The Alaskan Husky - northern sled dog

The dog breed Alaskan huskies are those dogs that are very little dogs and also pull their mushers from Anchorage to Nome every March. These types of dogs are not essentially Siberian Huskies or Alaskan Malamutes or any other specific breeds but are belong to Alaskan huskies. They may be described by a musher as sled dogs with wide coats and hard feet that pull tough and run fast. In other words, that breed is defined by a standard of performance.

Alaskan Huskies may be a combination of northern breeds, wolf, setter, or any other mix that can get the job done. In fact, the lead husky in Admiral Byrd's polar expedition was said to have been Labrador, wolf, and Newfoundland. In the early days of the North, sled dogs were draft animals, but as planes have replaced mail delivery and other practical jobs, the husky, through the years, has evolved into the lean, sleek racing dog of today. As veteran Iditarod musher Doug Swingley explains, they are "really nothing more than a successful mixed breed mutt." Rarely are they purebreds, however, purebreds are not excluded from sled dog racing.

In the 2006 Iditarod, Karen Ramstead successfully completed the 1100 mile wilderness trek with her team of registered Siberian Huskies. Several of them hold conformation championships but, in spite of the pampered looking showdog photos on her website, these dogs have proved themselves to be quality sled dogs, and true Alaskan huskies. They finished the Last Great Race on Earth in just under 14 days, in place number 62 of the original 83 teams entered.

The sled dog sport is gaining in popularity and, as registered northern breeds conform to breed standards, the Alaskan husky will probably continue to evolve until the right mix of genes answers the call of the wild at unprecedented speeds.