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The Following links are from the Siberian
Husky Club of America's Website:
THE SIBERIAN HUSKY
So...You Want a Siberian Husky?
The Siberian Husky: A Brief
History of the Breed in America
Siberian Husky ~
Working Group
Breed Standard
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.
Size, Proportion,
Substance
Height--Dogs, 21 to 23½ inches at the withers.
Bitches, 20 to 22 inches at the withers.
Weight--Dogs, 45 to 60 pounds. Bitches, 35 to 50
pounds. 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. 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. Disqualification--Dogs over 23½
inches and bitches over 22 inches.
Head
Expression is keen, but friendly;
interested and even mischievous. Eyes
almond shaped, moderately spaced and set a trifle
obliquely. Eyes may be brown or blue in color;
one of each or parti-colored are acceptable. Faults--Eyes
set too obliquely; set too close together. 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. Faults--Ears
too large in proportion to the head; too wide
set; not strongly erect. Skull of
medium size and in proportion to the body;
slightly rounded on top and tapering from the
widest point to the eyes. Faults--Head
clumsy or heavy; head too finely chiseled. Stop--The
stop is well-defined and the bridge of the nose
is straight from the stop to the tip. Fault--Insufficient
stop. Muzzle of medium length; that
is, the distance from the tip of the nose to the
stop is equal to the distance from the stop to
the occiput. The muzzle is of medium width,
tapering gradually to the nose, with the tip
neither pointed nor square. Faults Muzzle
either too snipy or too coarse; muzzle too short
or too long. 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. Lips are well pigmented
and close fitting. Teeth closing in
a scissors bite. Fault--Any bite
other than scissors.
Neck, Topline, Body
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. Faults--Neck
too short and thick; neck too long. 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. Faults--Chest
too broad; "barrel ribs"; ribs too flat
or weak. Back--The back is straight
and strong, with a level topline from withers to
croup. It is of medium length, neither cobby nor
slack from excessive length. The loin is taut and
lean, narrower than the rib cage, and with a
slight tuck-up. The croup slopes away from the
spine at an angle, but never so steeply as to
restrict the rearward thrust of the hind legs. Faults--Weak
or slack back; roached back; sloping topline.
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 same length on top, sides
and bottom, giving the appearance of a round
brush. Faults--A snapped or tightly
curled tail; highly plumed tail; tail set too low
or too high.
Forequarters
Shoulders--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. Faults--Straight
shoulders; loose shoulders. Forelegs--When
standing and viewed from the front, the legs are
moderately spaced, parallel and straight, with
the elbows close to the body and turned neither
in nor out. Viewed from the side, pasterns are
slightly slanted, with the pastern joint strong,
but flexible. Bone is substantial but never
heavy. Length of the leg from elbow to ground is
slightly more than the distance from the elbow to
the top of withers. Dewclaws on forelegs may be
removed. Faults--Weak pasterns; too
heavy bone; too narrow or too wide in the front;
out at the elbows. 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. Faults--Soft or
splayed toes; paws too large and clumsy; paws too
small and delicate; toeing in or out.
Hindquarters
When standing and viewed from the rear, the hind
legs are moderately spaced and parallel. The
upper thighs are well muscled and powerful, the
stifles well bent, the hock joint well-defined
and set low to the ground. Dewclaws, if any, are
to be removed. Faults--Straight
stifles, cow-hocks, too narrow or too wide in the
rear.
Coat
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 clean-cut 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. Faults--Long,
rough, or shaggy coat; texture too harsh or too
silky; trimming of the coat, except as permitted
above.
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.
Gait
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 same side. While the dog is
gaiting, the topline remains firm and level. Faults--Short,
prancing or choppy gait, lumbering or rolling
gait; crossing or crabbing.
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.
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.
DISQUALIFICATION
Dogs over 23½ inches and bitches over 22
inches.
Approved October 9, 1990
Effective November 28, 1990
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