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The Siberian Husky is a working dog breed
that originated in eastern Siberia. The Siberian Husky is a
medium-sized dog.
Siberian Huskies are a resilient breed; known for their
ability to thrive in the arctic cold, they can work and live
in temperatures as low as negative 75 degrees Fahrenheit
(-60ºC). They were originally bred by the Chukchi tribes for
use as a village dog to accomplish such tasks as pulling
sleds.
Appearance
A "Bi-eyed" SiberianSiberian Huskies share many outward
similarities with the Alaskan Malamute breed as well as many
other spitz breeds such as the Samoyed, which has a
comparable history to the Huskies. Siberians have a thicker
coat than most other breeds of dog. It comes in a variety of
colors and patterns, usually with white paws and legs,
facial markings, and tail tip. The most common colors are
black and white, grey and white, copper-red and white, and
pure white, though many individuals have brown, reddish, or
biscuit shadings and some are piebald spotted. Striking
masks, spectacles, and other facial markings occur in wide
variety. They tend to have a wolf-like appearance. Though
the breed is not related to the wolf any closer than any
other breed of dog, it is thought they maintained this
appearance through isolated breeding of Siberia.
Eyes
A blue-eyed SiberianSiberians' eyes are brown, or blue.
Light blue eye color is characteristic but not completely
dominant. The breed may have one eye brown or hazel and the
other blue (called "bi-eyed") or may have blue and another
color mixed in the iris of one or both eyes; this latter
trait, heterochromia, is called "parti-eyed" by Siberian
enthusiasts. This is one of the few breeds for which
different-colored eyes are allowed in the show ring. The
Siberian Husky is one of the few dog breeds where blue eyes
are common. No preference to eye color is given in the breed
show ring, as it does not influence the dog's ability to
pull a sled.
Ears and tail
Its ears are triangular, well-furred, medium-sized, and
erect. Its fox-like brush tail is carried in a sickle curve
over the back, and trails behind the dog in motion.
Coat
Siberian Huskies range in colour from white to mostly
blackThe Siberian Husky's coat consists of two layers, a
dense, cashmere-like undercoat and a longer coarser topcoat
consisting of short, straight guard hairs. This top coat can
actually be two different colors, and it's not unusual to
find it growing white then black then white on the same
piece of fur. Siberians only shed their undercoat once a
year; the process is commonly referred to as blowing their
coat. Dogs that live primarily indoors often will not shed
year round, so the shedding is less profuse. Owners who live
in warmer climates will find that the Husky will shed pretty
much all year round, with a larger amount just before
summer. Otherwise, grooming is minimal; bathing is normally
unnecessary as the coat sheds dirt. When grooming, most of
the work needs to be done on the rear legs, as this is an
area which does not naturally lose as much fur as the rest
of the animal. When the fur starts to clump - it's time for
a brush! Well and healthy Siberians have little odor. Their
ears are soft and they have very good hearing.
Nose
A brown-eyed SiberianLike all dogs, the Husky's nose is
normally cool and moist. In some instances, Siberians can
exhibit what is called 'snow nose' or 'winter nose'.
Technically called "hypopigmentation", it results from loss
of sunlight, and causes the nose (or parts of it) to fade to
brown or pink in winter. The normal color returns as summer
approaches. Snow nose also occurs in other light-coated
breeds; the color change can become permanent in older dogs,
especially white, red & white and cream colored Siberians,
though it is not associated with disease.
Size
There is a large variation in size among huskies, and breed
standards state that height at the withers and weight should
always be proportional to each other. The approximate
measurements:
Males
Height: 21 to 23.5 inches (53.5 to 60 cm)
Weight: 45 to 60 lb (20.5 to 28 kg)
Females
Height: 20 to 22 in. (50.5 to 56 cm)
Weight: 35 to 50 lb (15.5 to 23 kg)
Temperament
A male Siberian HuskyDespite their sometimes intimidating
wolf-like appearance, Siberian Huskies generally have a
gentle temperament. Being a working breed, Siberians are
very energetic and enjoy the ability to explore and run.
