This page is going to be exclusively for the Siberian Husky breed profile. Since I follow the guidelines from the Canadian Kennel Club (C.K.C.), this is what you will see. Eventually I would also like to add the guidelines for the American Kennel Club (A.K.C.) but for now, I hope you will find what is here to be informative as well as helpful. You'll also find a couple of interesting articles that I'm also going to add. I include all of these with all our "Care Packages" that we give to all our prospective new owners. I feel it is extemely important that anyone that acquires a puppy or dog from us, is made aware of the siberian husky breed.
General Appearance:
The siberian husky is an alert, gracefully built, medium-sized dog, quick and light on his feet, as well as free and graceful in his action. He has a strong, moderately compact body; a deep, strong chest; well muscled shoulders and hindquarters; a straight, strong legs with medium bone. His coat is dense and very soft, and his brush tail is carried curved over his back when at attention, and trailing when in repose.
His head presents a finely chiseled and often fox-like appearance, and his eyes have a keen and friendly expression. Bitches are smaller than dogs, averaging up to 2 inches(5cm) shorter and 10 lbs(5 kg) less in weight.
Siberians range from in build from moderately compact(but never cobby) to moderately rangy; in all builds the bone MUST be medium, the back powerful(never slack, from excessive lenghth), and the shoulder height must NEVER exceeding 23 1/2 inches(60cm). (Any ranginess is merely a matter of proportion, not of actual height.) The most important characteristic points in a Siberian Husky are medium-sized bone, soft coat, high-set ears, freedom and ease of action, and good disposition.
Height:
Dogs from 21-23 1/2� inches(53-60cm) at the shoulder
Bitches from 20-22 inches(51-56cm) at the shoulder.
Weight:
Dogs from 45-60 lbs(20-27kg)
Bitches from 34-50 lbs(15-23kg)
Color and coat:
The Siberian Husky has a thick, soft, double coat consisting of a soft, dense, downy undercoat of fur next to the skin; and an outer coat of soft, smooth texture, giving a smooth, full-furred appearance and a clean-cut outline(in contrast to the harsh, coarse coat of an Alaskan Malamute or the bear-like Eskimo coat). The coat is usually medium in length; a longer coat is allowed, but the texture MUST remain the same in any length. All colors and white ARE allowed, and all markings. The most common colors are various shades of wolf and silver greys, tan(a light sable), and black with white points. A large variety of markings, especially head markings, is found in the Siberian, including many striking and unusual ones not found in any other breed. Frequently found are the caplike mask and spectacle markings.
Head:
Skull of medium size proportion to the body; width between ears medium to narrow, gradually tapering to eyes, moderately rounded.
Muzzle of medium length. Both skull and muzzle are finely chiseled.
Nose, black for preference, brown allowed in occasional specimens of reddish coloring; flesh-colored nose and eye rims allowed in white dogs. Some dogs, especially black and white ones, have what is often called a "snow nose" or "smudge nose," i.e., a nose normally solid black, but acquiring a pink streak in winter. This is permissible, but not preferable. Lips dark and close-fitting; jaws and teeth strong, meeting with a scissors bite. Eyes either brown or blue("watch or China") in color, one blue and one brown eye permissible but not preferable; set only very slightly obliquely in skull. Eyes have a keen, friendlly and fox-like expression; this expression is distinctly "interested", sometimes even mischievous. Ears of meduim size, erect, close-fitting, set high on head, and well covered with hair on the inside. There is an arch at the back of the ears. Ears are slightly taller than width at base, and moderately rounded at tips. When a dog is at attention, ears are usually carried practically paralell on top of head, with inner edges quite close together at base.
Forequarters:
Shoulders well developed and powerful. Legs straight and well muscled, with good bone.(but never heavy boned like the Eskimo or Alaskan Malamute).
Body:
Back of medium length, not too long, nor too cobby like the Elkhound's, and strongly developed. Chest should be deep and strong, but not too broad. Ribs should be well arched and deep. Loins well muscled and slightly arched, and should carry no excess weight of fat.
Hindquarters:
Powerful, showing good angulation. Stifles well bent. Dewclaws occasionaly appear on the hind legs: they are NOT a sign of impure breeding, but as they interfere with the dog's work, they should be removed, preferably at birth. Feet oblong in shape, and not so broad as the Eskimo's or Malamute's; well furred between the pads which are tough and thickly cushioned; compact; neither too large(like Malamute's) nor too small(like Samoyed's). The Siberian's� foot, like that of other true Arctic dogs, is a "snowshoe foot", i.e., it is somewhat webbed between the toes, like a retriever's foot. Good feet are VERY important, therefore feet should ALWAYS be examined in the ring.
