Mounted Police Dogs
Dogs in Mountie History
The Mounties are best known for their horses. They first marched West on proud Eastern stock, each Division on matched colors. Once they reached their destination, they had to purchase local remounts, many of them unbroken broncos. After 1946, they began to breed their own stock, the horses used today for ceremony and the Musical Ride.
But just as essential to the success of the Mounties, have been their dogs...
Articles on the Mounted Police Dogs...
"NORTH-WEST MOUNTED POLICE DOGS: Huskies and Other Sled Dogs" by Brian Alan Burhoe
When the North-West Mounted Police were first assigned to the Yukon and other northern areas, they quickly learned that they would not be patrolling by horseback.
The North Country had few roads. Travel was by river and lake. In the summer, that meant boats and canoes. In the winter, when the rivers were frozen, that meant dog teams.
From the beginning, they adopted the native huskies and malamutes. Without the thick-coated huskies, which would curl up in the deep snow to sleep, the Mounties would never have accomplished their long winter patrols.
The Klondike Gold Rush began in August, 1896, when prospectors Skookum Jim, George Carmack and Tagish Charlie discovered a rich gold-bearing seam on Bonanza Creek in the Yukon Territory. Soon, Dawson City became a roaring boom town at the junction of the Klondike and Yukon Rivers. Thousands of prospectors, land speculators, saloon keepers, gamblers, dance hall girls, bankers and other fortune seekers arrived. The Mounties arrived with them to keep the Queen's Law.
Their dog teams became an essential tool in keeping that law.
The first dogs that they purchased from local natives were a wild breed, truly "wolf dogs" -- the natives deliberately bred their huskies with wolves.
As Constable John B Watson wrote: "Though that young team earned my respect, they kept me on my toes with their temperments and there were a few times when they scared the hell out of me. I kept them well separated at all times and was particularly careful at feeding times to do it quickly and evenly, for then the wolf shows and etiquette disappears into thin air.
"Their daily ration disappears so rapidly one wonders how they manage to digest it. Their winter ration was half a fish. I'd break a frozen salmon in two and each piece would average two pounds. In summer when they weren't working, I gave them boiled rice with rendered fat, and an occasional piece of dried salmon. Each animal wolfed its food first, and then would try to reach the next one's ration, but their chains kept them apart. Handling each one gave me a chance to read their moods and I tried not to play favourites. I seldom had to use the whip."
By 1898, the Force had over a hundred dogs, distributed at Dawson City, Whitehorse, Tagish, Tantalus and other small posts along the trails.
The Mounties added Siberian huskies and Labrador dogs to their teams, these breeds proving to be more easily trained and safer to be around.
By the turn of the 20th Century, patrols were extended well into the Arctic, the Land of the Midnight Sun.
The Northern Patrols of the early years of the century were hard, often heroic journeys of a hundreds of miles per trip.
Constable Charles R Thornback wrote: "One of my dogs became sick and dragged along in its harness, hampering the others of its team, and it appeared too ill to continue. It had earlier shown signs of faltering, and there was nothing we could do for it. A bullet in the head was a merciful and immediate end to its suffering. Sorrowfully, I dug a deep hole in the snow, cut a few branches of spruce for its bed and cover, and buried it.
"We were all attached to our dogs. We had worked with them for weeks, calling each by name. They displayed affection and faithfulness; they were obedient and hard working. The loss of a dog was not a small one."
In January of 1911, Inspector Francis J Fitzgerald left Fort McPherson on a patrol that was to end at Dawson City. With the Inspector were Constables Kinney and Taylor and a Sam Carter. They would go in history as the Lost Patrol.
About halfway to Dawson, they seemed to lose the trail and became lost. They attempted to return to McPhereson. Their huskies would not eat the meat of the other dogs that had died. The Mounties fed them with what scraps of dried salmon that remained.
Inspector Fitzgerald wrote in his diary: "Just after noon I broke through the ice and had to make a fire, found one foot slightly frozen. Killed another dog tonight; have only five dogs now, can only go a few miles a day..."
A second patrol later found the frozen bodies of the four men.
By the 1920's, the North was becoming mechanized. The Bush Plane appeared. Later came vehicles that could handle the terrain, especially the snowmobile.
The need for dog teams was gone.
The Force, now renamed the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, still kept a few Northern dogs. But they were kept for sport and public events. "On you huskies!" had become a cry of the past.
But the need for all dogs was not ended. In fact, the new Dog Service would soon be a growing department in the Force. The German Shepherd had appeared. In the role of trackers of criminals, lost persons, even explosives and narcotics, the Shepherd became an essential new member.
"ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICE DOGS: The German Shepherd" by Brian Alan Burhoe
When the days of the great Northern Patrols ended, the need for the famous huskies was also gone.
But the Mounties were using dogs for new purposes.
Even in the early years, dogs were used for some search and rescue by the North-West Mounted Police. Bloodhounds and other tracking dogs would be borrowed from local citizens to help find criminals or lost people.
In the early 1930's, the Mounties, now renamed the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, formed the Special Dog Section.
Delbert Young described how it came about: "Sergeant Cawsey owned a particularly clever German Shepherd he called Dale. He had trained Dale to retrieve objects, and also to scent out and locate articles he had hidden. The Sergeant was so proud of his big Shepherd he used to show the dog, taking him everywhere he went so that soon the sight of Sgt. Cawsey in his patrol car with the handsome dog beside him were a familiar sight. A step further and he was employing the dog to assist him in police work. So successful were the first experiments that the Dog Section was formed with Dale as its first member.
"The case of the Sleepy Car Thief was one of several solved by the sensitive nose of Dale. A vehicle had been stolen, driven and then abandoned by the side of the road. Cawsey let Dale sniff the car over, then put him on the trail of the thief who, at the time, was five miles away in his bed. Not for long did the man sleep soundly. Dale tracked him to his very door. Sgt Cawsey rapped sharply. Shortly thereafter, a sleepy-eyed crook found himself in custody."
The RCMP Dog Section was officially formed in 1935, with Dale and two other dogs, Black Lux and Sultan. In 1937, Commissioner MacBrien, satisfied with the value of police dogs, ordered an RCMP training school for dogs and handlers to be established at Calgary. In 1940, the RCMP won its first case involving dog search evidence.
The RCMP Police Dog Service Training Centre was established at Innisfail, Alberta in 1965. The training staff comprises one officer in charge, one staff sergeant program manager, one staff sergeant senior trainer, five sergeant trainers, one acquisition sergeant, two corporal pretrainers and a support staff of six public service employees.
The German Shepherds of the Special Dog Section have become renowned for their successes.
On the morning of August 31, 1989, a devastating gas explosion rocked a building in Ottawa, creating considerable structural damage. Much of the building still standing was unusable and in danger of collapsing. Although most of the tenants who were in the building at the time of explosion had been safely evacuated, there were still some people trapped inside.
Rescuers worked quickly and carefully searched for trapped victims, while under the threat of a second explosion.
Constable Joseph Guy Denis Amyot, a Dog Handler at A Division (Ottawa), Ottawa Airport Detachment, was off duty when he heard the news reports of the explosion.Volunteering his services and those of police service dog Jocko, he entered the building accompanied by Captain Gerard Patry of the Ottawa Fire Department to search the debris for victims trapped beneath the rubble. Despite the dangers, they searched the most heavily damaged portion of the building for a missing boy, who was later found alive in the rubble.
In recognition of his courage and professionalism, Constable J.G.D. Amyot was awarded a Commissioner's Commendation for Bravery. Captain G. Patry of the Ottawa Fire Department was awarded a Commissioner's Commendation to a Civilian for his courage and assistance to Constable Amyot.
Only purebred German Shepherds are considered for the RCMP Police Dog Services. Male dogs are favoured but some females are chosen. In addition to being in perfect physical condition, they must have particular personality traits which make them suitable for police work: even temperament, hunting instinct and sound character are essential. All RCMP dogs are taught to protect their handlers, themselves or to apprehend upon command. Any that display reluctance to do so are not accepted.
The German Shepherd breed displays the versatility, strength and courage that makes it eminently suitable for Canadian police work. Their heavy coats allow them to work under extreme climatic conditions. In addition, their presence seems to have an inhibitive psychological effect on potential wrongdoers. German Shepherds trained to apprehend will invariably make a successful arrest despite the fact they are trained only to hold, never to be savage.
In 1999, the RCMP started a pilot breeding program to produce a working strain of dog most suitable for law enforcement duties. One pup from this program has already graduated to field service and a number of others are currently in training.
"We have a higher success rate and a higher retainment rate with dogs we breed and train ourselves," says Insp Lawrence Aimoe, the officer in charge of the Police Dog Service Training Centre in Innisfail, Alberta.
With 125 police dog teams across Canada, the RCMP needs up to 35 replacement dogs every year. With a recent infusion of $1.18 million in funding, the centre will now be able to expand its breeding program, relying less on dogs they buy on the open market.
Currently, one in four dogs the centre breeds goes on to become a police dog. Aimoe says increased funding will enable the centre to raise the success rate to one in three. And while the centre will have produced 100 puppies this year alone, it hopes to boost that number to 120 a year by 2007.
