History

Siberian Huskies are an active, energetic, and resilient breed whose ancestors came from the extremely cold and harsh environment of the Siberian Arctic. Siberian Huskies were bred by the Chukchi of Northeastern Asia to pull heavy loads long distances through difficult conditions. The dogs were imported into Alaska during the Nome Gold Rush and later spread into the United States and Canada. They were initially sent to Alaska and Canada as sled dogs but rapidly acquired the status of family pets and show dogs The Siberian Husky, Samoyed, and Alaskan Malamute are all breeds directly descended from the original "sled dog." Recent DNA analysis confirms that this is one of the oldest breeds of dog. The term "husky" is a corruption of the nickname "Esky" once applied to the Eskimos and subsequently to their dogs.

Present Day

Siberian Huskies are still used as sled dogs in sled dog racing. Siberians are still popular all over the world. 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. In the United Kingdom due to the lack of snow, Siberian Huskies are raced on forest tracks using specially designed scooters with two wheels for one or two dogs, or three-wheeled rigs for two or more dogs.

Characteristics

The Siberian Husky has been described as a behavioral representative of the domestic dog's forebear, the wolf, exhibiting a wide range of its ancestors' behavior They are known to howl rather than bark. They are affectionate with people, but independent. They tend to run because they were at first bred to be sled dogs. Owners should NOT let their Siberian Husky off the leash as the dog is likely to be miles away before looking around and realizing their owner is nowhere in sight. They also get bored easily, so playing and exercising a Siberian Husky at least once a day is essential. Failure to give them the attention or proper exercise they need can result in unwanted behavior, such as excessive howling, marking, chewing on furniture, or crying.

If you are planning to get any breed of dog it is imperative that you do your research especially a working dog, Siberian Huskies are better as part of a pack than a companion dog.