• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Team Ineka

Mushin Down a Dream

  • The Dogs
  • Mushers
    • Michele Forto
    • Nicole Forto
    • Robert Forto
  • Blog
  • Contact Us
  • Home

Iditarod

Mushing Legends: Short Seeley

February 16, 2010 by teamineka

Short Seeley and Wonalancet Farm

By Robert Forto

A large measure of the success of the Siberian Husky and the Alaskan Malamute as purebred sled and show dogs is given to a small sprightly woman known as “Short” Seeley. When Arthur Walden left New Hampshire to go with Admiral Byrd, he left his Chinook kennels in the more than capable hands of Milton and Eva Seeley.  The enthusiasm and complete professional dedication which the Seeley’s lavished on northern dogs influenced (and still does) the status of these dogs all over the world.

At Wonalancet Farm and kennels during the late 1920’s the Seeley’s established a school for dogs and dog drivers. The graduates of this school, both human and canine, have gone on Antarctic expeditions, served in the United States Armed Forces and made names for themselves on the sport racing trails. The kennel and training school at Wonalancet is the oldest privately run school in operation anywhere, and up until 1955, Short Seeley supplied dogs for the United States Navy’s Operation Deepfreeze in Antarctica.

The dogs favored by the Seeley’s were Alaskan Malamutes and Siberian Huskies. It was primarily through their efforts that a true-to-type Alaskan Malamute was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1938. The Seeley’s organized the Alaskan Malamute Club of America and kept the New England Sled Dog Club in business after its first president went to Antarctica.  Mrs. Seeley herself was one of three women who raced the New England trails during the 1930’s. She was also the only woman to race sled dogs in the 1932 Olympics. Later in life, Mrs. Seeley had minimal involvement in the operation of her kennel while she was traveling all over the country as a judge for the American Kennel Club, working on books about her life and her dogs.

Mrs. Seeley, as the operator of Chinook Kennels for over fifty years, had seen over two thousand dogs enter her gates. The accomplishments of these dogs and the achievements of the kennels have been nationally recognized. Admiral Byrd visited in the early thirties, and a plaque was dedicated to all the sled dogs that served on the Byrd Expedition. In 1971, Senator Norris Colton, of New Hampshire, read a tribute to Short Seeley into the congressional record citing in particular her excellent contributions to the world of northern dogs. Mrs. Seeley was also honored by election to the Dog Mushers’ Hall of Fame. At the time of her election, she was one of only two women to be so distinguished.

____________________

Dr. Robert Forto is a professional musher and races under the Team Ineka banner. Dr. Forto can be reached th

Filed Under: Mushing Tagged With: #dogs, #dogtraining, denver dog works, dog doctor radio, dog sledding, dog training denver, forto, Iditarod, ineka, ineka project, Mushing, pet training denver, robert forto, sled dogs, team ineka

If You’re Not the Lead Dog the View Never Changes

February 13, 2010 by teamineka

If You’re Not the Lead Dog the View Never Changes

By Robert Forto, PhD

On the next edition of The Dog Doctor Radio Show http://tinyurl.com/dogdoc , Dr. Robert Forto will welcome motivational speaker, corporate trainer and the author of the book Iditarod Leadership,Unleashing the Power of the Team, Chris Fuller.

Fuller the CEO of Texas based, Influence Leadership has developed a cutting edge corporate leadership program based on the allegory of the Iditarod that was born during a corporate training development project for John Maxwell’s 360 Degree Leader principles. “I was looking for an illustration to bring the concept to life and the old saying ‘if you’re not the lead dog the view never changes’, a quote that I have used for many years in building sales organizations,” says Fuller.

In Fuller’s corporate training program he develops people in the team concept often used in the Iditarod dog sled race. The concept is refined by placing these team members in a strategic position it provides the opportunity for them to contribute to the team, not just become the rank and file. “As I looked a littler further, I realized that it was a perfect illustration for how to view leadership,” said Fuller.

While Fuller is not a musher, he is in heart. He grew up in Texas where they don’t get much snow and as he was building out the concept for his book and subsequent training program he wanted to make sure it was authentic. He flew to Nome during the 2008 Iditarod sled dog race and spent the week with three time Iditarod competitor, Nils Hahn learning to mush and loved it.

In Fuller’s leadership training program he teaches practical, straightforward principles all over the world. His accompanying book is a quick read and is designed to pique the interest of his readers and draw them into this unique concept of corporate and business training. “People, learn through stories,” says Fuller.

In his book and in his training system he tells these stories first and then research proves up the story. Just one example is how to apply the positions on a dog team; leader, wheel, swing, and point and use those positions to harness the power of any organization or business.

Fuller’s next training conference will be held in Anchorage, AK on March 4, 2010 at the Millennium Hotel from 9 am to 4 pm. If you would like to sign up for the conference, buy his book or find out more information please visit Fuller’s web site at http://www.influenceleadership.com

Filed Under: Mushing Tagged With: #dogs, #dogtraining, chris fuller, corporate training, dog doctor radio, dog sledding, dog training denver, forto, Iditarod, ineka, leadership, Mushing, pet training denver, robert forto, sled dogs, sport racing, team ineka

  • « Go to Previous Page
  • Go to page 1
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Go to page 10
  • Go to page 11
  • Go to page 12

Primary Sidebar

Join us on Facebook

Join us on Facebook

Dog Training

Dog Training

Trips

Trips

Listen to our Podcast

Listen to our Podcast

Copyright © 2021 First Paw Media