By breeding its own, the centre eliminates the unpredictability that can come with dogs it buys from brokers.
"We don't know their medical history, what training they've had or what their socialization has been," says S/Sgt Patrick MacIsaac, the centre's program manager, who also has 14 years of experience as a dog handler. "When we put them into training, we may come across some behavioural issues and this can impede the training process." Although the dogs the centre buys are guaranteed to complete the tasks for which they are acquired, Aimoe says some ultimately have to be sent back.
And brokers are sometimes unable to provide dogs that meet the RCMP's strict standards and skill requirements.
Aimoe says most other police forces around the world generally look for dogs that can serve one or two functions. But RCMP dogs--mostly German shepherds--must be multi-purpose, able to perform a minimum of four profiles, or tasks, including tracking, searching, guarding, locating drugs or explosives and apprehending criminals. Some of the dogs are even able to fulfill search and rescue duties during avalanches and other disasters.
To ensure its dogs are on the path to perfecting these skills, the centre begins training within two days after a puppy is born up until it is eight weeks old. It is then tested to determine if it has the potential to become a police dog. If the puppy passes, it enters the imprinting program, where prospective handlers must raise it before it returns to the centre for the final stages of training. The increased funding will allow the centre to improve the imprinting program as additional staff will be able to monitor the animals more closely, weeding out unsuitable dogs at an earlier stage.
The breeding and accompanying imprinting programs have even reduced the time it takes to train a dog handler, from 80 days down to oftentimes just 40 days, says S/Sgt Warren Ganes, the centre's senior trainer.
"Because handlers are raising and pre-training their own puppies themselves, they're not starting at day one," says Ganes, who has overseen the training of hundreds of dogs.
Because the breeding process is a science, an expert is necessary to examine blood lines and isolate which animals have the genes that will produce the best police dog candidates. With additional resources, the centre can now dedicate one person solely to this task.
Agencies around the world are beginning to recognize the quality of RCMP dogs--including the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), which visited the centre in 2002.
"Our dogs had the traits that they wanted to further enhance their own dog program," says MacIsaac.
The centre has since provided the RAAF with semen from its own breeds, which has already produced a few litters of puppies. "I think we're going to see a lot more international collaboration with other agencies looking to exchange genetic material," MacIsaac says. "This is just the beginning."
"HEROIC GERMAN SHEPHERDS: Kanaka, Bandit & Others" by Brian Alan Burhoe
Some of the most touching police-related stories are those of the members of the K9 divisions who have performed heroic deeds on our behalf. These dogs, mostly German Shepherds, deserve to be remembered forever.
The announcement of this year's inductees into the Purina Animal Hall of Fame remind us of the many family pets and service animals who have done great deeds for humankind.
This year's inductees join a total of 139 heroic Canadian animals - 115 dogs, 23 cats, and one horse. As the good folks at Purina proudly state, "At Purina, we recognize the strong role that pets play in our lives. Each year we are proud to honour those cats and dogs that have proven themselves to be true pet heroes in the Purina Animal Hall of Fame one of the longest running pet programs in Canada."
Just about every year, they have recognized a Service Dog with a special award. Just a few of these heroes are:
ODIN: Constable Bill Dodd and his partner, Odin, got the call near midnight in early March of 2004. Some time earlier, other officers with Calgary Police Service spotted a car parking at the rear of a suspected crack house. When they investigated, suspects fled from the car.
One man was caught but, in an ensuing struggle, the other man fired a handgun, narrowly missing one of the officers. The suspect then fled on foot into the darkness of the neighbourhood. There was no snow on the ground, no easy footprint trail to follow. The officers called for canine and tactical squad backup.
Constable Dodd and Odin were alerted to an infra-red hot spot detected on the ground by the police force's helicopter. Now, it was a matter of finding the suspect in the dark before further shots were fired. The man had already shown he was willing to use deadly force. Odin, a 90-pound (41-kilogram) German Shepherd began to track as Constable Dodd held him on a 30-foot (nine-metre) line. Odin went through an opening in a fence, then suddenly started pulling hard on the leash. Constable Dodd knew Odin had located the suspect so he called the other officers to the site.
The tactical team played flashlight beams over the yard but it was difficult to pick out the suspect. Odin strained at the leash, eager to finish the job. Constable Dodd knew his companion couldn't be left exposed as a potential target so he released the line.
At that moment, the man jumped up and raised the handgun. Before he could fire, however, Odin was on him, striking the man hard, and knocking the gun from his hand. In an instant, he had the suspect on the ground. Police swarmed the scene and handcuffed him.
