Published:  September 2010

The debate has probably gone on ever since Siberian Husky breeders started exhibiting their sled dogs at AKC dog shows and it will probably go on as long as Siberians and dog shows exist. Show Siberians verses racing Siberians. Working, or racing, or is racing to be considered working? Sprint racer, or endurance racer, or can one dog do both? Are they a racing dog at all? Do we pay homage to their history and prehistory as a Neolithic working dog, or only recognize their history in North America, or only their modern history in the lower 48 states? These are just some of the questions about this issue that breeders have been trying to answer over the years. There are as many answers as there are people in our fancy. Originally I was asked to write an article about show Siberians verses racing Siberians, but as I started thinking about this subject I realized that it's not that simple. As you will see, there are more than two different views and I believe there is a way to find the one all encompassing answer to the question: What sort of dog is the Siberian Husky?

A Brief Summary of Their History and Prehistory

In Siberia

Nobody knows how long the Chukchi, or more correctly, the Anqally ("the sea people") had inhabited northeastern Siberia before the first European explorers arrived in the 18th century, but it was certainly hundreds, probably thousands of years. During this time, they succeeded in creating the ideal form of transportation for their hostile living environment and rigorous way of life. Their transportation was so efficient that it wasn't rendered obsolete until the advent of the snowmobile in the mid 20th century. This is amazing considering the fact that these were primitive people using Neolithic technology. This revolutionary form of transportation was of course, the Siberian Husky. Because of the unique challenges these people faced just to survive, they developed a sled dog like no other on earth. Smaller, lighter and faster than other native sled dogs of the time, they were used in larger teams than was the norm with other sled dogs around the arctic. These large teams of small fast dogs were superior for efficiently moving a light load over great distances, at a moderate pace. These dogs were not just fast, they were also easy keepers. They could go a long way on very little food. Plus, they were so primitive, so close to their wolfish roots, they could catch much of their own food during the summer months.

When Europeans started to explore north-eastern Siberia and came in contact with the Chukchi and Koryak peoples, they were greatly impressed by the performance of the sled dogs they found there. These dogs were so fast, that the Cossacks sent by the Czars to subdue and force tribute from the Chukchi, could not do so because they could not catch them and their speedy sled dogs. In the years following the U.S. Civil War, Americans came into contact with the Chukchi dog and left brief but valuable descriptions of the dogs and how they went about their business. Then came the fur traders; these intrepid entrepreneurs weren't really fur traders per-se. They traded in any goods that they could turn a profit on. Once these traders came in contact with the Chukchi, it wasn't long before word got out about their superior sled dogs. After that it was just a matter of time before the Siberian Husky found his way to Alaska.

The story goes that Goosac and Ramsey traveled to Siberia to acquire Siberian Huskies to use for racing. While this makes a good story, I doubt it is accurate. It is far more likely that the dogs were just another commodity that these people picked up during the course of trading with the native peoples of north-eastern Siberia. Traders would often purchase a team to use as transport while conducting business with the natives when conditions warranted it. Being business men, I am sure that they were aware that a good sled team was a valuable commodity in Alaska. Sled dogs were in high demand for transportation and racing. That is how I believe the Siberian Husky came to North America; as a commodity in a trading business, not the sole reason for the expedition as is often written. Sled dogs were valuable, but not that valuable. Even if these stories were true and the first imports were strictly for the All Alaska Sweepstakes, it is irrelevant because these dogs are not featured in our breed's gene pool. All of the Siberian imports that contributed to what would become the modern Siberian Husky, came to North America in the manner and with the motives, described above.

Siberians in Alaska

Once in Alaska, the Siberian imports quickly established a reputation for speed and endurance. It wasn't long before they were winning big races, and thus their place in history as the ultimate racing sled dog was assured. Leonard Seppala and the serum run made the breed world famous.

Up to this point I think that we are all in agreement about the history and use of the Siberian Husky; a fast native working dog that became a sensation because of their superiority to the large mixed breed sled dogs that were the dominant sled dogs in Alaska at the time. It is at this point in breed history that agreement ends and different theories develop, eventually leading to the rifts that exist today. I will get back to this time frame later, but for now, before I move on, I would like to point out one important fact that is all but overlooked. There were no single-purpose racing dogs in Alaska at that time. All sled dogs worked for a living, including Sepp's dogs. Sled dogs were transportation, much as trucks, busses, trains, cars and airplanes are in our modern world. Racing was just something else you did with your working dogs as a sideline.

