| The Alaskan Husky is not so much a breed
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| | result they are often available free to
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| of dog as it is a type or a category. It
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| | any good home. Older dogs which have
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| falls short of being a breed in that
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| | outlived their usefulness as racing dogs
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| there is no preferred type and no
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| | make excellent pets for people willing to
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| restriction as to ancestry; it is defined
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| | exercise them regularly. Older ex-racers
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| only by its purpose, which is that of a
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| | tend to be very alert and well behaved,
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| highly efficient sled dog. That said, dog
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| | as well as somewhat less energetic than
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| drivers usually distinguish between the
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| | their younger counterparts.
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| Alaskan Husky and “hound crosses”
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| | Young huskies make good pets if given
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| (Mackenzie River Husky), so perhaps there
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| | plenty of space to run and play, but
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| is informal recognition that the Alaskan
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| | their high demand for exercise and
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| Husky is expected to display a degree of
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| | activity makes them a poor choice for
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| northern dog type.
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| | urban residents. In the Alaskan cities of
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| The Alaskan is the sled dog of choice for
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| | Anchorage and Fairbanks the large number
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| world-class dogsled racing sprint
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| | of trails and extensive open space make
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| competition. None of the purebred
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| | it easy to ensure plenty of free running;
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| northern breeds can match it for sheer
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| | in contrast the relative lack of large
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| racing speed. Demanding speed-racing
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| | open areas in Juneau makes them somewhat
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| events such as the Fairbanks, Alaska Open
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| | more difficult to exercise.
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| North American Championship and the
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| | Huskies are often healthier in the drier
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| Anchorage Fur Rendezvous are invariably
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| | climates of interior Alaska. In the humid
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| won by teams of Alaskan huskies, or of
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| | Alaskan Panhandle, they are prone to
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| Alaskans crossed with hounds or gun dogs.
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| | develop (and maintain) ear and related
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| Hounds are valued for their toughness and
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| | infections.
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| endurance. Winning speeds often average
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| | If multiple huskies are kept in the same
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| more than 19 miles per hour (31 km/h)
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| | lot they tend to be very vocal, howling
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| over three days' racing at 20 to 30 miles
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| | and barking at each other and any other
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| (32 to 48 km) each day. On the rare
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| | dogs in the vicinity unless they are
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| occasion when purebred teams are entered
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| | trained to be quiet. In crowded
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| in such races, they nearly always finish
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| | neighborhoods this can be a very
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| last.
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| | irritating nuisance to neighbors,
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| Alaskan huskies that fulfill the
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| | especially other dog owners. They can be
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| demanding performance standards of
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| | trained for silence with some effort
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| world-class dogsled racing can be
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| | though. They are also accomplished
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| extremely valuable. A top-level racing
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| | diggers, and will tunnel underneath
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| lead dog can bring $10,000-15,000.
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| | fences and houses to hunt burrowing
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| The Alaskan Husky is basically a
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| | animals and to escape their enclosures.
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| mixed-breed dog, in which northern or
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| | Huskies make extremely poor household
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| husky-type ancestry, such as the Siberian
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| | dogs. They shed heavily during the spring
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| Husky or the traditional Alaskan village
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| | and are extremely active, running in
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| dog, predominates. Many other breeds have
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| | circles inside a house when bored or
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| contributed to its genetic makeup, from
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| | cramped. If left alone inside a dwelling
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| staghound and foxhound to greyhound and
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| | for long periods they will tear things
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| Dobermann, which accounts for the
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| | apart out of boredom. They also enjoy
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| Alaskan's great variability of
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| | hunting small animals which can be a
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| appearance.
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| | nuisance if rats or mice are in the walls
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| Alaskan huskies (at least those used for
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| | or basement, since the husky will
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| speed racing) are moderate in size,
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| | constantly scratch and tear at the walls
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| averaging perhaps 46 to 50 pounds (21 to
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| | and floors. When they are hooked up to a
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| 23 kg) for males and 38 to 42 pounds (17
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| | sled, and will have to stay there for a
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| to 19 kg) for females. They often
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| | while they may get bored and start to
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| resemble racing strains of the Siberian
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| | chew the gang line.
