Hundeskool LLC - Dog Training Upstate

12/07/2025

The story of Togo ❤️

In Memoriam: the great TOGO, passed December 5, 1929, at Brunswick, Maine. "Possibly the most heroic animal of all time, Togo was 16 years old at the time of his death." ❤

The world celebrates Balto, but the man who ran the most dangerous leg of the 1925 'Great Race of Mercy,' Leonhard Seppala, always knew the truth: the real hero was Togo.

Born small, sickly, and deemed useless, this rambunctious Siberian Husky defied all expectations. Given away as a pet, Togo escaped, shattered a window, and ran 75 miles back to his musher. Seppala finally saw the spirit in the "trouble" dog and named him after a small admiral who won a great war. Togo quickly became the greatest endurance sled dog in history, known for his intelligence and uncanny ability to sense thin ice.

In 1925, when a deadly diphtheria epidemic struck Nome, the only hope was a desperate 674-mile dog sled relay for the antitoxin. Seppala and the 12-year-old Togo were chosen for the most critical stretch. They didn't just run; they covered an astonishing 261 miles—more than four times the distance of any other single team—driving straight into a massive blizzard.

Togo's most legendary moment came while crossing the volatile ice of Norton Sound. Stranded on a drifting ice floe in a hurricane-force wind, Togo risked everything. With the serum and his musher's life at stake, he miraculously dragged the anchor, leapt a 5-foot gap, and pulled the entire floe to safety.

Exhausted but unbroken, Togo completed his record-breaking run, covering 40% of the entire relay distance and surviving the greatest peril. Though Balto took the final, celebrated leg and earned the statue, it was Togo who performed the impossible feat of endurance. He truly was the greatest dog of the Serum Run—a testament to an unbreakable spirit and the silent, deep partnership between a musher and his dog.
* * *
"Animals speak a language that doesn't use words. It is a language of trust, of healing, of struggle, and of unconditional love. When we read their stories, they don't just survive— they are the ones who teach us about life. ❤️
But I realized something lately: Social media moves too fast. A story is posted today and forgotten tomorrow. These animals deserve more than just a 'scroll.' They deserve a legacy.
So, I did something about it. I am so proud to finally tell you: I have written a digital book. 📖 It is a collection of our most powerful journeys. This isn't just an ebook; it is a permanent home for the stories that brought this community together.
The Big Launch is happening soon!
I will be releasing the first copies and a special message exclusively inside my Community Channel before anywhere else.
If you want to be the first to hold these stories in your heart, join us inside .
👉 Tap my Profile -> Click "Born Legend: Inner Circle" in the bio -> Tap Join.
Let’s make this legend last forever. 🦁"

12/04/2025

So well written I had to share.

I made a terrible decision today. Or maybe a beautiful one. Hard to tell when you’re living with a 165-pound Great Dane named Moose, who approaches life with the coordination of a sun-dazed giraffe and the innocence of a preschooler hopped up on sugar.

After surviving the trauma of the vet’s office (he cried, I cried, the vet probably cried), I decided he deserved a reward. A big one. A brand-new toy.

A sensible human would have clicked “Add to Cart” on Amazon and called it a day. A sensible human would have remembered the size of their dog and the fragility of… everything. Unfortunately, I am not sensible. I am a Great Dane parent. We don’t think—we simply commit.

And so, Moose and I ventured into the Pet Superstore.

The chaos began before we’d fully entered. Moose does not trust automatic doors. He thinks they’re magic, or possibly possessed. When they whooshed open, he froze, causing a mini-traffic jam behind us. After studying the threshold like an archaeologist evaluating a cursed artifact, he finally leapt inside—like a tranquilized elk attempting ballet.

Inside, the sensory explosion hit him. Biscuit smells. Toy squeaks. The trembling aura from the hamster aisle. His tail—an unguided missile—began its deadly dance.

WHAP. There went a display of kale chips.
THUNK. Plastic crates trembled under his mighty tail-drumming.

I apologized profusely while pretending to control him, though in reality I was clinging to his leash like a passenger being dragged behind a runaway boat.

When we reached the toy aisle, Moose entered a state of holy enlightenment. He approached the bin of rubber chickens like a monk approaching a sacred shrine. He selected one, looked deep into my soul, and chomped down.

SCREEEEEEEEEEEEE.

The sound? Think dying bagpipes mixed with existential despair.

He adored it. He had discovered his true calling.

Everything was manageable until we encountered… him.
The adversary.
The menace.
The villain of Moose’s story.

A senior, wheezing Pug named Barnaby.

Barnaby barked once—a tiny, asthmatic “woof.” Moose, who could flatten him like a pancake but believes in peace and diplomacy, lost his mind. His feet skidded, scrambling in place like a cartoon character on a waxed floor. And in his attempt to escape this fierce little gremlin, he backed into a towering display of calming h**p treats.

I saw the future. It wasn’t good.

“Moose. Freeze.”

He did not freeze. He spun. His tail hit the structure.

CRAAAAAAAAASH.

Down poured bags of anxiety chews, burying us in a mountain of irony so thick it should’ve been studied by philosophers. Moose trembled behind me, trying to compress his enormous body into the size of a peanut while clutching his screaming chicken.

The Pug toddled away smugly. Barnaby: 1. Moose: 0.

An employee rushed over. I prepared to be escorted out.

Instead she squealed, “OH MY GOD, IS THAT A GREAT DANE?!” and immediately threw herself into Moose’s gravitational field of charm. He leaned all 165 pounds on her. She swooned. They bonded. I quietly restored the ruins of the h**p-treat tower.

Ten minutes later, Moose was surrounded by staff doting on him like he was some kind of royal exile. Meanwhile, I looked like I’d just escaped a natural disaster.

At checkout, the cashier scanned the rubber chicken. I reached for my card. Moose tried to “help” by resting his massive head on the counter… and then, as if guided by Murphy’s Law, a long, glossy ribbon of drool descended from his mouth.

We watched it fall in slow motion.

SPLAT.

Right on the keypad.

“I—I don’t have a napkin,” I whispered, broken.

The cashier just laughed. “Sweetheart, I own a Mastiff. This is nothing.”

Moose strutted back to the car like he’d just completed a successful diplomatic mission. He climbed in, curled up, gave his new chicken a sleepy little squeak, and looked at me with soft, trusting eyes.

And that’s when it hit me:
Yes, I had been humiliated.
Yes, Moose destroyed half a store.
Yes, I now carried the scent of drool and defeat.

But seeing him that blissfully happy? Worth it a thousand times over.

Still… next time?
Amazon.
Definitely Amazon.

12/01/2025

Sweet Darby, 7 months old Greyhound puppy. So much love and sooo much speed 🤣 But also a very smart cookie!

11/22/2025

11/13/2025

Remi ❤️ love how he checked to see if I was still there. Such a fun pup.

11/11/2025

Doberman Endy

10/20/2025

09/26/2025

Volunteers needed.

We could still use a few more volunteers for our upcoming trial on Oct 4-5 in Gray Court, SC. If you are new to scentwork, this is a great opportunity to learn how trials work and get to see multiple dogs work. No prior experience needed! Sign up here! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdNjQL3dpbW08UYSe6t4uonMUhvA_zHQ8hw9sYs1akX6TxF7Q/viewform

09/23/2025

Tova is a bit water shy but today after our hike she was brave enough to cross the stream. We also went to grab some lunch and both did just great.

09/15/2025

Ozzie is the perfect certified assistant and best distraction ever. Remi did wonderful though.

08/29/2025

Ernie had a great day out and about with his owners today. All are doing very well free only 2 weeks.

08/27/2025

Good training session with Sarah & Remie.