Siberians Arrive in the Lower 48

Because of the notoriety he had achieved, Sepp was invited to tour various locations in the lower 48 states to demonstrate his famous sled dogs in action and to participate in exhibition races against local teams. The little Siberians were an instant sensation with the wealthy social elite of the New England Sled Dog Club. In the interest of keeping this history brief, I will just say that deals were struck that allowed the bulk of Sepp's breeding stock to remain in the New England area. In 1930 a final addition was made to the gene pool that would lead to the modern Siberian Husky. These were the last of the Siberian imports, purchased from Olaf Swenson. Again, we reach a crucial point in our breed's history where theories branch off in different directions; more on this later.

From 1930 to the Present

From this point to the present, the Siberian Husky went from a plaything of the rich, to everyman's dog. Sledding went from a pastime of the rich, to a pastime for all. Dog shows went from something to do with your sled dogs during the summer months to pass the time, to a year-round pastime unto itself. Racing changed also. Due to logistics and economics, race distances got shorter and shorter. At present, the majority of races are sprint races and the majority of teams are sprint teams. This last era has produced the remaining rifts within our breed and deepened the existing ones. Another big change that took place during this timeframe was that all working sled dogs lost their job. With the advent of snowmobiles, snowcats, reliable aircraft and all the other modern forms of mechanized transportation, sled dogs are no longer needed as transportation.

The Rifts Within the Breed

As the breed exists now, there are a number of general beliefs that breeders are basing their interpretation of the standard, and thus their breeding decisions. I would now like to discuss these different theories one at a time, in no particular order.

The "Racing IS Working" Theory

There are many who do not differentiate between a working dog and a racing dog. These people reason that because the dogs are working hard to pull a sled as fast as they can, they are working, and thus a working dog. Using a very broad interpretation of the word "work" they are correct. However, using that same logic, one could call your morning jog or a game of basketball "work" also. In fact, by that definition, any movement of your body caused by the contracting of your muscles would technically be classified as "work". The word "working" as used in "working sled dog" or "working dog" means that they are doing a job as opposed to participating in a sport. Racing is racing and working is working, it's that simple. For example; if you are a truck driver and you like to race cars on the weekends, your job, your "work" if you will, is still driving a truck. Now you could ask; what if I was a professional race driver? Would that not then be my job, my "work"? Then racing is working; right? No, not really. In that case you would not be working; you would be participating in a sport. Even though racing is your livelihood, it is not "work" by our definition. That is why a Pointer is in the sporting group rather than the working group.

The "American History Only" Theory

Some people feel that since the Siberian Husky is considered an American breed, only their American history should be taken into account. They reason that the Siberian Husky was imported for racing and used for racing, therefore they are a racing dog, end of subject. This sounds logical, provided you are willing to disregard thousands of years of breed history in Siberia. However, it is not that simple. As I stated earlier, there is no evidence that they were brought over solely as racing dogs, and there were no single purpose racing dogs in Alaska at that time. Races were fast work team vs. fast work team, even in the All Alaska Sweepstakes. A good illustration of this can be found in the article "Where Did They Come From And What Did They Look Like" by Bob Thomas. Mr. Thomas writes: "Although our gene pool is not large, the dogs used as the foundation of our breed were outstanding examples - dogs that excelled both as long distance work teams (Sepp operated from Nome as far out as Nenana and Fairbanks on a regular basis) and racing dogs (Sepp raced regularly in the Nome area)". This quote illustrates that even if you embrace only their American history, you must still acknowledge their working heritage.

The "It's What They Do Now" Theory

Proponents of this theory feel that regardless of what they did in the past, they are a racing dog now and by being so, should be bred to be the fastest racing dog possible. These people are usually of the "racing is working" opinion also. They usually don't differentiate between sprint racing and endurance racing (more on this issue later), considering them one and the same.

