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Maybe you heard someone talking about it, or maybe you saw an ad, read about them somewhere, or perhaps you've even seen someone's Seppalas. All you know is, it's a new breed of dogs (or is it?)! Anyway, you're curious . . . This pamphlet will give you a 'first look' at the Seppala Siberian Sleddog, answer some common questions, and explain what makes this breed so uniquely different. It also answers some common questions about how to get started in sleddog sport!
? It's a new breed, isn't it?
Maybe you've heard that this is the first 'new' breed of dogs in Canada for a long time, other than 'new-to-you' breeds recently imported from other countries. Certainly on the official level that's true. Agriculture Canada has not recognised a new dog breed developed within this country for a long time, as far as we are aware. What's certain is that the Seppala Siberian Sleddog has never been officially recognised on its own in Canada or any other country, ever before. So in that sense it is definitely a new breed.
? Was it invented recently?
No, it's
not a new breed in the sense that somebody just invented it, or that
it never existed before. In one form or another, it has been around
for quite a long time. It has a long history.
We won't go into that full history in this
pamphlet, but we can summarise it briefly. It began with the native
tribal dogs of eastern Siberia, where the world's toughest winters
produced a dog that could handle anything involving cold, snow and
ice. Stone-age nomadic tribes used such dogs for hunting, sled and
travois hauling, companionship, fur and even food.
Then the Siberian dogs were 'discovered' by
white men and imported to Alaska starting in 1908 during the Nome
Gold Rush, to be used there for general sled transport of passengers,
supplies and mining gear, and in the famous All-Alaska Sweepstakes
races. In the hands of dog drivers like John 'Iron Man' Johnson and
Leonhard Seppala the Siberian sleddog became famous through the Nome
Sweepstakes of 1910 through 1917.
Since Gold Rush days these 'Seppalas' have been
carefully bred to preserve the traits of the original Siberian
sleddog.
? Is it a registered breed?
The Seppala
Siberian Sleddog at this moment is what's called an evolving breed,
which means that Agriculture Canada has recognised it as a breed that
will probably become a registered breed in a few years, once it has
built up a large enough population and gone through the required
three generations of developmental breeding. At the moment dogs of
this breed technically are 'identified' not 'registered,' but they
have certificates of identification which contain the same
information as the registration certificates of a recognised
breed.
In this particular case, the breed is really
already quite well developed. It only has to be monitored for three
generations while the population grows. Then it will be ready for
inspection by Agriculture Canada, after which it is expected to be
given the same registered status as other dog breeds in this
country.
? Can it be exhibited at dog shows?
The Seppala
dog is not a breed recognised by The Canadian Kennel Club, which is
the organisation that sponsors most of the dog shows in this country.
Our breed is protected by an independent Association, The Working
Canine Association of Canada, incorporated under the Animal Pedigree
Act (just the same as the C.K.C.) for the purpose of keeping pedigree
records of this and other working dog breeds.
The Working Canine Association of Canada does
not sponsor dog shows! It evaluates dogs in a different way, by
individual inspection and by requiring proof of working ability for
each animal that sires or births a litter. In this way we can
guarantee that all dogs of this breed are bred for a working purpose
only, rather than to please judges, to conform to passing show-ring
fads and win coloured ribbons.
? What are Seppala Siberians used for?
Seppala
Siberian Sleddogs today are used in much the same way that they were
used in Alaska in Gold Rush days. They are all-round general-purpose
sleddogs that can be used for recreational dog driving, dogsled
touring and excursions, sleddog racing, skijoring, light freight
hauling, dog packing and similar sports and recreation involving the
use of dogs as a source of power.
Seppalas are what we call 'purpose-bred dogs.'
For many generations they have bred and selected just to do one job
-- pulling a dogsled. Every dog in all those past generations of
ancestors was chosen to reproduce his kind because he was a good
sleddog, because his parents were also good sleddogs, and because his
first progeny were good sleddogs. This kind of breeding has great
power to produce animals that are supremely well-suited to their
work. And that's how Seppalas are bred.
