Facts That Make Them So Special
You’ve probably seen a Siberian Husky staring in a movie taking place in some norther hemisphere landscape with below zero temperatures, gushing winds roaring through an endless snow-capped landscape. Now, the question always seems to be – How on earth can they actually pull a sled and survive such extreme climates?
Here are a few facts that discover some of these mysteries associated with this breed. Their origin is believed to be Siberia, where semi-nomadic populations needed a dog that could withstand such harsh conditions. It’s been more than 3000 years since then and evolution has its way to perfect natures creations.
The following article shares some of these very interesting insights on Huskies:
1. Huskies were bred to be tough runners
Huskies are believed to relate closely to Siberian Chuki Dogs.
These dogs had to have endurance, a high tolerance to cold, and the ability to survive on very little food.
2. Special features of their anatomy help keep them warm.
Their undercoat is short and warm, while the overcoat is long and water-resistant. Huskies will wrap their tails around their faces while they sleep; their breath warms the tail and keeps the nose and face protected.
3. Huskies are not the best watchdogs.
They’re unsuspicious and friendly to strangers. This can be charming, but it’s not very helpful when you’re looking for a canine sentry.
4. Strong physical activity does not exhaust them
Huskies often run long distances on very little food. Huskies burn a lot of calories without tapping into their energy stores—and they do this by regulating their metabolism.
According to animal exercise researcher Dr. Michael S. Davis, “In a 24-hour period, they go back to the same type of metabolic baseline you see in resting subjects. But it’s while they are running 100 miles a day.”
5. Their blue eyes are a top characteristic of the breed
Some dogs—like the Australian shepherd or Weimaraner—have them thanks to the merle gene, which results in the loss of pigmentation. But huskies can have bright eyes without that gene.
Article: Rebecca OConnell
(source: mentalfloss.com)
