Siberian Huskies and a little question of Alaskan Questions

OK so here I am watching White Fang again - why not! Louie likes it too - sat right up to the TV tail wagging, head cocking when the dogs pant or whine..

Anyway why do the huskies pulling the sled look so different from the huskies bred in the UK and USA? Is it how the - would you call them intuits still - breed huskies or would they be bred with other types of dogs too?..this is a general question but the film just reminded me to ask.

Also I haven't seen an Alaskan Husky for a while...

The sled dogs in Alaska look nothing like the show ring huskies you see. I spent a week one summer at a mushing kennel in Alaska and the dogs looked like mutts mostly. Much smaller than Huskies and just very different. I'll see if I can dig up some pics of these dogs.

ETA: These are just pics from google, but this is very much what the sled team I worked with looked like, just a rag tag bunch of mutts, but they were super fast and amazing on the trail!
My pics will be in my Mom's garage, so will need to dig.

Not sure about Huskies in specific but there can be quite a difference between show, pet and working lines in lots of breeds, and also in different counties. E.g. compare the English Golden Retriever to the American, I'm on a forum where a few US members post photos of their Goldens and they look almost like a totally different breed to the Goldens I've seen over here.

Working huskies these days tend to be mixed breeds .... Houndy, gsp, collie, husky bitsas but very carefully bred!

So do they still call them Huskies or are they just dogs? Surely a full husky would be better at mushing than a cross? Then again saying that Louie can pull my OH over and he's 13stone (mostly muscle ) and he's a lab x springer - hmmm...interesting and lovely photos

that is strange, i thought they would use the breed bred for it siberian huskies. nice pics though thank you for the info too.

I was in Alaska last year, and the majority of dogs I saw were def not purebreds

Don't forget Greenlands and CED's are used aswell..and neither of them are husky like..Samoyeds too

..they have the loose term 'Alaskan' huskys not inuit

as said they are very purposely bred.

the main type other than alaskans in canada are the seppala siberian..my fav

..you have to remember sibes are now classed as a American breed... as in russia and places they were forced to die out as they only wanted their 'laika's' then America brought the breed back ..guess its one thing i gotta love bout the county lol ;-)
..samoyeds are not sled dogs they were ' herding' dogs..that said any dog can do it..but not all excel at it,its not just being about running...but more 'how to' ;-)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seppala_Siberian_Sleddog

interestingly..they say very docile and trainable...my orla is a seppala.. shes my offlead sibe (situations depending);-)

Great pics you found Muttzrule, would be good to see your photos if you find them!

There was a programme about Siberia on TV a few days ago and the huskies looked a lot heavier than the Sibes you find in the UK.

There were also some gorgeous large and hairy dogs to be seen.....probably one of the Russian breeds with a long name

LOL I never said samoyeds were sled dogs..(although you should tell the Whitespirit crew that!!!) Thats why I added them the end..

lol i know you know that...wasnt directed at u

i used to run my friends sammys at wheel .... bloomin useless most of the time lol ;-)

Aren't these Alaskan Huskys?

Yep..Seiko used to sit down and wooooooooo wooooo

he was related to some of the Winterspirit crew and they run for fun..leaving the Mal teams behind

Sounds like alot of NIDs then, reliable offlead, situation depending.

Ref the Alaskan Husky, when does an Alaskan Husky, become an Alaskan Husky?

ww...seppalas are nothing like inuits

youd also be very hard pushed to find an n.i with seppala in it

..sibe enthusiasts that breed them are even more protective than usual of the strain

I meant the recall thing xxxxx

Off subject but have you seen the front cover of the BBC Wildlife Mag? Gorgeous Husky on the front. And I am a sucker for the blue eyed ones xxxxxxxx

ohh, no but i will looksie xx
...but nothing beats my blue eyed boys imo lol