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SIBERIAN HUSKY
ORIGIN: USA
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE ORIGINAL STANDARD: 02.02.1995.
UTILIZATION: Sledge Dog.
CLASSIFICATION FCI: Group V "Spitz and primitive
types",
Section 1 "Nordic Sledge Dogs"; Without working trial.
GENERAL APPEARANCE :
The Siberian Husky is a medium-sized working dog,
quick and light on his feet and free and graceful in action. His moderately
compact and well furred body, erect ears and brush tail suggest his Northern
heritage. His characteristic gait is smooth and seemingly effortless. He
performs his original function in harness most capably, carrying a light
load at a moderate speed over great distances. His body proportions and form
reflect this basic balance of power, speed and endurance. The males of the
Siberian Husky breed are masculine but never coarse; the bitches are
feminine but without weakness of structure. In proper condition, with muscle
firm and well developed, the Siberian Husky does not carry excess weight.
IMPORTANT PROPORTIONS :
In profile, the length of the body from the point
of the shoulder to the rear point of the croup is slightly longer than the
height of the body from the ground to the top of the withers.
The distance
from the tip of the nose to the stop is equal to the distance from the stop
to the occiput.
BEHAVIOR / TEMPERAMENT:
The characteristic
temperament of the Siberian Husky is friendly and gentle, but also alert and
outgoing. He does not display the possessive qualities of the guard dog, nor
is he overly suspicious of strangers or aggressive with other dogs. Some
measure of reserve and dignity may be expected in the mature dog. His
intelligence, tractability, and eager disposition make him an agreeable
companion and willing worker.
HEAD
CRANIAL REGION:
Skull
: Of medium size and in proportion to the body; slightly rounded on top and
tapering from the widest point to the eyes.
Stop : Well defined.
FACIAL
REGION :
Nose : Black in gray, tan or black dogs; liver in copper
dogs; may be flesh-colored in pure white dogs. The pink-streaked " snow nose
" is acceptable.
Muzzle : Of medium length and of medium width, tapering
gradually to the nose, with the tip neither pointed nor square. The bridge
of the nose is straight from the stop to the tip.
Lips : Well
pigmented and close fitting.
Jaws/Teeth : Closing in a scissors bite.
Eyes : Almond shaped, moderately spaced and set a trifle obliquely. Eyes may
be brown or blue in color; one of each or particoloured are acceptable.
Expression: Keen, but friendly, interested and even mischievous.
Ears
: Of medium size, triangular in shape, close fitting and set high on the
head. They are thick, well furred, slightly arched at the back, and strongly
erect, with slightly rounded tips pointing straight up.
NECK:
Medium in length, arched and carried proudly erect when dog is standing.
When moving at a trot, the neck is extended so that the head is carried
slightly forward.
BODY:
Back : Straight and strong, with a level topline from withers to
croup. Of medium length, neither cobby nor slack from excessive length.
Loin: Taut and lean, narrower than the rib cage, and with a slight
tuck-up.
Croup : Slopes away from the spine at an angle, but never so steeply as to
restrict the rearward thrust of the hind legs.
Chest : Deep and strong, but
not too broad, with the deepest point being just behind and level with the
elbows. The ribs are well sprung from the spine but flattened on the sides
to allow for freedom of action.
TAIL :
The well furred tail of
fox-brush shape is set on just below the level of the topline, and is
usually carried over the back in a graceful sickle curve when the dog is at
attention. When carried up, the tail does not curl to either side of the
body, nor does it snap flat against the back. A trailing tail is normal for
the dog when in repose. Hair on the tail is of medium length and
approximately the sam2e length on top, sides and bottom, giving the
appearance of a round brush.
LIMBS :
FOREQUARTERS : When
standing and viewed from the front, the legs are moderately spaced, parallel
and straight. Bone is substantial but never heavy. Length of the leg from
the elbow to ground is slightly more than the distance from the elbow to the
top of withers. Dewclaws on forelegs may be removed.
Shoulders and arm
: The shoulder blade is well laid back. The upper arm angles slightly
backward from point of shoulder to elbow, and is never perpendicular to the
ground. The muscles and ligaments holding the shoulder to the rib cage are
firm and well developed.
Elbows : Close to the body and turned neither
in nor out.
Pastern joint : Strong, but flexible.
Pasterns :
Viewed from the side, pasterns are slightly slanted.
HINDQUARTERS: When
standing and viewed from the rear, the hind legs are moderately spaced and
parallel. Dewclaws, if any, are to be removed.
