At the time of the historic Serum Run, he was 12 years old and had been a lead dog for 7 years. However, they were never “pets.” One other interesting fact, The Reynolds family lived across the street from my husband’s brother and his family for a period of five years, but they never met. What Animal am I According to my Zodiac Sign? He followed them through nightfall and slept, unnoticed, near the cabin where Seppala was spending the night. [10][15][16] The popular fictional teen sleuth Nancy Drew named a stray terrier after him in the 1937 novel The Whispering Statue. In 2011, Time magazine named Togo the most heroic animal of all time: "The dog that often gets credit for eventually saving the town is Balto, but he just happened to run the last, 55-mile leg in the race. Molly of Denali Welcome Home Balto/ Snow Jam. 101 Dog Names Inspired By Historical Figures. [8], The National Park Service notes that in 1960, Seppala said "I never had a better dog than Togo. He only grew to about 48 pounds (22 kg) in adulthood and had a black, brown, and gray coat that made him appear perpetually dirty. Mushing is a term for sport or transport powered by dogs. Balto is an animated/live-action film produced by Steven Spielberg's Amblimation animation studio, and was put in theaters in 1995. 4:30 PM. The Peabody Museum of Natural History at Yale University has his skeleton in their collection. There are several theories about what happened with the last group of dogs, guided by Gunner. 50 Of The Most Classic Dog Names Of All Time . The 10 Most Solitary Animals in the World, What Does It Mean When a Cat Shows Up at My Door, The 10 Highest-Jumping Animals in the World, The Origin of the German Shepherd: History and Fun Facts, Top 10 Unbelievable Animals that Saved People's Lives, Who Are the Christmas Reindeer? Diphtheria is a serious bacterial disease that can be fatal and is usually seen in young children. Alaskan students started a letter campaign to return Togo to Alaska. From left to right - Togo, Karinsky, Jafet, Pete, unknown dog, Fritz, "When a deadly disease gripped an Alaskan town, a dog saved the day – but history hailed another", "Disney Developing Sled Dog Movie 'Togo and Seppala, Willem Dafoe to Star in Disney Adventure Movie 'Togo' (Exclusive), Extras sought for Disney's dog-sled adventure film, Togo, "Togo: Ericson Core On Willem Dafoe, Sled Dogs And Crafting A Tearjerker", Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Togo_(dog)&oldid=1012824907, Articles with unsourced statements from December 2019, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. So much so, Balto's adventure hit movie screens in 1995, in the eponymous film, Balto. AnimalWised will now tell you the true story of Balto, the dog that became a hero. The team ran across the ice, which was breaking up, while following the shoreline. The next day, Seppala spotted him far off in the distance, and understood why his dogs had been so keyed up. I fact the name change is also incorrect. Balto was the one that had the last leg that everyone got to see . This statue is dedicated exclusively to this four-legged hero, who is considered to have saved the lives of many children of Nome. If you want to read similar articles to The True Story of Balto, the Dog that Became a Hero, we recommend you visit our Facts about the animal kingdom category. 16 Dog Movies (And 1 Show) To Binge Watch On A Snow Day. When arriving at the shore of the Berring Sea, the ice floe the team was on top of was too far from land for them to cross or Seppala to jump over. This devotion to the team impressed Seppala, so he did not try to give him away again. [14], Togo's reputation earned him enduring fame, but only in 1997 got for the first time a statue, although sitting alongside Balto's statue at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. Molly of Denali Welcome Home Balto/ Snow Jam. At first, this behaviour was interpreted as evidence that he had been spoiled by the individual attention given to him during his illness. Keep reading, you won't want to miss this! [12], After several years of retirement at the Ricker Kennel in Poland Spring, Togo was euthanized by Seppala on December 5, 1929, at 16 years old because of joint pain and partial blindness. Thing is, the violinist, Chekov, was Russian himself. Some suggest that it was Balto who led the dogs all the way (although he was not a guide dog). look like he had potential as a sled dog. Today the mounted skin is on display in a glass case at the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Headquarters museum in Wasilla, Alaska. In only five and a half days, squadron B finally arrived at Nome with the diphtheria vaccine. It was possible to move the material from Anchorage to Nenana, a city somewhat closer to Nome, 483 miles away. When he recovered, Togo stopped attacking other teams' lead dogs. Molly ends up on a dogsledding adventure as she sets out to fix the lacking of a statue of the heroic dog Balto in Nenana. Our search led us to the Balto statue in New York City. The 20 guides designed a system of relays that made the transfer of vaccines possible. "[17], A film adaptation about Togo's efforts was produced by Walt Disney Pictures and released on December 20, 2019 on Disney+. 