Mike Santos, 46, was born in Massachusetts, but says that he was born Alaskan in the wrong state. Mike started working with sled dogs in New England, before he even knew that the Iditarod race existed. Mike has always been fascinated by dogs, particularly the athleticism of sled dogs. After years of learning from dogs in New England, Mike and his wife Caitlin moved to Alaska in 2005 in search of longer trails, deeper snow, and the chance to run the Iditarod.

Mike and Caitlin settled in Cantwell, Alaska, just outside Denali National Park. This remote village has about 150 year round residents. Mike has worked hard at raising and training the dogs, and more recently, raising and training their 1 year old son Max. Caitlin teaches at the local school. Mike and Caitlin have worked to restore their Alaskan homestead. They spent their first year living in the dog barn, which had a gravel floor, and finally got running water in the spring of 2014.

Sled dogs captivate the imagination of the world and it is really fun to know that you are excited about dogs and the Iditarod. Mike invites you to meet his dogs on his website, to watch them in action on the WolfsDenKennel channel on YouTube, and to visit them in person at DogGoneIt Tours.