That, combined with their striking appearance, has made them
popular as both family pets and as show dogs. Siberians can
be extremely affectionate, curious (like all dogs), and
welcoming to people; characteristics that usually render
them as poor guard dogs. Properly socialized Siberians are
most often quite gentle with children (although no dog,
including Siberians, should be left unsupervised with small
children).
Four-year-old wolf-grey Siberian HuskyLike Alaskan Malamutes,
the harsh conditions for which Siberians were bred rewarded
a strong prey drive, as food was often scarce. Consequently,
Siberians may instinctively attack animals such as house
cats, squirrels, rabbits, chickens, quail, and even deer (however,
many households enjoy harmonious, mixed "packs" of cats and
Siberians).
As with any dog breed, Siberian Huskies do have some
qualities which some 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 will and independent thinking.
Many times they will refuse to perform a task until they see
a greater reason than simply appeasing their owner. Proper
training requires a lot of persistence and patience on
behalf of the trainer. 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
knowledge. Siberian Huskies have strong running instincts
and therefore as a general rule of thumb should never be
left to run free off-leash for their own safety. These dogs
have no homing instincts and will run forever, therefore
this breed should always be kept on a leash or in a fenced
yard. Siberians also dig large holes. Because they are sled
dogs they have a very strong desire to pull, thus good
obedience training is highly recommended. These dogs make
good family pets, show dogs and sled dogs.
Siberians are a working breed of dog requiring great amounts
of exercise on a daily basis and a secure fence at all times.
Health
2 year old male white Siberian Husky with blue
eyes.Siberians are normally rather healthy dogs, typically
living from eleven to fifteen years of age. Health issues in
the breed are eye troubles (cataracts, glaucoma, and corneal
dystrophy among others), allergies, and cancer in older
animals. Hip dysplasia occurs but is not a major concern in
the breed. This breed needs a high-quality diet with high
levels of protein and fat, particularly when used for
dogsledding. That said, Siberian Huskies are fuel-efficient
dogs, consuming less food than other dogs of similar size
and activity level. The diet must be adjusted to their level
of work and exercise; obesity can be a problem for
underexercised, overfed pets. Due to their origins, Huskies
do require some amount of fish oil in their diet, primarily
for their coat and nails, which can become brittle without
the fish oil. Most trainers/hobbyists recommend feeding
Siberians sardines as a means to introduce fish oil into
their diet.
History
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.[1] 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 sleddogs, especially 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 then in
general use, they immediately dominated the Nome Sweepstakes.
Seven-week-old SiberianLeonhard Seppala, a Norwegian
fisherman turned gold miner, became involved with Siberian
dogs when he was asked by his employer to train a group of
females and pups for the 1914 AAS. After a poor start his
first year, Seppala dominated the races thereafter. In 1925
he was a key figure in the 1925 serum run to Nome which
delivered diphtheria serum from Nenana 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 sleddogs and dogsled racing, particularly in the
New England states.
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.
Miscellaneous
Though Siberians do sometimes bark, they are known to
frequently "yodle" or "whoo".
Dogsled racing
4-year-old maleSiberians are still used occasionally as
sleddogs in dogsled racing but have been widely replaced by
the more popular Alaskan Husky and hound-type crossbreeds
that are specially bred and selected for speed and have less
heavy coats. Freight Siberian Huskies were selectively bred
to pull a medium load over long distances at a medium pace ,
and simply can't keep up with their faster counterparts.
Siberians are still popular in races restricted to purebreds
and are faster than other pure sleddog breeds such as the
Samoyed and Alaskan Malamute. Today the breed tends to
divide along lines of “racing” Siberians versus “show”
Siberians. The mixed breed, Alaskan Husky, has taken over
much of the sledding world.
Apart from dogsled racing, they are very popular for
recreational mushing and are also used for skijoring (one to
three dogs pulling a skier) and European ski-pulka. A few
owners use them for dog-packing and hiking. They have also
seen use as therapy dogs.
In the United Kingdom, husky racing on forest tracks using
specially designed tricycles instead of sledges is popular
during the winter months.
The text are brougth from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siberian_Husky
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