What started as a small team soon grew into a way of life shaped by dogs, mountains, and the Arctic outdoors.
After her first litter of puppies, Tove began building her own dog team and spent as much time as possible in the mountains surrounding Tromsø. From the beginning, her dream was never simply to offer tourist activities. She wanted to race in Finnmarksløpet — Europe’s longest dog sled race.
Everything changed when a friend asked her to take a small group of foreign guests out with the dogs. Until then, she had never considered sharing this lifestyle with visitors. But seeing the guests return excited and deeply moved by the experience made her want to do it again.
Over the years, Villmarkssenter slowly grew from a small kennel into one of the largest husky centres in Northern Norway. At its peak in 2019, the company had around 300 dogs and more than 100 international employees working together through the winter season.
When the COVID-19 pandemic affected tourism around the world, we made the decision to reduce the number of dogs at the kennel. Through our “Borrow a Buddy” and “Adopt, Don’t Shop” initiatives, we were able to find loving retirement homes for more than 100 dogs.
Today, around 200 dogs still call Villmarkssenter home.
Villmarkssenter was founded by Tove Sørensen, whose lifelong passion for dogs and Arctic nature still shapes the company today. She remains closely involved in daily life at the kennel, with a strong focus on animal welfare, training, and creating genuine experiences for guests.
Living at the centre herself, Tove continues to take part in the everyday routines of the kennel. Her son, Alex, contributes by developing new technological solutions and helping the company evolve for the future.
Each winter, Villmarkssenter grows into an international community as 60–70 seasonal staff members join the team. What brings people together here is a shared respect for the dogs, nature, and life outdoors in the Arctic.
