Meet Denali’s Newest Recruits: Five Fluffy Puppies with a Big Mission
While summer brings peak tourism to Denali National Park, it also marks another special season: puppy season at the park’s historic sled dog kennels.
On May 3, 2025, Denali welcomed five new sled dog pups to its ranks: Squall, Storm, Graupel, Dew, and Fog — names inspired by the many forms water takes in weather. This year’s litter honors the 100th anniversary of weather data collection by Denali’s sled dog rangers in partnership with the National Weather Service.
At just a few weeks old, these puppies are already internet stars, thanks to the beloved Denali Puppy Cam, a livestream that gives fans a peek into their fuzzy, playful world. But beyond the cuteness, these pups are bred for purpose.
More Than Mascots: The Real Work Behind the Wagging Tails
Denali is the only national park in the U.S. with its own working sled dog kennel — a tradition more than 103 years old. Mushing isn’t just a cultural legacy; it’s a vital part of park operations during Denali’s punishing winters. With over two million acres of federally designated wilderness, rangers rely on their canine teams to travel deep into the backcountry, where snowmobiles and motorized vehicles are not allowed.
These puppies are the next generation of that legacy.
According to the National Park Service, each puppy is selectively bred for traits like:
- Long legs for trailblazing through deep snow
- Compact paws that resist ice buildup
- Thick coats and bushy tails for insulation in sub-Arctic temperatures
- And perhaps most charming of all, a love for pulling and working as a team
They’re also bred for sociability — essential for pups that will one day greet thousands of visitors and represent the park’s mission to protect its natural and cultural resources.
Training Begins at Birth — With a Lot of Play Along the Way
For now, the puppies spend their days nursing, sleeping, and gaining about a pound per week. But their training has already begun.
By six weeks, the pups begin socialization with both humans and older dogs. Their paws and mouths are gently handled to prepare them for wearing booties and getting dental checks. They’re also taken on little adventures — walking over tundra, splashing through puddles, and exploring the Alaskan landscape.
At six months, they’ll begin to observe training runs, and by seven or eight months, they’ll be hitched to sleds for short distances alongside veteran dogs. By the end of their first winter, they’ll already have hundreds of miles of experience under their harnesses.
“This first winter of training is so significant to their physical and mental development that by the time their second winter comes around, they will be hooked up into [the] team as full-fledged sled dogs,” says the NPS.
A National Treasure on Four Paws
More than just working dogs, Denali’s sled dogs are considered living links to America’s conservation history.
“These are the only sled dogs in the United States that help protect a national park and the wildlife, scenery, and wilderness therein,” the NPS says. “The dogs, and the kennels where they live, represent important pieces of the American story.”
Despite budget challenges facing the NPS and NOAA, programs like the Puppy Cam are made possible thanks to partnerships with Alaska Geographic and proceeds from the Denali Park Store — making it possible for millions to witness the lives of these remarkable pups.
So if you need a little joy today, tune into the Puppy Cam and meet the future heroes of Denali — who, for now, are doing their part just by being irresistibly adorable.