The man was charged with attempted murder but, while awaiting trial, died of a drug overdose in March last year. Both Constable Dodd and Odin, his partner of six years, received commendations for their roles in the takedown.
TRACER: Cpl. Joe Arduini of the North Vancouver Royal Canadian Mounted Police still gets emotional when he thinks about the price that Tracer, a German Shepherd from the Police Dog Services Unit, would have paid to save his life and the lives of three other officers.
On the night of September 26, 2000, Cpl. Joe Arduini was sent to a "Man with a gun" call along with two other members of the RCMP detachment. Cst. Christina Hughes and her dog Tracer were also called in. When the officers arrived at the scene, the man with the gun was walking towards the officers about a block away. Cst. Hughes and Tracer were sent closer to the man's location, as Cst. Hughes did not have a marked police car. Neither was she dressed in her working uniform. Cst. Hughes informed the other officers that the man was still walking towards the officers with a semi-automatic gun.
The three officers immediately moved closer to the male suspect and surrounded him with their guns drawn and instructed him to drop the weapon. Cst. Hughes sent Tracer in to subdue the suspect who refused to drop his gun. Tracer bit the suspect on his left arm. Not feeling any impact from the bite, the disturbed male lifted Tracer off the ground as her jaw clamped his arm. He then dropped Tracer to the ground and placed the barrel of the gun to Tracer's head and pulled the trigger.
The gun misfired and Tracer was called back to Cst. Hughes. The suspect then pointed the gun at Cpl. Arduini and the other officers. The suspect was fatally shot by the three officers in self defense. Tracer's heroic actions made it possible for all officers involved to evaluate the mindset of the suspect and enabled them to protect themselves and the community.
BANDIT: Danger is part of life for a police officer, but when Cpl. Rick Mosher was called to apprehend an armed suspect, who had fled from a home in George's River, Cape Breton, he had no idea just what risk he was facing. Nor did he know that he would lose his best friend and partner on that fateful day.
Following the call on the evening of June 25, 2000, Cpl. Mosher and his canine partner, Bandit, caught up with the suspect. Knowing the suspect was armed and possibly dangerous, Cpl. Mosher gave Bandit the cue to move in to distract and subdue him, which would then allow Cpl. Mosher to disarm and capture him. As Bandit willingly did his work, he suffered a serious knife wound from a second and unknown weapon the suspect had concealed in his sleeve.
Badly injured, Bandit momentarily retreated, but he leapt into action again when he saw Cpl. Mosher was about to be attacked.
Unfortunately, he was stabbed for a second time. Bandit carried out his subsequent attempt even though the initial knife wound had cut through his shoulder and severed his spinal cord. Bandit's brave action clearly prevented Cpl. Mosher from being injured and also provided Cpl. Mosher with the valuable time needed to draw his weapon and apprehend the suspect. Sadly, the additional knife wounds proved fatal for Bandit.
At the cost of his own life, Bandit's loyalty and courage saved Cpl. Mosher's life. Cpl. Mosher lost a friend, a partner and a piece of himself on that day. But he and his family are eternally grateful to Bandit.
KENO: Keno, a five-year-old German Shepherd, owned by Constable John Gerrits, suffered severe injures in his successful attempt in capturing a breaking-and-entering suspect. Constable Gerrits and his police service dog Keno answered an emergency call about a breaking-and-entering in progress.
When they arrived at the scene, the suspect had already begun to escape from the crime area. During the chase, Keno rounded a corner and was struck by an on-coming car. Despite Keno's severe bleeding from the accident, the canine continued to chase the suspect. Keno quickly caught up with the suspect and tackled him to the ground. He then gripped the criminal's arm, allowing the officers to arrest him. As a result of the accident, Keno required stitches in his leg and suffered head injuries.
LANCE: Lance, a German Shepherd police dog with the Ontario Provincial Police, tracked a missing Kitchener woman in a swampy conservation area for three hours, and led her safely through the dark woods to safety.
KANAKA: Kanaka, a black German Shepherd was responsible for numerous rescues, arrests and the recovery of evidence, stolen property and money throughout years of distinguished service. In one incident, Kanaka tracked a lost hunter for 20 hours across freezing swamps and an ice-covered lake, before finding the man. After the ordeal, Kanaka required medical attention and was commended with saving the hunter's life.
EWO: Ewo, five-year-old German Shepherd, owned by Constable Tom MacLean, had a leading role in the lengthy search and capture of two perpetrators who led a series of violent break-and-enter incidents. The Niagara Police were alerted to three men breaking into a local home. Constable MacLean and his police service dog, Ewo, were called to the scene.