Tail:
A well-furred brush carried over back in a sickle curve when running or at attention, and trail out behind when working or in repose. Tail should NOT "snap" flat to back. Hair on tail is usually of medium length, varying somewhat with the length of the dog's coat.
Gait:
His characteristic gait is free, tireless, and almost effortless when free or on loose leash; but showing great strength when pulling; the trot is brisk and smooth, and quite fast.
Faults:
Any clumsy, heavy, or unwieldy appearance or gait should be penalized. Any harshness of coat(except while actually shedding); ruff or shaggy appearance(like Samoyed, Malamute, or Eskimo); absence of undercoat(except when shedding).
Head:
Clumsy or heavy; muzzle bulky(like the Malamute); skull too wide between ears; snipiness, coarseness. Eyes set too obliquely(like a Malamute). Low set ears; ears too large; "flat" ears; loop ears. weak shoulders; heavy bone; too light bone.
Weak or slack back; chest too broad, like Malamutes; weak or flat chest. Any weakness of hindquarters; lack of proper angulation in hind legs. Soft or spayed feet; feet too large or clumsy; feet too small or delicate. In addition to the faults stated herein, obvious structural faults common to all breeds(such as cowhocks), are just as undesirable in a Siberian Husky as in any other breed, although not specifically mentioned in this standard.
Disqualifications:
Weight over 60 lbs(27kg) in a male and over 50 lbs(23kg) in a bitch.(anything over these weights indicate cross breeding).
Height and weight are VERY important, and upper limit in each much be rigidly maintained.
Scale of Points:
General appearance and conduct ..........................................20
head and ears .........................................................................20
Body and shoulders ................................................................20
Legs and feet ......................................................................... 15
Coat ........................................................................................15
Tail ..........................................................................................10
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Total ......................................................................................100
The Siberian Husky
Breed Profile
Written by Glenn Perrett
Over the years, the siberian husky has become a popular dog among pet owners. Much of the reason for its popularity lies with its striking appearance.
The husky is beleived to have been developed by the Chukchi people who settled in the Anadyr River Basin in northern Siberia. A medium-sized working dog, the dog is pound for pound the toughest draft dog around.
The siberian husky has a soft, smooth coat with a dense, downy undercoat. Common colors are silver grey, black, copper, and chocolate brown, all with white underparts. Some have mask-like markings while others have white faces. Males weigh between 45 to 60 lbs while bitches weigh between 35 to 50 lbs. A prominent feature of some huskies is their light blue eyes and gentle disposition.
Anyone interested in acquiring a siberian husky as a pet should first learn as much about the breed as they can. Many prospective dog owners make the mistake of assuming siberian huskies are like other dogs. This could not be further from the truth, for thay have a unique character. They are stubborn dogs, are harder to train than most breeds and love to chew and dig; they are, however, also very gentle and affectionate. It has been said that a siberian husky will share your life as a friend, not as a "dog and master". This is a very accurate observation.
While most people appreciate the siberian husky's beauty, many soon discover they do not appreciate some of the other characteristics they possess, the same characteristics I personally admire and enjoy.
For example, because many dog owners are not properly educated about sibes prior to acquiring one, many of these dogs end up in animal shelters or pounds. Such was the case with Tasha, a five year old husky I discovered in a shelter a couple of years ago.
Tasha was picked up by Animal Control for "running at large". She was traced back to her owner through an outdated dog license. The owner told the supervisor of the shelter that he would pay the fine� but no longer wanted the dog. Evidently, he was discouraged that the dog left his property when it was able to escape from the house. If he has researched the breed prior to taking on the responsiblitiy of ownership, he would have learned that siberian huskies love to run. ince our huskies are kept indoors for the most part and have not developed thick coats to deal with harsher weather on a continual basis, they are not kept outside for extended periods during the cold or wet weather.
An added precaution to the six foot high wood fence, is a 12-inch wide by 12-inch deep trough we dug between the fence posts and along the entire perimeter of the fence. The trough was filled with stones and cement was poured over the stones to create a solid mass. A couple of inches of soil(to ground level) was put on top of the concrete and seeded with grass seed. This precaution was necessary because Amorak dug under our fence during a December thaw. While Lynn and I quickly gave chase, we could not catch her and Amorak ignored our pleas to return. Although she returned and was patiently waiting for us on the doorstep, her two hour escursion was dangerous. It could have ended with Amorak being a road casualty or meeting some other terrible fate.