16 Books Dogs Would Write If Not For Their Pesky Lack Of Thumbs If this is all starting to seem strange to you, that's because it is. This breed, although originating from Russia, was taken to American territory in 1905 to work in mushing. She had some wonderful stories to tell about the dogs when she worked at the zoo as a teen. He was very The mounted skin was on display at the Shelburne Museum in Shelburne Vermont. Others say that the guide dog could not orient himself and it has also been suggested that the guide broke leg. Sadly, it was not possible to use air or sea transport, as a winter storm prevented the use of the routes. Bingo, the farmers dog in the nursery rhyme. Consequently, Hachikō’s statue was melted down to use for ammunition. This story is far from the truth. In fact, many humans and dogs died in their attempt to save the young population of Nome. In New England, they competed in several dog sled races against local Chinooks of Arthur Walden and won by huge margins. When Seppala arrived at the front of the team to scold the dog, he discovered that Togo had bailed not on the trail, but to avoid an open, growing water channel less than 6 feet from the team which was not visible from the sled, having saved all of them from nearly drowning in the freezing water. Balto Balto makes a brief cameo in the movie: He’s the lead dog in Gunnar Kaasen’s team. Despite covering the most distance of any lead dogs on the run, over some of the most dangerous parts of the trail, his role was left out of contemporary news of the event at the time, in favor of the last lead dog in the relay, Balto. Stuffed and mounted body, displayed at the Iditarod Trail Headquarters Museum in Wasilla, Alaska. Most Traveled Dog In Alaska, Champion Trophy Winner In Nome, Record of Longest and Fastest run in Serum Drive, The Most Heroic Animal of all Time, This page was last edited on 18 March 2021, at 14:44. [citation needed]. The wife was the former Nancy Reynolds who was the daughter of Fletcher Reynolds, the director of the Cleveland zoo who arranged for the dogs to go there. Then, Molly learns Koyukon words for types of snow, which helps her basketball team at a tournament. His stamina, loyalty and intelligence could not be improved upon. [19] Principal production on the film ran from September 24, 2018 to February 2019 in Calgary. [13] The headline in The New York Sun Times the next day was "Dog Hero Rides to His Death" (Salisbury & Salisbury, 2003), and he was eulogized in many other papers. The night and a ground blizzard prevented Seppala from being able to see the path but Togo navigated to the roadhouse at Isaac's Point on the shore by 8 PM preventing certain death to his team. Balto is based on a true story about the dog of the same name who helped save children from the diphtheria epidemic in the 1925 serum run to Nome. Sadly, Balto was sold, along with other dogs to Cleveland Zoo, where he lived until 14 years of age. After traveling 84 miles (134 km) in one day, the team slept for six hours before continuing at 2 AM. After descending to the next roadhouse in Golovin, Seppala passed the serum to Charlie Olsen, who in turn would pass it to Gunnar Kaasen and Balto. His prowess as a leader consisted of many impressive feats of intelligence and endurance, documented by writers and historians through accounts by Seppala himself. "[7], Togo began training, and after a few years filled the lead dog position. Seppala called him an "infant prodigy", and later added that "I had found a natural-born leader, something I had tried for years to breed. What is certain, is that Balto took the command of the race, although many had little faith in him. Balto became famous, but the unsung hero was Leonhard Seppala's Siberian Husky, Togo. So much so, Balto's adventure hit movie screens in 1995, in the eponymous film, Balto. Togo's skeleton is mounted separately, and is in the possession of the Peabody Museum of Natural History. [5], After only a few weeks as a house pet, Togo jumped through the glass of a closed window and ran several miles back to his original master's kennel. Balto made such an impact on the world, that a statue was erected in Central Park, New York by FG ​​Roth. However, one day, he attacked a much stockier malamute leader and was mauled and severely injured. "The dog that often gets credit for eventually saving the town is Balto, but he just happened to run the last, 55-mile leg in the race. is celebrated in memory of Balto. Another impressive feat was during the same trip across the Sound. One of the most prominent was Gunner Kaassen, guide of squadron B, in which was Balto. During this time, the future owner of Balto, Leonhard Seppala, was an experienced musher and participated in various competitions and races. The temperature was estimated at −30 °F (−34 °C), and the gale force winds causing a wind chill of −85 °F (−65 °C). She also had one of Balto’s pups (Boots), I only wish I had met this family when I was a child and could have enjoyed a more personal history with those brave dogs. He hitched Togo in single lead with an anchor in the ice and tossed him across to pull the ice closer to the shore. After the delivery of the medicine, Balto and his team went on a vaudeville circuit and ended up in a dime museum (so much for “damn fine dog!”) a Chicago