Siberian Husky Heritage

 Historical Background

Siberian Huskies are known to have existed for about three thousand years, although they may date back even further. From time immemorial, they lived with the Chukchis, an ancient Siberian tribe that survived by herding reindeer, hunting and fishing, They used their dogs to perform tasks essential to their survival, and that all-important task: pulling sleds on ice and through deep snow. Teams of up to twenty dogs sometimes ran as much as 100 miles a day – and in one of the most inhospitable climates on earth. Winter temperatures can reach a low of minus 100 degrees Fahrenheit and winds can blow up to 100 mph. Working in this rugged environment, Huskies adapted and evolved into sleek, efficient creatures, both physically and mentally.

Because Huskies lived so intimately with their human families, they developed a kind and gentle nature. And part of that living together in families' Yarangas (traditional tent-like homes made of reindeer skin) involved guarding the Chukchi children and keeping them warm during the long, frigid nights. Based on the outdoor temperature, the Chukchis would determine how many Huskies to assign each child.

The Huskies were so central to the Chukchis lives that a legend developed over the centuries: The gates of Heaven are guarded by two Huskies who refuse admission to anyone who has been cruel to an animal. Another Chukchi legend describes a famine during which only two Husky puppies remained. A female member of the tribe nursed them, thereby ensuring that the dogs would survive.

          Siberian Huskies are an evolutionary wonder. They are what they are today because for about 3,000 years they lived in almost total isolation from other dogs and thus, there was virtually no interbreeding with other breeds. This enabled the Chukchis to breed their strongest and brightest dogs and bitches, thereby always improving the quality of their teams which would pass on the traits and qualities that made the Huskies such good working and family dogs.

Basic Husky Anatomy

Siberian Huskies are known far and wide for their beautiful bright blue eyes. 

While there are other breeds with blue eyes such as Australian Shepherds, the blue color is caused by a genetic defect that results in pigmentation loss. Huskies eyes can be other colors as well, such as brown, amber and even green! 

 

The Chukchis explain this by saying that the brown eye looks down to the ground while the blue eye looks up to the skies. Sometimes a Husky has what's called a part-eye when one eye has two colors, again, generally brown and blue. The Husky's almond-shaped eyes and the strategic placement on their heads allows them to squint, thereby protecting them from the piercing snow and high winds of Siberian winters.

 Husky paws have been described as canine snow shoes. The adult dogs have large paws, and there is a lot of thick fur between the pads that both keep them warm and allow for more effective traction on snow and on icy surfaces. This many explain how they can reach speeds of up to 28 mph.

         

Huskies have other ways of staying warm during the frigid Siberian winters. They sleep with their snouts tucked deeply under their tails, and their breath warms the tail and protects their heads from the cold. And the Husky's normally moist nose dries up at night to prevent it from freezing.

Husky Biology, Physiology and Metabolism

Siberian Huskies can tolerate the widest temperature range of almost any breed of dog. Their dense double-layered coat insulates them from 100 degrees below zero up to about 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Like all dogs, they regulate their body temperature by panting, but when it gets too cold for their tongues, they simply close their mouths.

          Because Siberians use energy more efficiently than almost all other breeds, they need much less food than other dogs. Indeed, it is common for modern-day Huskies to skip meals on a regular basis. More than that, if you offer a large bowl of food to almost any dog, they will eat themselves sick. A Husky, on the other hand, will stop eating as soon as he's full. He'll just get up and walk away, no matter how much food may remain. Interestingly, in long races, the much larger Alaskan Malamutes – the Siberian's cousins – require nearly twice the amount of food the Siberians consume.

          Most interesting and puzzling to researchers is the Husky's metabolism. Most creatures who engage in strenuous exercise begin to metabolize their body's reserves of glycogen and fats. When the cells run out of energy, lactic acid builds up in the muscles and fatigue sets in. It has been proven that during long-distance races, the Huskies' metabolism is somehow altered. According to Dr. Michael S. Davis, a Professor of Veterinary Physiology at Oklahoma State University and an animal-exercise researcher: "Before the race, the dogs' metabolic makeup is similar to humans. The level of metabolism (their calorie burn rate – E.M.B) stays the same. But once the race starts, they suddenly throw a switch – we don't know what it is yet – that reverses all that. In a 24-hour period, they go back to the same type of metabolic baseline you see in resting subjects." Dr. Davis continues: "The sled dogs' ability to adapt is absolutely astonishing."

          It is estimated that during long-distance non-stop races lasting one or two weeks, the Huskies burn about 240 calories per pound of body weight. By contrast, the typical Tour de France cyclist is estimated to burn about 100 calories per pound daily. According to Dr. Davis, the Siberian's ability to maintain such a high level of caloric burn for extended periods of time without tapping into their body's reserves of fat and glycogen (and thus grinding to a halt like the rest of us) is what makes them "magical."

