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Dog power has been used for hunting and travel for hundreds or even thousands of years. The world's oldest sleigh runner - from 9,000 years ago - was found in Finland, and more recent runners dating back c.5,000 years are believed to have been pulled by dogs (reindeer had probably not yet been tamed by then). Dog sledding as we know it today emerged as a way of life in at least three Arctic regions where there was a plentiful supply of meat for much of the year.
- Three founding regions: Greenland, Siberia (Chukchi) and Alaska
- World's oldest known sleigh runner (~9,000 years) was found in Finland
- Siberian Huskies arrived in America in 1908, mocked as 'Siberian Rats'
- 'Alaskan Husky' is defined by performance, not appearance - not a kennel-club breed
- About 60% of huskies have brown eyes, 20% blue, 20% one of each
- Top racing Alaskan winning speeds average 19+ mph over three days
Greenland dogs
On Greenland, the Greenland dog developed into its own breed over time. Inuit valued strong, durable, well-coated dogs that could journey across sea ice and hunt polar bear, traditionally roped up as a 'fan' team of 10-14 dogs without a clear leader. These dogs are extremely tough in body and mind, withstand hunger and cold well, and can be a little hard to train. Often left to fend for themselves on isolated islands over summer, the breed has been shaped by survival of the fittest, so dog-to-dog aggression is more common than in lines more controlled by human selection.
The Siberian Husky
The Siberian Husky comes from the Chukchi people of north-eastern Siberia and is considered one of the world's oldest breeds. The Chukchi, who relied on sea-mammal hunting and reindeer herding, treated their dogs well - sharing food and tents with them even in famine - which is why today's Siberians are supremely friendly towards people. They are slightly built (contrary to popular opinion), very social, with good endurance and few guard or hunting instincts. The breed arrived in America in 1908 to ridicule (mocked as 'Siberian Rats'), but proved itself in the 1909 and 1910 All-Alaska Sweepstakes and soon became a racing mainstay.
The Alaskan Husky
Alaska is the third pivotal region. The Alaskan Husky descends from native village dogs - the Coastal Eskimo Dog and the Alaskan Interior Village Dog - whose ancestors crossed the Bering Land Bridge over 14,000 years ago. When the Klondike gold rush began, demand for hauling dogs exploded and the region became a melting pot of breeds. Usage shifted from pure-bred Malamutes to crossbred dogs bred for whatever end use - mail, racing, freighting - was needed. Hence 'Alaskan Husky' simply denotes a mixed-breed dog defined by its job: enough pull, endurance, speed and coat to work in Arctic conditions. It is not a recognised breed.
The start of racing
Racing's popularity dates to the gold-rush era. The Nome Kennel Club, founded in 1908, organised the 408-mile All-Alaska Sweepstakes from Nome to Candle and back, and prize money drove the breeding of ever-faster dogs. Leonhard Seppälä - a friend of Amundsen - did much to dilute and replace the Interior Village dog with imported Siberian Huskies, and the famous Togo and Balto came from his line. The resurgence of recreational mushing since the 1970s is a direct result of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.
World wars and the modern Alaskan
In WW1 the French shipped dogs from Nome to haul supplies, three of whom received the Croix de Guerre. In WW2 the US Army used sled dog teams - a mix of Alaskan Malamutes, Mackenzie River Huskies and Alsatians - for transport and search-and-rescue, with some dogs even earning parachutists' wings. Over time, hounds, pointers, Irish Setters, Greyhounds and Salukis were crossed in to boost speed and endurance, creating specialised types including the formidable sprint-racing Eurohound (an Alaskan Husky crossed with a German Shorthaired Pointer). Today's Alaskan averages 46-50 lb (males) and 38-42 lb (females); a top racing lead dog can be worth $10,000-$15,000.
