Inspired by Huskies: Legends, Places and Traditions

Reijo Jääskeläinen and the Cinematic Huskies of Levi

One of the most recognizable modern figures in Finnish sled dog culture is Reijo Jääskeläinen, a musher and dog trainer based in Levi, Lapland. He is the founder of Levi Husky Park, a kennel internationally known not only for sled dog activities, but also for preparing huskies for work in film and media.

Reijo Jääskeläinen has spent decades working with Siberian Huskies and Alaskan Huskies, focusing on functional working dogs-strong, calm, cooperative animals capable of performing reliably in extreme Arctic conditions. His philosophy combines traditional mushing knowledge with modern training methods that prioritize animal welfare, trust, and mental balance.

Huskies Trained for the Big Screen

Husky Park is widely known for supplying professionally trained huskies for international film productions, documentaries, and commercial shoots. Dogs from Levi have worked on productions requiring:

• Long-distance running on camera
• Calm behavior around film crews and equipment
• Authentic sled dog movement in snowy landscapes

Notably, Finland and Lapland were used as filming locations for Arctic scenes in major productions, which required highly trained sled dogs capable of working safely in harsh winter conditions. Finnish huskies, trained by experienced mushers like Jääskeläinen, were essential to achieving realism on screen.

Major Scandinavian Races

• Finnmarksløpet - Europe’s longest sled dog race, crossing Arctic plateaus and fjords
  
• Long-distance Lapland races in Finland and Sweden that preserve traditional mushing culture

World-Famous Races

• Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race - inspired by the historic serum routes
  
• Yukon Quest - considered one of the toughest endurance races on Earth

Arctic Expeditions & Records

Sled dogs have been used in modern polar expeditions to Greenland, Alaska, and northern Canada, proving that even today, huskies remain one of the most reliable forms of Arctic transport.

Some places carry the memory of sled dogs far beyond museums:

• Balto Statue - a global symbol of canine heroism. New York’s Central Park, near East Drive at 67th Street.
• Nome - forever linked to the 1925 Serum Run. Seward Peninsula, western Alaska, USA.
• Historic Arctic mail and trade routes used by sled teams

In Lapland, many winter trails still follow ancient migration and transport paths once traveled by sled dogs. These routes connect modern visitors with centuries of Arctic movement and survival.

Huskies entered global culture through powerful storytelling:

Balto

This animated classic introduced millions to the story of the 1925 Serum Run. While the film took creative liberties, it established the husky as a symbol of courage and loyalty, especially for younger audiences.

Togo

A more historically grounded portrayal of the same events, focusing on endurance, leadership, and the bond between musher and lead dog. The film helped restore recognition to working sled dogs and the realities of Arctic travel.

White Fang

Based on Jack London’s novel, this film reinforced the image of northern dogs as survivors shaped by wilderness rather than domestication.

Documentaries about Arctic expeditions and sled dog racing continue to use real huskies to portray authentic movement and behavior - something computer-generated imagery still struggles to replicate convincingly.

Long before cinema, Arctic dogs were central characters in classic adventure literature.

The Call of the Wild

Although Buck is a mixed-breed dog, the novel is deeply rooted in sled dog culture and reflects real practices from the Yukon and Alaska during the Gold Rush.

White Fang

Explores the life of a wolf-dog in the North, highlighting the fine line between wild instinct and human partnership.

These works shaped how generations understand northern dogs - not as trained tools, but as thinking, feeling beings capable of loyalty and choice.

Snow Dogs: Into the Wild

Gordon Buchanan embarks on a perilous dogsled journey through Canada’s breathtaking Yukon, forging close encounters with a team of seven remarkable huskies along the way.

Standing behind a sled, feeling the power of a husky team, and moving silently through the Arctic landscape offers a rare connection to history that books alone cannot provide.