History of the Siberian husky
Pre-19th Century
or more than 1,000 years a tribe of people known as the Chukchi have inhabited the Arctic coastal region of northern Siberia...a land where the extremes of winter make life a daily challenge just for survival. It is there that the Chukchi dog, the progenitor of today's Siberian Husky, was developed. The Siberian Husky is widely believed to have originated exclusively with the Coastal Chukchi tribes of the east-Siberian peninsula. There is evidence, however, that Siberian dogs were also imported from the Koryak and Kamchadal tribes.
Recent DNA analysis confirms that this is one of the oldest breeds of dog. Over many generations of breeding, the Chukchi developed the breed of dog that most suited their needs. Although their permanent home was inland, the Chukchi hunters worked primarily along the coast, with seal as their main food source. The hunters' catch was not so heavy as to require large dogs capable of pulling great weight. Instead, the Chukchi hunters needed a dog that could withstand extended exposure to the low temperatures, pull a light to moderate load quickly over long distances, and expend a minimum amount of energy in the process. The less energy the dog used on its work, the more it had left to protect it from the weather.
Quick, small working dogs that were docile and intelligent enough to work in teams proved to be most suited to the work and terrain. They had to be hard, eager workers that had enough common sense and dedication to their task to keep from constantly tangling themselves in the lines of the sled. The Chukchi so valued their dogs that they often took them into their homes as guardians for their possessions and companions for their children. This, no doubt, accounts for much of the gentleness in the Siberian Husky personality.
The Chukchi dog's most important trait was its instinct and desire to run, seemingly endlessly. Because of its moderate size, it was able to run far and fast, but it could not pull much weight. Therefore, teams of up to 20 dogs at a time were required to pull the hunters' load. The Chukchi were able to breed a dog that combined all these traits, and today's Siberian husky traces to those dogs.
The fate of the Chukchi dog...and the birth of the Siberian Husky breed... are tied to several historical events, primarily in Russia. In the eighteenth century, Russian Cossacks began a march across Siberia to conquer the land and thereby attain all its resources, primarily fur. Most of the people living in the northern area were rather primitive tribal groups unable to compete with the advanced weaponry of the invading Russian army.
The Chukchi people were able to withstand conquest, however, because their sled dogs always kept them ahead of the advancing military forces. They could not fight, but they could run - efficiently. The Chukchi were accustomed to the Siberian weather; the Russian soldiers were not, and suffered great losses. The Chukchi actually forced the Cossacks to give up their quest to conquer all of the northern Siberia. The Chukchi lured the Russian forces into a mountain pass, in which all escape routes were blocked. Using only sharpened rocks and spears, the Chukchi inflicted substantial casualties on Russians, who subsequently withdrew from the area. The Chukchi people and their dogs existed peaceably in Siberian for many years after this conflict.
By the close of the nineteenth century, the Chukchi dog had been discovered by Alaskan traders, imported into the Northwest Territory, and renamed the Siberian Husky. The importation proved to be a very important event for the survival of the breed. In the early 1900's the monarchy in Russia was overthrown and replaced by a Communist regime, vowing to do away with all "bourgeois" and elite aspects of Russian life. By the 1930's, the forces of Communism reached the Arctic North. Because Chukchi dogs were revered highly and desired by the Chukchi people, those in the tribe that bred and maintained the finest dogs had assumed a leadership position and measure of wealth. Such people were viewed as hindrances to the forces of collectivization, and most were imprisoned or killed. In a matter of a few years, the Chukchi dog breed all but disappeared from Siberia.
Importation to the United States
Unlike the breed's fate in Russia, the Siberian husky was taking hold in Alaska. Dog sledding had become not only a means of transportation, but also a popular sport for the adventurers who had journeyed north in search of gold. Local races quickly evolved into large events with numerous entries. A lawyer named Albert Fink undertook the task of regulating the dogsled events and helped to formalize the sport. The dogs used in the early races were primarily Alaskan sled dogs, which were originally bred to haul freight. They were larger and stronger than Siberian Huskies, and accordingly not as quick. They were, however, well adapted to the terrain and had great competitive spirit.
Dogs from the Anadyr River and surrounding regions were imported into Alaska from 1908 (and for the next two decades) during the gold rush for use as sled dogs, especially in the All-Alaska Sweepstakes (AAS), a 408 mile (657 km) distance dogsled race from Nome to Candle and back. William Goosak, a Russian fur trader, entered a team of Chukchi dogs in the All-Alaska sled race from Nome. He hired a local driver familiar with the 408-mile course to lead the team, but the driver was not familiar with the Chukchi dog style of dog sledding. The team finished third against the experienced dogs and drivers, but the dogs' speed enthusiasm attracted a lot of attention to the breed. Smaller, faster and more enduring than the 100 120 pound (45 to 54 kg) freighting dogs then in general use, they immediately dominated the Nome Sweepstakes. Many Chukchi dogs subsequently were imported from Siberian.