They are not guard dogs; they are too docile.
Some may show a protective instinct but it is not strongly developed.
Neither are they hunting dogs; they show a good deal of interest in
small game, but it isn't easily channeled into co-operation with a
human hunter, because they want to eat the game themselves!
They can be excellent pets for an active person
who understands the special needs of sleddogs, but they cannot be
left to run free on their own. As pets, they enjoy being in a house
and yard, but should be kept under restraint in a secure pen or on a
strong swiveled chain tether when alone, and not be left unattended
and uncontrolled.
? What do they look like?
They are
medium-sized dogs varying considerably in height and weight. They may
weigh anywhere from 30 lbs./13.5 Kg. for a small female to 65 lbs./30
Kg. for a large male. Their height varies from 19 to 25 inches (48 to
64 cm.) at withers.
They come in a variety of colours: jet black,
many different shades of grey and brown, and pure white; their
markings are very variable, some dogs being spotted, others having
solid body colour with white chest, feet, belly and legs. Often
black, grey or brown dogs have pronounced reddish shadings on the
face, ears and limbs. Many different and intricate facial masks
occur. Their eyes may be amber, brown, or blue; it is common for a
dog to have one brown and one blue eye, or even to have the two
colours mixed in the same eye. They have a friendly and noble
expression.
They have a medium-length Arctic-type coat,
consisting of long straight guard hairs supported by a very profuse,
dense and soft undercoat. There is a natural variability in coat
length from one dog to another. In any length the coat is never
shaggy in appearance; the dog always has a very smooth, neat outline.
The coat is virtually weatherproof due to its great density, and
needs no combing, brushing, bathing or other care under most
conditions, except when the old coat is being shed and a new coat
grown.
They are both graceful and muscular. The body is
usually longer than it is tall. The ears are erect, but taller than
other Arctic breeds, and carried quite high on the head; the tail is
trailed behind at rest and carried in a curve above the back when
alert. Their feet are large and tough.
? What kind of temperament do they have?
Seppala dogs' temperament varies over a certain range. Some are very friendly and outgoing with everyone, others are quite reserved, friendly with their owners and family but shy with outsiders. They are never vicious, and very seldom quarrelsome with other dogs. They have a strong natural hunting instinct and may catch and kill animals which they regard as prey: rabbits, birds, squirrels, cats and rarely small breeds of dogs. They are extremely affectionate with their owners; they appreciate human closeness and petting. Given the chance they will usually sleep as close to their owners as allowed.
? Aren't they really just the same thing as a Siberian Husky?
No, the
Seppala Siberian Sleddog is truly a breed in its own right and not at
all the same thing as a CKC Siberian Husky. It is true that to begin
with, for many years this breed was registered in the CKC Siberian
Husky stud book. However, the CKC Siberian today is no longer very
closely related to the Seppala breed. In the 1960s most of the older
Canadian bloodlines were discarded in favour of imported show stock
from the U.S.A. Canadian Siberian Huskies are now bred from mostly
U.S. import bloodlines to a show-dog standard, with most breeding
programmes oriented towards the production of dog show Champions and
pet stock.
The Seppala dog even while it was a part of the
Siberian Husky stud book was never bred as a show dog -- never bred
to the show dog breed standard nor selected for superficial cosmetic
qualities. It has always been bred and selected strictly as a working
sleddog, and for over sixty years it existed as a separate, closed
strain, a 'breed within a breed.'
One visit to a kennel of Seppalas, followed by a
few minutes watching the Siberian Husky breed ring judging at any
major dog show, will quickly convince most people that there is a
vast difference between the two breeds, in spite of the fact that
this difference was formalised with independent breed status only
quite recently. Seppalas are different in appearance, in temperament,
in working ability, and are bred and selected to a different breed
standard.
