Siberian Husky

Obviously the Siberian Husky is of Nordic origin. This very powerful working dog was bred by the Chukchi, an Eskimo tribe, who used him to pull sleds.

These people, being very close to the Inuit, lived in utmost isolation. The need to own good sled dogs led the Chukchi people to develop an intelligent breeding system, thus producing a breed that is continually improving. Aggressive dogs were thus systematically eliminated.

The northern people did not generally look after their dogs, except for work. The Chukchi loved their dogs and sought to produce a family dog breed that could still be fit for work. From then on, the Siberian Husky became part of the family.

It was in Alaska, in 1909, that the first dogs participated in the All Alaska Sweepstake competition, where the first pack came third.

The dogs created quite an impression at this competition, leading Fox Maule Ramsay, a native Scotsman, to import even more of them in order to form several teams to increase his participation in such competitions.

The Siberian Husky, being an outstanding working dog, achieved one of a kind feat in 1925, carrying a serum essential to the survival of people living in Nome, a very isolated village in Alaska. The distance of 1085 km (657 miles) covered in just 127.5 hours earned the owners and their dogs national recognition.

Close cousins of the Siberian Husky are the Greenlandic, Samoyed and Malamute, which come from Siberia and Alaska.

Even if he is considered a dog, the Siberian Husky has 85% of the characteristics of the wolf. This dog is the closest breed to the wolf on the planet.