The winding, forested road that leads to Hans Gatt's dog yard just south of Whitehorse inspires confusion in new guests.

The road seems to go on forever, with twists and turns that lead drivers to believe they are about to end up in a snowbank. But once you emerge from the snow-covered trees, you get it.

Gatt's two-storey log cabin is perched on top of a hill with beautiful mountain views on all sides. The yard is high above the banks of the Yukon River. When you drive in, a chorus of happy dog barks welcome you.

These aren't the same dogs you see on the Yukon Quest – the focused, race-driven athletes.

These dogs are relaxed and affectionate, and ready to pounce on any new visitor in the hopes of an ear rub, or the chance to lick the face of an unsuspecting guest.

It's a sharp contrast to what you see on the Yukon Quest trail, when the dogs are purely focused on their mushers and what his or her needs are, while surrounded by the excitement of race time.

"That's very typical of a good sled dog,” Gatt said about the split-personalities of the dogs.

During the Yukon Quest, only officials, vet staff and the mushers themselves are permitted to touch the dogs, and it seems the canines make up for lost time when not in harness.

Gatt, who plans to retire from running the Quest, was excited to show off his team Wednesday afternoon. He welcomed the media that had followed his Quest victory from the beginning out to his dog yard to shine a spotlight on who he calls the real champions.

Gatt et al finished the Quest in a record time of nine days, one hour and 35 minutes, breaking the record set by 2009 winner Sebastian Schnuelle. Gatt took home $28,395.

"I think the dogs should be a lot more featured, because really, they are the stars,” Gatt said, while stroking the ear of one of his lovable team members.

Gatt's 2010 winning team was made up of nine by Monday's end of his race, including leads Big Girl, Kinvig, Stitch and Sonny. The remaining members of the team were Topkok, Banjo, Tank, Tyvek and Cliff.

Gatt describes Kinvig as his most athletic dog, capable of getting the rest of the team going in a heartbeat.

"When I need some more speed, I put him up front,” Gatt said. "He's probably the most athletic dog I've ever owned.”

The five-year-old dog was in lead on the runs into Dawson City and the leg from Braeburn to Whitehorse.

Gatt found out just what Kinvig was capable of coming into Dawson, when the dog redirected the entire team around overflow, while Gatt decided what to do.

"He really saved my way there,” Gatt said.

Next to Kinvig in the dog yard is Stitch, another leader Gatt plans to take to the Iditarod. That Anchorage-to-Nome race will begin next month.

"Very, very sweet dog,” Gatt said. "He could be a pet. He would make a great dog.”

While Gatt spoke, the affectionate pooch rubbed against his owner, enjoying the sun and all the attention. He clearly would be just fine at home snuggling on a couch.

One of Gatt's biggest stars on his team is six-year-old Big Girl, another lead Gatt says has very few qualities that suggest she is a champion.

"She's very quiet,” he said. "There's nothing special about her. She shouldn't be as good as she is. She's a bit of a wimp.”

Gatt's partner and handler Susie Rogan remembers Big Girl taking charge for her during a run, after they passed through a section of trail that wasn't passable. On the way back, the dog remembered the spot and took charge.

"She was yanking the team way to the right,” Rogan said. "That's a leader.”

One of Gatt's favourites on his team is Sonny, a snappy little pooch known for his not-so-sunny demeanour.

Gatt acquired the four-year-old dog from fellow Yukon musher Gerry Willomitzer, after Willomitzer decided he wasn't worth the trouble.

Gatt was looking for a good leader, and found it in the dog Rogan describes as "snotty.”

"I bought Sonny and he just got better and better here,” Gatt said.

It wasn't without a few roadblocks, though. Rogan says Gatt has come into checkpoints a few times with blood dripping from his hand after a bite from the saucy little dog, and more than one vet has been unfortunate enough to catch Sonny off-guard and pay for it.

"He has a very bad attitude,” Gatt said. "He doesn't like surprises.”

But even with the trouble he causes, Sonny has proved himself to be worth it.

"I think we like him more for his bad attitude,” Gatt said.

With Sonny doing so well, it seems Willomitzer regrets his decision.

"Gerry didn't think he was worth the issues,” Gatt said. "Now every time I pass Gerry, he asks for him back.”

One of Gatt's standout dogs that doesn't lead is Topkok, a pooch Gatt describes as a workhorse.

At 66 pounds, Gatt said, the dog never quits. "He just works.”

Topkok has run four Yukon Quests and five Iditarods. With such a career behind him, the dog is calm and affectionate.

Another "workhorse” helping Topkok is Cliff, who powers up and over hills with ease.

"(He's) just a strong team dog,” Gatt said. Cliff has run two Yukon Quests.

This year, Cliff bruised his rib cage on jumble ice and proved himself to be one of the toughest dogs on Gatt's team.

"He got banged up a little bit there,” Gatt said. After a quick recovery, Cliff was one of the nine that finished the Quest with Gatt.

Gatt had a big surprise this year in Banjo, a two-year-old dog Gatt calls "outstanding.”

"He never had a slack line,” Gatt said. "He was never bummed out. He ate like crazy.”

This year's Quest was Banjo's first race ever, and after his success, Gatt plans to include four of his littermates on his Iditarod team.

One of Gatt's happiest dogs on the team is Tank, a four-year-old brother of leader Stitch that is equal to Kinvig in his athleticism.

"He's always the one who's wagging his tail and up first,” Gatt said.

Tank's other characteristic is his ability to rile up the team, charging up for the next leg.

"Tank is one of the ones who instigates that,” Gatt said.

The final member of Gatt's finishing team is Tyvek. Gatt calls him a "tough bugger” who assists Tank in getting the team excited.

"He's definitely the cheerleader on the team.”

Most of Gatt's best dogs have been bred from his three-time champion Havana, who at the age of eight decided she didn't want to be a sled dog anymore.

Rogan said the mother would run away from the harness, even though there were no medical reasons for her to quit. Havana was then retired as a breeding dog, and now runs untethered in the dog yard to keep an eye on her many pups making up Gatt's racing team.

The five dogs Gatt dropped from this year's race were just not running as well as he would have liked.

"They're all fine,” he said. "There was nothing major. I don't believe in running dogs if they're not 100 per cent.”

At the Meet the Mushers event in Fairbanks, Gatt said it was his goal to get happy and healthy dogs across the finish line. With a big smile, when asked is he was successful, Gatt said, "One hundred per cent.”

Leaving Gatt's dog yard is probably the toughest part of visiting.

With so many happy faces and wagging tails begging for your attention, it seems Gatt's world outside of professional racing is one that many can only dream of.