? Can they be trained?
Seppalas
are highly intelligent and trainable, especially within the context
of their work as sleddogs. They readily acquire a considerable
vocabulary of well-understood words and commands. As sleddogs, those
that are chosen to lead teams must understand and respond to: 'Gee'
(turn right), 'Haw' (turn left), 'On by' (don't turn, keep going),
'Whoa' (stop) and a variety of 'startup' commands that tend to vary
with individual mushers; also 'out front' or 'tighten up' (move
forward and hold the lines taut), 'easy' (reduce speed), 'okay' or
'let's go' (increase speed), 'dig, dig' (pull hard), 'stay' or 'rest'
(stand still in harness), 'no' (leave that alone, don't turn there),
etc.
Their natural docility and desire to please
makes it easy to teach them standard obedience commands, although
'heel' can be a challenge for a dog whose natural instinct is to
forge ahead and pull strongly! When brought into the house, their
owners discover that they naturally learn a variety of routines and
that even older kennel dogs are easily housebroken. They appear to
understand many things that are said casually to them and comprehend
their owners' wishes easily.
? Do they eat a lot?
Seppala
Siberian Sleddogs originated in an Arctic subsistence environment in
which they often had to get along on very little food. As a result
they require considerably less than do, for example, gundogs of
similar size, but their rations must be of very high quality,
designed for carnivores. They do not do well on cheap supermarket
dogfood.
They thrive on meat, poultry and fat; most
owners supplement dry rations with these natural canine foods. Their
dry rations should be as low as possible in cereal and fiber content
and should never contain soybean meal, beet pulp, cellulose and
similar cheap 'fillers' and 'stool formers.' Seppalas in general
would thrive on the same rations fed to wolves and foxes; kennel
owners sometimes buy mink feed or fox feed when they live near fur
farms! Additional fat should be fed in extremely cold weather or when
the dogs are working hard, and eggs are a useful supplement, as is
high-quality fish meal.
Kept in kennels and worked regularly, they eat
well; kept as single housepets some of them may tend to be finicky
eaters who distress their owners by letting their ribs
show!
? How many dogs are needed to pull a sled? Can I train them myself?
To enjoy
sleddog sport you should really have at least three dogs, but many
novice recreational mushers begin learning to drive dogs with only
one or two. A single dog, unless he's a very large strong male,
should not be expected to pull an adult person very far, although he
might pull an eight or ten year old "mini-musher" for mile after
mile. Generally speaking, each owner trains his own dogs, although
learning the sport can be a little easier if one starts with trained
adults.
Many people try to start a recreational dog team
with other Arctic breeds, like Malamutes, Samoyeds or Siberian
Huskies, and through lack of detailed knowledge they usually wind up
with show dogs! In most cases such dogs, bred for generations for
qualities that have nothing to do with working ability, have lost
their working traits and instincts. Such a team can be sheer misery
for a novice dog driver. Dogfights, dogs that will not pull or will
only go at a slow walk, a team that will not stay on the trail, are
some of the 'joys' that await the unwary would-be dog driver who
assumes that a dog of any Northern breed will automatically make a
good sleddog.
Seppalas, on the other hand, are the ideal breed
for the novice dog musher. Due to their high level of innate
capability as sleddogs, even a beginner can get a small team going in
short order with little pain and frustration, particularly if he has
advice from an experienced driver.
Experienced skiers can have a grand time
skijoring with one or two dogs, but don't try it if you've never been
on skis before! Skijoring is a dangerous and demanding sport for the
very agile and skilful.
? What is needed to start training sleddogs?
Each dog
has to have a well-fitted professionally-made harness of synthetic
webbing. 'Ganglines' of braided poly rope with brass snaps are needed
to assemble the dogs into a team and connect them to the sled or
other vehicle. If dogs must be driven over trail hazards such as
asphalt, salted roads, some kinds of ice, or in extremely cold
temperatures, or very fresh soft snow, dog boots may also be required
to protect their feet.
