Seppala Kennels

Seppala Kennels was the name used by four distinct historic Seppala breeding operations at different times extending from 1927 to the present day. Also the term may be more loosely applied to historic kennels that bred Seppala Siberians under their own kennel names or breeding affixes during that same period of time.

The first historic Seppala Kennels was the partnership of Leonhard Seppala and Elizabeth M. Ricker in Poland Spring, Maine. It did not last for a long time -- 1927 to 1931 -- but during its brief history it played a crucial role both in the founding of the Siberian Husky breed and the preservation of Seppala strain itself. At times it held as many as 160 dogs, but of its entire output, only around eight individuals were A.K.C. registered.

The second historic Seppala Kennels belonged to Harry R. Wheeler of St. Jovite Station, Quebec. In operation from around 1930 through 1950, it bred stock that was crucial to the growth and development of the Siberian Husky, both working bloodlines and show lines alike. Wheeler cooperated closely with the Belford Kennels of Dr. Alec Belford and his son Charles. Wheeler sold breeding stock to many key people in New England, particularly the Cold River Kennels of "Duchess" Marie Frothingham and her daughter Millie Turner. This kennel bred or owned the first fifty or so Siberian Huskies registered with the Canadian Kennel Club in Canada in 1939 and following years.

The third historic Seppala Kennels was that of C. S. MacLean and J. D. McFaul. This partnership purchased the remaining Wheeler stock along with the kennel name in 1950 when Wheeler withdrew from kennelling due to business pressures. They had previously bred Siberians since 1942 from stock obtained elsewhere, using the kennel name Gatineau, but that bloodline was phased out after the Wheeler buyout. Pure Seppalas were bred by the MacLean/McFaul partnership until the retirement of McFaul in 1963.

In 1993 J. Jeffrey Bragg and Isa Boucher returned to Canada, bringing with them two dozen pure-strain Seppalas acquired by them since 1990. They established the fourth Seppala Kennels in Grizzly Valley, Yukon Territory, near Lake Laberge north of Whitehorse. This kennel became the home of the Seppala Siberian Sleddog Project when they withdrew from the Canadian Kennel Club in 1996 to seek independent breed status for Seppalas. The kennel is still actively breeding Seppala Siberian Sleddogs in the Yukon.