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| Husky breed (which is undeniably a major
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| | In Alaska they are occasionally killed by
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| component of the Alaskan husky genetic
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| | moose in the winter, since moose will
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| mix) but are usually taller and leggier
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| | enter human areas in search of winter
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| with more pronounced tuck-up.
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| | browse of willows and mountain ash. True
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| Color and markings are a matter of total
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| | to their wolf ancestors, huskies tend not
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| indifference to racing drivers; hence the
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| | to back down from such encounters, and an
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| husky may be of any possible canine
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| | angry moose can easily stomp and kick
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| colour and any pattern of markings. Eyes
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| | several dogs causing severe injuries.
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| may be of any colour and, as in the
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| | Professional dogsled racers always
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| Siberian Husky, are often light blue.
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| | surround their lots with very high fences
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| Coats are almost always short to medium
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| | to prevent moose from causing havoc.
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| in length, never long, and usually less
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| | Health
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| dense than the coats of northern
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| | The Alaskan Husky is generally a very
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| purebreds; coat length is governed by the
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| | healthy dog. Some strains are prone to
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| need for effective heat dissipation while
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| | different genetic health problems that
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| racing.
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| | run in pure bred strains. This includes
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| In very cold conditions, Alaskans often
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| | PRA, hypothyroidism, etc.
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| race in “dog coats” or belly
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| | Life Span
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| protectors. Particularly in long distance
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| | The Alaskan Husky lives between 10 and 15
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| races, these dogs often require “dog
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| | years.
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| booties” to protect their feet from
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| | History
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| abrasion and cracking. Thus the
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| | The Alaskan Husky is derived from a mix
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| considerations of hardiness and climate
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| | of northern types, most notably the
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| resistance prevalent in breeds such as
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| | Siberian Husky. The Alaskan Husky is not
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| the Siberian Husky and Canadian Inuit Dog
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| | a wolf hybrid. Alaskans are strong
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| are subordinated in the Alaskan husky to
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| | working dogs with thousands of years of
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| the overriding consideration of
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| | breeding and history in the north
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| functional capability. The Alaskan
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| | country. With the increasing prevelance
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| huskies lack the dense coat required to
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| | of motorized means of transportation in
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| keep them warm, and they are not as hardy
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| | the mid 20th century, working dogs became
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| as Siberians, often requiring extra care
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| | less common in the northern villages. The
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| on the trails. Andre Nadeau says this is
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| | breed experienced a revival in the 1970s.
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| the reason his Siberians did so well in
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| | George Atla, a Native Alaskan man from
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| the 1998 Yukon Quest, where he led nearly
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| | Huslia, Alaska, is largely responsible
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| the whole race until being passed by a
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| | for this. Most successful racing dogs
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| team of Alaskan huskies.
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| | today trace their lineage back to two
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| Temperament
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| | dogs from his kennel, Lingo and Scotty.
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| Dogs are bred for stamina, strength,
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| | Future of the husky
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| speed, and endurance. It is essential for
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| | Various attempts have been made in the
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| a sled dog to want to work. And for dogs
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| | past to organise breeders of Alaskan
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| meeting many new people, the dogs must
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| | huskies and to establish a registry for
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| not be aggressive towards people.
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| | these dogs; such attempts have never
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| (Source: personal communication, Paul
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| | received significant support. Although
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| Reid, owner of Chocpaw Expeditions in
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| | husky kennels tend to be large, with many
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| Ontario)
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| | kennels harboring over a hundred dogs,
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| Alaskan huskies are very popular as pets
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| | and the breed population arguably in
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| in Alaska, where they are relatively easy
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| | excess of one hundred thousand, this
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| to obtain from professional dogsled
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| | canine variety remains an informal and
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| racers. Puppies judged to be unfit for
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| | unregistered category of dog.
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| racing are regularly culled, and as a
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