businessman thought that was a terrible way for them to live The museum sold them for $2000 school children, factory workers and citizens of Cleveland raised the money in 10 days. It is important to note that Balto was not the original name of this dog, but Togo. A short while after Seppala had left, Togo broke free of the tether and jumped the kennel fence, getting his paw caught in the process. Molly ends up on a dogsledding adventure as she sets out to fix the lacking of a statue of the heroic dog Balto in Nenana. Togo had logged 75 miles on his first day in harness, which was unheard of for an inexperienced young sled dog, especially a puppy. [10], Togo and Seppala traveled 260 miles (420 km) from Nome in three days, and picked up the serum in Shaktoolik on January 31. I visited the zoo with my parents several times a year, mostly to see those dogs because I was fascinated by the story. go Togo an Underdog named for an underdog!! Seppala had been hired by a client to transport him quickly to a newly discovered gold claim which would be an overnight round trip for the team. As the run wore on, Seppala kept moving Togo up the line until, at the end of the day, he was sharing the lead position with the lead dog (named "Russky"). [20] Togo was portrayed by dog actor Diesel,[21] who is a direct descendant of Togo 14 generations back. Within 6 months of being here, we met another young couple who would become our lifelong best friends. [6], When Togo was 8 months old, he proved his worth as a sled dog. Togo continued to make Seppala's work difficult on the return trip to the kennel, trying to play with the work dogs and leading them in "charges against reindeer", pulling them off the trail. In 1928, Elizabeth M. Ricker, of Poland Spring, Maine, wrote and published the book Togo's Fireside Reflections. Togo (II), Kingeak, Paddy, Bilka (and others). But soon after this statue went up, the nation became consumed by World War II. Seppala inked Togo's paw and helped Togo sign some of the books. bold and rowdy, thus seen as "difficult and mischievous", showing "all the signs of becoming a ... canine delinquent" according to one reporter. "[9], In 1925, in response to an epidemic, the first batch of 300,240 units of diphtheria serum was delivered by train from Anchorage to Nenana, Alaska, where it was picked up by the first of twenty mushers and more than 100 dogs who relayed the serum a total of 674 miles (1,085 km) to Nome. Then, Molly learns Koyukon words for types of snow, which helps her basketball team at a tournament. Togo was left to live at the Ricker kennel to enjoy a life of luxury in his retirement from sled work, and was bred over the next several years, laying down the foundation for the modern Siberian sled dog breeds,[2] known as the "Seppala Siberian Sleddog" line of huskies. Perhaps it was because of his hybridization, or because it was not expected that an untrained dog could lead the rest, but the truth is that Balto was able to find the way and in much less time than expected. This would eventually prove a valuable early experience, as it was difficult to teach a lead dog to keep a wide berth of oncoming teams. [1][2] He was named Cugu [tso`go], which means puppy in Northern Sami language, and later after the Japanese Admiral, Tōgō Heihachirō. He would attack the lead dogs of oncoming teams, "as if ... to clear the way for his master". Togo (October 17, 1913 – December 5, 1929) was the lead sled dog of Leonhard Seppala and his dog sled team in the 1925 serum run to Nome across central and northern Alaska. The dog appears in most of the Nancy Drew novels. "Dedicated to the indomitable spirit of the sled dogs that relayed antitoxin six hundred miles over rough ice, across treacherous waters, through Arctic blizzards from Nenana to the relief of stricken Nome in the winter of 1925. The True Story of Balto, the Dog that Became a Hero, The True Story of Hachiko - The Faithful Dog, Siberian huskies were more resilient and lighter than the Alaskan malamute, The Story of Laika: The First Dog in Space. [2], Before the night the temperature dropped to −40 °F (−40 °C), and the wind increased to 65 mi/h (105 km/h). As he did not seem suited to be a sled dog, Seppala gave him away to be a pet dog at 6 months of age. Click to attach a photo related to your comment. The story of Balto is one of the most captivating real events in US history and proves that dogs are capable of incredible feats. Togo was the best dog that ever traveled the Alaska trail. After his death, Seppala had him custom mounted. I married and moved to San Diego in 1958. [10], The return trip crossed the exposed open ice of the Norton Sound. He was given this name in memory of the Norwegian explorer Samuel Balto, popular in Nome during the gold rush. Without guidance or prompting, Togo leapt into the water, took the broken line in his mouth, spun around to wrap it around his shoulders twice fashioning a makeshift harness, and pulled the ice floe to shore, his team with it. Unfortunately, the diphtheria vaccine was not available in Nome, so a telegram was sent to find out where they could find more injections. as Cathy wrote, Togo was the true hero who ran over 250 miles where as Balto did the last leg of 50. Somehow, I have to believe we were destined to