Leonhard Seppala, a Norwegian fisherman turned gold miner, became involved with Siberian dogs when he inherited a well-trained team of huskies that had originally been scheduled to drive explorer Roald Amundsen to the North Pole. When the expedition was canceled due to the outbreak of World War I, the dogs were placed with Seppala. After a poor start his first year, Seppala dominated the races thereafter. Over the next few years his Siberian Husky teams beat all comers in races throughout the Northwest. His huskies were all but unbeatable in the 25-mile Borden Cup Race that took place each year in Nome.
In January 1925, Seppala and his huskies earned a place in history. That winter, and epidemic of diphtheria broke out in Nome and local doctors did not have adequate supplies of the required diphtheria serum. At the time, Nome was connected to the lower territories only by telephone; the nearest railroad station was more then 650 miles south near Anchorage. Seppala was chosen to go and collect the serum by dogsled, in a race against time. Seppala and his team led by Togo, headed south along the Tanana and Yukon Rivers and the Bering Sea...some of the most treacherous sections of Alaska's wilderness.
A relay team comprised of 15 sleds and dogs Led by Gunnar Kaasen was sent north with the serum to meet Seppala, as the world waited. The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race commemorates this famous delivery. The event is also loosely depicted in the 1995 animated film Balto, as the name of Gunnar Kaasen's lead dog in his sled team was named Balto. In honor of this lead dog a bronze statue was erected at Central Park in New York City. The plaque upon it is inscribed:
Dedicated to the indomitable spirit of the sled dogs that relayed antitoxin six hundred miles over rough ice, across treacherous waters, through Arctic blizzards from Nenana to the relief of stricken Nome in the winter of 1925. Endurance ˇ Fidelity ˇ Intelligence
On the day Seppala met up with the relay team (after mushing nearly 170 miles) he had already traveled more than 40 miles in blizzard conditions; he retrieved the serum and immediately headed back to Nome, posting another 40 miles before resting briefly. His team of 20 dogs amassed nearly 350 miles in this journey. The teams from the south ran relays of approximately 50 miles each and contributed greatly to the success of this mission. News reports of the feats of Seppala's dogs brought great acclaim to the breed. It created a demand for Siberian Huskies, especially by sledding enthusiasts in New England. Because the breeders in Alaska were unable to fill the request, they received, many interested fanciers imported dogs directly from Siberia. These proved to be the last substantial imports before the breed disappeared in its homeland.
Spread to the North East and Military Service
In 1930 the last Siberians were exported as the Soviet government closed the borders of Siberia to external trade. The same year saw recognition of the Siberian Husky by the American Kennel Club. Nine years later the breed was first registered in Canada. Today’s Siberian Huskies registered in North America are largely the descendants of the 1930 Siberia imports and of Leonhard Seppala’s dogs. Seppala owned a kennel in Nenana before moving to New England, where he became partners with Elizabeth Ricker. The two co-owned the Poland Springs kennel and began to race and exhibit their dogs all over the Northeast.
As the breed was beginning to come to prominence, in 1933 Navy Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd brought about 50 Siberian Huskies with him on an expedition in which Byrd hoped to journey around the 16,000-mile coast of Antarctica. Many of the dogs were trained at Chinook Kennels in New Hampshire. Called Operation Highjump, the historic trek proved the worth of the Siberian Husky due to its compact size and greater speeds. Siberian Huskies also served in the United States Army's Arctic Search and Rescue Unit of the Air Transport Command during World War II.
Westminster
The Siberian Husky was first entered in Westminster in 1933. A Siberian husky has placed in the top 4 of the Working Group 10 times, and has won Best in Group/Best in Show once in 1980. This was BIS/BISS Am/Can Ch. Innisfree's Sierra Cinnar. Since this time the Siberian Husky has undergone a change depending on the use of the dog.
Siberian Huskies are still used as sled dogs in sled dog racing. Siberians are still popular in races restricted to purebreds and are faster than other pure sled-dog breeds such as the Samoyed and the slower but much stronger Alaskan Malamute. Today the breed tends to divide along lines of "racing" Siberians and "show" Siberians. Racing Siberians tend to have more leg to enable them more reach when running.
Show Siberians tend to be a bit smaller This is because the only eliminating factor of a Siberian in the show ring is its size, an oversized dog is eliminated. This has also tended to a Siberian with shorter legs compared to a racing line dog.
Also show lines have less variation in color and coat pattern. Primarily this was an effect of the 1997 national Show where a Sibe with heavy facial markings was dismissed for Lack of Merit. It caused an outrage among the Siberian Community, but at the same time breeders don't want to have that happen to them, so they go for the standard Irish pattern.
Additionally show line Siberians tend not to have the distinctive Blue eyes of the Siberian. Blue and light amber eyes appear rounder because you can see the Iris more distinctly. The Breed Standard calls for almond eyes, and the lighter colors give the impression of rounder eyes.
The show lines head has changed as well, Older line dogs tended to have shorter, squarer muzzles with more pronounced stop while many current lines tend to have a longer, more tapered head.
Apart from sled racing, they are very popular for recreational mushing and are also used for skijoring (one to three dogs pulling a skier) and European ski-hi. A few owners use them for dog-packing and hiking.