Siberian Husky

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Siberian Husky

A black-and-white Siberian Husky male
Other names	Chukcha, Chuksha, Keshia
Nicknames	Sibe, Husky
Country of origin	Siberia, Russia
Traits Weight Male 45-60 pounds (20½-27kg) Female 35-50 pounds Height Male 21-23½ inches (53-60cm) Female 20-22 inches Coat Thick double coat - thick undercoat & soft outer coat. Color All colors from black to white Litter size 6-8 puppies[1] Life span 12-15 years
Classification & standards FCI Group 5 Section 1 #270 standard AKC Working standard ANKC Group 6 (Utility) standard CKC Group 3 (Working) standard KC (UK) Working standard NZKC Utility standard UKC Northern Breeds standard

The Siberian Husky (Russian: Сибирская лайка, Sibirskaya Laika) is a medium-size, dense-coat working dog breed that originated in eastern Siberia. The breed belongs 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 and were bred by the Chukchi of Northeastern Asia, 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.

[edit] Appearance

A brown colored female

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. They come 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, copper-red and white, grey and white, reddish-brown and white, and pure white, though many individuals have blondish, or piebald spotting. Striking masks, spectacles, and other facial markings occur in wide variety. They tend to have a wolf-like appearance.

[edit] Eyes

A "copper"-coloured Siberian Husky with heterochromia, a trait which is unusual in most dogs, but not uncommon among Siberian Huskies.

The eyes of a Siberian Husky are dark blue, light blue, amber or brown. In some individual dogs, one eye may be brown and the other blue (complete heterochromia), or one or both eyes may be "parti-colored," that is, half brown and half blue (partial heterochromia). All of these eye color combinations are considered to be acceptable by the American Kennel Club, which also states that the eyes are "an almond shape, moderately spaced and set slightly obliquely."

[edit] Coat

The Siberian Husky's coat is thicker than most breeds of dogs^[2], comprising two layers: a dense undercoat and a longer topcoat of short, straight guard hairs. It protects the dogs effectively against harsh Arctic winters, but the coat also reflects heat in the summer. It is able to withstand temperatures as low as −50 °C to −60 °C.^[3] The absence of the undercoat is often present during shedding.Their thick coats require weekly grooming^[2][4]Long guard hair is not desirable and is considered a fault.^[4]

[edit] Nose

In some instances, Siberian Huskies can exhibit what is called "snow nose" or "winter nose". This condition is called hypopigmentation in animals. Show-quality dogs are preferred to have neither pointed or square noses in shape. The nose is black in gray, tan and black dogs, liver in copper-colored dogs, and may be flesh-colored in white dogs. "Snow nose" is acceptable in the show ring.^[4][5]

[edit] Close bred cousins

One of the most close bred cousins to the Siberian husky is the Samoyed. These two dogs look different, but they were originally from Siberia, Russia, and they have the same genes, closer than some Pointer and Blue-tick Hounds. There is also another dog, that looks fairly similar to a Husky, albeit much smaller: the Alaskan Klee-kai.The Alaskan Klee-kai was created in the 1980s and are quite rare.

[edit] Size

• Male
  • Height: 21 to 23.5 inches (53 to 60 cm) at the withers.
  • Weight: 45 to 60 pounds (20 to 27 kg)
• Female
  • Height: 20 to 22 inches (51 to 56 cm) at the withers.
  • Weight: 35 to 50 pounds (16 to 23 kg)^[4]

[edit] Behavior

Six month old female Siberian Husky playing in the snow

The Siberian Husky has been described as a behavioral representative of the domestic dog's forebearer, the wolf, exhibiting a wide range of its ancestors' behavior.^[6] They are known to howl rather than bark.^[7] Hyperactivity displaying as an overactive hunting drive, a characteristic of kenneled dogs, is often noticeable in dogs released from their captive environment for exercise - a behavior welcome in hunting dogs but not in the family pet. The frequency of kenneled Siberian Huskies, especially for racing purposes, is rather high, as attributed through the history of the breed in North America. A fifteen-minute daily obedience training class will serve well for Siberian Huskies.^[8] Siberian Huskies are a very stubborn and dominant breed of dog. Siberians need consistent training and do well with a "Nothing In Life Is Free" training program. They are extremely intelligent and after learning a new skill will often decide when to show off this skill when asked to perform it. They rank 45th in Stanley Coren's The Intelligence of Dogs, being of average working/obedience intelligence. They tend to run because they were at first bred to be a sled dog.