After an hour, Ewo restrained the first suspect who was apprehended, leaving two more to be found in an area filled with icy water and rough terrain. Two hours passed, when the second suspect was found and apprehended. At that point the search was terminated because a number of officers were suffering from frostbite. Both Constable MacLean and Ewo together have been responsible for 83 criminal arrests and have twice received Superintendent's Commendations for outstanding Police Canine Work.
KATO: Cato, a retired police dog, owned by Constable Stephen McEdwards from the Metropolitan Toronto Police Force, was the inaugural recipient of the Service Dog of the Year Award. Cato and Constable McEdwards began tracking a suspect after a break-and-entry call. Within minutes, the suspect spotted the duo and fled. During an extended chase, both Constable McEdwards and Cato were assaulted by the man. Hanging onto the suspect, Cato and Constable McEdwards were dragged approximately 200 yards before they could restrain him for back-up officers to make the arrest.
To see more about the Purina Animal Hall of Fame, go to: http://www.purina.ca/default.aspx
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Brian Alan Burhoe is the author of many dog-related articles and short stories. His fiction includes the free online story WOLFBLOOD A Northwestern in the Tradition of Jack London. Many of his articles can be found at PUPPY DOGS INFO Dog Breeds Training Care Literature.
Articles on the Breeds Used by the Mounties...
"THE ALASKAN HUSKY" by Robert W Benjamin
The Alaskan Husky is not truly a 'breed' of dog in the traditional sense. The name is actually a classification for this working and sled dog. There is no written breed standard for Alaskan Huskies and it is not a registered breed or show dog. Alaskan Huskies are the descendants of several dogs: Siberian Husky, Alaskan Malamute, Border Collie, German Shepard and possibly a few others.
Most Alaskan Huskies have brown eyes, but can also have blue or blue-brown combinations. They are about 20 to 24 inches high and average about 35 to 65 pounds, giving them a slim build. Since this dog is used primarily for work, colors and markings are unimportant in breeding and vary widely from dog to dog. Alaskan Huskies can be pure black, totally white and everything in between. Tails can be long and curly or barely there. The ears are often times prick ears, but some Alaskan Huskies have ears that droop.
They do not need a lot of maintenance, as their coats tend to be short to mid-length, but do require extra brushing twice a year during shedding season (particularly in the spring when shedding is the heaviest). The coats are wooly and thick (a protective measure when in their native environment) so they are better suited to cooler climates. Living on average about 10 to 15 years, the Alaskan Husky is good with children, but not other household pets as they have a strong hunting instinct and may turn on them. Though playful, loving and generally docile, the Alaskan Husky is not a good indoor pet. They can be difficult to housebreak, and get bored easily, especially if left alone. Alaskan Huskies will become destructive, tearing things or running around in circles. They also need a lot of room to run as they have a lot of energy and need to exercise frequently.
If outside, Alaskan Huskies do need to be watched closely as they will dig under fences in order to hunt or run. They also do not make good watchdogs, as they will greet everyone with friendly barking and have been known to play with any stranger entering their territory. As a result of their mixed heritage, Alaskan Huskies have relatively little health problems, though some are prone to gastric torsion (bloat) and if they do not get enough exercise will quickly become obese, leading to other health problems.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Robert W. Benjamin has been in the software business on the internet for over 5 years, and has been producing low-cost software for the past 25+ years. He first released products on the AMIGA and C64 computer systems in the late 1970's-80's. RB59 Software http://www.rb59.com/software
"THE ALASKAN MALAMUTE" by Mitch Endick
The Alaskan Malamute might be a very poor choice for an apartment. They are large, intelligent dogs that need room to exercise and they can shed profusely. She is an Artic sled dog, bred for power, big muscles, deep chest and vigor. She has a thick, coarse coat, of course, and a wooly undercoat. They come in various coat colors, ranging from light grey through black, sable and even a red tint. The tail is carried over the back of the animal.
The Malamute does not like warm climates due to its heavy fur that was designed to withstand extremes in cold. Shaving this dog so it tolerates heat has the opposite effect because of the way dogs cool themselves. They are very friendly but not suitable for an apartment as they shed heavily, are large and need exercise. Fencing this dog in will help in the exercise area, as long as the climate is cool. They will seriously dig so if you fence, some of the fence needs to be buried to keep them in. Also, if you have a nice landscaped yard, you had a nice landscaped yard.
*Are Malamutes good with children? They are good with older children. They are a large breed so younger children may get hurt by them accidentally. They love people. Never leave young children alone with a dog for any length of time without adult supervision.
*Temperament. The Alaskan Malamute is friendly, affectionate, loyal, devoted, playful and not a one man dog.
