 Togo was the sole puppy in his later when he was born. He was smaller than the typical dog, and he suffered from a severe ailment that caused his throat to expand. Togo resisted being confined, and was difficult and mischievous. He once made an attempt to jump a 7 foot fence, but got caught on the wiring. He was unruly around harness sled dogs, just like he is in the movie. After Sopala tried to give him away to a woman who wanted to keep him as a pet, Togo actually escaped by jumping through a window pane. The real life Sopala was astonished by the harness's results. Sopala finally grasped what Togo had wanted all these months, to be a member of the squad. As the 8 month old Togo transitioned from annoying to serious, Togo covered 75 miles on this first day, a feat unheard of for a young dog. He was dubbed a natural born leader, and an infant prodigy by Sopala.