It’s all about the dogs for Dr. Jennifer Freking

By Andrea Busche

Whenshe’s not at work, you’ll most likely find Dr. Jennifer Freking at her happy place – Manitou Crossing Kennels in Isabella, Minn. Here, she cares for her 62 Siberian huskies and other family pets. But it is also the place where she, her husband Blake, and their two daughters call home.

Freking is one of four very busy veterinarians at Ely Veterinary Clinic. With her home in Isabella, her commute is about 50 miles each way. But when she and Blake purchased their 120-acre property in 2002, they had only one prevailing thought.

“It’s all about the dogs,” Freking said. “Isabella is the best location for the snow and cold and trails.”

Freking would certainly know about trail quality. In addition to her work as a veterinarian, she is a professional sled dog racer. Over the course of her racing career, she has completed the grueling 1,000-mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race and the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon, among many other events.

Sled dog racing is a family affair for the Frekings. The couple trains together, and they often race together, too. And their times have only continued to improve. The 2019 John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon resulted in Blake taking first place and Jennifer second place. Even their young children have gotten in on the fun.

Lifelong love of animals

Freking grew up on a hobby farm located between Cambridge and Princeton, Minn. Her father was an internist and her mom stayed home to care for the kids and all the critters. The family had horses, dogs, parrots and hand-raised cockatiels.

“I grew up on a zoo,” Freking said with a laugh.

Freking’s mother brought the first sled dog into the pack when Jennifer was given a husky puppy for her 15th birthday. When Freking was growing up, her parents had 30 dogs, and they raced recreationally on the North Star Sled Dog Club circuit.

Freking was also bitten by the racing bug – and at a young age. Her first sled dog race was a three-dog, 3-mile race when she was just 9. She even dropped out of high school for a year to race the Junior Iditarod … with her parents’ consent, of course.

When she was just 17, she met her future husband, Blake. He was also crazy about sled dogs, and contacted Freking to ask if she had another dog that he could add to his skijoring team. The two bonded over their shared passion, and have been married since 2005.

Freking attended the University of Minnesota for both her undergraduate and veterinarian credentials. Today, Blake works as a civil engineer for the U.S. Forest Service.

Racing

While many sled dog racers prefer Alaskan huskies, the Frekings prefer Siberian huskies.

“They are smart, hardy and independent,” Freking said. “They are the breed we started with, and we are dedicated to Siberian huskies.”

Each of the Freking’s huskies is a beloved family pet. Almost all of them have been born at Manitou Crossing Kennels. The dogs are born and bred to run, and thrive in the cold.

“From the time they’re tiny puppies, if you put a harness on them, they’re screaming with excitement,” Freking said. “This is really hard-wired into them. We don’t teach the dogs to pull. During races, we have to force them to pace themselves, and even force them to stop and eat.”

Through their many racing events, the couple have learned plenty about not only survival, but comfort in the extreme elements. Freking recommends layers –including a layer of polar fleece and a wind layer on top – along with staying dry, and covering your head well. During the last Beargrease race, she wore three hoods, and remained very comfortable. She also noted that a fur ruff around a hood is a great way to protect the face.

During a race, the dogs are outfitted with booties to protect their paws from ice crystals, and occasionally, jackets. They sleep on a thick layer of straw, and Freking covers them up with a sleeping bag.

“I like to spoil them,” she noted.

Freking believes humans can thrive in the extreme cold, as long as precautions are taken.

“I wish more people knew that people can not only be outside, but can thrive at minus-60 degrees,” she said. “And, we can definitely survive without air conditioning. We humans are getting pretty soft.”

Diet

During a race, great care is taken to ensure peak nutrition and hydration for canine and human alike. The dogs can burn up to 10,000 calories in a race, so they are fed every hour. Their racing diet consists of nutrient-dense kibble, along with beef, salmon, chicken and lots of high-quality fat, such as fish oil.

Freking herself focuses on hydration, and will drink Capri Sun drink boxes for a quick boost of sugar. She also consumes whey protein drinks, and high carb, high-protein meals like mac and cheese and three-bean casserole.

Family affair

The Frekings have two daughters: Elena, 9, and Nicole, 7. The kids and the dogs share a deep, mutual love for each other.

“The dogs love the kids. We have had to protect the dogs from our toddlers, rather than vice versa,” Freking shared.

The Freking children have been surrounded by the dogs their entire lives.

“As infants, I would put them in a car seat and strap them in a sled,” Freking said. And the kids have even started racing themselves. “Elena did her first race at age 4, and Nicole at age 3 – it was the Beargrease Cub Run.”

Balancing work, racing and family is no easy feat. Freking rises at 4:30 a.m. to train with the dogs and do chores. Before her children came along, she also incorporated an intense weight lifting regimen into her day. But today, her time is stretched incredibly thin.

“My vet career is all-consuming and very demanding,” she said. “I usually don’t get home until 6:30 or 7 p.m.”

As Jennifer and Blake have such busy schedules, Manitou Crossing Kennels utilizes four dog handlers who help the Frekings care for their large pack, in exchange for a small stipend, along with room and board.

The Freking family doesn’t own a TV. Instead, they prefer to focus on their children, caring for their pets (in addition to the huskies, they also have 10 chickens, two cats and a German shepherd), and wholesome activities such as biking, hiking and gardening.

Freking has hopes and dreams to complete the Iditarod again someday. But between the actual race, which takes about two weeks, the drive to and from Alaska, and all the preparations, it is a six-week commitment.

“I’m sure we’ll do it again, but when … I don’t know,” she said. “Between work, the kids’ school, and the kids’ logistics, it’s hard to get away for that long.”

It’s all about the dogs

Although she has been a top finisher in many of her races, for Freking, it’s not about winning.

“Honestly, the place we finish isn’t what means the most to us,” she said. “We work really hard to do our best, but that means having the happiest, healthiest team possible and letting the team perform to the best of their ability. It’s really about the relationship with the dogs and the experience of traveling through the winter wilderness that stays in our hearts and minds forever.

“Finishing first and second in the Beargrease last year will never be forgotten,” she added, “but what I really remember is the incredible ride my team gave me through those blizzard conditions, and their eagerness to barge through the drifts and wind to continue down the trail. They were incredible. That team is really something special.” D

Jennifer and Blake Freking will participate in the 2020 John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon, beginning Jan. 26. To learn more, visit racingsiberians.com.