The Siberian Husky- A General Overview
The Siberian Husky is a working dog of moderate size and gentle temperament that was bred by the Chukchi people of northeastern Asia to carry light loads at reasonable speeds through long stretches of their homeland wilderness. Their dogs were required to have dense coats to survive the bitter cold, be able to maintain their fitness with what food could be provided in a nomadic culture, and must co-exist peacefully with both humans and their canine counterparts. You can read more about the history of the Siberian Husky at the following links:
http://www.akc.org/breeds/siberian_husky/history.cfm
http://www.shca.org/shcahp2d.htm
Siberian Huskies have a very distinctive outward appearance and are often compared to wolves or are thought to be part-wolf, though they are not related to wolves any more so than any other dog breed today. "Sibes" (as they are often called) can be recognized by a variety of breed traits such as:
• Their size. Males are approximately 45 to 60 pounds and 21-23.5 inches at the shoulders, while bitches are approximately 35 to 50 pounds and 20-22 inches at the shoulders. Often Malamutes are confused with Siberian Huskies by those not familiar with the breeds, but size is a strong indicator as Siberian Huskies are typically much smaller than an average Malamute as they were bred to perform different tasks.
• Their coats. Siberian Huskies are double-coated with a thick undercoat and a longer topcoat of short guard hairs. Wooly-type coats with long guard hairs are not desirable. Their coats come in a variety of colors including shades of white, grey, black, red, and more. Their mask patterns can vary widely and some Siberian Huskies have splash coats or are piebald as well. You can read more about this topic at the following link:
• Their ears. They are of a medium length, erect and triangular in shape and are covered in dense, soft fur. Puppies are born with down/drop ears, but as the puppy begins to mature the ears develop the strength to stand.
• Their eyes. They are almond shaped and can be blue, brown, amber, and shades thereof together, or one eye can be blue while the other is brown in the case of bi-eyes. Some Siberian Huskies have eyes that include both colors in the same iris- a trait known as parti-colored.
• Their tails. Siberian Huskies have a fox-like brush tail that can be carried in a sickle-curve over their back when they are excited or focused. The tail is almost always tipped in white.
• Their temperament. Siberian Huskies have a wonderful, gregarious, gentle, and light-hearted view of the world that is very unique to the breed. They are very trainable with positive methods, but quickly lose interest in the same old thing, so variety is a good idea. They make terrible guard dogs because they are so friendly and lovable. They are obedient when it suits them, but they also love to please. Siberian Huskies are a high-energy breed and need mental stimulation and physical exercise to be good pets. They are very affectionate without fawning over their owners and are easily distracted by something they find interesting, new, or exciting. They do not typically fit in for a first time pet owner, but they are a challenging, engaging breed for an active individual that does not take life too seriously and would enjoy the daily antics of a happy, wooing, trouble-making, smiling ball of flying fur.
Please see more general Siberian Husky information at the following links:
http://www.shca.org/shcahp2a.htm
http://www.netpets.org/dogs/reference/breedinfo/submit/sibhusk.html