Siberian Huskies

This is a dog that lives to work. He was developed to work and he maintains those unique characteristics that allow him to thrive in cold, snowy weather. He’s a graceful dog in action with a coat that withstands bitter cold. This is a breed built for power endurance and speed to haul a load over long distances.

He’s much more at home in cold weather than hot. Even more than most dogs hot weather stresses the Siberian Husky. By the standard they are 21 to 23 ½ inches with bitches slightly smaller. With a weight of 45-60 pounds a team of these can move through the snow covered wilderness silently except for the swish of the sled and panting from the dogs

Owing to their cold weather heritage they have a thick double coat. The undercoat is soft, dense and long enough to support the outer coat which is straighter and helps to shed the snow and weather. Seasonal shedding is profuse with clumps of that undercoat coming off starting near the hindquarters. Fur in the feet helps their function but may be trimmed between the toes from a show standpoint. Siberians in warmer climates may shed year round. They may be any color from pure white to all black with early selection considerations focusing on working ability rather than color.

He should be able to cover ground and appear effortless doing it. This is a dog that is developed to trot for long distances. He was developed as a sled dog to compete in long distance races in cold weather for light loads.

This is a friendly and outgoing breed but adult dogs may be reserved. He is a working dog past and present, and in more than just group classification. He’s light on his feet with enough substance to go for hours.

In 1909 a team of Siberians entered the All Alaska Sweepstakes race for the first time and the following year a team won the 400 mile race. They maintained a dominant force in winning the race for the rest of the decade. Although this was a sporting event the dogs became a serious force when their abilities were needed for real. In 1925 Nome Alaska had a diphtheria epidemic and it was Siberians at the forefront getting necessary medical supplies to the remote city. During WWII the Siberians came to the aid of people again while serving in the Arctic Search and Rescue Unit of the Army’s Air Transport Command and in expeditions in the Antarctic.

With this service to people it was 1930 when the AKC recognized the breed. Those wishing to breed Siberians should think carefully about what they were bred to do. Without serious training this is a breed that can be highly destructive, with attacks on property, animals and people that should not ever have been allowed to develop. Further there are health issues that deserve considerations not only from a health standpoint but because it eliminates being able to work as the breed was developed to do.

Because of that working heritage they have been carefully selected for function, not just a pretty face. Two of the most serious genetic issues to affect the Siberian include hip dysplasia and eye defects.

Hip dysplasia is aggravated with exercise so affected Siberians are not only in pain but cannot use those instincts that still cross his brain. Adults must be x-rayed and the hips are ‘graded’. Before getting a final grade the dog must be checked at over 2 years old. Over the course of four years 30% received “excellent” ratings while 2.2% were found to be dysplastic. By weeding out the genetics from those dogs as well as watching the growth rates of puppies and young dogs it helps a great deal towards genetic and physical health of the breed as well as the individuals.

There are several eye disorders that affect dogs but for the Siberian Husky the biggest concerns are cataracts, corneal dystrophy and progressive retinal atrophy. Eye color does not make a difference and each disorder affects a different part of the eye. Hereditary or juvenile cataracts change the lens of a young dog by creating an opacity that can decrease the vision all the way to completely blinding the young dog. Corneal dystrophy affects the cornea which seems to affect females more often than males. The eyes will look opaque but vision isn’t interrupted as the other conditions are. PRA affects the retina, which increases or decreases the amount of light allowed in the eye. The PRA that affects Siberians is different than other breeds…it affects only Siberians and humans. It is transmitted through the XX gene of females and causes male puppies that inherit the defective X gene to have serious problems. This results in loss of night vision, then loss of day vision which can render dogs completely blind as young as five months old. Research to identify the carrier gene is being done to allow the females with that gene to be eliminated from breeding programs before producing puppies. While these eye disorders are not common in the breed they are devastating when it happens.

Under ordinary circumstances this is a high energy active dog that can live a long time without problems. A common diet in their origins included fish, leading some breeders to recommend including some fish oil in the diet for maximum use. This is a breed that is also well adapted to a raw meat diet. An active, working Siberian husky needs plenty of protein as well as fats and minerals to perform at the optimum level. On the trail it’s not uncommon for a chunk of caribou to be their meal, with the chewing meat off the bone a natural dental exercise.

The amount of exercise and training needed for this breed cannot be stressed enough. A young bored Siberian can give destruction a whole new face. They are fiercely loyal and will give their lives to protect their families. However they often will not be an obedience standout driven by repetition. Their ability to think for themselves and for the pack (or team) is a bigger drive than many to wander and explore. They can be persistent at stealing food and should never be left in the kitchen unsupervised. You MUST be the undisputed pack leader with this breed!

This is not a breed likely to respect underground electronic fences. They will find a female in heat even if it means traveling to do so. There is an increased chance of getting hit by cars, poisoned, shot (especially if getting into farmer’s livestock) and many other grim outcomes.

When you see that stunning Siberian husky with the perfect black and white markings, crystal blue eyes, beautiful turn out and impeccably behaved make no mistake about it – someone spent an incredible amount of unseen time with the dog! This is not a breed for the timid but the rewards are great when you see a team of your own dogs lined out to go for an afternoon run and enjoy the wilderness – pulling you behind! Enjoy them – treasure them. But before getting your first Siberian know completely what you are getting into!