Breed of the week: the stately Siberian Husky

Native to Siberia (duh), this breed was used for centuries by the Chukchi people to pull sleds and herd reindeer. They were the perfect dogs for the harsh Siberian conditions: hardy, able to integrate into small packs and content to work for hours on end. These dogs were brought to Alaska in 1909 and later to North America by fur traders in Malamute for arctic races because of their great speed.Several dog breeds are commonly employed as "sled dogs," including the Siberian Husky and Alaskan Malamute as well as rarer breeds such as the Mackenzie River Husky and Canadian Inuit Dog. Dog drivers have a long history of using crossbreeds as sled dogs as well. In the Yukon during the Gold Rush, mongrel teams were the rule. Interestingly, from 1988 through 1991, even a team of Standard Poodles competed in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race! Today, the unregistered hybridized Alaskan husky is the preferred choice for dogsled racing.