Life with Siberian Huskies

In slow motion:

My partner Jonathan running the Seppala’s up in Maine.

Part One – Siberian Origins

Used with permission from Mr. Mick Brent – Dreamcatcher Siberian Huskies/The Siberian Husky Welfare Association (UK)

(Below – Siberian Sled dogs photographed circa 1901 by Vladimir Jochelson/Dina Brodskava during the Jessup North Pacific Expedition)

The dogs we now know as Siberian Huskies are an amazing example of selective breeding over time to produce a form which perfectly fits the function for which they were developed. Imagine the complex specifications if we tried to produce such a breed today:

We want a breed which will:

The Siberian Husky, which is directly descended from the sled dogs developed over a period of several thousands of years by the Chukchi people of North-East Siberia, fulfils all these “functions” within its beautiful and efficient “form.”

The Chukchi People, whose name was derived either from the Chukchi word “chukcha” meaning “rich in reindeer”, or the Russian “chavchu” meaning “reindeer people,” were primarily a reindeer-herding people living inland on the tundra with their reindeer herds. Like the Saami of Lapland, the nomadic herders used their reindeer products to make tools, clothing, dwellings and, of course, provide the basis of their diet and their transportation.

A smaller section of the Chukchi people – the “maritime: Chukchi – lived in summer coastal villages and hunted seal, walrus and whales for their food and used dog sleds for transportation. The landscape of Chutotka (the Chukchi land) is dominated by tundra interspersed with low mountains, with some areas of taiga in the south and west. The wildlife found in Chukotka includes Caribou (this is in addition to the domestic reindeer that are maintained in herds, wolves, bears (grizzly and polar), arctic fox, walrus, seal, whale, cranes and a variety of arctic birds. Summer temperatures can be very warm while the winters are (literally) arctic. Chukotka has the widest seasonal temperature variation of anywhere in the world.

The maritime Chukchi lived in summer villages of between 10 and 20 tents – twice the size of the reindeer herding Chukchi villages. These was considerable contact and trade between the two groupsand indeed, in some areas, both groups lived together and cultivated a lifestyle which included both reindeer herding and coastal hunting.

Their sled dogs were crucial to both the survival of the maritime Chukchi and the viability of their communities. Many of the characteristics still seen in today’s Siberian Husky have their origin in the Chukchi dogs going back several millennia. Their temperament, for example, had to be equable enough for them to coexist peacefully with both humans and other dogs. They could work amicably as part of teams of 20 or more dogs and their temperament was a crucial survival factor – out on the ice in freezing arctic temperatures, a major dog fight could mean tragedy if injured dogs meant that the team and the family froze to death. The Chukchi dogs were also sweet tempered enough to sleep with the children as “doggy duvets.” Night time temperatures were measured by the number of dogs necessary to keep the kids warm – eg three dog night, four dog night etc.

The economic and social importance of the Chukchi’s dogs was also reflected in their place in the Chukchi religion and mythology. A Chukchi legend held that two sled dogs guarded the gates of heaven where they had the power to reject anyone who had been cruel to dogs during their time on earth. Another legend claimed that during a time of famine, both human and dog populations were at risk of being wiped out by hunger. Only two baby puppies still remained alive, but with their mother dead, they had little chance of survival. A Chukchi woman suckled the pups at her breast so ensuring the survival of the breed and the co-dependent nature of the human-dog relationship. Ironically, this situation was to be replicated in reality during the 1860’s when the breed’s survival was again threatened by famine. This time the Chukchi’s sled dogs survived by judicious outcrossing to other local breeds (see below).

The conventional wisdom concerning the origins of the breed, claims that the Chukchi dogs were direct descendants in an unbroken line of pure breeding dating back some 1000, 2000 or 3000 years (depending upon which book/article/website you choose to believe). The reality is somewhat more complex and interesting. Many of the indigenous Siberian peoples have used sled dogs as transportation and have done so for thousands of years. Indeed, the 3000 year benchmark so often used in discussion of Siberian husky history may itself be a serious underestimate. The distinguished Russian archeological researcher N.N.Dikov, found evidence of Laika-type dogs in burials in the Kamchatka peninsular dating back 10,000 years.

