Siberian Husky

Siberian huskies are a domestic dog breed. Originally bred in Siberia as working dogs, their job was to pull sleds filled with supplies or people across the snow. Some huskies still do this today, and teams of dogs will even race one another. Huskies rarely bark, but they do howl.

Huskies are friendly, high-energy dogs who love to work. Because they are so friendly, they don’t make very good guard dogs. In fact, they are more likely to help a burglar than stop him. Huskies love to dig and chew. They can escape from almost anywhere, and since they love to run, they will quickly disappear. According to one report, a husky even chewed through a cement wall!

Siberian huskies have several features that make them great sled dogs. They work well in teams, they have great endurance so they can run far distances even while pulling weight behind them, and they don’t eat very much food compared to their body size.

Huskies are part of the dog kind, which was created on Day Six of Creation Week.

By Frank Kovalchek from USA (Anna Berington's team cresting a hill), via Wikimedia Commons

Huskies during the Iditarod, a yearly dog sled race in Alaska.

Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Canidae
Genus/Species: Canis lupus familiaris
Size: 20–23 inches tall
Weight: 35–60 lbs
Diet: High-protein dog food
Habitat: Domestic; does well in cooler climates
Life Span: 12–15 years
Special Design Feature: Thick fur keeps them warm in cold, northern climates.

Did You Know?

Huskies can have different colored eyes. One may be blue while the other is brown.

Learn More

• Gray Wolf
• Arctic Fox
• Lesson 23: Have Animals Evolved? Part 2