Other Polar Breeds
Beyond the Siberian, Alaskan and Malamute - a tour of the lesser-known polar and spitz breeds, from the Greenland Dog and Canadian Inuit Dog to the Sakhalin Husky and the Laikas.
Some are true polar breeds, like the Canadian Inuit Dog, one of the oldest and rarest pure-bred indigenous canines. Others are not: the crossbred Eurohound, a mix of Alaskan Husky and Pointer, pairs the Alaskan's sledding ability with the Pointer's enthusiasm and athleticism, and is one of the most formidable sprint-racing sled dogs in the world.
- The Canadian Inuit Dog is among the oldest and rarest pure-bred indigenous canines
- Alaskan Malamutes are larger and more dominant than Siberians
- Sakhalin Huskies (Japan) inspired the film 'Eight Below'
- Laikas (East/West Siberian, Karelo-Finnish, Russo-European) are versatile hunting spitz dogs
- Finland's Tamaskan Dog was bred to resemble a wolf
- Sleigh parts up to 9,500 years old have been found in Finland
The Alaskan Malamute
The Alaskan Malamute, a large breed indigenous to upper western Alaska, often plays the 'husky' in Disney films because it matches the stereotype. It descends from the dogs of the Mahlemut tribe of Inuit (today the Kobuk people), and is larger and more dominant than most Siberian Huskies while looking similar, thanks to shared wolf ancestry. To the Mahlemiut the Malamute was family, children and puppies crawling together on the hut floor, though food shortages kept the dogs high in quality but few in number.
Lesser-known huskies
Less familiar breeds include the Eskimo Dog, the Toganee, the Mackenzie River Husky, the Timber-Wolf Dog, the West and East Greenland Huskies, the Baffinland Husky and the Ostiak.
- Timber-Wolf Dog: a first-cross between huskies and timber-wolves from the Yukon basin, bred as pack leaders
- Baffinland Husky: wore black coats with white markings
- East Greenland (Angmagssalik) Husky: considered the oldest and least diluted type
- Greenland Dog today: a large husky-type sled dog used for hunting polar bear and seal, with a dense double coat, padded feet, erect ears and a curled tail
The Sakhalin Husky and the Laikas
The Sakhalin Husky is a spitz related to the Japanese Spitz and Akita Inu. These were the dogs of the infamous Japanese Antarctic expedition on which 'Eight Below' is loosely based.
- Size: 56-66cm at the withers and 30-40kg
- Looks: often russet-red and black with fine, thick fur
- The Laikas: the East Siberian, West Siberian, Karelo-Finnish and Russo-European Laikas are thick-furred, pointed-eared hunting dogs, genetically close to wolves and among the oldest types of dog
- East Siberian Laika: the largest and most even-tempered, strong enough to pull sleds as well as hunt
History of huskies in Finland
Dogs were used for pulling in Finland in the 16th and 17th centuries, and sleigh parts dating back 7,000 and even 9,500 years have been found here.
- The revival: mushing waned through the 19th and 20th centuries, so by its 1960s revival few traditional Northern huskies remained
- Today's dogs: most huskies here are Siberians, with some Alaskans, and Finnish mushers care little about looks, only how a dog works and runs
- Tamaskan Dog: the wolf-like mix of Malamute, German Shepherd and Siberian originated here
- Samoyed: the pure-white 'smiling dog' also herded reindeer and pulled sleds
Ready when you are
Real wilderness, 200+ huskies, eighteen winters in.