The "Galloping Only" Theory

There is a contingent of breeders advocating a theory based on one statement Sepp allegedly made around a campfire in some forgotten time and place. To paraphrase, the statement goes something like this: "the Siberian Husky should always be kept at the gallop / lope because that is his most efficient gait". Whether Sepp said "gallop" or "lope" depends on the story teller and what they are trying to prove. Some people use the two terms interchangeably. The core message of this theory is that the trot is neither an important nor an efficient gait for the Siberian Husky.

I completely reject this line of reasoning as flawed. Let me explain why. I disagree with the whole premise of categories for movement and gait for any endurance breed, especially sled dogs. There is no such thing as an endurance galloper, endurance trotter, or any other single gaited endurance breed. Either they are built correctly to have endurance in all gaits, or they don't truly have endurance, period. For example, In the AKC standard for the German Shepherd Dog, they categorize the GSD as a "trotting breed". They claim that the GSD has his distinctive build because it is the correct build for an endurance trotter. They state that the GSD must be an endurance trotter to do his job. They do not explain why, that out of all the herding breeds in the world, only the GSD has this build. If we are to buy into this single gait concept, then we must believe that an endurance trotter must be very long bodied with an extremely sloping topline. They must be extremely angulated in the rear; so much so that they almost walk on their hocks. Lastly, to be an endurance trotter, you must exhibit a flying trot. The truth is that the GSD, as the breed exists today, does not have endurance at the trot, or any other gait. A well built Siberian will trot, lope, or gallop, any GSD into the ground. The flying trot is not an endurance gait, it is an artificial gait that looks impressive in a show ring, but does not exist in nature. In truth, the GSD is a victim of a poorly written and poorly interpreted standard, along with poor breeding practices. It's flawed logic like the idea of a single gaited dog that produces a mess like the modern "show" GSD. I can see the Siberian Husky ending up as useless as the modern GSD if the same logic is followed in trying to produce an endurance galloping dog; a dog that does not, and cannot exist.

This single gait theory is at odds with all other evidence and testimony on this subject. There is exceedingly little evidence that Sepp even made this statement. Even if he did, in what context did he make it? Was he talking about galloping all the time, or just under certain conditions, or certain distances? The story as I have heard and read it, goes something like this. (Again, I am paraphrasing) Alec Belford told his son Charlie who only repeated it to someone long after his father had passed away and Charlie was an old man. This is how the story goes: Sepp, Alec and some nameless others were out on the trail sitting around a campfire discussing mushing, when Sepp supposedly made the statement that Siberians should be kept at the gallop / lope at all costs. There is no corroborating evidence, or testimony to back up this story. One would expect, with information this important to our breed, at sometime in their long lives Sepp or Alec would have written this down. There is really no actual evidence supporting this theory other than an unsubstantiated story that we get 3rd hand. This is not the sort of evidence to base the blueprint of your entire breed, however there is plenty of both evidence and testimony to the contrary.

There are firsthand accounts by European and American explorers in north-eastern Siberia. They write of riding on a sled behind a native team of Siberian Huskies, driven by actual native drivers. In the book, "The Cruse of the Corwin", the author, world renowned naturalist John Muir, writes: The distance to the village called 'Tapkan' by the natives, was about three miles, the first mile very rough and apparently hopelessly inaccessible to sleds". But the wolfish dogs and drivers, seemed to regard it all as a regular turnpike, and jogged merrily on, up one side of a tilted block or slab and down the other with a sudden pitch and plunge, swishing round sideways on squinted cakes. And through pools of water and sludge in blue, craggy hollows, on and on, this way and that, with never a halt, the dogs keeping up a steady jog trot, and the leader simply looking over his shoulder occasionally for directions in the worst places. "He then sums it up with the following: 'They are as steady as oxen, each keeping its trace-line tight, and showing no inclination to shirk---utterly unlike the illustrations I had seen, in which all are represented as running at a wild gallop with mouths wide open." His last sentence illuminates the fact that the romantic myth (probably invented by newspaper writers or the authors of adventure novels) of sled dogs galloping across the frozen tundra at break-neck speeds was already well established even in the 19th century; decades before the first Siberian imports to North America. Another short, but enlightening account can be found in the book, "Reindeer, Dogs and Snow-shoes", by Richard J. Bush. In this book he describes his first ride on a dog sled. Again he describes a few miles at a fast gallop, after which, they settled into a "steady fast trot". In the book, "Voyages and Travels in Various Parts of the World", by G. H. Von Langsdorff, he describes the "Tschutsky" dogs as follows: "the dogs commonly go at a trot, and with such a uniform steady pace, that, if the road be tolerable good, they clear almost regularly the same distance within the hour." Here we have three different trained observers, on three different expeditions, during three different timeframes in the 19th century, all describing the same thing; Siberian Huskies trotting while working. This is pretty conclusive proof that the dogs that came over to North America in the early to mid 20th century were built to trot well and often, and did so much of the time. As you can see, you don't have to take my word for it. These are all clearly documented firsthand accounts that are published in books for all to read. I truly doubt that all of these highly trained explorers mistakenly made the same observation.

