Snowy Owl Sled Dog Tours Inc — Attraction in Alberta

My daughter and I booked a snow dog sled tour and kennel tour with Snowy Owl Dog Sled Tours and, unfortunately, our experience left much to be desired.

We originally scheduled the tour for Sunday, as we were arriving in Banff on Friday. However, the manager emailed asking if we could switch to Saturday since they had nothing planned for Sunday. We rearranged our plans and agreed to Saturday. As part of the booking, I opted for the combo package, which included the kennel tour. The sign-up process involves a mobile form, which I completed electronically.

On Saturday, we arrived at the main office (109-829 10th Street, Canmore) only to find no one there, despite the sign saying they opened at 8 AM (Google said 9 AM, which added to the confusion). The manager had emailed previously asking if we could do an 8:30 AM tour at Boundary Ranch, but no clear directions were provided. As first-time visitors, we had no idea where Boundary Ranch was relative to the main office or the kennels.

The manager eventually showed up just before 9 AM, and instead of offering helpful advice, she rudely told us we were at the wrong location and there was no way we’d make the sled tour. She then printed out the agreement form, showing the Boundary Ranch address that wasn’t clearly communicated earlier. I was instructed to fill out a refund form, which I did, only to be denied two weeks later because I had signed the agreement form.

We ended up doing the kennel tour, which was the highlight of the day. Mitch, who led the tour, was fantastic, and it was nice to meet the dogs. For the kennel tour, you meet at the main office and then follow them to the kennels.

Some much-needed improvements:

Clarify Location Information: When communicating about Boundary Ranch, clearly state that it’s a different location and include the full address in the email. Fix Signage and Hours: At the main location, correct the posted open times and add clear signage with directions to Boundary Ranch for sled tours. Streamline the Process: The number of emails and forms involved was excessive—9 emails just to sign up for two people, not counting the refund request. Simplify this for customers, especially those using mobile phones.

Overall, the poor communication and confusing process made this a frustrating experience that cost us hundreds of dollars. The customer service needs serious improvement.

Update to reply

t seems clear that you have not taken into account the concerns raised in my review, nor fully grasped the issues I experienced. The primary problem wasn’t with the number of emails or the fact that I received documentation, but rather the clarity of communication within that documentation and the overall process.

While you continue to refer back to the documents that were sent, my point was that your communications could be significantly improved to avoid confusion. If you had clearly stated that the check-in location was not at your main office and emphasized that it was at Boundary Ranch, it would have eliminated the misunderstanding entirely. Simply listing an address doesn’t equate to effective communication if it’s buried in a document among other details.

Your response seems to dismiss valid feedback by implying the issue is solely on the customer’s side. Rather than reflect on possible improvements, you’ve opted to insist that the process is fine as it is. That type of rigidity doesn’t leave room for improving customer experiences. Again, the feedback was not to question the number of emails but to suggest streamlining and simplifying the process for clarity.

I would encourage you to view feedback as an opportunity for improvement rather than a chance to defend processes that could benefit...

If you love dogs and appreciate people who truly care for them, you cannot miss out on this experience. The booking process was super easy thanks to Rachelle D who promptly answered my emails filled with questions. I was unsure of which experience to book and the info she provided me helped me pick the very best experience for my husband and I . Upon arrival to the office to check in, we were greeted by 2 retired dogs who were so relaxed and beautiful. They made sure we were dressed for the weather and once everyone was there, we loaded onto the bus and headed up the mountain. Once we arrived to the starting point, they encouraged us to go pet and love the dogs which was a highlight for me being an avid dog lover. After that, we got the run down from Caleb on how to drive the sleds. He was so engaging and easy to listen to. Then, we were sent to our sleds! My husband and I booked the Powder Hound Express (2 hour) with an instructor driven sled. I was so thankful we picked the instructor driven sled because it allowed me to "help" drive, but also fully enjoy the experience, the dogs and the scenery (without worrying about tipping or messing up!) Elsa was our instructor and she was amazing! I learned so much about the dogs and the Snowy Owl company chatting with her along the ride. This company truly cares for the dogs' well being and treats them incredibly well. I "drove" to the halfway point and then you can switch drivers if you want! As we took in the breathtaking scenery on the frozen lake, we got to pet and hang with the dogs some more! My husband took over the driving with Elsa as I got to sit in the sled and take it all in. The bottom of the sled has a nice padding and they cover you with a thick blanket. I was not cold at all even with the falling snowy and pretty strong wind. As they unhooked the dogs from the sled at the end of the trail, we got to hang out with them some more! Then, we headed to a fire with the most delicious apple cider I've ever had (nice and sweet!) and some baked treats. We had the opportunity to buy pictures they took at the beginning of the trail and at the end. I loved that the pictures had all the dogs and us in it, so we were happy to purchase them! This was an incredible bucket list experience for me and I'm so thankful I got to do it with a company who truly cares for their dogs, sleds, trails and customers. I will definitely be doing this again, and will be recommending Snowy Owl Sled Dog Tours...

We did the summer kennel tour and had a great time! A van picked us up at the downtown Canmore office and drove us and the other tour participants (14 in total) to the kennel location.

First, the owners: I must say I was initially apprehensive about going on this tour and spending so much money on it -- as someone who has only kept dogs as house pets I had no idea what to expect in terms of animal treatment and care at a place with 180 working dogs. But once we arrived it quickly became apparent that they are very loved and well-cared for, and that the dogs adore the owners in return. I was extremely impressed that they knew every single dog's name and could tell us about their breeds, personalities, their ages, and point out which dogs were their siblings or parents. Additionally, they showed us their very complex feed board that lists each dog and their dietary needs and restrictions, and talked to us at length about calorie consumption and how their diets, routines, and schedules vary with age and throughout the seasons. They were willing to answer any questions we had and clearly are dog lovers and experts.

Second: the dogs! They were incredibly friendly and fun to be around. There are some more shy and rescue ones, but they tend to stay in corners and keep to themselves more. I felt like I was in a dream, surrounded by so many happy cute dogs wanting to spend time with me. They were adorable and very sweet, and most seemed to immediately warm up to strangers. Many of them wanted to cuddle as well. Some of them will definitely try to jump up onto you so if you are afraid of that this tour might not be for you.

I recommend wearing clothes you don't care about getting dirty or dog-hairy. (Though when we got back to the downtown location, we were even provided with lint rollers to clean off the dog hair!)

All in all, a wonderful experience! I highly recommend it for any dog lover and I would certainly come back here or try their winter sled tours if I return to the...