(Dog Sledding Way of Life in Kamchatka – B.I. Shiroky – P.A.D.S. Newsletter #5)

In fact, the Siberian Husky and the Alaskan Malamute (along with 12 other breeds) have been identified as amongst 14 “ancient breeds” of domesticated dog whose genetic\lines have been distinct from the wolf for many thousands of years. Interestingly this research shows that the recurrent myth about northern peoples’ interbreeding of dogs and wolves is just that – a myth with no historical or genetic truth to it at all.

(“Genetic Structure of the Purebred Domestic Dog” – Science, Vol 304, May 21st 2004)

It may be that the Koryaks, the Iukagirs, the Chukchi, the Kamchadals and the many other paleo-Siberian peoples, at some time in their history were so geographically, culturally and economically isolated from each other tha

“..a long interchange between the peoples of Siberia and the natives of Alaska did exist from ancient into modern times.”

(John Douglas Tanner Jr. – Alaskan trails, Siberian Dogs pp15)

It is very likely that some interbreeding of their dogs may well have been the occasional result of such interaction. Indeeed, an archeological excavation of ancient Ipuitak sites at Point Hope in Alaska in the 1940’s recovered dog remains some 2000 years old, which were positively identified by scientists as those of Siberian dogs,\not local Alaskan breeds.

(John Douglas Tanner Jr. – Alaskan trails, Siberian Dogs pp15)

Further evidence of such possible interbreeding over the millennia can be seen from the fact that the research into “ancient breeds” referred to above, also found that genetically, the Alaskan Malamute and the Siberian Husky were very closely related.:

“In addition, the Alaskan Malamute is shown to be very closely related to the Siberian Husky, and its place of origin is far western Alaska, across the Bering Strait from the homeland of the Siberian Husky’s ancestors.”

(http://www.workingdogweb.com/RSH-2004-2.htm – “New breakthrough in dog genetics”

Much more recently (as mentioned above) a devastating series of famines suffered by the Chukchi people during the 1860’s, resulted in the death of the vast majority of their dogs. Many died of starvation and some were killed and eaten by desperate Chukchi to feed their families.

(Thompson & Foley – The Siberian Husky)

After this devastation, the Chukchi gradually re-established their sled dog stock by breeding their few remaining dogs with other available breeds including\primarily the smaller, red, foxlike Tungus Spitz.

(Thompson & Foley – The Siberian Husky)

Both the dogs above – the shaggier ‘wolflike’ one and the smaller, flatter coated ‘foxlike’ one (photographed in 1904) are Chukchi dogs.

From the middle of the 17th Century, increasing exposure to Russian influence – culturally, politically and economically – began to change aspects of Chukchi life:

“Ethnic Russians first encountered the Chukchi in 1642, when the Cossack Ivan Yerastov met them on the Alazeya river. In the 1640’s, the Russians built two forts on the Kamchatka, and commercial traders, fur trappers and hunters used these forts as a base and established permanent contact with the Chukchi. This contact brought many problems to the Chukchis. Diseases like influenza, mumps, smallpox and so forth spread amongst the population, and alcoholism became a problem as Russian traders often paid with vodka.”

(The Centre for Russian Studies (NUPI) – http://www2.nupi.no/cgi-win//Russland/etnisk_b.exe?Chukchi

Throughout the second half of the 17th and most of the 18th Century, the peoples of Siberia (and particularly the Chukchi – who were known as “the Apache of the north!” because of their fierce resistance to invasion) came under increased military, commercial and cultural pressure from Czarist Russia. The crack Czarist Cossack troops pursued a policy of genocide against the Chukchi, and in a series of skirmishes, the Chukchi with their dog sleds, managed to outrun them and avoid a final showdown. In 1649, Anadyr was established as a fortified outpost city for the Russian empirebut over the next 100 years or so it became a huge drain on Russian resources.For the period between 1710 and 1764, the maintenance of the fort at Anadyrsk had cost some 1,380,000 roubles, but the area had returned only 29,150 roubles in taxes. The Russians controlled the land, but not the people and it was costing them dear. The Cossacks were extraordinary warriors, but they did not understand either the terrain or the arctic conditions and suffered terrible losses (due to the inhospitable conditions – not the Chukchi). After a series of brutal military campaigns, Russia decided to try a different tack and tried to control Chukotchka through trade rather than violence. A treaty was made with the Chukchi giving them independence.

