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The Siberian Husky was developed centuries ago by
the Chukchis of Northern Siberia.
The nomadic tribe used their dogs for many purposes;
as a means of transportation,
to assist in hunting their food, and as companions
for their children. Siberians were
first brought to Alaska in 1909 for racing, proving
themselves as hardy dogs with speed
and endurance.
The Siberian Husky is of medium size and medium bone,
light on his feet and graceful
in action. Although the Siberian is the only breed
to actually bear the word "Husky"
in its name, this does not fit his true description.
The word "Husky" comes from
"Esky", short for Eskimo. Dogs (male) range
from 21" to 23-1/2" at the shoulders, and
bitches (female) from 20" to 22". The Siberian
is one of a very few breeds of dog in
fact, where a dog or bitch who measures taller than
recommended height must be
disqualified from competition in the Conformation
Ring. A moderately compact and
well-furred body, erect ears, and brush tail suggest
their Northern, or Arctic heritage.
A wide variety of coat colors and
markings are seen in the breed,
and the eye colors
are also varied, being
brown, or blue, or bi-eyed (one eye of each color),
or even parti-colored, meaning both
blue & brown in the same eye. All colors of
coat and/or eyes are acceptable, and
the buyer of a Siberian Husky should never be asked
to pay more for a dog because
of his color, markings, or eye color. There are far
more important things to consider
when purchasing any dog! Please read on.
The characteristic temperament of the Siberian Husky
is friendly, alert, and outgoing.
He does not display guard dog qualities nor is he
overly suspicious of strangers.
Excessive nervous barking is not common in the breed,
although they may vocalize in
other ways, sometimes "talking" in a low
rumble, which may be mistaken for a growl.
They will sometimes howl at sirens, or perhaps
in loneliness if left alone. It is good
to remember that Siberians, like their cousins the
wolves, are typically pack animals
who do not prefer to be alone. The mature Siberian
can be expected to show some
measure of reserve of dignity.
Is the Siberian Husky for you?
There is no doubt that the Siberian is a stunning
animal, extremely affectionate and
very people-oriented. He also enjoys the company
of other dogs. He is by nature almost
fastidiously clean and entirely free from body odors.
Remarkable for his adaptability
to all kinds of living conditions, he makes an enjoyable
pet and companion in either
country or city. He is considered to be an "easy
keeper", requiring less food for
maintenance then most breeds of comparable size.
He has keen, Intelligent eyes with
a rakish devil-may-care expression. He is the dog
with the "smile" on his face. His
intelligence and mischievous behavior can be a bit
trying at times, however, for the
unprepared owner.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF VERY BASIC SIBERIAN HUSKY
CHARACTERISTICS WHICH MAKE THEM UNSUITABLE FOR
SOME PEOPLE
Their warm, soft, double coat sheds heavily
at least once a year, and you will find
dog hair everywhere.
Due to their friendly, gentle nature,
they do not make good watch dogs
MOST IMPORTANTLY, the Siberian must NEVER,
EVER be allowed to run loose…
not in the park, not in the Boundary Waters, not
even on your 1,000 acre farm! This is not a dog
with herding or retrieving instincts. He is bred
to RUN. This is a breed that will not stay at home,
even if they are well obedience trained and you are
outside with them. If in their wanderings they
get out on the highway, they will very likely be
hit by a car as they do not have a good sense of
danger from traffic.
While extremely gentle with people, they
retain excellent hunting skills. They may visit
your neighbors and break into their rabbit hutch
or kill some prize chickens. Farmers usually have
loaded shotguns and will not hesitate to shoot anything
that they see as a threat to their livestock.
The Siberian's quickness and agility will usually
enable him to catch and kill cats, so in a
suburban community, he is also a detriment to friendly
relations with your neighbors, if allowed
to run loose.
Far too many Siberians (as well as all
other breeds) end up in animal shelters because
people do not take the necessary measures to keep
them confined to their own property.
