Breed History

The Siberian Husky was developed over a period of around 3,000 years by the Chukchi Eskimo’s (Inuit ), and related peoples of Siberia and developed to fulfil a particular need of the Chukchi life and culture. In one of the most inhospitable climates in the world, with temperatures plummeting to -100C in winter with winds up to 100 mph, the Chukchi relied on their dogs for survival.

With teams as large as twenty or more they could travel out over the ice, sometimes covering as much as 100 miles in a single day allowing a single man to ice-fish and return with his catch.

By sled dog standards they were small, but the large size of the teams minimized per-dog pulling power, while their smaller frames maximized endurance and low energy consumption. Even today, in long races, the Alaskan Malmutes, cousins of the Siberian Husky, typically require twice the amount of food.

The Chukchi economy and religious life was centred around the Huskies with the best dogs owned by the wealthiest members of the community, considered so because of the dogs that they owned. In Chukchi belief two huskies guard the gates of heaven turning away anybody that has shown cruelty to a dog in there life time. Another Chukchi legend tells that in a time of famine when both human and dog populations were decimated, the last two remaining pups were nursed at a woman's breast to insure the survival of the breed.