Known for its noteworthy endurance and keenness to work, Siberian Husky is bred as a sled dog in Northeast Asia. This breed is considered a great all-around dog because of its agreeable nature and outgoing temperament, making it apposite for any kind of dog work. Chukcha, Husky, Icee and Sibe are the common nicknames of this breed.
For centuries, Siberian Huskies were used by the Chukchi Tribe in eastern Siberian peninsula for work like pulling sleds, herding reindeer and being watchdogs. Because the reed originated in cold climates, Siberian Huskies were perfect working dogs for the extremely harsh weather conditions in Siberia.
Due to their great speed, the Husky was then brought to Alaska by fur traders in Malamute for Arctic races. The dogs gained popularity in 1925 when there was a diphtheria epidemic in Nome, Alaska. Siberian Huskies were used to bring in the much needed medicine to the people. In the early to mid-1900s Admiral Byrd used the dogs in his Antarctic Expeditions. During World War II the dogs served on the Army’s Arctic Search and Rescue Unit.
Physical wise, Huskies are compact dogs.
Head – medium-sized, proportion to the body
Muzzle – equal length to the skull
Stop – well-defined
Nose – color depends upon the color of the coat
Eyes – medium-sized, oval-shaped, moderately spaced, come in blue, brown, amber or any combination thereof, can be parti-eyed or bi-eyed
Ears – erect, triangular in shape, set high up on the head
Teeth – scissors bite
Feet – often described as a large “snow shoe,” have hair between the toes
Tail – carried over the back in a sickle curve
Due to the climate where the dogs originated, the medium-length, double coat is thick and can withstand temperatures as low as -58° to -76° F (-50° to -60° C). The coat also comes in a long-haired variety called a wooly coat. The wooly (sometimes spelled woolly or wooley) coat length comes from a recessive gene and is not in most of the kennel club’s written standard.
Coat colors include all, from black to pure white, with or without markings on the head. The face mask and under-body are usually white, and the remaining coat any color.
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