Confinement in your house, fenced yard, or kennel,
is a MUST. Least favorable of all is a dog who
is left out for long periods of time on a chain.
No dog is happy under these conditions, and he is
not safe from stray dogs or people who may wander
into his area and cause harm to him. Make
his quarters escape-proof so he cannot dig or jump
out.
Digging, by the way, is a natural behavior
for the Siberian, and can become a real problem
with some, especially when left alone on a chain
for a long periods of time. They are very capable
of digging out of a fenced yard or a kennel with
a dirt floor. IF your lawn is precious to you, perhaps
you should consider another breed, but also remember
that a great deal can be accomplished with
training when the dog is young.
The Siberian Husky can be an escape artist,
so this may challenge your wits and imagination
trying to keep him at home. It can be done. Take
your Siberian for a walk on his leash. Proper exercise puts the
dogs and you in good physical condition, and ensures that the
dog won't be tied up and
forgotten. Obedience training classes will be helpful
and enjoyable for you and for the dog. He will
learn quickly. Some people find Siberians take a
bit more patience when Obedience training
because they are quite intelligent and somewhat more
independent that other breeds. They are a
versatile breed that does well as a working sled
dog, a show,
obedience, or
agility dog
, and as a loving
companion.
SOME IMPORTANT THINGS TO THINK ABOUT BEFORE BUYING A
SIBERIAN HUSKY
No breed is entirely free of health problems, and
although the Siberian is a very healthy breed,
there are two areas which a reputable breeder will
pay particular attention to. The first is
hereditary eye disease, i.e. Cataracts, Progressive
Retinal Atrophy, and Corneal Dystrophy are
major concerns of any ethical Siberian breeder. These
disorders may cause loss of vision or
blindness. The second concern is Hip Dysplasia, a
hereditary problem which causes
malformation of the hip joint which can lead to painful
crippling. The concerned, ethical
breeder will have all
breeding
animals checked and
breed only when known to be free of genetic
disorders. The ethical breeder will verify in the
following manner: Provide certificates signed by
a registered Veterinary Ophthalmologist showing both
sire and dam to be free of hereditary
eye disease - or a
CERF
registration number (Canine
Eye Registration Foundation, Inc.) or, a
current annual certificate from
SHOR
(Siberian Husky
Ophthalmic Registry).
Animals used for breeding should have their eyes
re-examined annually. Also, the breeder should
have certificates for both sire and dam from the
OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals)
showing that they have Fair, Good, or Excellent hips.
They must be Two Years of Age before being
x-rayed to be certified by the
OFA. Therefore, Siberians
should not be used for breeding before
they are two years old, and ethical Siberian breeders
will have the current certificates readily at
hand to show you. (The breeder may not own the sire
of the litter, but should have appropriate
copies of these important certificates for him.)
Another area of importance which cannot be overlooked is the overall
health and temperament of the breeding pair. Remember that the
Siberian Husky's nature
is alert, friendly, and outgoing. An aggressive,
ill-tempered Siberian is not to be tolerated, nor is a dog
who is excessively shy.
THE MEMBERS OF THE SIBERIAN HUSKY CLUB
OF THE TWIN CITIES WOULD LIKE
TO HELP YOU FIND THE "RIGHT DOG" FOR YOU
. . .AND MAYBE THAT'S NOT A
SIBERIAN HUSKY!
PLEASE DO NOT LET THE DELIGHTFUL EXPERIENCE
OF ACQUIRING A NEW DOG TURN INTO A NIGHTMARE. YOU WILL NOT FIND
A GOOD QUALITY DOG OF ANY BREED
IN A PET SHOP. ALL DOG BREED CLUBS HAVE A CODE OF
ETHICS WHICH REQUIRES
THAT THEY DO NOT SELL DOGS TO WHOLESALERS OR TO PET
SHOPS.