If you start with few dogs, your sled should be
small and light in weight. Seppalas move at speeds faster than you
could possibly run, easily twelve or fifteen miles per hour, so the
driver must stand on footboards near the back of the sled runners,
holding on to a driving bow at waist level. If you buy a big heavy
old wooden freight sled for your three inexperienced dogs, you might
find that, although they can pull the sled itself just fine, adding
your own weight brings things to a halt! Many fine lightweight sleds
built of tough plastic and aluminum are now available; these are
excellent for small teams. Get advice from an experienced dog driver
before you buy a sled -- they aren't inexpensive and you might get
the wrong kind for your purpose. A second-hand dogsled can be a
bargain, or it can be a big mistake -- always get advice.
A stout 'panic snap' to tie your sled down while
you hook up the dogs and to release it quickly when you're ready to
go is a good idea. So is a "snow hook" which -- sometimes! -- lets
you anchor the sled momentarily out on the trail, to fix tangled
lines.
Good warm snow boots with non-slip soles are a
necessity, as is warm hand gear appropriate to the temperatures
(insulated gloves if it's mild, heavy arctic mitts if it's severe).
Insulated bib overalls can be nice, and a medium parka suited to the
temperatures. Dog driving demands good winter clothing for your own
comfort and safety! You're going to be fairly active, so you don't
want to sweat, but you need protection from cold wind and extreme
temperatures.
Dog-driving doesn't require much fancy equipment
to get started, beyond the dogs, the sled, the lines and the
harnesses. A small team can be transported loose inside a van or
station wagon, since Seppalas get along well with one another.
Mushers with more than five dogs usually transport them in a special
trailer or in a 'dog box' fitted to a pickup or flatbed truck, but
you don't need that to start out with a three-dog team. We have
transported up to ten Seppalas in the back of a big station wagon
(with a fold-down back seat) in perfect harmony.
You should also have a 'picket line' made of
light chain or aircraft cable with 18-inch 'drops' spaced along its
length, each drop ending in a snap; this lets you tie your dogs out
in a line between two trees or posts while you harness them and get
your sled and lines set up ready to go. You cannot expect your team
dogs to wait around loose while you prepare to hook up your
team!
? Is it hard to learn how to drive dogs?
Dog driving
takes mostly patience and love of dogs. If you have those qualities,
it isn't hard, and it is more fun than any other winter sport. It's a
learn-by-doing sport -- you teach the dogs and they teach you, too.
It always helps to have experienced advice, but it isn't like
learning to ski with a long, long series of expensive lessons. The
initial learning curve, provided you have the right dogs, is short
and enjoyable; then from season to season you build on past
achievement.
When you're doing it with dogs like Seppalas
that are bred only for that purpose, it becomes one of the most
rewarding things you and your dogs could do together. The dogs love
it -- that love is bred into their genes -- and you will, too.
There's no ear-shattering engine noise, no poisonous exhaust fumes,
no gas and oil to carry, no heavy machine to muscle around, bog down,
or break down, your team starts readily at the first shout -- once
you've driven a dog team, you'll wonder how snowmobiles ever became
popular!
? Are Seppalas healthy dogs?
Part of the
purpose of the Working Canine Association of Canada, which sponsors
Seppala Siberian Sleddogs, is to encourage the breeding of the
healthiest possible dogs. In general, Seppalas are a very natural,
and therefore a very healthy, breed. Their hardiness is ensured by
their breeding and selection as working sleddogs. They usually live
to the age of at least ten years; many survive to twelve or fifteen.
Since they are constantly selected for physical soundness, bone and
joint diseases are rare.
As in other dog breeds, occasional individuals
suffer from health problems. However, unlike most purebred dog
breeds, this breed is being intentionally bred in the healthiest
possible way. Inbreeding is frowned upon by the Association since it
weakens the stock and increases the incidence of genetic diseases.
