Siberian Husky

Siberian Husky
A black-and-white Siberian Husky female
Other names	Chukcha Chuksha Keshia
Common nicknames	Sibe Siberian Husky
Origin	Russia (Siberia)
Kennel club standards Fédération Cynologique Internationale standard
Dog (domestic dog)

The Siberian Husky is a medium-sized, dense-coated working dog breed that originated in eastern Siberia, belonging to the Spitz genetic family. It is recognizable by its thickly-furred double coat, sickle tail, erect triangular ears and distinctive markings.

An active, energetic and resilient breed whose ancestors came from the extremely cold and harsh environment of the Siberian Arctic, it was imported into Alaska during the Nome Gold Rush and spread from there into the United States and Canada, initially as a sled dog. It rapidly acquired the status of a family pet and a show-dog, no longer as much used as a sled dog as formerly; today it has been largely replaced in dogsled racing by crossbreds.

Appearance

Siberian Huskies share many outward similarities with the Alaskan Malamute as well as many other spitz breeds such as the Samoyed, which has a comparable history to the Huskies. Siberians have a thicker coat than most other breeds of dog. It comes in a variety of colors and patterns, usually with white paws 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. They tend to have a wolf-like appearance. Though the breed is not related to the wolf any closer than any other breed of dog, it is thought they maintained this appearance through isolated breeding of Siberia.

A copper-coloured "bi-eyed" Siberian Husky exhibiting "snow nose"

Eyes

Their eyes are brown, blue, amber, green, hazel or light brown. The light blue eye color is also part of the characteristic, but not completely dominant genetically. The breed may have one eye brown or hazel and the other blue (called "bi-eyed") or may have blue and another color mixed in the iris of one or both eyes; this latter trait, heterochromia, is called "parti-eyed" by Siberian enthusiasts. This is one of the few breeds for which different-colored eyes are allowed in the show ring. The Siberian Husky is one of the few dog breeds where blue eyes are common. No preference to eye color is given in the breed show ring, as it does not influence the dog's ability to pull a sled.

Ears and tail

Its ears are triangular, well-furred, medium-sized, and erect. Their ears are soft and they have very good hearing. Its fox-like brush tail is carried in a sickle curve over the back, and trails behind the dog in motion. Most Siberian Huskies' have a white tip on the end of their tail.

Coat

The Siberian Husky's coat consists of two layers, a dense, cashmere-like undercoat and a longer coarser topcoat consisting of short, straight guard hairs. This top coat can actually be two different colors, and it's not unusual to find it growing white then black then white on the same piece of fur. Siberians Husky's shed their undercoat two times a year or with the change of seasons; the process is commonly referred to as "blowing their coat". Otherwise, grooming is minimal; bathing is normally unnecessary as the coat sheds dirt. When grooming, most of the work needs to be done on the rear legs, as this is an area which does not naturally lose as much fur as the rest of the animal. The dog should be brushed when the fur starts to clump. Healthy Siberians have little odor. A properly groomed coat is also important especially if the dog has an affinity for playing in water, as the risk of developing fungal infections with a wet undercoat should be taken into consideration if the husky has not been properly brushed.Their coat can be likened to that of their closest relative the Samoyed but is not as big or dense.

Nose

Like all dogs, the Husky's nose is normally cool and moist. In some instances, Siberians can exhibit what is called 'snow nose' or 'winter nose'. Technically called "hypopigmentation", it results from loss of sunlight, and causes the nose (or parts of it) to fade to brown or pink in winter. The normal color returns as summer approaches. Snow nose also occurs in other light-coated breeds; the color change can become permanent in older dogs, especially red & white and cream colored Siberians, though it is not associated with disease.

Size

There is a large variation in size among Huskies, and breed standards state that height at the withers and weight should always be proportional to each other. The approximate measurements:

• Males
  • Height: 21 to 23.5 inches (53.5 to 60 cm)
  • Weight: 45 to 60 lb (20.5 to 28 kg)
• Females
  • Height: 20 to 22 in. (50.5 to 56 cm)
  • Weight: 35 to 50 lb (15.5 to 23 kg)

Temperament

A blue-eyed Siberian

Despite their sometimes intimidating yet beautiful wolf-like appearance, Siberian Huskies generally have a gentle temperament. Being a working breed, Siberians are very energetic and enjoy the ability to explore and run. That, combined with their striking appearance, has made them popular as both family pets and as show dogs. Siberians can be extremely affectionate, curious (like all dogs), and welcoming to people; characteristics that usually render them as poor guard dogs. Properly socialized Siberians are most often quite gentle with children (although no child should be left unsupervised with dogs).

The harsh conditions in which Siberians originated rewarded a strong prey drive, as food was often scarce. Consequently, Siberians may instinctively attack animals such as house cats, birds, squirrels, rabbits, chickens, quail, and even deer, and have been known to savage sheep. However, many households enjoy harmonious, mixed "packs" of cats and Siberians; this works best when the dogs are raised with cats from puppyhood.

