Life with Siberian Huskies

My dogs prefer sprints over distance. They can do both, but to bring out the best in them, you have to figure out where their head is. In this case, these dogs like speed. It sure makes training runs go a lot faster than doing miles and miles at a reasonable rate that conserves energy for the whole trip.

I decided to take a chance and see what would happen if I bred two entirely different styles of racing dogs together. I chose the best two leaders I have to be the parents of the litter.

Sire: Togo of Seppalta-II: He’s a Seppala Siberian Sled dog with direct lines back to where it started. Leonhard Seppala, best known for the 1925 serum run against a diphtheria outbreak in Nome, Alaska. Togo is not only a beautiful male with a spectacular pedigree, but an absolute leader on the trail.

Bitch: Maple: She is from the world champion sprint dog lines of Streeper Kennels. With multiple world championships under their belt, Streeper is the top of the line of sled dogs in sprint racing.

They will be 5 months old on January 16 and weigh between 40 and 50 pounds. So far, I’m very impressed by how lovable they are to humans. More so than the somewhat aloof Siberians. They are very leggy, tall, and long. All good things for speed. However, it will be a year or two before their performance can be evaluated. The future looks bright for these 8 souls: 4 Males and 4 Females.

Having just turned 2 years old, the five girls of the SnoMotion team have matured into dynamo’s. Led by a 3-year-old Seppala Siberian named “Togo of Seppalta,” they have doubled their power and speed. It’s a beautiful thing to run with them!

I’ve been remiss to this site for quite a while. Taking care of the dogs seems to take a lot of time. Feeding, Health needs, exercise, and of course just hanging out with these members of our family. April 7th marked the 2nd birthday of the Good Friday litter. Over the last two years, we’ve logged about 1500 miles via ATV, Sled, and snowmobile.

It’s interesting to see the different personalities of these siblings. Maddy is always the first one to come and get her harness on. She wags her tail in a circle like a propeller about to take off. Emma is the steady one who never gets too wound up about anything. Sophie is a happy soul who takes abuse from her other siblings without getting mad. She never shirks her part on the team. Janie is the serious one who is working on being a good leader. Maple is my sprint girl who always smiles and is the only non-Siberian in the pack. Such an affectionate girl and blazing fast compared to the Sibes.

At almost 5 years old, Ivan has given up his desire to lead to Togo. He still runs with the team and is my backup when the young leaders mess up. If things go really wrong due to wildlife, people, free running dogs, etc., or other reasons…Ivan is still my go-to boy to pull us out of a bad situation.

Leaders of the Pack: (Left to right) Snomotions: Togo of Seppalta-II, and Ivan

I have to add our newest addition, Ms. Maple. She hails from the world-famous Streeper Kennels and is a sprint dog. She is so sweet and so fast!

Training season is upon us. I now have a team and hope to run the CanAm Crown in March, provided I can prepare the dogs in time. The puppies are part of the team now and doing great. You can find me and more about SnoMotion Siberian Huskies on Facebook. Todd Johnson.

9/28/23 Togo of Seppalta is 1 year old. As of today, he has 336 miles in harness. 98% of that running dual lead with Ivan. He’s as big and tall as Ivan, and they weigh 70 lbs.

Togo has also become a great house dog. Ivan has taught him well. One of these days, I’ll try him running single-lead and see how he does.

I’ve been so busy preparing for winter and taking care of dogs. It’s hard to find time for this venue. I post on Facebook more often.

These pups have done great from birth to their first time in harness the other day. Growing large as that’s what I’m aiming for. They now range from 35-45 lbs. That’s huge for the five girls and one boy.