Dog Names Meaning Tough

One of the toughest canines to ever walk the face of the Earth has been portrayed in the history books and film. He was a Siberian Husky named Balto. Balto was born in 1919. The fluffy black and white puppy was named after the Sami explorer Samuel Balto. He was mainly used as a sled dog to transport supplies to the miners in Alaska’s gold fields.

In 1925, a life-threatening diphtheria plague broke out in Nome, Alaska. The outbreak threatened the children of the city and without proper care, the disease was almost always fatal. The nearest vaccine was located at a hospital in Anchorage. A train could take the vaccine half way but the remaining 674 miles across frozen tundra would have to be undertaken by dog sleds. The vaccine was packed into cylinders and prepared for the long trip.

Twenty dog teams signed on to make the perilous trek. They faced extreme conditions with ongoing blizzards and temperatures dipping below -40 Fahrenheit. Norwegian Gunnar Kaasen participated in the last leg of the journey with his sled dog team, led by Balto. For 20 hours, Balto led the team through a virtual whiteout to get the serum safely to the people of Nome.

A statue of Balto was erected in New York City’s Central Park to commemorate his heroic trek. Unfortunately, Balto and his sled mates ended up being sold to a vaudeville show where they faced horrible conditions. The canines eventually ended up at a museum in Los Angeles where George Kimble, a former boxer, discovered them. He worked to rescue the dogs from the less than ideal conditions. The dogs would finally be allowed to retire to the Cleveland Zoo where Balto would die in 1933. His remains would be stuffed by a taxidermist and given to the  Cleveland Museum of Natural History. The museum occasionally lends Balto out to other museums so visitors can learn about his heroic adventures while viewing his exhibit.

In 1965, Carl Barks wrote a book depicting the life of Balto but he called the book Balko. Finally, in 1995, an animated film named ‘Balto’ was made to introduce young audiences to the brave black and white Siberian Husky who had saved the lives of so many children by steadfastly plunging onward through a blinding snowstorm, raging river, unrelenting winds, and bone-chilling cold mile after mile  

Nowadays, the trail that Balto followed to get the diphtheria vaccine to the residents of Nome is known as the Iditarod Trail. Every year, a historic sled dog race takes place. Sled masters and their dog teams follow in Balto’s footsteps to recreate the historic journey.