Siberian Husky
Dogs
Siberian Husky
Siberian Husky |
Four-year-old grey and white Siberian
|
Alternative names |
Chukcha, Chuksha |
Country of origin |
Russia
(Siberia) |
Common nicknames |
Siberian, Husky |
Classification and breed standards |
FCI: |
Group 5 Section 1 #270 |
AKC: |
Working |
ANKC: |
Group 6 (Utility) |
CKC: |
Group 3 (Working) |
KC (UK): |
Working |
NZKC: |
Utility |
UKC: |
Nothern Breeds |
Not recognized by any major kennel club |
This breed of dog is
extinct |
Notes |
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A working
dog breed that originated in eastern
Siberia, the
Siberian Husky is a medium-sized
dog, 35 to 60 pounds
(16 to 27 kg) in weight, 20 to 23.5 inches (51 to 60 cm) in height, originally
bred by the
Chukchi tribes for use as a village dog, herding the
reindeer,
pulling sledges,
and guarding the women and children.
Appearance
Siberians have a dense
double-layer coat that comes in a variety of colours and patterns, usually
with white feet and legs, facial markings, and tail tip. The most common colors
are black and white, grey and white, copper red and white, and pure white,
though many individuals have brown, reddish, or biscuit shadings and some are
piebald spotted. Striking masks, spectacles, and other facial markings occur in
wide variety.
Eyes
Their eyes are brown, hazel, or blue. The light blue eye colour is
characteristic but incompletely dominant. The breed may have one eye brown or
hazel and the other blue, or may have blue and another colour mixed in the iris
of one or both eyes; this latter trait is sometimes called "bi-eyed" by Siberian
enthusiasts. This might be the only breed for which different-colored eyes are
allowed in the show ring.
Ears
Its ears are triangular, well-furred, and erect; its fox-like brush tail is
carried in a sickle
curve over the back.
Coat
The Siberian Husky's coat consists of two layers, a dense, cashmere-like
undercoat
and a longer coarser
topcoat
consisting of straight
guard hairs.
Siberians usually shed their undercoat once or twice a year, producing
prodigious quantities of fur; the process is commonly referred to as blowing
their coat. Dogs that live primarily indoors often shed year round, so the
shedding is less profuse—but constant. Therefore, an owner might have a Siberian
that sheds lightly all year, or a Siberian that blows its complete coat twice a
year. A strong steel comb helps in removing the dense handfuls of hair that come
loose while the dog is blowing its coat. Otherwise, grooming is minimal; bathing
is normally unnecessary as the coat sheds dirt. Well and healthy Siberians have
no odor.
Temperament
2-year-old male
Popular as family pets and as
show dogs
due to their striking appearance and gentle temperament, Siberians have certain
drawbacks. Although normally quite tractable, affectionate and docile with
people, they have a strong hunting drive and will kill cats, rabbits, chickens,
squirrels and other birds and small animals; they have been known to savage
sheep. They should be kept in secure enclosures as they will not always come to
call and will often disappear on long hunting trips; they cannot be allowed to
run loose. Siberians are also accomplished escape artists and diggers, so it is
important to check enclosures frequently for any potential escape routes.
Siberians are trainable to a certain degree, but patience is necessary. They are
independent in nature and not given to blind obedience to every command.
Seven-week-old Siberian
Health
Siberians are normally rather healthy dogs, living typically from eleven to
fifteen years of age. Health issues in the breed are eye troubles (cataracts,
glaucoma,
and
corneal dystrophy among others),
allergies,
and cancer in
older animals.
Hip
dysplasia occurs but is not a major concern in the breed. This breed needs a
high-quality diet with high levels of protein and fat, particularly when used
for dogsledding.
That said, Siberian Huskies are rather fuel efficient dogs, consuming less food
than other dogs of similar size and activity level. The diet must be adjusted to
their level of work and exercise; obesity can be a problem for underexercised,
overfed pets.
History
The Siberian Husky is widely believed to have originated exclusively with the
Coastal Chukchi
tribes of the east-Siberian peninsula. There is evidence, however, that Siberian
dogs were also imported from the
Koryak and
Kamchadal
tribes. Recent
DNA
analysis confirms that this is one of the
oldest breeds of dog.[1]
Dogs from the
Anadyr
River and surrounding regions were imported into
Alaska from
1908 (and for the next two decades) during the
gold rush
for use as
sleddogs, especially in the
All-Alaska Sweepstakes (AAS), a 408 mile (657 km) distance dogsled race from
Nome
to
Candle and back. Smaller, faster and more enduring than the 100 120 pound
(45 to 54 kg) freighting dogs then in general use, they immediately dominated
the Nome Sweepstakes.
Leonhard Seppala, a Norwegian fisherman turned gold miner, became involved
with Siberian dogs when he was asked by his employer to train a group of females
and pups for the 1914
AAS. After a poor start his first year, Seppala dominated the races thereafter.
In 1925 he was a
key figure in the
1925 serum run to Nome which delivered
diphtheria
serum from Nenana by dogsled after the city was stricken by an epidemic. The
Iditarod
trail race commemorates this famous delivery. The following year two groups of
Seppala’s dogs toured the
USA,
starting a mania for
sleddogs
and
dogsled racing, particularly in the
New
England states.
In 1930 the last
Siberians were exported as the Soviet government closed the borders of
Siberia to
external trade. The same year saw recognition of the Siberian Husky by the
American Kennel Club. Nine years later the breed was first registered in
Canada. Today’s registered Siberian Huskies are largely the descendants of the
1930 Siberia imports and of
Leonhard Seppala’s dogs.
Miscellaneous
Dogsled racing
Siberians are still used occasionally as
sleddogs in
dogsled racing but have been widely replaced by the more popular
Alaskan Husky and hound-type crossbreds that are specially bred and selected
for speed and have less heavy coats. Siberian Huskies were designed to pull a
light load over long distances at a medium pace, and simply can't keep up with
their faster counterparts. Siberians are still popular in races restricted to
purebreds and are faster than other pure sleddogs breeds such as the
Samoyed and
Alaskan Malamute. Today the breed tends to divide along lines of “racing”
Siberians versus “show” Siberians.
Apart from dogsled racing, they are very popular for recreational mushing and
are also used for
skijoring
(one to three dogs pulling a skier) and European
ski-pulka. A few owners use them for dog-packing and hiking. They have also
seen use as therapy dogs.
Famous Huskies
- Togo (dog), Leonhard Seppala's famous leader.
- "Exile" from
Road
Rovers
- Balto
(Although there is some dispute over whether Balto was a Siberian Husky or
an
Alaskan Malamute or possibly a hybrid of the two.)
- The sled team from the
Disney movie
Snow Dogs
- Diefenbaker from the hit television series
Due South
External links
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