What Are Siberian Huskies Native To?

The nomadic Chukchi people of northeastern Siberia in the far north of Russia bred and raised the Siberian husky for thousands of years. The dogs were used to pull sleds and help hunt seals. The gentle dogs have the ability to traverse immense distances on remarkably little sustenance. The Siberian husky can also tolerate temperatures that dip to -75 degrees Fahrenheit.

  1. Early History

    • The Chukchi people used the dogs to pull heavy sleds over exceptionally rough terrain. They would often hook up to 20 dogs to pull a heavy load. The Siberian husky was also a member of the household. During the night, the Chukchi brought the dogs inside. The dogs added body heat helped keep the humans warm.

    18th Century Siberia

    • During the 18th century, the Cossack soldier fur traders and trappers reached northeastern Siberia. The Cossacks used brut force and firearms to take valuable fur trading land in the region. Most of the people in the area succumbed to the soldiers, but not the Chukchi. The people used sleds led by their Siberian huskies to help them outrun the soldiers.

    Communist Russia

    • Communism swept across Russia and into Siberia in the 19th century. The Siberian husky was considered a commodity to the new communist regime. The dog was seen as a luxury and a status symbol that some Chukchi used to elevate themselves in society. Chukchi who resisted the communist rulers and kept their dogs were imprisoned or killed. As a result, most of the dogs disappeared from Siberia. The breed managed to survive because a few choice sled dogs were exported in 1908 to Alaska by the Russian fur trader, William Goosak. The dogs were popular in Alaska as superior racing sled dogs. The exportation of Siberian Huskies ended in the 1930s when the Soviet government closed its borders.

    Fame and Recognition

    • In Alaska, the dogs were dubbed Siberian huskies after their native homeland. The breed became local heroes in 1925 when a diphtheria outbreak occurred in Nome, Alaska. Leonhart Seppala took a sled team of Siberian huskies on a harrowing 350 mile journey to get diphtheria vaccine. The American Kennel Club officially recognized the Siberian husky as a working breed in 1930. As of 2011, the Siberian husky breed is a superior sled dog, family companion and therapy dog.