Unfortunately for the Chukchi, what defeated them in the end was firstly the consequences of opening Chukotchka to trade, and secondly the bureacratic”need” of the new communist rulers of Russia (after the 1917 Bolshevik revolution) to control and standardise everything in the name of “proletarian efficiency.” The new Soviet Union initially offered a free trade deal to the Chukchi. The inadvertent side effect of increased trade was the importation of a smallpox epidemic. The Chukchi people were decimated. Having inadvertently weakened the Chukchi with disease, the Soviets removed the velvet glove and deliberately executed all the Chukchi village leaders (who also happened to be the most experienced and successful dog breeders). The Soviets then set up their own dog breeding programmes designed to create the perfect Peoples Sled Dog.

As if this level of bureacratic control-freakery was not enough, in 1952 the Soviets issued a statement denying that the Chukchi dog had ever existed as a distinct breed and that the “siberian husky” was a US created breed whose origins had nothing to do with Siberia. Amazingly enough, although the Soviet Union is now itself history, many contemporary Russian dog historians still hold to this ‘official’ view. To confirm this, simply browse the website of the Russian “Primitive Aboriginal Dogs” (PADS) organisation – the Siberian Husky is not amongst the aboriginal dogs they recognise.

(http://www.pads.ru):

“It would be appropriate to mention that the Americans have developed and breed sled dog named the Siberian Husky and the term Husky can be translated as ‘Laika.’ However, this breed, in our understanding, does not have any relationship to Siberian dogs as I understand them. The Siberian husky is a cultivated specialised breed, which American cynologists obtained by selective breeding our sled dogs imported from northeastern parts of Chukotka, The Kolyma River and Kamchatka.”

Our Northern Dogs –  B.I.Shiroky – in PADS Newsletter #8

Although understandable in one sense – after all, the Siberian Husky may no longer be regarded as a primitive aboriginal breed, it does seem strange to deny its relationship to such dogs – after all, every single Siberian Husky in the world has ancestry going back to the handful of entire dogs/bitches imported into the US in the early part of the 20th Century.

 “The entire Siberian Husky breed goes back to the same dozen dogs of the 1930’s: Kreevanka, Tosca, Tserko, Duke, Tanta of Alyeska, Sigrid III of Foxstand, Smokey of Seppala, Sepp III, Smoky, Dushka, Kabloona, Rollinsford Nina of Marilym. There are two or three others none of which would constitute more than one half of one percent of a dog’s pedigree today.”

J.Jeffrey Bragg – http://seppalasleddogs.com/seppala-breeding-5.htm

Unfortunately, as a result of Russian invasion, famine, disease and Soviet politics, the Chukchi dog, as a distinct breed of Siberian ‘Laika’ no longer exists in any meaningful numbers, if at all, in its native land. Having said that, sled dog enthusiasts in Kamchatka are working with the few remaining aboriginal dogs to re-establish the Kamchatka sled dog, and as part of that programme, initiated the Beringia sled dog race – the longest sled race in the world at nearly 2000 kilometers long.The race is run from a village in Kamchatka (eg Esso)  through Palana in the Koryak region, to a village in the far north (eg Markovo). The Esso-Markovo route at 1980km is the longest sled dog route in the world and takes three weeks to complete.

The Beringia Race – from http://www.thearctic.is

Ironically, as the breed came under increasing threat to its very existence in its own homeland, it began to gain a foothols in a new continent only a few miles away across the Bering Straits. Sled dogs had been used in Alaska for millennia, just as in Siberia. The influx of thousands of people as a result of the Klindike Gold Rush had led to a massive increase in the need forsled dogs. Thousands of dogs (often totally unsuited to work in arctic/sub-arctic conditions) were brought north f4rom Canada and the US. Jack London’s “Call of the Wild” is a fictionalised tale of one such dog – ‘Buck,’ a St. Bernard cross.

The new population of Alaska, often with money in their pockets, needed R&R after their exertions in the gold fields. Gambling joints, saloons and brothels flourished, as did the new sport of sled dog racing. Probably started by drunken bar-room boasts abou t who had the better or faster teams, the sport of sled dog racing soon featured organised events. The Nome Kennel Club was formed and organised the biggest of the events – the All Alaska Sweepstakes Race. First run in April 1908, the race was soon to become an annual \event and the showcase for the extraordinary abilities of the “little Siberian rats.”

