Alaskan Husky: The Ultimate Sled Dog Athlete

The peculiarities and habits of the best sled dogs  The Husky Village dog sledding centre in the province of Sondrio is home to more than 60 sled dogs that allow you to try the exciting experience of being a musher driving a real sled pulled by dogs on the snow. All the dogs in the facility are Alaskan huskies, a particular type of Nordic breed of dog not to be confused with Siberian huskies, with which they share affinities but also important differences. Let’s find out more about the characteristics and temperament of the Alaskan husky.   Origins and appearance of the Alaskan Husky As the name suggests, the Alaskan husky breed originates from the far north of the American continent and its origin is still quite uncertain: some estimate that the first specimens appeared as long as 12,000 years ago, while the most widely accepted theories place the birth of the Alaskan huskies just a few centuries before today, when they were selected by settlers in the North American regions ...

Alaskan Husky Scientific Classification Kingdom     Animalia Phylum     Chordata Class     Mammalia Order     Carnivora Family     Canidae Genus     Canis Scientific Name     Canis lupus Read our Complete Guide to Classification of Animals. Alaskan Husky Conservation Status     Not Listed Alaskan Husky Locations     North-America Alaskan Husky Facts Fun Fact     The Alaskan Husky is one of the most common sled dogs in the world Temperament     Energetic, hard-working, and affectionate Diet     Omnivore Alaskan Husky Physical Characteristics Color         Brown         Grey         Red         Black         White Skin Type     Hair Lifespan     12 – 16 years Weight     65 lbs Alaskan Husky as a Pet: General Health Energy Level Shedability Tra...

The harder the conditions get the more they like it — sled dogs might just be the ultimate animal athlete. Imagine a race over 1850km — the distance from Invercargill to Whangarei — a 10 to 17-day grind for the mushers and their dog teams as they try to conquer Alaska's icy mountain ranges, desolate tundra and frozen coastlines. It's called the Iditarod. It's considered the last great race, and it's a long way from there to Invercargill. In fact, on a wintry Southland morning it's actually too warm for the dogs as they make their way around a wooded track on the outskirts of Invercargill. "Anything above zero (degC) and they start to suffer from heat stress," said Tony Turner, a sled dog aficionado who is giving his prized pack a training run along the Sandy Point trails. There are 14 Alaskan huskies — a man-developed breed that has overtaken its Siberian cousin in racing circles -- in New Zealand, and Turner owns most of them. The workshop manager for Ka...