Moods and Temperament

         A few well-defined Husky characteristics were essential to their helping the Chukchi survive. The most important was their ability to work cooperatively both with their fellow Huskies and with the Chukchis. A badly behaving dog, or worse, a dog fight, would endanger all, even resulting in overexposure and the death of both Huskies and their Chukchi masters. The Huskies' high and specialized intelligence aided in their success and survival. On the one hand, they needed to follow the sled driver's instruction and stay in tandem. But on the other, it was crucial that the lead dogs remain acutely sensitive to any dangers that may lie ahead and know when to ignore the lead driver's commands and change the team's course to avoid those dangers.

          Husky teams survived and succeeded because they enjoyed their work and were happy running for hours on end through the rough terrain of deep snow and ragged ice. Otherwise, they would have been useless to the Chukchis. It was also important that they be resilient, able to get by on whatever scarce food may be available, and be able to sleep anywhere and everywhere. Millennia of cooperative work, both amongst themselves and with the Chukchis, created a dog that is good-natured and genial; hardy, agile and athletic.

Huskies, Wolves and DNA

         While some 8,4000 DNA markers place Huskies as one of the wolves closest relatives, they can in no way be considered a "missing link," although to the unknowing eye, they seem similar in appearance. The idea that the ancient northern tribes of Siberia interbred their dogs with solves is a myth. The two do share common characteristics. Both are family and pack oriented, intelligent and engage in similar-sounding howling. But a major difference is that wolves are obligate carnivores while dogs are omnivores, and can eat a wide variety of foodstuffs.

Siberian Huskies Arrive in Alaska

         Siberian Huskies were first brought to Nome, Alaska in 1908 by William Goosak, a Russian fur trader. The Alaska Gold Rush created a great demand for Huskies, and for the next two decades they participated in the All Alaska Sweepstakes, a 408-mile race from along the Bering Strait from Nome to Candle and back. The race covered a wide variety of rough terrain, including a valley that was almost always in the throes of a blizzard. First prize was $10,000, a huge sum in those days. The original sled dogs who competed were large, weighing between 100 to 120 pounds – that is, until the Siberian Huskies made their appearance, weighing about less than half.

          The Huskies first raced in 1909. The locals, used to their large dogs, mocked the smaller lighter Siberian Huskies, calling them "Siberian Rats." Unfortunately, the driver of the first team of Huskies to participate in the Race got over-confident and took too long of a rest. Still, his team finished third, which surprised just about everybody.

          This result encouraged a young Scotsman, Fox Maule Ramsey, to import seventy Siberians from across the Bering Sea. He trained three teams, and in the 1910 race, his dogs came in first, second and fourth! From that point on, the Siberians dominated the All Alaska Sweepstakes.

Siberian Huskies Save The Good Citizens of Nome

         Racing is all well and good, but in 1925, teams of Siberian Huskies performed a service to humanity par excellence. A deadly diphtheria epidemic was killing the people of Nome, a small town located just two degrees south of the Artic Circle. People were falling ill and dying from this highly contagious disease, and they had exhausted their supply of antitoxin. The nearest serum was a thousand miles away, and the weather kept planes grounded. And solid ice made the port impassable. The only hope for the sick and dying citizens of Nome was for teams of Siberian Huskies to deliver the antitoxin.  

          This mission began in January 1925 and involved 150 sled dogs (primarily Siberian Huskies and 20 mushers. They faced fierce winds that created snow drifts as high as ten feet and temperatures as low as 70 degrees below zero. Planning the run, which would last up to two weeks under more favorable conditions, was further complicated by the serum's brief shelf-life, namely, six days. The logistics and planning to accomplish this mission were staggering.

          While Balto, the lead dog on the team that ran the final 53-mile leg to Nome became the most famous, the true hero was another Husky named Togo ...

who was bred and raised by a Norwegian-born musher named Leonhard Seppala. In fact, it's ironic that he originally owned Balto, but thought so little of him that he had him neutered, deeming him useless for breeding, and gave him away to a fellow musher.

          Togo was a sickly pup, but he was eventually nursed back to health by Mr. Seppala's wife. Togo quickly became rowdy and mischievous, not a good temperament for a sled dog. At age six months, Seppala determined that he would do better as a pet, so he gave him away. A few days later, Togo broke out through a glass window and returned home, where he made a total pest of himself every time Seppala harnessed his team to go to work delivering supplies to gold miners. Togo loved to play with the other dogs, and tried his best to get them to come chase reindeer with him. Seppala would tie him up as he and the team set off, but Togo had no problem breaking free and catching up with them.

         One time he found Seppala and his team at a cabin where they had stopped to spend the night. The next morning, Togo's behavior was so disruptive that Seppala saw no other option but to include Togo in his team, hitching him close to the sled. The eight-month old pup was a creature transformed! Throughout the day, Seppala gradually moved him up the line until he was co-lead dog! Togo ran seventy-five miles that day, and was all of eight months old! A rare feat for any novice sled dog, but unheard of for such a young pup. Seppala referred to Togo as his "infant prodigy." In fact, one year Togo ran 4,000 miles! 