They hear a voice from deep inside,
when those speak, they must abide.
They whisper tales of long ago,
when huskies thrived in ice and snow.

Lonely nights without much food,
they gladly gave their servitude.
Adventures waiting each new day,
man and dogs, with just a sleigh.

Traveling without any fears,
all across those great frontiers.
And when their time came to pass,
the rainbow bridge they did advance.

When pointing snouts to the sky,
there’re calling out to those on high.
They sing a song for those above,
brother spirits they are thinking of.

Someday they will join that pack,
and knowing they will not come back.
Today might be their very last,
living large before its past.

They howl their tales of life on earth,
how far they’ve come since birth.
That’s when you’ll hear that soulful cry,
to the husky spirits in the sky.

TJ

This post is geared more to the new husky owner, and it is important to be aware of some things for the good of both dog and family. Huskies are strong dogs, and with that also comes a strong will. Many people believe in rescuing huskies, and I have no problem with that at all… if you are aware of potential problems.

First of all, you have no idea how that husky was treated in his previous home. It’s quite possible, and even probable that he was mistreated. When people don’t understand something they eventually lose their cool and take it out on the source of the problem.

The rescue orginization may not be aware either. A dog put into a new environment will usually be reserved because they don’t understand the new place. This dog may act completely docile and fool everyone involved. The next thing to be aware of is that people lie. Neither you, or the rescue has anyway to prove the history given by the person giving up the dog.

People normally don’t give up a dog because its perfect. There is a reason they gave it up, and more than likely it is a behavior issue. Now some normal husky behaviors could be enough for a novice to give up. Things like constant exercise, digging holes, chewing and destroying furniture, and maybe even eating the cat.

And then there is the more extreme ones. Aggressive behavior that in fact can be very dangerous to a family. This behavior may not be shown until some particular trigger sets the dog off. This can be anything from food aggression to objects like a broom that was used to beat the dog.

I would also like to talk about how this aggressive behavior can be created without even a new owner knowing it. Now at the risk of being chastised I’m going to tell you just exactly what I believe.

First of all, huskies have a hierarchical pack structure (fact). This means that someone is at the top and someone is at the bottom. And the rest fall someplace in between. You can read all the Berkley papers that disagree you want, and you would be wrong to believe that load of crap.

Not only does the pack have a structure… the huskies, like us, have a desire to move up the chain. Not all, but most are driven to rule. You don’t have to have more than one dog to have a pack. Your family becomes a pack to a husky without much thought about it.

Now some people are stronger willed than others. Some are pacifist that believe everything can be reasoned and talked about until a solution is reached. That is fine if you are dealing with another human, but it’s not fine when dealing with a husky.

This is what can happen to a puppy. Huskies are known as being mouthy. That doesn’t mean talking, it means using their mouths as we would our fingers. Everything goes in a husky’s mouth. Puppies teeth, and they chew on things, fingers included.

What happens is the timid person lets them do this without a serious correction. The bite is annoying more than dangerous at this age. The problem is the dog will soon grow to the point where it can become dangerous if not corrected at that early age. It also empowers the husky to do as he pleases. You are slowly putting him in a position of power in your pack.

I’ve seen so many answers to this behavior that frankly, I don’t think have a prayer of working. Things like distract the dog with a toy, redirect them with positive training methods. So, what are you going to do? Spend 24 hours a day distracting this dog every time it wants to bite?  Every time it wants something?

What you are doing is allowing the behavior to continue. The dog was distracted sure, but he didn’t learn that putting teeth on human skin is not allowed. All you are doing is avoiding the problem. When that dog is grown you will have a real problem on your hands. By that time it has actally become a dangerous problem.

You cannot reason with a dog like a person. They do not understand your words, and even if they did, they don’t have the brain power to reason out what is fair/unfair etc. like a human being does.

You don’t have to Alpha roll the dog, but you have to instill that this behavior is not allowed. You have to instill in them you make the rules. Instead of yanking your hand back you can push your finger forward to the back of the mouth/throat like if you were sticking your finger down your own throat to vomit.

The gag reflex works just the same for dogs. A few times of this, and they soon learn that fingers are not something to chew on. This does not harm the dog anymore than it harms you, if you do it to yourself.

