Siberian Huskies - Pictures

Thousands of Pet Pictures, Classifieds, Ecards.
Pets for Sale, Pet of the Month, Pet Products.

www.GotPetsOnline.comAdvertise here

Siberian Huskies - History

Siberian Huskies originated in the cold climate of Siberia. The Chukchi people, who have resided in these areas for centuries, valued Siberian Huskies for their working skills and devotion to their master. Indeed, harsh weather conditions made people seek help wherever possible. Hence, double-coated dogs adjusted to survive in any circumstances. Hard-working and relatively unpretentious in terms of care were traits simply indispensable for the Chukchi.

It is said that the rich and the most respected people of the northern people owned the best dogs. Yet, Siberian Huskies were not a luxury. They helped their owners to multiply their wealth and probably were one of the attributes to judge a person by.

Overall, Siberian Huskies took a fitting niche in the life of the Chukchi. Numerous icons show dogs guarding the gate to the Heaven from people who used to treat dogs poorly during the life. The cult of the dog is sure to have contributed to the popularity of the Siberian Husky in the north.

Huskies have always been compact dogs, slightly smaller than similar working breeds traditionally used in other countries. Their medium size caused a sort of neglect when Siberian Huskies were introduced in "All-Alaska Sweepstakes" in 1909. This popular race comprising about 408 miles over difficult terrain, required much strenuous work on the part of both dogs and drivers, turned out to be a marking point in the history of the Siberian Husky.

William Goosak, a Russian who brought Siberian Huskies to Alaska for the competition, put much trust in his dogs. They finished the race third. What a surprise it was for other participants! Slightly shocked, another dog enthusiast named Charles Fox Maule Ramsay, made up his mind to buy about 70 dogs in Siberia. In 1910, his Siberian Huskies took first, second, and forth places in regular competitions.

The AKC recognized the Siberian Husky breed in 1930. Two years later, it coined the official breed standard. The popularity of the breed continued to grow and breed fanciers established the Siberian Husky Club of America in 1938. As for European countries, the Siberian Husky appeared there in 1950s and obtained wide distribution. Nowadays, Siberian Huskies are in the group of the 20 most popular breeds in the United States and Canada.

Mouse over the thumbnails to view image and photo credit
Pages: 1 2