*Approximate Adult Size. Males run about 25 inches at the highest point of their shoulders and can weigh 85 pounds. Females run about 23 inches to the top of their shoulders and weigh in at about 75 pounds.
*Special Health Considerations. The Malamute may be subject to hip dysplasia, cataracts, inherited polyneuropathy and progressive retinal atrophy.
*Grooming. They shed quite a bit of fur. Brushing several times a week is good and baths should be rare. Their coat generally does not smell.
*Life Span. They live between 12 to 15 years with proper nutrition and care.
*History. The Malamute is a Nordic dog that originally came from the Wolf. Its name comes from the Mahlemut tribe of upper western Alaska, who used Malamutes for transportation. These dogs have been very valuable as freight and work dogs through the ages. They were especially prized during the Alaskan gold rush of 1896. They even helped Admiral Richard Byrd reach the South Pole. DNA testing reveals that they are one of the oldest breeds of dogs.
*SPECIAL GOOD POINTS They hardly bark. Very friendly. Generally like everyone, including outsiders. They keep themselves clean.
*SPECIAL NEGATIVE POINTS Can be predatory against small animals. They hardly bark. Poor watch dog. May be aggressive towards other dogs. May attempt to dominate his owner. Gets bored. Needs mental stimulation. May howl like a wolf. May ignore commands. May dig when bored, or to escape an enclosure. Can be difficult to housebreak. Sheds like crazy.
"THE SIBERIAN HUSKY" by Mitch Endick
The Siberian Husky is a cool weather dog that needs plenty of room to exercise in. A properly fenced in yard would be ideal. They may run off so keep them under control when outside. They also prefer to live with more of their kind as they were a pack animal. They can get along with other dogs but may not get along with other pets. They generally accept older children, especially if well socialized with them. As a reminder, never leave a child unsupervised with a puppy or dog.
*Approximate Adult Size. The approximate adult size (two years old or older) of the male Siberian Husky is 21 to 23.5 inches to the withers (highest point of the shoulder) and 45 to 60 pounds. The female ranges from 20 to 22 inches to the withers and 35 to 50 pounds.
*Special Health Considerations. Most dog breeds have certain inherited health problems associated with that specific breed and the Siberian Husky is no exception. Although considered a very healthy breed, be on the look out for Laryngeal Disease, eye problems and Canine Hip Dysplasia (genetic based looseness in the hip joint that can lead to arthritis pain and lameness). This disease list is an informative guideline only. Other diseases may also be significant threats, please contact your veterinarian for a complete list.
She should visit the veterinarian several times in the first year for shots, boosters and check up. Then, as an adult, she should visit the veterinarian yearly for shots and check up. As she gets older, six years and on, she should visit the veterinarian twice a year for check ups and shots. Remember; avoid feeding your dog sweets.
*Grooming. The Siberian Husky has a thick double coat. The inner coat is dense and soft. The outer coat is medium or a bit shorter in length, oily and coarse. She should be brushed regularly. Brushing will help her maintain a clean and healthy coat, help you keep a closer eye on her health and strengthen your emotional bond with her.
Her teeth should be brushed at least twice a week with toothpaste and toothbrush designed for dogs. Brushing removes the accumulation of plaque and tartar which can cause cavities (rarely) and periodontal disease. Dog periodontal disease can lead to pain, loss of teeth, bad breath and other serious disease.
Her toenails may need to be examined for growth and clipped regularly. The toenails of the rear feet grow slower than the toenails of the front feet.
*Life Span. The Siberian Husky can live between 10 and 14 years with proper nutrition, medical care and excellent living conditions.
*History. The Siberian Husky comes from Russia where they were used primarily as sled dogs. They were first registered by the American Kennel Association in 1930.
Some Registries: *Siberian Husky Club of America *UKC United Kennel Club *NKC National Kennel Club *CKC Continental Kennel Club *APRI Americas Pet Registry Inc. *AKC American Kennel Club *FCI Federation Cynologique Internationale *NZKC New Zealand Kennel Club *KCGB = Kennel Club of Great Britain *ANKC = Australian National Kennel Club *ACR = American Canine Registry
Litter Size: 6 to 8 Siberian Husky puppies
Category: Working
Terms To Describe: Great endurance, graceful, quick, sweet, gentle, strong, loving, dependable.
*SPECIAL GOOD POINTS Makes an ok watch dog. A cold weather dog. Not a barker. Very trainable. Highly intelligent.
*SPECIAL BAD POINTS May take off on an adventure, especially males. Makes a poor guard dog. May suffer in hot weather. They like to howl.