A rolled-up newspaper slapped against your hand with a very loud, “NO!” works wonders for many instances of bad behavior. The point being is you have to do something. Reasoning and being passive only lets the dog know it is in control of you, not the other way around. You’ve become lower in rank and that is not a good place to be as that dog matures.

A word to the wise no matter what kind of dog you rescue. Take what they tell you about the dog with a grain of salt. All they can tell you is what the person who gave the dog up said.

Observe it closely for a long time and in all types of interactions, and don’t leave it unsupervised with a small child. You wouldn’t leave your child unsupervised with a homeless person you rescued, so why would you do it with an animal?

TJ

On December 3, 2014 another husky soul arrived in this world. I wasn’t there for his first two months, but I imagine his birth was like all of those before him. In fact, I didn’t even know about him until one day at the vet when I enquired about any of the other clients having huskies.

I guess it was meant to be, because they did know of a litter and gave me the phone number. I called and asked all the questions I could. I went to see the pups because the family only lived 6 miles away from me. Then I went home and toiled with wondering if it was the right thing to do. Whether I really needed another pet.

With 3 cats and 2 dogs already in residence I was torn. The price seemed too high, but it really wasn’t out of line… but I didn’t know that. I made an offer, and waited a day. Eventually they came back with a counter offer, and I decided to take it.

I looked at all the pups and asked for the most outgoing one. They informed me “That One!” So, I picked up this big boy puppy and took him home. My wife named him Cooper, and it seemed like a good name for him.

I expected him to be just like any other dog I’ve had, and I treated him as such. I bet he was thinking about how much he was going to have to do, to teach me about his kind. But he didn’t falter with the work ahead of him. He began right away to teach me through all kinds of tricks of the trade. Stubbornness, subterfuge, teeth, and many other devious plans that only the Siberian People know.

That first year was a hard one on both of us. Mainly because I was ignorant about the ways of the husky. But he never gave up on me. This was his new home and life, and he wasn’t about to give up unless I did. That is the way of the Siberian they just don’t quit. We butted heads quit a few times, but I slowly learned more and more each day by observing him, and reading everything I could about them.

I had bred and trained German Shepherds but this little guy was nothing like them. At first I thought I’d picked a dud because he just didn’t seem to understand the heel command. He wanted to be out front and pull me down the road. No amount of commands or pulling him back would stop him.

He was also clumsy and would trip over his own feet on a walk. I seriously began to wonder if something was off in him. It turns out he just wasn’t used to those big legs of his. Today he is graceful and has a smooth lope that is poetry in motion. A gentle giant who grew into those legs and body.

We stuck together and walked miles and miles. I started learning about sled dogs, and husky history, and it slowly started to come together. Cooper and I met half-way, I started to accept him, and he began to accept me. We learned about each other’s faults, and also the good things that make a great partnership work.

Now today…three years later I can’t imagine what it would be like without him. He is a magnificent critter. Full of life, a worker on the bike, and a wonderful companion. I sometimes call him, “Big Silly.” Because he has a certain humor about him in the things he does. A gentle and very large dog for a husky. When he works he stays focused on the task at hand. But when at home he is like any other pet for the most part.

He has some behaviors that annoy me at times, but I’m sure I have some he doesn’t like as well. I understand him now, and that makes it okay. He really has changed my life in many ways. These days I’m so Intune with these Siberians that I even paint them.

I think about them all the time, and hope they are safe while I’m at work. I’m so wrapped up in these people that I’ve even invested time and money into more dogs. Seppala Siberians, the great working line from the master Leonhard Seppala himself. The future will bring more Seppalas into the world and I hope to have as many as I can.

As our breeding program grows I hope to turn more people on to these amazing dogs. Maybe when I retire in a few years we can do a few races, run some tours and let others find out how amazing it feels to be traveling down a trail being pulled by them.

It all started on this day 3 years ago with a little ball of fur named Cooper.

Thank You Cooper for everything you’ve taught me, and your never-ending zest for life. I hope we have many more years of adventures together!

TJ

Huskies never cease to amaze me with their personalities. They have facial expressions that tell what they are thinking and a voice when the situation warrants it.

The other night I was reading my book with Nikki curled up on the bed. It was dark out and not too late at night. Cooper was outside and hadn’t wanted to come in when I let Nikki inside. See we have a routine for the most part. It does change depending on the season but now that its colder Cooper prefers to stay out.