       Seppala and his team, led by the petit Togo, then twelve years old, ran the longest (91 miles) and most dangerous leg of the run. In order to save a day, Seppala elected to take a short cut across Norton Sound, which was covered with thick ice that constantly moved due to the strong currents below. These blocks of ice could break free at any time and float off to sea. In addition, the ice's surface was tricky and dangerous both for the dogs and their driver to navigate. Other than the high winds that could easily flip the sled, sending it off course or worse, the surface was unforgiving. Parts of it consisted of large sharp hills of ice formed by snow that drifted, then froze. Other parts were glassy ice that had been polished smooth by relentless winds, making it difficult to impossible for the Huskies to get a pawhold.

         As Seppala and his team set off at 2 a.m., a raging blizzard had descended into Norton Sound. This prevented Seppala from seeing ahead of him, and the roaring winds prevented him from listening to the ice to ascertain whether any of it had cracked and was now floating toward the sea. Seppala was completely dependent on Togo to lead the team through these treacherous conditions. They succeeded, reaching the other side of Norton Sound at 8 a.m.

        Siberian Huskies were first used for polar exploration by Admiral Byrd during his Antarctic expedition (1928-30). His team, consisting of about fifty dogs, was driven by Colonel Norman Vaughn, who not only was the first person to drive dogs through that unforgiving territory; he was also the first human to see this remote corner of the Earth. His task was to find a suitable location for Admiral Byrd's base camp. The Huskies were more successful at their mission than larger sled dogs because they were compact, used energy more efficiently, and were faster. The Colonel also used Siberians in 1933 when he was part of an expedition planning to traverse Antarctica's 16,000-mile long coast.

Wartime Search and Rescue

         Siberian Huskies served with distinction in the American Army during World War I. A musher named Scotty Allan, who won the All Alaska Sweepstakes three times, trained 450 dogs. During the years 1914-15, they were used to pull sleds laden with supplies over the Vosges Mountains, a site of bitter and almost constant fighting. The Huskies once delivered more than 90 tons of ammunition to artillery units in four days, a feat that took teams of horses and donkeys almost two weeks to accomplish!

          During World War II, the Siberians served in the Army's Artic Search and Rescue Team of the Air Transport Command. The United States was sending supplies to Siberia via Alaska and the Bering Sea, and to England and France over Maine, Greenland and Labrador. The harsh weather conditions forced down many planes, and Husky teams and their mushers were the only ones who could reach these remote frigid areas and rescue the fallen air crews. They had no problem working with ski troops and climbing steep and rugged mountain trails through deep snows that no machine could handle.

          Since many of the downed airmen were wounded, and probably hypothermic and starving, time was of the essence. Once the crashed plane was located, aerial surveillance would determine the quickest and safest approach route for a Husky team, which was then loaded onto transport planes and landed as close as possible to the crash site. Once there, the drivers would tend to the downed pilots, and if they needed more supplies, they would call in a request and supplies were then dropped by parachute. By the end of the war, the Huskies had saved about one hundred airmen as well as a lot of valuable equipment.

          Siberian Huskies also played a significant role in the Battle of the Bulge in 1944. The winter was brutal and the German Panzers were inflicting major casualties on Allies forces. The frigid weather grounded American planes, and the hip-deep snow made it virtually impossible for stretcher bearers to bring wounded soldiers to front-line aid stations. Nor could ambulances get through. A call was sent throughout Alaska and the Northeast United States, and four days later, 209 Huskies and Malamutes with their drivers and sleds were flown on transport planes to Toul, France. The dogs were so well-behaved on the flight that there was only one skirmish that resulted in a minor ear injury.

          The only way to get the Huskies, Malamutes, their mushers and sleds to the front was to parachute them in. The top brass was opposed, that is, until General Patton intervened. He gave the go-ahead and off they went. During their service, the dogs rescued about 150 wounded, 300 casualties and a lot of expensive equipment. A German retreat and an easing of weather conditions ended their mission, but the dogs were lauded for "their intelligence and ability."

Conclusion:

         The combination of harsh environment, absence of predators of canine competition and their ongoing close relationship with the Chukchis led the Siberian Huskies to evolve into the amazing creatures they are today. Bearing in mind that many breeds were specifically created by humans for well-defined purposes, mostly in the 19th century, it would take hundreds of years, if not longer, for humans to create a breed that is capable of surviving all that a Husky can survive, perform the many tasks that only a Husky can perform, and most important of all, develop a deep, loving relationship with people, especially children. Breeders can create many kinds of dogs, but only God and nature made the Siberian Husky. I know this from deep, personal experience.