Totally new, unrelated sleddog stock has already been imported from
Siberia for the genetic health of this breed, and the Association
plans to make sure that new "outcross" stock is brought into the
breed periodically, thus keeping it at the highest possible level of
genetic health.
Outcross breeding for genetic health is Nature's
way. Wild animals have behaviour patterns that strongly discourage
inbreeding, and natural selection quickly removes unfit animals from
breeding populations. Yet most purebred dog breeds depend heavily on
inbreeding; almost never is true outcross (completely unrelated for
ten or more generations) stock brought into their breeding. Show dog
breeders use inbreeding as their basic tool to achieve refinements of
'breed type' and superficial beauty points. They use expensive
veterinary 'screening' programmes to try to steer a clear course
through the minefield of genetic defects which their breeding method
guarantees -- yet time after time it turns out, as it has in the case
of Canine Hip Dysplasia, that breeding 'clear' to 'clear' still
produces defective stock even after several generations. The breeding
of Seppala Siberian Sleddogs deliberately mimics Nature's way so that
potentially harmful genes are kept under control naturally.
The vast majority of Seppalas live out their
lives free of major veterinary problems other than those of old age.
We believe that this is one of the healthiest of dog breeds -- and,
unlike the rest, it is steadily getting healthier through truly
responsible breeding and registry practices.
? What are their basic needs?
Their basic
needs are those of any working dog: good housing, proper feeding,
clean water, timely veterinary care including vaccination,
deparasitisation, and checkups, basic sanitation, regular minor body
maintenance (combing out when shedding, regular nail trimming, tooth
care and ear inspection) -- baths are not required! -- adequate
protection from strong sunshine (they love sun baths but they must
have good shade available, too), and plenty of regular physical
exercise. To that, one further requirement must be added: unstinting
love and attention from their owners. Unlike the snowmobile, they
cannot be taken out on weekends and forgotten the rest of the time.
Seppalas have strong personalities and deep affections; without
commitment and love from their owners, they cannot prosper.
Constant brushing and bathing are not only
unnecessary to this breed, but are in fact harmful. Bathing removes
natural protective oils from the coat and skin, causing dandruff,
dryness and allowing dirt to cling. The correct Seppala coat can
hardly be penetrated by a brush or comb except when it is being shed,
so grooming at any other time, apart from light surface brushing, is
pointless -- the coat stays in excellent condition without it.
The main requirement for working sleddogs, apart
from good nutrition, is proper conditioning. This means that they
should have a regular programme of workouts of graded intensity and
distance, beginning in the autumn (or whenever the temperatures fall
regularly below 16 degrees Celsius or 60 degrees Fahrenheit), so that
the dogs begin with regular short runs of a mile or two (1.5 to 3.5
Km.) every other day, then gradually increasing in distance and
intensity as the season advances. Seppalas thrive on mileage, and the
conditioning sometimes thought sufficient for sprint-racing sleddogs
is usually not enough for them; they really need to have 500 or more
training miles (800 Km.) each season. But they need plenty of rest
days, as well. There are many ways to arrange a training schedule: it
can be every other day, two days on and one off, three or four days
on and two off, etc. What is not acceptable is to leave the dogs in
the kennel all week without exercise, then to try to make them run 15
miles (24 Km.) a day on Friday, Saturday and Sunday! Sensible,
carefully-graded training runs build up the dogs' toughness,
muscularity, cardiovascular capacity and working attitude. Long
periods of idleness followed by sudden demands for full exertion and
serious mileage only cause breakdowns and ruin their
attitude.
? Where can I obtain dogs of this breed?
The Working Canine Association of Canada, P.O. Box 21162, Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Y1A 6R1, can provide names and addresses of the breeders nearest to you.
If there are no breeders in your area, from time to time a few dogs may be available from the original breed promoters at Seppala Kennels, P.O. Box 21162, Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Y1A 6R1.
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