be friends. The sled dog who did the lion's share of the work was Togo. They returned to shore to cross Little McKinley Mountain, climbing 5,000 feet (1,500 m). [4], Togo was ill as a young puppy and required intensive nursing from Seppala's wife. The story of Balto is one of the most captivating real events in US history and proves that dogs are capable of incredible feats. AnimalWised will now tell you the true story of Balto, the dog that became a hero. [18] Willem Dafoe stars in the film as Leonhard Seppala, the owner of Togo. [3] Initially, he did not When they realized they could not receive the necessary vaccines, about 20 inhabitants of Nome committed themselves to a dangerous journey. The 1925 Nome Serum Run saved thousands of Alaskans from diphtheria. [22], Sled dog who ran in the 1925 serum run to Nome, Alaska, Leonhard Seppala with sled dogs from his kennel. The closest ones were in the city of Anchorage, 537 miles away. Balto was a Siberian husky who was born in Nome, a small town in Alaska in 1923. In New York City, Seppala drove his team from the steps of City Hall along Fifth Avenue and made a pass through Central Park. However, Togo continued to cause trouble by breaking out of the kennel when Seppala took the team out on runs. It took over 100 sled dogs for the mission to look for the injections. TOGO was the real hero that ran the toughest part of the trip . These are the top 10 most famous dogs in history that graced the silver screen, seen wartime, participated in scientific discoveries and did a lot more. This is NOT AT ALL THE WHOLE STORY. Seppala had no choice but to put him in a harness to control him, and was surprised that Togo instantly settled down. In 1925, when the temperatures were around -30 ° C, the town of Nome was affected by diphtheria. Yes he’s a true hero. One such occasion was during a crossing of the Norton Sound in a deadly northeast gale; Seppala had ordered Togo to turn in order to avoid a crack forming in the ice, and immediately after doing so Togo abruptly stopped and somersaulted backwards into the rest of the team without being commanded to stop moving. The dog had become such an important symbol in Japan that donations were made to erect a bronze statue of him in the exact spot he had faithfully waited for his master. Siberian huskies were more resilient and lighter than the Alaskan malamute, the original dogs of the area, so they were very useful. I maybe encourage his history and I will remember his story no matter what. Balto is a 1995 American live-action/animated adventure film directed by Simon Wells, produced by Amblin Entertainment and distributed by Universal Pictures. Togo was one of the offspring of former lead dog Suggen and the female Siberian import Dolly. I grew up in Cleveland, Ohio. [4], Togo went on to become one of Seppala's most treasured dogs, a close and mutually beneficial relationship that would continue to the end of Togo's life. The sled dog who did the lion's share of the work was Togo. 14 Of The Coolest Comic Books Starring Dogs. [10], In October 1926, Seppala, Togo, and a team of dogs went on a tour from Seattle, Washington to California; Seppala and Togo drew large crowds at stadiums and department stores, and even appeared in a Lucky Strike cigarette campaign. During the impromptu race, all those involved endured temperatures of around -40 ° C, strong winds, icy paths and complicated mountainous areas. The success of Seppala's races and the celebrity afforded to the dogs and mushers by the Serum Run, allowed Seppala to begin a Siberian dog kennel and partnership with Elizabeth M. Ricker in Poland Spring, Maine. From then on, every March, Iditarod's polar dog race, which runs from Anchorage to Nome. Keep reading, you won't want to miss this! The team appeared multiple times at Madison Square Garden, which was being managed by Tom Rickard, formerly of Nome, and where on December 30, Togo was awarded a gold medal by Roald Amundsen.[11]. And of course, all who participated in that dangerous adventure. [15] In 2001 finally got an individual statue, but of a minor size initially at New York City's Lower East Side and later moved to Seward Park. Togo understood and dug in, however the line snapped, suddenly leaving Seppala and the team stranded. At the time, the annual All-Alaska Sweepstakes dog sled race, which ran from Nome to Candle, was very popular and comprised 408 miles in total. Balto died on March 14, 1933. His journey, fraught with white-out storms, was the longest by 200 miles and included a traverse across perilous Norton Sound — where he saved his team and driver in a courageous swim through ice floes. Inside the statue was the bow of the solo violinist. As Seppala recalls in his memoir, Seppala: Alaskan Dog Driver, “I resented the statue to Balto, for if any dog deserved special mention, it was Togo. Later he was embalmed and we can now find him at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Unable to spare extra time dealing with the young Togo’s antics, Seppala tethered him inside the kennel with instructions left to not let him free until he and the team were well and gone. A kennel handler noticed and cut the dog down from the fencing, but before he could grab him, Togo took off to follow the team’s trail. History and Names.