Upper thigh : Well
muscled and powerful.
Stifle : Well bent.
Hock joint : Well defined and set
low to ground.
FEET: Oval in shape but not long. The paws are medium in size, compact and well furred between the toes and pads. The pads are tough and thickly cushioned. The paws neither turn in nor out when the dog is in natural stance.
GAIT / MOVEMENT:
The Siberian
Husky's characteristic gait is smooth and seemingly effortless. He is quick
and light on his feet, and when in the show ring should be gaited on a loose
lead at a moderately fast trot, exhibiting good reach in the forequarters
and good drive in the hindquarters. When viewed from the front to rear while
moving at a walk the Siberian Husky does not single-track, but as the speed
increases the legs gradually angle inward until the pads are falling on a
line directly under the longitudinal center of the body. As the pad marks
converge, the forelegs and hind legs are carried straightforward, with
neither elbows nor stifles turned in or out. Each hind leg moves in the path
of the foreleg on the sam2e side. While the dog is gaiting, the topline
remains firm and level.
COAT
HAIR: The coat of the Siberian
Husky is double and medium in length, giving a well furred appearance, but
is never so long as to obscure the cleancut outline of the dog. The
undercoat is soft and dense and of sufficient length to support the outer
coat. The guard hairs of the outer coat are straight and somewhat smooth
lying, never harsh nor standing straight off from the body. It should be
noted that the absence of the undercoat during the shedding season is
normal. Trimming of whiskers and fur between the toes and around the feet to
present a neater appearance is permissible. Trimming the fur on any other
part of the dog is not to be condoned and should be severely penalized.
COLOR : All colors from black to pure white are allowed. A variety of markings on the head is common, including many striking patterns not found in other breeds.
SIZE AND WEIGHT :
Height at withers:
Dogs: 21 to 23, 5 inches (53,5 - 60 cm).
Females : 20 to 22 inches (50,5 -
56 cm).
Weight :
Dogs : 45 to 60 pounds (20,5 - 28 kg).
Females : 35 to 50 pounds (15,5 - 23 kg).
Weight is in proportion to
height. The measurements mentioned above represent the extreme height and
weight limits with no preference given to either extreme. Any appearance of
excessive bone or weight should be penalized.
SUMMARY:
The most
important breed characteristics of the Siberian Husky are medium size,
moderate bone, well balanced proportions, ease and freedom of movement,
proper coat, pleasing head and ears, correct tail, and good disposition. Any
appearance of excessive bone or weight, constricted or clumsy gait, or long,
rough coat should be penalized. The Siberian Husky never appears so heavy or
coarse as to suggest a freighting animal; nor is he so light and fragile as
to suggest a sprint-racing animal. In both sexes the Siberian Husky gives
the appearance of being capable of great endurance. In addition to the
faults already noted, the obvious structural faults common to all breeds are
as undesirable in the Siberian Husky as in any other breed, even though they
are not specifically mentioned herein.
FAULTS :
Any
departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the
seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact
proportion to its degree.
Skull : Head clumsy or heavy; head too finely
chiseled.
Stop : Insufficient.
Muzzle : Either too snipy or too coarse; too
short or too long. Jaws/Teeth : Any bite other than scissors bite.
Eyes : Set too obliquely; set too close together. ·
Ears : Too large in
proportion to the head; too wide set; not strongly erect.
Neck : Too short
and thick; too long. Back : Weak or slack back; roached back; sloping
topline. ·
Chest : Too broad; " barrel ribs "; ribs too flat or weak.
·
Tail : A snapped or tightly curled tail; highly plumed tail;
tail set too low or too high. ·
Shoulders : Straight shoulders; loose
shoulders.
Forequarters : Weak pasterns; too heavy bone; too
narrow or too wide in the front; out at the elbows.
Hindquarters :
Straight stifles, cow-hocks, too narrow or too wide in the rear.
Feet : Soft
or splayed toes; paws too large and clumsy; paws too small and
delicate; toeing in or out.
Gait/Movement : Short, prancing or choppy
gait, lumbering or rolling gait; crossing or crabbing.
Hair : Long,
rough, or shaggy coat; texture too harsh or too silky; trimming of the coat,
except as permitted above.
ELIMINATING FAULT:
Dogs over 23,5
inches (60 cm) and bitches over 22 inches (56 cm).
N.B. : Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
More information in the article:
An Analysis of the Standard by Three
Breeder Judges:
Alice Watt, Bart Miller, and Vern Harvey
The standard in Bulgarian, by Julia Velkova, JulyVell Siberians
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