top of page

THE SIBERIAN HUSKY

BREED HISTORY

The origins of the Siberian Husky can be traced back to the indigenous Chukchi people of Siberia. These nomadic tribes relied heavily on sled dogs to survive in the unforgiving Arctic climate. The dogs were essential for transportation, hunting, and even as companions. Through the process known as selective breeding, the Chukchi cultivated a breed that could withstand harsh conditions, pull heavy loads, and maintain a friendly temperament. The Chukchi people treated the dogs as family members. The dogs shared their food and slept with them for warmth. The close-knit relationship between humans and huskies was crucial for survival in such an extreme environment.

​

Siberian Huskies are an active, energetic, resilient breed, whose ancestors lived in the extremely cold and harsh environment of the Siberian Arctic. William Goosak, a Russian fur trader, introduced them to Nome, Alaska during the Nome Gold Rush, initially as sled dogs. The people of Nome referred to the Siberian Huskies as “Siberian Rats” due to their size of 40–50 lbs. compared with the Malamute dogs, 75–85 lbs.

​

In 1909, the first large numbers of these Chukchi dogs were brought to Alaska to compete in the long-distance All-Alaska Sweepstakes races. The Husky team finished third, and from then on was a fixture in most sled-dog races. ​In the winter of 1925, when a diphtheria epidemic broke out in the isolated town of Nome, Alaska, a relay of dog teams brought life-saving serum from distant Neana. The heroic endeavor earned national prominence for the drivers and their dogs.

​

One of these drivers, Leonhard Seppala, brought his team of Siberian Huskies to the United States on a personal appearance tour.

While in New England, he competed in sled dog races and again proved the superiority of Siberian Huskies over the native dogs. The New England drivers and pioneer fanciers acquired foundation stock, earned AKC recognition for the breed in 1930, and founded the Siberian Husky Club of America in 1938.

BREED STANDARD

General Appearance

The Siberian Husky is a medium-sized working dog, quick and light on his feet, with a graceful, smooth stride. His moderately compact, well-furred body, erect ears, and brush tail suggest his northern heritage. He was bred to carry light loads at a moderate speed over vast frozen expanses, and his overall structure reflects this balance of power, speed, and endurance.

Size, Proportion & Substance

Male specimens should range between 21 and 23.5 inches at the withers. Females should be between 20 and 22 inches. Males should weigh anywhere from 40 to 60 pounds, while females should range from 35 to 50 points. The weight should be proportionate to the height of the dog. The length of the dog, from the point of the shoulder to the rear point of the pelvis, should be slightly longer than the height at the withers. Dogs should exhibit moderate bone and well-developed musculature that shows endurance without bulkiness.

Head

Expression: Keen, friendly and interested. Typically exhibits an alert and mischievous demeanor

​

Eyes: Almond shaped, moderately spaced and set slightly obliquely. Colors include brown, blue, one of each, or particolored

 

Ears: Medium-sized, triangular in shape, close-set and high on the head. The ears should be thick, well-furred and slightly arched at the back

 

Skull & Stop: Slightly rounded on the top and tapering from the widest point to the eyes. The stop should be well defined but not abrupt

 

Muzzle & Nose: Should be of medium length, tapering gradually to the nose, with neither a snippy nor coarse appearance. The nose should be black in grey, tan or black pigmented dogs and liver in red colored dogs. Solid white dogs may have either a black or a liver colored nose.

​

Lips & Teeth: The lips should be well-pigmented and close-fitting. A scissor bite is preferred

Neck, Topline & Body

Neck: Medium length, well arched and carried proudly when standing. Neck should naturally extend forward when trotting

​

Topline: The back should be straight and strong, with a level topline from the withers all the way to the croup

​

Body: The chest should be deep and strong but not too broad with the deepest point being just behind and level with the elbows. The ribs should be well-sprung but flattened to the sides to allow for freedom of movement. The back should be of medium length, strong and straight. The loins should be taut, lean and narrower than the rib cage but have a slight tuck-up in the belly.

Tail

The tail should be well-furred and carrier in a graceful, sickle curve over the back when at attention. It should not curl to either side of the body, nor should it fall flat against the back (these are attributes of the Alaskan Malamute). A natural trailing tail is allowed when the dog is at rest. The tail should be of medium length and neither set too high or too low.

Forequarters & Hindquarters

Shoulders: Should have well laid-back shoulder blades, sloping cose to the body with moderate angulation at the shoulder joint

​

Fore Legs: Straight and parallel when viewd from the front, moderately spaced with elbows close to the body

​

Pasterns: Slight sloped and strong but should give good flexibility and spring

​

Feet: Oval-shaped and medium sized, compact and well-furred between the toes and pads. The pads should be touch and thickly cushioned

​

Hind Legs: Should be well-muscled and powerful with a moderate amount of angulation at the stifle and hock joint. The stifles should be well-bent.

​

Hocks: Set low and turned neither in or out, should be straight

Gait

The Siberian Husky’s gait is smooth, seemingly effortless, and graceful, with a good reach in the forequarters and a powerful drive from the hindquarters. As speed increases, the feet converge toward a single track. The Siberian Husky covers the maximum amount of ground with the minimum amount of effort.

Coat

The Siberian Husky has a double coat of medium length, giving a well-furred appearance but never so long as to obscure the clean-cut outline of the dog. The undercoat is soft, dense, and sufficient to support the outer coat. The outer coat is straight and somewhat smooth lying, never harsh nor rough, and it varies in length depending on the season. Trimming is not allowed except for tidying the feet and removing the whiskers.

​

Allowed Colors: Black, gray, agouti, sable, red, and white (all colors may have multiple shades)

 

All colors may be solid or have white markings. A variety of symmetrical or asymmetrical markings and patterns are common, including piebald. No preference should be given to any allowable color, marking or pattern. Merle or Brindle patterns are not allowable and are to be disqualified.

Temperament

The Siberian Husky is friendly, gentle, and alert, but independent and dignified. The breed is not typically possessive, suspicious of strangers, or overly aggressive toward other dogs. It has a natural pack-oriented disposition, so strong leadership and training are necessary. They generally make great family dogs and are not destructive so long as they are kept active and not allowed to get bored. All dogs are loud and vocally expressive. Because of this, they are not well suited to apartment life.

Faults

  • Too long in the body or excessively stock

  • Too light or heavy in bone

  • Short, chopping or clumsy gait

  • Tail curled too tightly or laying flat against the back

  • Nervous or aggresive temerament

Information taken/altered from the AKC and FCI breed standard for the Siberian Husky.

We are a virtual breeding club of the SUKC, SFCI, and SKU; everything on the website is fictional and is for roleplay purposes only.

This club was created for virtual dogs within The Sims 3 and 4 computer games. We are not endorsed or affiliated with Electronic Arts of it's Licensors.

Most of the images on this website were created or enhanced with an online AI tool.

bottom of page