History of the Siberian Husky
For
more than 1,000 years a tribe of people known as the Chukchi have
inhabited the Arctic coastal region of northern Siberia...a land
where the extremes of winter make life a daily challenge just for
survival. It is there that the Chukchi dog, the progenitor of
today's Siberian Husky, was developed.
Over many generations of breeding, the Chukchi developed the breed
of dog that most suited their needs. Although their permanent home
was inland, the Chukchi hunters worked primarily along the coast,
with seal as their main food source. The hunters' catch was not so
heavy as to require large dogs capable of pulling great weight.
Instead, the Chukchi hunters needed a dog that could withstand
extended exposure to the low temperatures, pull a light to
moderate load quickly over long distances, and expend a minimum
amount of energy in the process. The less energy the dog used on
its work, the more it had left to protect it from the weather.
Quick, small working dogs that were docile and intelligent enough
to work in teams proved to be most suited to the work and terrain.
They had to be hard, eager workers that had enough common sense
and dedication to their task to keep from constantly tangling
themselves in the lines of the sled. The Chukchi so valued their
dogs that they often took them into their homes as guardians for
their possessions and companions for their children. This, no
doubt, accounts for much of the gentleness in the Siberian Husky
personality.
The Chukchi dog's most important trait was its instinct and desire
to run, seemingly endlessly. Because of its moderate size, it was
able to run far and fast, but it could not pull much weight.
Therefore, teams of up to 20 dogs at a time were required to pull
the hunters' load. The Chukchi were able to breed a dog that
combined all these traits, and today's Siberian husky traces to
those dogs. |
Siberian Map
Village Gathering
Family Photo
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