*Other Names Known By: Arctic Husky
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Mitch Endick is a short article writer for the popular pet site: http://www.petpages.com. He provides informative advice on all pets including dogs, puppies, cats, fish, reptiles, birds, ferrets, rabbits, mice and even pet bugs. Petpages.com also has an extensive pet classified ads section.
"SLED DOG BREEDS AND SLED DOG RACING" by Rebecca Prescott
Sled dog breeds are characterized by endurance, strength, and intelligence. They are usually medium to larger dogs, with a very muscular build, and have helped mankind transport supplies in times before the automobile.
Nowadays, sled dog breeds are found as pets, as well as trained to participate in sled dog racing.
Sled dogs were developed to withstand very low temperatures. Their coats have a double layer, with the undercoat acting as insulation against the ice and snow. Because they have such thick coats, they need regular brushing and grooming. They also shed a lot, especially at the beginning of summer when they lose a lot of their undercoat. This could be a problem for people with dog allergies.
Traditional sled dog breeds include the Siberian Husky, the Alaskan Malamute, the Chinook, the Sakhalin Husky, the Canadian Eskimo dog, the Seppala Siberian sled dog, the Tamaskan husky, the Samoyed, the Eurohound, the Mackenzie River husky, and the Greenland dog.
Whilst these dogs were purpose bred, many other breeds have been used, including mixed breeds. These days, that tradition lives on in sled dog racing, where the most popular breeds include the Alaskan Husky, and various cross breeds, often based on the German Shorthaired Pointer. However, many breeds have been used, including the poodle!
Alaskan huskies are favored in modern sled dog races because they are faster than traditional breeds like the Alaskan malamute or the samoyed. They are not as strong, but in sled dog racing where speed is important, and the distances are shorter, Alaskan huskies were found to perform better.
Alaskan husky dogs are not a recognized breed. They are bred for their performance, and so they cannot be easily characterized as a breed. Alaskan husky dogs represent a variety of types with different lines. They are hybrid dogs - a husky with another breed, that is determined by the needs and ideas of the breeders. A husky may be bred with a wolf, setters, or any other breed that can bring genetic advantages in speed and endurance.
Sled dog racing is a winter and fall sport where the sled dogs are attached to a sled (or a 3 or 4 wheeled cart in autumn), and pull the driver along. The driver stands on runners. The dogs are harnessed individually, with tug lines attached that are linked into a central gang line. The dogs are linked in pairs, and there are up to 22 dogs in a racing team. Teams race either against the clock, and a winner then announced, or against each other in a seemingly chaotic race. There are dog sled races in three categories - short distance, middle distance, and long distance.
Like the sled dog breeds themselves, the sport of sled dog racing has seen some interesting adaptions to modern times and different climates. In Australia, for example, where there is very little snow, even in winter, sled dog races are held. Here, modified scooters are used, and racing is done on dirt tracks. Australian sled dog racers tend to use all sorts of dogs as sled dogs, including kelpies, english pointers, and red heelers.
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Rebecca Prescott presents this dog information site, with articles on the Alaskan Malamute breed, and Siberian Husky dogs
"THE TOP TEN MOST INTELLIGENT DOGS" by Brian Alan Burhoe
1. "Left for the wolves."
In the late Spring of 1902, Constable Richard Morris, of the North-West Mounted Police, reported an incident dealing with the native Cree Indians and their dogs. Stationed in a community north of Lake Winnipeg, he noticed that a number of dogs had been staked out in the forest. Each one was left alone and fastened to an iron stake by a chain. When he asked the reason for this, the Crees told him that the dogs were "left for the wolves."
When Constable Morris objected to this treatment, the Crees explained that the dogs wouldn't be harmed by the wolves. The dogs -- Ungava huskies -- were bitches in heat. Male wolves without mates of their own would be attracted to the bitches and mate with them, resulting in cross-bred puppies with "wolfblood."
Morris said, "Oh, I see. This is so your sled-dogs will be bigger and stronger."
"No," said one Cree. "A wolf can outrace our dogs in a quick dash -- but our huskies have much more stamina than wolves and can easily outlast them in a long run. Wolves make poor work dogs."
"Then," concluded Morris, "it's because wolves are healthier."
"No. They are the same."
"Then -- why?" asked the Mountie.
"Up here," replied the Indian, tapping his forehead.
Father LeBeaux, an Oblate Missionary, later explained, "The Cree people believe that when an animal becomes domesticated, each generation loses in intelligence. That's why wolves are more intelligent than dogs. The Indians say, 'The closer to the wolf, the smarter the dog.' If it is true of domesticated animals, what does that say of civilized man, eh?"
2. "How intelligent are they?"
