Siberian_husky_02
GROUP:  Working
ORIGIN:  Russia

The Siberian Husky is widely believed to have originated in the Coastal Chukchi tribes of the east-Siberian peninsula, although there is now evidence that the breed was influenced by the Koryak and Kamchadal tribes.  Recent DNA analysis confirms that Siberian Huskies are one of the oldest breeds of dog.  Huskies from the Anadyr River and surrounding regions were imported into Alaska beginning in 1908 during the gold rush for use as sled dogs.  They gained attention 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 that were generally used, Siberian Huskies immediately dominated the Nome Sweepstakes.

Leonhard Seppala, a Norwegian fisherman turned gold miner, became involved with Siberian Huskies at the request of an employer, who asked him to train a group of females and pups for the 1914 AAS.  After a poor start his first year, Seppala dominated the race for years.  In 1925, he was a key figure in the serum run to Nome, which delivered diphtheria serum from Nenana to Nome by dogsled after the city was stricken by an epidemic.  The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race commemorates this famous delivery.  The following year, two groups of Seppala’s dogs toured the USA, starting a mania for sled dogs and dogsled racing, particularly in the New England states.

In 1930, the Soviet government closed the borders of Siberia to external trade, and export of the dogs ceased.  The same year saw the recognition of the Siberian Husky by the American Kennel Club.  Nine years later, the breed was first registered in Canada.  Today the majority of the Siberian Huskies registered in North America are descendants of pre-1930 Siberian imports, including Leonhard Seppala’s dogs.

Despite their wolf-like appearance, which is sometimes intimidating, Siberian Huskies generally have a gentle temperament.  Being a working breed, the Siberian is very energetic and enjoys the ability to explore and run.  Its personality, combined with its striking appearance, has made the breed popular as both a family pet and as a show dog.  Huskies can be extremely affectionate, curious, and welcoming to people.  These characteristics render them poor guard dogs.  Properly socialized Siberians tend to be quite gentle with children, although no dog, including a Siberian, should be left unsupervised with small children.

As with any dog breed, Siberian Huskies do have some qualities that 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.  Siberian Huskies can be challenging to train due to their strong wills and stubborn natures.  They may refuse to perform a task until they see a greater reason than simply appeasing their owner.  When working with Huskies, trainers must possess persistence and patience.  Siberian Huskies have strong running instincts and therefore should never be left to run free off-lead, for their own safety.  Siberian Huskies are not generally recommended for first time dog owners, as their strong will and desire to run are difficult to manage without the right background. 

Dogsled racing

Siberians are still used occasionally as sled dogs in dogsled racing, although they have been widely replaced by the more popular Alaskan Husky and hound-type crossbreds that are specially bred and selected for speed and have lighter coats.  Siberian Huskies were bred to pull a light load over long distances at a medium pace, and simply cannot keep up with their faster counterparts.  In races that are restricted to purebred dogs, however, Siberians are still quite popular, and they continue to be faster than other pure sled dog breeds such as the Samoyed and Alaskan Malamute.  Today the breed tends to divide along lines of “racing” Siberians and “show” Siberians.

Apart from dogsled racing, Siberian Huskies are very popular for recreational mushing, and they are also used for skijoring, a sport that involves one to three dogs pulling a skier, and European ski-pulka.  Additionally, they are sometimes used them for dog-packing and hiking.  Siberians have also been used as therapy dogs.

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