Siberian huskies, while gentle, friendly and intelligent, are not an appropriate pet for just any dog lover. So before you consider sharing your life with one, make sure you are compatible with these gentle, beautiful creatures. Not only should you read books on the breed, you should also talk to different husky breeders and other knowledgable people.
After you are familiar with all the siberian husky's good points, as well as their faults, and you still want to share your life witha sibe, by all means do. Just make sure your lifestyle is compatible with theirs. For while they're not without their faults, they truely are a remarkable dog, and as you might have guessed, my favorite breed.
(This was written by Glenn Perrett. He is a freelance writer from Cooksville Ontario Canada)
Would the real siberian husky please stand up!
The following decription was written by Duane proudfoot and first appeared in her column in "Breed Notes", Dogs in Canada, May 1977 and subsequently in the Siberian Husky Club of Canada(S.H.C.C.) newsletter.
Why does an individual acquire a siberian husky and what is involved in owning one? Generally, the first attraction to these dogs is their beauty. The attractive markings and colorings, in some cases the blue eyes, tend to catch the eye of the would-be dog buyer. The romantic history of the northern sled dog appeals to many.
But no breed of dog is suited to everyone and the siberian husky is no exception. Knowing what to expect and what to accept before buying can save alot of problems later on.
As a companion, the siberian husky is superb-gentle, affectionate, eager to please. He loves children. But he has an independant nature and a proud dignity which can prove most trying to those who expect instant and unquestioning obedience. He will share your life as a friend(not master and dog) and will never quite let you forget, if necessary, he could get along nicely without you.
He is not a one-man dog. Though showing great affection for his family, he will greet visitors and friends with great enthusiam. As a watch dog, his appearance may be a deterrant but he lacks the fierce possessiveness and aggresive nature to be successful in this role. Generally, he'll be just as friendly with a stranger as with a friend. From the stand point of care, a siberian husky is an easy keeper requiring a relatively small amount of food for his size. He is quite capable of staying outdoors year round if provided with a snug dog house to sheild him from the rain, wind and snow.
By nature he is a clean animal and his coat requires only regular brushing. However, when he sheds his coat annually you are made fully aware of why he is able to with stand winter's cold. The profusion of undercoat is unbeleivable but a few sessions with a comb and brush will find him in summer attire. Be sure to take along a large container or you will be knee-deep in hair before you are done. This hair, by the way, can be spun into yarn for knitting caps, mitts, etc.
Sibes love to chew and dig. The latter they do with great dispatch and can fill your yard with "tank traps" in no time. Most tend to out grow these habits but much ingenuity is necessary at times to keep the yard and possessions in tact.
Perhaps the most important characteristic of the sibe and the one which can cause the most problems is his great desire to run.
Bred and built for running long distance with ease and speed, it is the joy of his life. If allowed unrestrained freedom, he will cover miles of territory in a day. He can be safely exercised in an enclosed area, on a sled or cart, on a leash with a bicycle but to turn him loose on his own will lead to sorrowful consenquences for the dog and owner. You cannot let him out the front door in the morning and expect him to stay on the doorstep as with some breeds. He may be at the back door in the evening but will probably have covered the city and half the country inbetween. This love to run, coupled with a hunting instinct that includes most small animals as prey, can cause many problems to the unwary. If you are the type who feels that confining a dog is not to your liking, then the siberian husky is not for you. The desire and ability to run have been bred into the siberian husky for centuries and in harness in front of a sled, cart or skiis, he will "do his thing" with natural ability and amazing endurance with only your voice to guide him on the trail. His love of his work and his desire to please , make riding a sled or skiis a winter past-time enjoyed by many.
Summing up the siberian husky is an active, energetic and intelligent dog who loves the outdoors. He is easily bored and will use his intelligence and ingenuity to entertain himself, sometimes at your expense.
How much better to join him in activities you both enjoy. Perhaps you think I have adopted a negative attitude and stress the faults of the breed too much but these are points often not explained to the prospective buyer. Anyone can see the beauty of the dog and one soon learns the old tales of the fierce and vicious sled dog of the north do not apply to the sibe. But it is not until one has lived with the sibe that one learns "they are not like other dogs". Whether this statement is made with love and delight or sadness and disillusionment depends on the individual and how well he was prepared for the joys and trails of sharing his life with a siberian husky. If you are prepared to accept the responsibilities and expand the necessary time and effort in owning one of this breed, you will be rewarded many times over and find that a whole new world of activities has been open to you.