There is also testimony from modern mushers about the gaits used by modern endurance-racing Siberian Huskies. In the winter 1994 issue of the Siberian Husky Club of America Newsletter, George Cook writes: "people in the breed seem to debate trot vs. lope constantly- as if our dogs must choose one or the other gait exclusively. But the truth is that a well-built Siberian will move equally efficiently at a trot or lope, as the situation demands". Later he writes: "Yes, well-conditioned Siberians can and do hit speeds of 20 mph for short distances (five miles). But more importantly, well-built Siberians TROT faster and more efficiently than their lesser cousins, too. It is not at all uncommon to have a dog that can TROT at 17mph". In the same issue Natalie Norris writes: "The very fact that you are implying the trot as a 'resting gait' is actually further proof to me that it is an efficient gait. A lot of Siberians can trot 12 mph, the exceptional one has been clocked at 16. Not always but often the very fast trotter is also a fast galloper. Since most Siberians can gallop faster than they can trot, it is easy to assume in training for races up to 50 miles the gallop is the preferred gait. I am inclined to think the training has a lot to do with which gait is preferred. Our dogs, when in condition, can and will gallop in races up to thirty miles (usually less than the stated distance- more like 27 or 28 miles) in North American at Fairbanks. These same dogs, when used in day trips and allowed to set their own pace, will settle into a fast trot after the first few miles".

There you have it. The evidence is quite clear; the Siberian Husky is not a single-gaited, or dominant gaited dog. In fact, no endurance sled dog has a dominant gait. Either they are efficient and have endurance in all of their gaits, or they really don't have endurance at all. If Sepp even made the statement attributed to him, he was probably referring to particular distances or conditions. Once you gather together all the facts pertaining to this issue, this "galloping only" theory doesn't stand up very well in the light of reason. I suspect that some of the motivation for pushing this theory is a knee-jerk reaction to the show-only, un-athletic, long and low built dogs that often win in the show ring. These dogs often have an incorrect "German Shepherd style" flying trot. I think that this galloping-only theory is a well-meaning but misguided attempt to get as far away as possible from the aforementioned "show-only" Siberian. The problem is that replacing one type of artificial dog with another will be just as damaging to the breed in the long run. As an example I would like to point out that upright shoulders and short upper arms is a much larger problem in today's show ring than is the flying trot. To devalue the trot in this way would open the flood gates for breeding and exhibiting these physically useless animals. Remember, once a breed has lost their fronts, you can never get them back.