A 2000 study on dog bites resulting in human fatalities by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found fifteen such fatalities caused by "husky-type" dogs (excluding Alaskan Malamutes) between 1979 and 1997.. Most Huskies are not especially aggressive, but some dogs may have stronger prey drive than most, which may manifest itself in aggression towards humans.

Behavior

As with any dog breed, Siberian Huskies do have some qualities which some pet owners may find undesirable. Despite their affectionate nature, Siberian Huskies are not as subservient and eager to please their owners as some other popular breeds, and will sometimes refuse to perform a task unless given a better "motive" than simply pleasing their trainer. Siberian Huskies can be challenging to train due to their strong will and independent thinking. Proper training requires persistence and patience. Siberian Huskies are not generally recommended for first time dog owners, as their strong will and desire to run are difficult for inexperienced owners to manage.

Siberian Huskies have strong running instincts and therefore for their own safety should never be left to run free off-leash. They have little "homing instinct" and will run for long distances, and therefore should always be kept on a leash or in a fenced yard. Siberians also dig large holes and will show considerable ingenuity in escaping from fenced runs. As sled dogs they have a very strong desire to pull, thus good obedience training is recommended.

Siberians require exercise on a daily basis and a secure fence at all times. Although they do sometimes bark, they are more frequently known to "yodel", "howl", or "whoo", often vocalizing when excited, back-talking to their owners, or to initiate some play or challenge behavior with either human and canine companions.

Health

Siberians are normally rather healthy dogs, typically living 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 with high levels of protein and fat, particularly when used for dogsledding. That said, Siberian Huskies are 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. Due to their origins, Huskies do require some amount of fish oil in their diet, primarily for their coat and nails, which can become brittle without the fish oil. Most trainers/hobbyists recommend feeding Siberians sardines as a means to introduce fish oil into their diet, though flaxseed oil can be considered a less-expensive alternative to sardines.

Adoption

Because of their striking looks and generally friendly disposition, Huskies are often an attractive option for those who are unfamiliar with the unique requirements of the breed. As a result, Huskies are often adopted into homes that are ill-equipped. Huskies are attractive, athletic, and friendly. Huskies are not a good fit for low-energy households. Huskies are much better in all circumstances when raised by one owner and stay with that owner.

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 like their Samoyed cousins. 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 to 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 Sled Dog Race commemorates this famous delivery. This delivery is depicted in the children's movie Balto. 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. (To this day the University of Connecticut basketball team is still known as the UConn Huskies.)

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 Siberian Huskies registered in North America are largely the descendants of the 1930 Siberia imports and of Leonhard Seppala’s dogs.

Dogsled racing

A team of white Siberians mushing

Siberians are still used occasionally as sleddogs in dogsled racing but have been widely replaced by the more popular Alaskan Husky and hound-type crossbreeds that are specially bred and selected for speed and have less heavy coats. Freight Siberian Huskies were selectively bred to pull a medium 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 sled dog breeds such as the Samoyed and slower but much stronger Alaskan Malamute. Today the breed tends to divide along lines of “racing” Siberians versus “show” Siberians. The mixed breed, Alaskan Husky, has taken over much of the sledding world.

Apart from dog sled 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.

In the United Kingdom, husky racing on forest tracks using specially designed tricycles, known as rigs, instead of sledges is popular during the winter months.

Siberian Huskies in media and culture

• Balto, famous lead dog of the last team of the 1925 serum run to Nome.
• Togo, Leonhard Seppala's famous leader.
• Barko from the Uncle Scrooge story, "North of the Yukon"
• Exile from Road Rovers
• The sled team from the Disney movie Snow Dogs.
• Diefenbaker from the hit television series Due South.
• Six of the eight dogs on the sled team from the Disney movie Eight Below.
• Tusky Husky the Husky Alien from Krypto the Superdog
• Jenna from Balto, Balto 2: Wolf Quest, & Balto 3: Wings of Change
• Poppy, Galford's companion from Samurai Shodown
• Prue from Charmed turns into a white Siberian Husky in the episode Look Who's Barking.
• In The Sixth Sense, Haley Joel Osment's character "Cole" owns a puppy Siberian Husky. He is seen periodically throughout the movie.
• Shadow from the game Dead to Rights, is a Police dog but appears to be a more vicious husky.
• Jonathan, a white Siberian, is the official mascot of University of Connecticut.
• The wolf in Old Yeller was actually a black and white Siberian husky.
• King, mascot of Northeastern University.
• Kyoto, a white Siberian owned by the current leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, Stephane Dion. Kyoto was named after the Kyoto Protocol
• In the movie Transformers, various huskies were used by explorers who find Megatron frozen in the artic.
• Based on a true story, Iron Will, a film by Disney starring a group of Siberian Huskies and their young owner partaking a dog-sled race. Also starring Kevin Spacey.

External links

• The Siberian Husky Club of Great Britain
• The Siberian Husky Club of America
• The Siberian Husky Club of Canada
• Colors of the Siberian Husky
• The Siberian Husky Health Foundation
• Siberian Husky Rescue Organization
• Siberian Husky historic working bloodlines
• British Siberian Husky Racing Association
• Siberian Husky Resources: Personality, Rescue, Games & Wallaper