[edit] Health

Siberian Huskies, with proper care, have a typical lifespan ranging from twelve to fifteen years of age. Health issues in the breed are genetic defects of the eye such as juvenile cataracts, corneal dystrophy, and progressive retinal atrophy. Hip dysplasia is not often found in this breed, though as with many medium or larger-sized canines, it can occur.^[9] However, Siberians in general have remarkably good hips. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals currently has the Siberian Husky ranked 143rd out of a possible 150 breeds at risk for hip dysplasia, with only two percent of tested Siberian Huskies showing dysplasia.^[10]

Siberian Huskies used for sled racing may also be prone to other ailments, such as gastric disease,^[11] bronchitis or bronchopulmonary ailments ("ski asthma"),^[12] and gastric erosions or ulcerations ^[13]

[edit] History

Facial masking is common in the husky.

The Siberian Husky, Samoyed, and Alaskan Malamute are all breeds directly descended from the original "sled dog."^[14] Recent DNA analysis confirms that this is one of the oldest breeds of dog as can be seen with the Alaskan Malamute.^[15]

In this breed of canine, the word "husky" is a corruption of the derogative term "Eskie" which was also shared by the Inuit tribes discovered by Europeans who made early expeditions into their lands. By standard, Huskies are not burly, thick, fat, or overweight. The word "Siberian" in this breed's name is derived from Siberia itself, because it is thought that Eskimo or sled dogs were used to cross the land bridge of the Bering Straight on the way into, or out of, Alaska,^[14] though this theory is continuously disputed by scholars.^[16] Breeds descending from the Eskimo dog were once found throughout the Northern Hemisphere from Siberia to Canada, Alaska, Greenland, Labrador, and Baffin Island.^[14]

With the help of Siberian Huskies, entire tribes of peoples were able to not only survive, but push forth into terra incognita. Admiral Robert Peary of the United States Navy was aided by this breed during his expeditions in search of the North Pole. The Siberian Husky's role in this feat cannot be over estimated.^[14]

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 sled dogs, especially in the "All-Alaska Sweepstakes", a 408 mile (657 km) distance dog sled 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, the foremost breeder of Siberian Huskies of the time, participated in competitions from 1909 to the mid 1920s.^[14]

On February 2, 1925 Gunnar Kaasen was first in the 1925 serum run to Nome whom delivered diphtheria serum from Nenana over 600 miles to Nome. This was a group effort comprised of several sled dog teams and mushers. The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race commemorates this famous delivery. The event is also loosely depicted in the 1995 animated film Balto, as the name of Gunnar Kaasen's lead dog in his sled team was named Balto, although unlike the real dog, Balto the character was portrayed as half wolf in the film. In honor of this lead dog a bronze statue was erected at Central Park in New York City. The epitaph upon it is inscribed with

Dedicated to the indomitable spirit of the sled dogs that relayed antitoxin six hundred miles over rough ice, across treacherous waters, through Arctic blizzards from Nenana to the relief of a stricken Nome in the winter of 1925. Endurance--fidelity--intelligence

^[14]

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. Seppala owned a kennel in Nenana before moving to New England. Arthur Walden, owner of Chinook Kennels of Wonalancet, New Hampshire, was by far the most prominent breeder of Siberian Huskies. The foundation of his kennel stock came directly from Alaska, and Seppala's kennel.^[14]

Only beginning to come to prominence, in 1933 Navy Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd brought with him around 50 Siberian Huskies, many of which were assembled and trained at Chinook Kennels in New Hampshire, during an expedition in which Byrd hoped to journey around the 16,000-mile coast of Antarctica. Called Operation Highjump, this historic trek proved the worth of the Siberian Husky due to its compact size and greater speeds.^[14] Siberian Huskies also served in the United States Army's Arctic Search and Rescue Unit of the Air Transport Command during World War II. ^[17]

[edit] Dogsled racing

A team of white Siberians mushing

Siberian Huskies are still used as sled dogs in sled dog racing. Siberians are still popular in races restricted to purebreds and are faster than other pure sled dog breeds such as the Samoyed and the slower but much stronger Alaskan Malamute. Today the breed tends to divide along lines of "racing" Siberians and "show" Siberians. Racing sibes tend to have more leg to enable them more reach when running. Show sibes tend to be a bit smaller.

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 and also in Australia, siberian husky sled dog racing occurs on forest tracks using specially designed scooter with two wheels for one or two dogs, or three wheeled rig for three or more dogs. This is due to the lack of snow coverage.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Siberian Husky

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