Alaskan Husky
The Alaskan Husky is not a true breed of dog. They are a compilation of several working dog breeds including hounds and pointers. It is not known exactly how this type of dog got started, but there are ideas which include tamed wolves, dogs brought over from shipping boats, and military dogs. Huskies were used for travel to and from Alaskan Villages long before races such as the Iditarod gave them fame.
Typically an Alaskan Husky is bred for three styles of pulling. These include mid-distance (100-300 miles) and long distance (1000 miles) races. Sprint races which include sprints of 30 miles or less, and freight pulling. A freight dog pulls an amount of weight and its measured distance. As these sports become more refined, the dogs become more refined in their particular sport. Long and mid distance dogs have become sleeker and yet retain their mental durability for the long haul. Sprint dogs have enormous competitive drive. Freight dogs have incredible bursts of strength.
An Alaskan Husky can come in many colour combinations. Usually sled dogs have dense thick double coats, but the more hunting dogs are mixed into the breed the less that will be true. The eyes can be any colour also, and they can have one blue and one brown eye. The Alaskan Husky is not a registered breed of dog. The most basic reason is that the needs of each Musher are different and therefore a dog standard is hard to establish.
The Alaskan Husky can have 4 puppies in the first litter. This is higher than the average dog breed. Often, a husky will live to be 15 years old or older.
When we talk about medical issues; the Alaskan Husky has very few. This is most commonly due to the fact that breeding is done for performance and not conformation. The sled dog needs to perform well under stressful circumstances and dogs with medical conditions hindering performance are not bred.
The sled dog personality is as varied as the background. One striking similarity is a high prey drive. Prey drive is the drive to chase and catch prey. Prey can include rodents, cats, and small or downed dogs. This does not mean they cannot live with other animals, but extra care must be taken if they do to ensure the safety of other household animals.
Another Alaskan Husky quality is focus. The ideal learning environment for a husky is one that includes exercise. Since a husky is a working dog bred for pulling a sled they need constant stimulation. This is what gives them the stereotype of a runaway or escape artist. They are easily bored and look for stimulation. They do not connect with humans as quickly as other types of working dogs because they need to believe you will fulfil the work ethic in them. If a husky owner does not fulfil this need a husky will develop behaviours humans call destructive or bad.
This work ethic is also what earns them the unfair title of being dominant. They are not necessarily more dominant than other breed, but they can outperform most humans on many levels. Mushing is the sport where sled dogs pull a sled and a dog team can cover hundreds of miles in a single year. This is what makes keeping an Alaskan Husky in an urban environment such a challenge.
Height and Weight:
Males Varies depending on the mixture of breeds used
Female Varies depending on the mixture of breeds used
Standard Variety: Over 15 inches up to and including 17 inches.
The Alaskan Husky is not a true breed of dog. They are a compilation of several working dog breeds including hounds and pointers. It is not known exactly how this type of dog got started, but there are ideas which include tamed wolves, dogs brought over from shipping boats, and military dogs. Huskies were used for travel to and from Alaskan Villages long before races such as the Iditarod gave them fame.
Typically an Alaskan Husky is bred for three styles of pulling. These include mid-distance (100-300 miles) and long distance (1000 miles) races. Sprint races which include sprints of 30 miles or less, and freight pulling. A freight dog pulls an amount of weight and its measured distance. As these sports become more refined, the dogs become more refined in their particular sport. Long and mid distance dogs have become sleeker and yet retain their mental durability for the long haul. Sprint dogs have enormous competitive drive. Freight dogs have incredible bursts of strength.
An Alaskan Husky can come in many colour combinations. Usually sled dogs have dense thick double coats, but the more hunting dogs are mixed into the breed the less that will be true. The eyes can be any colour also, and they can have one blue and one brown eye. The Alaskan Husky is not a registered breed of dog. The most basic reason is that the needs of each Musher are different and therefore a dog standard is hard to establish.
The Alaskan Husky can have 4 puppies in the first litter. This is higher than the average dog breed. Often, a husky will live to be 15 years old or older.
When we talk about medical issues; the Alaskan Husky has very few. This is most commonly due to the fact that breeding is done for performance and not conformation. The sled dog needs to perform well under stressful circumstances and dogs with medical conditions hindering performance are not bred.
The sled dog personality is as varied as the background. One striking similarity is a high prey drive. Prey drive is the drive to chase and catch prey. Prey can include rodents, cats, and small or downed dogs. This does not mean they cannot live with other animals, but extra care must be taken if they do to ensure the safety of other household animals.
Another Alaskan Husky quality is focus. The ideal learning environment for a husky is one that includes exercise. Since a husky is a working dog bred for pulling a sled they need constant stimulation. This is what gives them the stereotype of a runaway or escape artist. They are easily bored and look for stimulation. They do not connect with humans as quickly as other types of working dogs because they need to believe you will fulfil the work ethic in them. If a husky owner does not fulfil this need a husky will develop behaviours humans call destructive or bad.
This work ethic is also what earns them the unfair title of being dominant. They are not necessarily more dominant than other breed, but they can outperform most humans on many levels. Mushing is the sport where sled dogs pull a sled and a dog team can cover hundreds of miles in a single year. This is what makes keeping an Alaskan Husky in an urban environment such a challenge.
Height and Weight:
Males Varies depending on the mixture of breeds used
Female Varies depending on the mixture of breeds used
Standard Variety: Over 15 inches up to and including 17 inches.