Nikki likes to have a little more comfort as she is the Queen and thinks she deserves it. I thought I heard a dog howling or some such noise outside. This isn’t unusual as we have a few neighborhood dogs that raise their voices from time to time.

The noise continued and I thought I better investigate. I opened the sliding back door from the basement and heard the unmistakable husky howl. It was coming from the front yard and so I grabbed my flashlight to go see what was going on.

As I walked around through the gate there was another long howl mixed with some Roo-Roo talk. At first, I thought maybe Cooper injured himself somehow. But it wasn’t the kind of howl an injured dog makes.

I found him in the front making all this noise for no apparent reason that I could come up with. It was similar to the sounds he makes when he feels that he has been offended in some way. Usually when Nikki has stolen his bone or treat from him.

I looked around and could not see any critters or such that might have gotten him to make a fuss. Normally he’s quiet all the time. I snatched him by the collar and brought him back inside. It turns out he was just hungry.

Now that its cold at night he burns more calories and even though he ate earlier he must have still been hungry. I fed him another large pan of food which he dispatched quickly. It was like he’d never eaten in days! Nikki looked on with disgust at his table manners.

With his belly full he stretched out on the tile and went to sleep. I can’t say he’s ever done this before and it just goes to show that these dogs change their minds and how they act from time to time.

The next day I had another food related incident. Keep in mind that for two years these dogs acted like food was a bad thing. In my mind they barely ate enough to keep them alive. That too has changed recently.

I went out and called them to come get their fish. Each morning they get a nice big frozen whiting fish for breakfast. To the uninformed this may seem harsh to give a frozen fish for a meal. To a husky it doesn’t matter the least little bit whether its frozen or fresh off the grill. Its good either way to them and they usually make quick work of their fish popsicle.

This time Nikki turned up her nose at it and wouldn’t come to the door. So, I gave Cooper his fish and he trotted off to the front to enjoy it. No sooner than I shut the door Nikki comes racing from the front yard and runs up and stares in the door.

I opened the door and asked her what she wanted. She had this pained expression and let out a very loud and long…ROoooooodle!  Its something between a howl and the sound a trumpeter swan makes.

I couldn’t help but laugh out loud at her. For this I got another look and another Rooodle just for good measure. It seemed that the Queen was upset that the underling had eaten before her!

I got another fish out of the freezer. She snatched it out of my hand and raced for the front yard to show it off to Cooper. Cooper was long done with his and came racing for another one. I showed him my outstretched empty hands and said, “All Gone.”

This was met with sad eyes and he turned to leave. Feeling sorry for him I found a small fish and let him have another. Just another day in husky land learning to live with these Siberian people.

I think since I’ve switched to feeding them raw food, which is mainly fish and chicken their appetites have improved. They are eating like they were meant to do, not some manufactured corn-based kibble. I think it suits them well. Nikki’s coat has a shiny black racing stripe down her back now. It has never been there before. Cooper’s winter coat is getting full and so is Nikki. They look better than they ever have.

I do give them each a vitamin everyday to make sure they are getting all they need. Being new to raw food I don’t want to take any chances.

TJ

It’s a good thing huskies are a friendly bunch. I’ve mentioned before they can fight and take care of themselves if they have to. Here is a little example of how the Husky stacks up in the dog world for the power of their bite.

“Bite force is the scientific term for the measurement of the amount of pressure in a dog’s bite. There are several factors that determine bite force, but scientists agree that the size of a dog’s head has a lot to do with the amount of pressure it can exert with its jaws.

The strength of the bite of a breed can’t be measured with any accuracy because you can’t teach a dog to bite with consistent force time after time. The bite will be different each time it is measured, and each dog will have a slightly different measurement. It is important to keep in mind that when the bite force of a breed is discussed, it can only be in a general way.

Trained dogs typically have a higher bite force than untrained ones. A human averages 120 PSI (Pounds Per Square Inc.) As one of the two dog breeds that are closest in appearance to wolves, Siberian Huskies have a tremendous bite force of about 320 PSI. For reference it generally it takes only 130 PSI to break a human arm bone.”

Bite Force in PSI:

Human 120

German Shepherd 238

Bulldog 300

Rottweiler 320

Husky 320

Mastiff 550

Kangal 700

Wolf 1200