Husky
Photo compliments of Shapali
Reg'd Siberian Huskies
Dog Breed information
The Siberian Husky's ancestor was developed by the
Chukchi, a tribe of native people in the eastern Siberian Arctic,
a continent away from the Samoyed people who created their own
working breed for the cold, harsh climate in which they lived.
The Siberian's thick, luxurious double coat, pleasant personality,
and love of action make him well-suited for the climate of deep,
penetrating cold and perpetual night of Arctic winters and for
his labor as draft dog, guardian, and family companion.
A thousand years ago, the Chukchi carved their villages
out of northern Siberia's stark, inhospitable terrain. Starvation
and freezing to death were always possibilities; hunters left
the villages to travel to the Arctic Coast, searching for seals
for meat, skins, and blubber to fuel their life-saving fires.
They needed tough, resilient, and swift dogs to pull the kills
back to the village, no matter the weather, and so developed the
progenitor of today's Siberian Husky, eventually producing a medium-sized
dog that could work in a team, pull moderate loads, and complete
the job with minimum energy expense.
The dogs' speed and endurance saved the Chukchi
from being conquered by the fierce Cossacks who expanded into
the fur-rich territory; the natives loaded their possessions and
families on dog sleds and kept ahead of the marauders from the
south. Eventually, the invaders were trapped, surrounded, and
vanquished by the natives, and the Chukchi were left to live in
peace.
Siberian Huskies made their debut in Alaska with
dog musher Leonhard Seppala early in this century. Several of
Seppala's Siberians were part of the heroic team that rushed life-saving
diphtheria serum the last grueling miles to Nome, Alaska, in 1925.
Balto, the lead dog in that team, is memorialized with a statue
in New York's Central Park; harnessed for the race, this bronze
Balto faces north, his feat shrouded in history, his courage never
known by the children who frolic on his sturdy back. Today's well-bred
Husky maintains the personality, the stamina, and the courage
of his ancestors, but he is more playmate than guardian and is
not a watchdog.
The Siberian makes a fine family pet as long as
the buyer is patient, has the time to devote to training and exercise,
and can deal with a dog that has a mind of its own. Although they
don't bark much, Siberians are vocal_they'll sing along with sirens
and scream as if being killed if forced to do something they don't
want to do. All-breed obedience classes can be a treat if a Siberian
is present: a simple "down" command can bring howls
of protest even under the most gentle guidance, and a mild correction
for nipping can elicit torturous shrieks. This is not the breed
for a first-time dog owner who is shy or easily embarrassed in
public.
Although they bond easily and tightly to their human
families, most northern dogs are not slavish in their affections.
Few are successful in obedience competition, particularly at the
higher levels, because they are easily bored with repetition and
lack precision in their work. They are happy to obey, but always
on their own terms. Rather than gaze lovingly into the master's
eyes, the Siberian will most likely be content to heel approximately
in place, to sit almost straight, to come when called unless there's
something else more interesting nearby. It takes a truly dedicated
owner to achieve high scores and advanced titles.
Along with destructiveness, the Siberian's bad habits
include a penchant for wandering, often preceded by the digging
of a hole under the fence, and food-stealing. Digging is natural
with this dog; his forbears dug holes in the snow as nests, and
the instinct remains strong. His innate need for exercise and
his inherent curiosity often lead him astray. So, a strong fence
is necessary to keep him home
preferably a fence that has been sunk a foot or
two into the ground. An electronic or radio-frequency fence will
probably not do the trick, especially if more than one Siberian
lives in the yard.
Siberians that wander can get lost, stolen, or hit
by cars. They can also contribute to the mixed breed dog population,
for wandering males will find females in heat, and wandering females
in heat will be a target for any male. Owners should seriously
consider sterilization to prevent unwanted litters, to somewhat
curb the wanderlust, and to prevent reproductive tract cancers
from developing.
To pre-empt food-stealing, a habit that often escalates
in winter, the Siberian should not be allowed unsupervised in
the kitchen.
The Siberian is an easy care breed. He does shed
profusely at least once a year, and daily or twice-daily combing
sessions are necessary if there is any hope of keeping the fine
undercoat hair off furniture and clothes and out of food. The
hair comes out in tufts, usually beginning on the hind end and
continuing forward on the body. Shedding takes about two or three
weeks; a warm bath may help loosen the hair so it can be combed
out quicker. A Siberian kept in the house all year, especially
in dry heat, will probably drop hairs all year.
