called them all by their names and they fought for his attention. The moment came to assemble the sleds, put on the leashes and harnesses. All the dogs jumped enthusiastically in the knowledge they would soon be setting out on ‘their’ ride.

As soon as they stepped on the snow, they let us stroke their white thick hair. When the ropes were pulled, they boasted their broad chest, a synonym for strength. ‘Look Dad! He is laughing!’ said our youngest son as he saw the ‘Samoyed smile’ of one of the most friendly puppies. The shape and position of their eyes in relation to the mouth gave an impression of laughter.

As we made ourselves comfortable on the sleds, we learned their names. The dog in front is the lead dog and the ones in the back are called ‘the wheel dogs’ and it is them who have to pull harder. We were allowed to lead the sled because we wished to learn how to drive it.


Let’s Ride!

We left slowly towards the monkey-puzzle tree and stunted ñire woodland as the snow opened up under the Samoyed’s legs. Silence turned into the sound made by the sliding skis. We learned the words of command: ‘shi’, ‘right’, ‘ha’, ‘left’, ‘osh’, ‘speed’, ‘easy’, ‘slow’ and the most important one: ‘go’, which told them to set out.

We stopped worrying about the dog’s task in order to enjoy the snowy scene and the road we were travelling along. As we reached the top of a hill and contemplated Lake Moquehue, we made a stop for all of us to rest. Gustavo took advantage of the opportunity to tell us local stories and legends related to this activity.

On the way back, the dogs seemed to realize they were going home. They knew they were about to have their well-deserved food; therefore, they used all their power and energy to serve us, without losing the joy they always showed.

Amidst howling and barking, we got to our destination. We shared some mate with Gustavo before we said good-bye to him and his family. His lifestyle, his love for these animals and the pleasure they provide to visitors gave us a feeling that was hard to forget, especially for our children.