Breed HistoryAs the name would suggest, Siberian Huskies are native to Siberia,
where they have been trained for hundreds of years by the Chukchi
people to pull sleds. The Chukchi are semi-nomadic people, and the
Siberian Husky’s ability to pull sleds with light loads for long
distances made it a useful companion.
A team of Siberian Huskies was brought to Alaska in 1909 to compete in
the All Alaska Sweepstakes Race the dogs themselves were not known as siberian huskies at this stage but later became the breed we know today. Following their debut a large number
were imported to Alaska, and a team of Siberian Huskies won the same
race the following year. In subsequent years, Siberian Huskies went on
to win many different races and gain fame for their speed and
endurance.
Siberian Huskies were made even more famous in 1925, when the city of
Nome, Alaska was struck by a diphtheria outbreak. Several different
teams of sled dogs, most of them Siberian Huskies, relayed the
necessary serum back to Nome. After this story became national news,
Leonhard Seppala, a famous breeder of Siberian Huskies and a key figure
in the Nome rescue, toured New England with his team. These events
helped to popularize the breed, and in 1930 the Siberian Husky was
recognized as a breed by the American Kennel Club. They are still used
in various sledding, carting, and racing events, and are largely
responsible for the popularization of these activities.
You may have seen the movie Balto which is about the famous serum run. More info on the real balto and togo can be found to the left.