Our ancestors might have asked this 15,000 years ago when they played with their adopted wolf or jackal pups -- the first dogs.
Even the ancient Egyptians asked that question, and studied their own dogs to answer it.
The first modern attempt was by Rene Descartes, who only went one step beyond the cloudy thinking of his time, saying all animals were just soulless biological machines. Descartes set up the narrow, human-centered theory of behaviorism that would dominate until well into the 20th Century.
For decades, behaviorists put animals -- including dogs -- through sterile tests in sterile labs, looking for mechanical results that proved worthless.
In the middle of this muddle came one sane voice: Donald Griffin, professor of biology at Rockefeller University, who said, "Behaviorism should be abandoned not so much because it belittles the value of living animals, but because it leads to a serious incomplete and hence misleading picture of reality."
In 1953, Konrad Lorenz's MAN MEETS DOG created an instant classic about canine intelligence. Written with humor, wisdom and great insight, the German Nobel Laureate almost single-handedly recreated our methods of exploring animal behavior.
In his ground-breaking 1994 book THE INTELLIGENCE OF DOGS -- CANINE CONSCIOUSNESS AND CAPABILITIES, Canadian Stanley Coren, psychologist, dog trainer, "and avowed dog lover," presented his controversial Ranking of Dogs for Obedience and Working Intelligence.
Coren ranked 133 breeds, from #1 on... The reaction was predictable: "The Poodle? He ranked a POODLE above my Belgian sheepdog?" "Come on! My Samoyed is smarter than any Australian Cattle Dog!" "No Papillon can out-think my Lassie." "OK, maybe a Poodle is intelligent --but..."
"Controversial" doesn't begin to describe the reaction to "Coren's Ranking."
But his observations have proven to be pretty accurate. Coren was testing, of course, pure breeds. The "purebred" Siberian husky, for instance, isn't as quick-witted as the native husky of northern Siberia. This is even more true of the Alaskan malamute. We deliberately breed out some of the "wolfishness" in our pets.
3. "Never Cry Wolf!"
In 1963, Farley Mowat's NEVER CRY WOLF appeared on the bookshelves. Described as "an intimate casebook in wolf sociology," Mowat described how, as a biologist employed by the Canadian Wildlife Service, he had spent a summer on his own, studying a pack of Arctic wolves. The book sparked an avid interest in wolf research that has never dimmed.
IN PRAISE OF WOLVES and SECRET GO THE WOLVES described R D Lawrence's close experiences with wolves in Canada. DANCE OF THE WOLVES by Roger Peters describes his three winters in the forests of northern Michigan. These and others have shown us the remarkable lives and intelligence of the wolf.
R D Lawrence wrote: "Reality, particularly in the case of wolves, means that these animals have keen intelligence, excellent memory, and demonstrable capacity of conscious thought. When Shawano fed his pack before keeping a piece of chicken for himself, he demonstrated not only that he could profit from experience in a profitable way, but that other wolves could do so as well.
"This demonstration is alone sufficient to discredit the mechanistic theory which contends that evolution, by means of hereditary imprinting, has led to the thoughtless or automatic responses of animals to any one of an enormously wide variety of natural stimuli...
"Memory, by allowing an animal to benefit from experience, plays an important role in the formulation of conscious decisions; the better its memory, the better able will the animal be to adapt to a changing environment."
It's the wolf's intelligence, as well as its loyalty and great heart that caused our ancient Northern ancestors to bring the wolf into their families, or to interbreed their existing dogs (probably of ancient jackal ancestry) with wolves.
Today, we mingle with wolves, in sanctuary and in the wild.
And fictional works, from Jack London's THE CALL OF THE WILD to the latest movie EIGHT BELOW have celebrated the wild wolf dog in Literature and in Hollywood.
"THE TOP 10 MOST INTELLIGENT DOGS!"
What, then are the smartest breeds?
Taking in the conclusions of dog trainers, psychologists and researchers, as well as those who work with dogs in life and death situations, such as police, search & rescuers, and wilderness inhabitants -- and balancing the Cree wisdom: "the closer to the wolf, the smarter the dog!" with ongoing research into the evolution of dogs (remember, the earliest dogs were probably adopted jackal pups), here are the TEN MOST INTELLIGENT DOGS:
1. Ungava Husky, or Wolf Dog
2. German Shepherd
3. Golden Retriever
4. Labrador Retriever
5. Border Collie
6. Poodle
7. Doberman Pinscher
8. Papillon
9. Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever
10. Alaskan Malamute
If your dog is not on this list, you can be sure it's #11!
See more Articles by Brian Alan Burhoe at PUPPY DOGS INFO: http://www.puppy-dogs.info