BUY FROM AN ETHICAL PRIVATE BREEDER. THEY
WILL TELL YOU ALL OF THE
PROS AND CONS OF THE BREED THAT YOU ARE CONSIDERING
AND WILL HELP YOU
DECIDE IF THAT BREED IS RIGHT FOR YOU. FEEL FREE
TO EMAIL ONE OF THE
OFFICERS
OF THE SIBERIAN HUSKY CLUB OF THE
TWIN CITIES. THEY
WILL BE PLEASED TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS.
GOOD LUCK!
THE SIBERIAN HUSKY CLUB OF THE TWIN CITIES, INC.
The club was founded in 1972 and is made up
of Siberian fanciers with a variety of interests in
the breed: showing, racing, obedience training, and
just plain loving our beautiful breed. There is
not a regularly set time and place for meetings,
but rather, each meeting date is chosen the month
or two before, so that as many members as possible
are able to attend. Dates of regional shows,
races and trials are taken into consideration. Meetings
are usually held in and
around the Twin Cities Metropolitan area.
Programs or demonstrations of educational
value are part of the meeting whenever possible.
The Club puts on an annual Specialty Show in the
spring, which is open to the public. An Eye
Clinic is held annually to make it convenient and
economic for members and non-members alike
to have dogs eyes examined for hereditary eye disease.
Membership is open to owners and prospective
owners of Siberian Huskies who agree
to abide by the Club's Constitution, By-Laws, and
Code of Ethics, and the rules of the
American Kennel Club. The Club follows the Code of Ethics of
the Siberian Husky Club of America;
the National breed club. The Club is a member of
the Minnesota Council of Dog Clubs.
The Objectives of the Club, as stated in the Clubs
Constitution are:
A. To protect the breeding of purebred Siberian
Huskies by bringing their natural qualities to
perfection.
B. To advance the interest of purebred Siberian
Huskies through continued improvement of
conformation soundness and temperament according
to the American Kennel Club's Standard
of the Siberian Husky.
C. To Provide education and encourage responsible
ownership of the Siberian Husky.
D. To do all in its power to protect and advance
the interests of the breed by encouraging
sportsmanlike competition at all dog-related
activities.
E. To conduct sanctioned and licensed specialty
shows and obedience trials under the rules
of the American Kennel Club.
F. To encourage social interaction between people
with a common interest in the Siberian Husky.
Code of Ethics
In order to promote the highest ideals among Siberian Husky owners and
breeders and to aim for the continuous improvement of the breed within
the framework of the American Kennel Club approved breed standard,
I pledge that:
1. I will accept a high ethical standard of breeding
2. I will follow the rules of good sportsmanship in all Siberian Husky
3. I will fully explain to all prospective Siberian Husky purchasers the
4. I will attempt to help and befriend novice exhibitors, racers, and
5. I will keep well informed in the field of genetics and will work
6. I will, before entering any breeding agreement, carefully analyze
7. I will refuse to deal with dog wholesalers or to sell puppies or
8. I will not deal in wholesaling purebred Siberian Huskies in any manner.
IF YOU WISH MORE INFORMATION OR A MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION,
YOU MAY
competition and activities.
disadvantages as well as the advantages of owning a Siberian Husky.
breeders.
persistently to eliminate hereditary defects from the breed.
the conformation and the pedigrees of the prospective sire and dam
and, keeping the breed standard clearly in mind, refuse the mating if
in my opinion it will not be in the best interest of the breed. If I
deny stud service I will fully explain my reasons to the owner of the
bitch.
dogs to pet shops, and I will include in all stud contracts an
agreement to be signed by the owner of the bitch that no puppies
resulting from the mating will be wholesaled or sold to pet shops.
Membership
Eligibility: Membership is open to all
persons who are in good standing with the American Kennel
Club and who subscribe to the objectives and Code of Ethics of
this Club. While membership is to be unrestricted as to residence,
the Club's primary purpose is to be representative of the breeders
and exhibitors in it's immediate area. Before applying for membership
in the club, prospective members must attend at least 2 meetings.
Applications, when submitted, must carry the signatures of two members
in good standing as sponsors, and be accompanied with a check for dues.