SIBERIAN HUSKY HISTORY
It is the Chukchi tribe that is credited with the origination of the Siberian Husky. The Chukchi tribe inhabited the part of Siberia closest to Alaska and the harsh weather conditions along with the necessity to transport food and goods over a long distance led to the beginning of the sled dog. The Siberian Husky which at that time was known as the Siberian Chukchi was bred for endurance to cover the long distances rather than for speed. They had to be energy efficient so that they could perform their task with as little effort as possible.The friendly nature of the breed also stems from the Chuckchi as the dogs were primarily cared for by the women and children of the tribe on a daily basis and thus they adapted to family life.
It was in 1908 that a Russian fur trader named Goosak brought a group of huskies still known as Chukchis to Alaska. His purpose was to enter the All-Alaska Sweepstakes sled dog race which was a 657km race in which he was placed third. Following this race, a man named Fox Maule Ramsay chartered a boat to Siberia and returned with over 60 of the best dogs he could find. In the third All-Alaska Sweepstakes two of Ramsay’s teams placed first and second. The dogs brought in by Ramsay came to form the foundation of what is known today as the Siberian Husky.
in 1925 an outbreak of diphtheria in Nome, Alaska led to the great serum run during which teams of sled dogs transported the anti-toxin from Nenana, Alaska to Nome, Alaska. Thanks to the sled dogs the serum was delivered in time. One person who became especially known from the run was Leonard Seppala who used a team of huskies. Seppala was the first to introduce Siberian Huskies to the United States outside of Alaska and helped to establish the breed in the eastern United States through his own breeding programmes and his dogs became the foundation stock for other breeders, and so the breed began.
GENERAL APPEARANCE
EYES
The American Kennel Club describes the Siberian Husky’s eyes as “an almond shape, moderately spaced and set slightly obliquely.” The AKC breed standard is that eyes may be brown, blue or black; one of each or particoloured are acceptable. These eye-color combinations are considered acceptable by the American Kennel Club. The parti-color does not affect the vision of the dog.
NOSE
The nose is black in gray dogs, tan in black dogs, liver in copper-colored dogs, and may be light tan in white dogs. In some instances, Siberian Huskies can exhibit what is called “snow nose” or “winter nose.” “Snow nose” is acceptable in the show ring.
TAIL
Siberian Husky tails are heavily furred; these dogs will often curl up with their tails over their faces and noses in order to provide additional warmth. When curled up to sleep the Siberian Husky will cover its nose for warmth, often referred to as the “Siberian Swirl”. The tail should be expressive, held low when the dog is relaxed, and curved upward in a “sickle” shape when excited or interested in something.
SIZE
The breed standard indicates that the males of the breed are ideally between 20 and 24 inches (51 and 61 cm) tall at the withers and weighing between 45 and 60 pounds (20 and 27 kg). Females are smaller, growing to between 19 to 23 inches (48 to 58 cm) tall at the withers and weighing between 35 to 50 pounds (16 to 23 kg)
COAT
A Siberian Husky has a double coat that is thicker than that of most other dog breeds. It has two layers: a dense, finely wavy undercoat and a longer topcoat of thicker, straight guard hairs. It protects the dogs effectively against harsh Arctic winters, and also reflects heat in the summer. It is able to withstand temperatures as low as −50 to −60 °C. The undercoat is often absent during shedding. Their thick coats require weekly grooming. An excessively long coat, sometimes referred to as a “wooly” / “woolie” or “long haired” coat, is considered a fault by the breed’s standard as it lacks the thicker protection of the standard coat’s guard hairs, obscures the dog’s clear-cut outline, causes quicker overheating during serious harness work, and becomes easily matted and encrusted with snow and ice. Siberian Huskies come in a variety of colors and patterns often with white paws and legs, facial markings, and tail tip. Example coat colors are black and white, copper-red and white, grey and white, pure white, and agouti coat, though many individuals have blondish or piebald spotting. Some other individuals also have the “saddle back” pattern, in which black-tipped guard hairs are restricted to the saddle area while the head, haunches and shoulders are either light red or white. Striking masks, spectacles, and other facial markings occur in wide variety. All coat colors from black to pure white are allowed. Merle coat patterns are not permitted. This pattern is often associated with health issues and mixed breeding.
GROOMING
Unlike many breeds the Siberian Husky has retained its original naturally functional coat. As a result the husky coat needs very minimal grooming. Brushing about twice a week will remove any loose hairs and provide an opportunity to check for fleas etc. Generally huskies require very little bathing unless they have gotten particularly dirty, usually a few times a year is sufficient. The main challenge with a huskies coat is dealing with shedding. Huskies have a double coat of hair, an undercoat and an outer coat. Approximately twice a year, depending on your climate, a husky will blow or shed its undercoat. This can last for about three weeks or more and a huge quantity of hair is lost in this time. The hair falls out in clumps, sometimes large clumps and so daily brushing is required to remove the hair that is falling out. The shedding will usually start on the legs and thighs and then progress the body and finish up with the britches and tail area. Sometimes a warm bath can help to loosen up hair during shedding season and make it easier to brush out.
Do not underestimate the amount of fur that will be lost during a huskies shedding. If you do not want hairs on your furniture, clothes etc. then a husky is not the right breed for you.
HEALTH
The Siberian Husky is subject to a number of inherited diseases of the eye, including cataracts, corneal dystrophy, progressive retinal atrophy, and glaucoma. Given the wide array of possible eye conditions, regular eye examinations at the veterinarian’s office are in order. Many of these conditions are not treatable, although some may be amenable to surgery. Dogs with progressive retinal atrophy should not be bred. The Siberian Husky can also be prone to epilepsy and seizures. Drugs can be used to control these seizures, and again genetically predisposed dogs should not be used in breeding. Hip Dysplasia is not often found in this breed; however, as with many medium or larger-sized canines, it can occur. The Orthopedic Foundation of Animals currently has the Siberian Husky ranked 155th out of a possible 160 breeds at risk for hip dysplasia, with only two percent of tested Siberian Huskies showing dysplasia.
Official Breed Standard: Link to Official Breed Standard
Illustrated Standard: Link to Illustrated Siberian Husky Standard
