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History of the Siberian Husky
It is of great interest to know
that the Siberian
husky’s origins can be traced some 2000 years ago to the ancient Chukchi people
of the Kolyma River Basin in northern Siberia. The Chukchi people were
dependant on their dogs for protection, companionship, hunting, trapping and
most of all for transportation. These dogs were expected to travel fairly
quickly for long distances pulling a moderate load in low temperatures, while
not eating their masters out of house and home. The dogs were welcome in the
dwellings as playmates for the children and as hot water bottles at night.
During the summer they ran loose, hunting and fending for themselves. This
lifestyle, which continued unchanged for centuries, produced a breed of dog
which retained the pack living and hunting attributes of the wolf, whilst being
un-aggressive and affectionate towards people.The
breed was developed and encouraged by the Chukchi people, who valued their good,
fast dogs highly and often traded amongst each other at the Markovo Fair, held
on the Anadyr River. However, such was the isolation and life style of the
tribe that it was not until the late 19th Century when fur trading, and then the
Gold Rush at the turn of the 20th Century made their influence on the breed that
became known as the ‘Siberian Husky’.In 1908
it happened that a Russian fur trader, Goosak, returned to Nome with nine
Siberian Chukchi dogs for the purpose of entering the 1909 All Alaska
Sweepstakes Race, but it was Fox Maule Ramsay who imported the first selected
teams of Siberian Huskies into Alaska in 1909. The second son of the 13th
Earl of Dalhousie, he had come from Scotland to supervise the family investments
in the gold fields. Fascinated by the excitement of sled dog racing and
having seen Goosak’s small Chukchi dogs, he chartered a schooner and went to the
Markovo Fair, selecting 70 of the best dogs there. The Siberian Husky had
arrived! These 70 dogs chosen by Fox Maule Ramsay formed the foundation of what
is known today as the Siberian Husky.
When Ramsay left the
Klondike he sold his dogs to
a young Swede, Leonhard Seppala, who was later acknowledged to be the greatest
dog driver of all time. Leonhard Seppala was the first to introduce Siberian
Huskies into the United States out of Alaska when he came to New England in the
1920’s with his team. His dogs won every race and their beauty, speed and
temperament intrigued American racing enthusiasts. Seppala, along with
Mrs. Elizabeth Ricker, began breeding Siberian Huskies. More were obtained
from Alaska and thus the breed began.The
first sled dog race probably occurred when two trappers challenged each other’s
team and dashed their dogs over the ice fields, though the records of formal
racing date back to 1908 with the first running of the All Alaska Sweepstakes,
this being inspired by two children quarrelling over their dogs’ prowess.
Their Father, Scotty Allan (a Scot heralding from the Spey Valley) decided that
a race would settle matters. This spiralled into a 408 mile race from Nome
to Candle and back. Enthusiasm for sled dog racing spread rapidly from that time
firstly throughout North America and whilst few inhabitants of the Far North are
dependent upon dogs for basic survival, the same intimate relationship between
man and dog still exists and is evidenced through the sport of sled dog racing,
which has now emerged into a major worldwide interest with teams working
throughout North America, Europe and even as far as Australia and New Zealand.One of
the proudest chapters in sled dog history was written in 1925 when in January of
that year a case of diphtheria was discovered in Nome, Alaska but the supply of
serum in the city was inadequate to stave off an epidemic. A relay of
twenty-two teams forged their way across 674 miles through the rough interior of
Alaska and across the Bering Sea ice to bring supplies from Anchorage to the
grateful townspeople of Nome. It took the teams just over five days to
deliver the serum. To-day a statue of
Balto, who led one of the teams stands in New York’s Central Park, and the
Iditarod Trail Race is held during March of each year to commemorate the
Nome Serum Run. Leonhard Seppala’s daring leg of the famous serum relay won him
and Siberian Huskies international acclaim, whilst saving the township of Nome
from an outbreak of diphtheria.
In
Britain the opportunity to work sled dogs is limited.
Not only is the weather on the whole against the sport - wheeled rigs are the
usual form of transport rather than sleds - but also workings teams are usually
owner-driven and not available for hire on a short term basis. The
Siberian Husky Club of Great Britain schedule Working Events throughout the
Rally Season, October through March where spectators are always welcome, though
anyone interested in driving their own dog team must make further investigations
via local team owner/drivers, contact the
SHCGB (0871
277 6783)
for further details.
For enthusiasts a
visit to a Sled Dog Race, albeit on mud covered forest trails in Great Britain
can be exhilarating. The annual Sled Dog Rally in Aviemore, Scotland in
January offers the best chance of seeing sled dogs in their natural surroundings
(snow), though the fickle British weather has provided the opportunity to bring
out the sleds elsewhere at the most unexpected times! Sled dog owners, like
their dogs, are on the whole a friendly bunch and will talk for hours about
their favourite subject ... the sport of sled dog racing and, more particularly,
their dogs! Anyone coming to a race should make themselves known, ask for the
Rally Organiser to check on where to go and see the racing and what to do out on
the trail .... if a three to seven mile walk is on the itinerary.
Devotees to the sport
are born overnight .... once bitten by the bug your two-seater sports car will
almost certainly become a Transit Van and your Penthouse Flat a Country Cottage!
The Siberian is little
changed today and is still capable of fulfilling his original function and could
if necessary survive in his historic self-sufficient lifestyle. This is no
problem to owners willing to adapt to and tolerate his natural instincts, but
would be a liability to those who really want a more 'civilised' dog.