N.E. Outfitters will never settle for anything but the best. We strive for consistent communication with our customers and are always looking for the latest in mushing equipment. We, the Vitello Family, began running dogs in 1997. We have bought and used equipment from New England, Western United States, and Alaska. After many years of trying out many different harnesses we were introduced to our first Man Mat harness, decided it was be the best we had ever tried. As mushers, we have high standards for our canine athletes and they deserve nothing but the best. This is why we have chosen to supply New England mushers and outdoor enthusiasts with top quality and hard-to-find gear. Thus, N.E. Outfitters was born.

Dog mushers are frequently asked, "How did you get started?" I can't even count how many times I have answered this question, so I've decided to post our story. Here goes...

In 1997 our Golden Retreiver, Bear, was hit by a car in New Hampshire. After spenting a weekend in a hospital near North Conway, he was stable enough to be brought back home to Massachusetts, where he spent another week at Tufts Veterinary Hospital in Grafton. Although his recovery cost an arm and leg, we had to save our dog who we had owned since our child, Michael, was 10 months old. The bond between Bear and Michael grows stronger and we fear the inevitable pain that will come with saying "good bye".......

Bear's recovery was slow, as he suffered all sorts of problems and heart issues, and was on bed rest, medications, etc. We decided this was no life for him or our family. We were outdoor adventurers and couldn't leave Bear behind. The best medicine for Bear was another dog, one who was young and could show him how it's done. He needed a furry friend to compete with and more that anything, remind him of what being a dog is all about.

Our family started our search for the perfect breed. Having taken a Breeds and Handling class, I had a good idea of what I wanted. I was thinking about a little dog, like a pomeranian. The owner of the kennel where I had worked had a pomeranian and it was the sweetest small dog I had ever cared for. We had visited many breeders and pet stores, and soon came across Meeko, our first sled dog.

She was a pure breed A.K.C. registered Alaskan Malamute. She looked so majestic next to the scrawney pomeranians in the other pens. Although she was small, she belonged to a very large breed of working dogs. As our children and I roamed around, my husband, Gregg, picked up a book called Alaskan Malamutes by Mary Jane and Al Holabach. As Gregg began to read, he became more and more convinced that this dog was our perfect match. He was facinated by the beed's ability to be loyal but earn their keep by working. As Gregg stated, "Oh the things this dog can do," I knew our family had a new addition.

We were hooked! One book lead to another, and adventure after adventure soon followed. Our two dogs grew into a kennel of 25 as mushing became our way of life................