The "Show-Only" Siberian

Let me make it very clear up front that many of the breeders who only show their dogs and do not race, have done their homework and understand what a correct Siberian is. These breeders are producing excellent specimens and are a credit to the breed. This section is not about them. This section is about those individuals who (due to ignorance or apathy) are only interested in what can and will win in the show ring, regardless of whether or not the dog in question conforms to the standard. Many of these people think they are exhibiting functional Siberians and feel validated by their dog's success in the show ring, others don't give a hoot about workability (though they may pay it lip-service), all they are really interested in, is show wins. We must always remember that there are many, many judges who, for various reasons, reward poor and deficient specimens every weekend. Each all-around judge brings baggage with them from their experience with other breeds. For example: a judge who was, or still is a Mastiff breeder, has to be very careful not to favor Siberians who exhibit traits that would be qualities in a Mastiff if these particular traits are not qualities in a Siberian. A judge who was a professional handler is likely to look for the flashy dog, not necessarily the best specimen, or look to reward a fellow pro handler. Breeder judges often look to put up friends, or the "in crowd", or a favorite style of dog, rather than the best overall dog. In addition, no matter what type of judge they are, the majority of them are keenly aware of who got them that judging assignment and who can get them more. This is the bottom line; we all have an obligation to the breed to educate ourselves about our breed and then breed and exhibit correct, functional specimens of the breed. Not dogs that can win under judges who have an agenda, or don't understand the breed, but rather a correct, functional Siberian that can and will win under honest judges who have a good eye for quality and have an understanding of what traits are needed in an endurance sled dog. If you don't know whether you have a quality dog and thus require some judge to tell you, you are essentially lost in the woods and are probably doing the breed a disservice. You should know your breed, and thus the quality of your dog, better than most of the judges you enter under. If you do your homework and learn about your breed and then properly present a well conditioned, well trained and well groomed correct example of the breed, the winning will take care of itself and the breed will benefit from your efforts. However, if you just concentrate on breeding and exhibiting what is flashy, but incorrect, or the latest fad that is not functional, if you look at winning at a dog show as goal unto itself, or put too much emphasis on a "look" at the expense functionality, then you are doing our breed a disservice. These practices, left unchecked, will lead to a Siberian Husky who will be just as useless as a sled dog as the American Cocker Spaniel is as a gundog.

The "Racing is Racing" Theory

By far, the majority of people who race their Siberian Huskies enter sprint races exclusively. Why? Well, it's quite simple, one word:"logistics". Most people who keep and breed Siberian Huskies do it as a hobby, plus they usually are not retired or independently wealthy. This means they have limited time and finances to devote to racing. There is also the problem of just finding a venue for an endurance race. As the population grows the availability of tracks of land large enough to accommodate an endurance race shrink, especially in the lower 48. You can set up and run a sprint race in a relatively small area, with relatively few people, with relatively little expense, and do it all within the timeframe of one weekend. Not so with an endurance race.

Sprint racing is a fine sport and an excellent pastime. However, one must be careful not to fall into a common misconception, the notion that racing is racing, and distance doesn't matter. Because of the relatively short distances and higher speeds, a different type of dog, with different attributes and a different build is required to excel in sprint races compared to endurance races. Sprint racing puts an emphasis on all-out speed at the rotary gallop to the exclusion of all else. This is very different from the endurance dog who relies mostly on the lope and the trot. Yes, there are sprint dogs that can and do compete in endurance racing and vice versa, but the fact is that if you excel in one, you will be limited in the other. What we are talking about here are ideals. The ideal sprint racer looks, and is built different than the ideal endurance racer. The bottom line is that a top flight endurance dog is not going to have the all-out speed to compete with a top flight sprint dog, and a top flight sprint dog is not going to have the efficiency at the lope and trot to compete with a top flight endurance dog.

This group also includes those who believe racing is working, and those who feel that the Siberian Husky no longer has a job as a working sled dog; therefore they are a racing dog now. Because sprint racing is all that most people are exposed to, or experienced with, many assume that the Siberian husky must be an endurance galloper, and by being so, must need no other gait. This may explain why the "galloping only" theory has such a strong following.

The "Arctic Working Dog Who Also Races" Theory

There are many breeders who believe that we should pay homage to all of the Siberian Husky's long history as an arctic working dog. These people believe that this breed should be preserved as a dog that could work and survive in the Siberian Arctic. They believe that any change for any reason that detracts from this blueprint is to be discouraged as detrimental to the breed. They believe that Siberian Huskies should compete in sprint and endurance races, but should not be altered from this arctic working dog blueprint in the quest for more racing speed. People who have these beliefs feel that the breed should be as fast as possible within the parameters of survivability, efficiency and endurance. This means that if you need to strap a thermal dog-jacket onto your dog to keep him from freezing to death in the arctic, or if you sacrifice, or disregard endurance in all gaits in the quest for more galloping speed, you are doing the breed a disservice. By the same token, if you breed only to win at dog shows without regard to the traits essential to an arctic sled dog, you also are doing the breed a disservice. The ironic thing about breeding for a flashy, but nonfunctional flying trot is that correct Siberian Husky side-gait is extremely fast, fluid and flashy. For that matter a correctly built Siberian is quite beautiful, so there is not even an aesthetic reason to create this artificial dog.

