#seppala

Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/80s/comments/1iemp0h/some_scans_from_80s_sepp%C3%A4l%C3%A4_fashion_catalogs_from/

Leonhard Seppala with sled dogs from his kennel - Togo is at far left. Other dogs from left to right: Karinsky, Jafet, Pete, unknown dog, Fritz

Hi! Sorry for the lack of updates, life has been piling a heap on me! This was inspired by the Nostalgia Critic’s review of Balto. For those who have seen the film you may or may not be aware of the true story of Togo and Seppala’s journey across Alaska during the diphtheria outbreak of 1925 •Balto was not the lead dog on Norweigan musher’s Leonhard Seppala’s sled team, although he was one of them. That position belonged to Togo, a Siberian Husky. Initially he was given away by Seppala when he was a puppy but at 6 months Togo jumped out of a window and ran back to him, causing Seppala to consider taking him on as a sled dog. •Togo caused a lot of trouble by occasionally attacking other sled dogs on rival teams and chasing reindeer and was only calmed once Seppala put a harness on him. •Seppala and his sled dogs travelled a full 260 miles across Alaska on a serum run known as “the Great Race of Mercy,” to deliver about 300 000 litres of medicine for severely ill men, woman and children in his home town of Nome. •Seppala’s 8 year old daughter Sigrid, (Rosie in the movie) was also afflicted with the disease. •The journey nearly caused the men and dogs to lose their lives. For three days they suffered through blizzards and freezing winds of up to 65mph and had to avoid ice flows which could have dragged them all out to sea. •They managed to get the serum to Nome and the mushers and canines are heralded as American heroes. Balto however just happened to get all the credit, getting a statue and a movie based on him. •Leonhard Seppala went on to win a silver meddle in sled dog racing in the Lake Placid Olympic Games in 1932. He and his wife Constance retired to Seatlle in 1946 but they made a trip to Fairbanks in 1961 where they were given a welcome reception. •Togo died of natural causes on the 5th of December 1929 and his body is now displayed in two places: his skin in the Itaridod Sled Dog Trail Museum in Wasilla, Alaska and his bones in the Peabody Natural History Museum in New York. Seppala died in 1967 at the ripe old age of 90 and is buried in Nome. He is said to recall Togo as “the best dog that ever travelled the Alaskan trail.” It’s an AMAZING story. The best part: Disney is working on a film about it. To Togo and Seppala!

Caleb practicing his puppy push ups. Getting ready to start his training. #bucksdogtraining #puppy #seppala #siberianhusky https://www.instagram.com/p/CGahMqjppBI/?igshid=1fv3k8uu8axid

Little pink looking adorable when she isn’t looking scary. 😆 #bucksdogtraining #seppala #siberianhusky https://www.instagram.com/p/CGIeQbKJcwZ/?igshid=1xu9yik3hwgud