Many of the breeders who both race and show share these views, and thus don't expect to do a lot of winning in races against single purpose racing dogs. However, others believe that the Siberian Husky is a racing dog, and they feel restricted and hemmed in by the AKC standard. They argue that the Siberian Husky is no longer used as transportation, having been replaced by the snowmobile and snow-cat, so their only legitimate use is as a racing dog. Others would counter that just because they have lost their "work" to the snowmobile, doesn't mean that they should be converted into something else. As with many domesticated animals that have lost their job to technology, there are people who are dedicated to keeping that working animal alive and not changing it into something else. These people have a word of caution. They say: if you change the breed's job, then you change the breed into a new breed. They reason that if you are going to create a new breed, then why not just splinter off and start a new breed, a racing breed, based on the Siberian Husky?

What Is The Answer?

So, here we are. We have our breed and all of these different rifts; all these different theories. What do we do about it? First I would like to point out that there are no bad guys here. All of these people love our breed and have the best intentions. They are all trying to improve the breed, however all are working against each other based on conflicting visions of what the Siberian Husky is, or should be. Can this one breed be all of these different things to all of these different people, a dog for all seasons? No, most certainly not. There is only one answer; we must reach a consensus on which of these different visions of our breed we should embrace. I would disregard the theories that are not based on sound logic, and some others can be combined under one heading. That leaves us with four legitimate choices: A sprint-racing dog, an endurance-racing dog, a nonfunctional show-dog, or an arctic working dog.

An endurance-racing dog

You could make a legitimate case for the endurance-racer because endurance racing requires many of the attributes that a good Siberian already possesses. The requirements for ideal structure, bone lengths, angles and proportions are the same as for an arctic working dog. Most of the top Alaskan Husky Iditarod dogs would physically fall within the parameters of the Siberian Husky standard. The differences between these dogs and Siberians lie in the relative absence of arctic survival traits in the Alaskans. If the Siberian Husky were to be redefined as an endurance-racing dog we must follow suit by deemphasizing survival traits like a true arctic coat to enhance overall speed in warmer temperatures. With a single purpose racing dog, an arctic coat will slow you down. It is better to breed dogs that carry a lighter coat, and then use thermal dog-jackets when it gets too cold. They no longer need to survive an arctic winter, so there is no need for an arctic coat. With a racing dog you also need to select for a "pull until you drop attitude" to get there as fast as you can, where as a working dog would be more likely to pace himself, getting you there less rapidly, but in one piece.

A nonfunctional show-dog

You could legitimately make a case for a show-only Siberian Husky. There are many precedents in the AKC, dogs that had a use other than show or companionship, but have been so modified from their original form in the name of style, that they are no longer able to function in their original capacity. They have been transformed into what I refer to as a show-only breed. Sometimes their job was replaced by technology and sometimes the breed just lost its way by giving in to style and losing touch with function. These breeds are popular and healthy. Their breeders and owners are quite happy with their nonfunctional breed. This is not my vision of our breed, but it is a legitimate direction the breed could go if that is the direction the fancy chooses. If the fancy decided to go in this direction it would require a change of emphasis from structure, survivability and efficient movement, to an emphasis on either the flying trot or a restricted "wind-up toy" type of movement, and then go on to emphasize the finer points of head structure, coat color, grooming, etc.

A sprint-racing dog

Our breed could become a sprint-racer. Again, there are legitimate reasons for this definition of the Siberian Husky. As I stated earlier, most races are sprint races, and most of the Siberians that race, sprint-race exclusively. This means that there is a following and a knowledge base to work from. The switch from endurance working dog to sprinter would require a complete rewrite of the breed standard because a sprinter is a speed galloper that completes the entire race at the rotary gallop. The lope and trot are not important gaits for a sprinter because they are virtually never used. An arctic coat is also a no-no. An arctic coat would cause the dog to overheat in in all but the coldest conditions. In fact, anything that detracts from all-out speed over a relatively short distance is to be discouraged. Anything that does not add to speed in harness at sprint distances is unimportant. Again, this is not my idea of the direction the breed should take, but I would support it if it were