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The Siberian Standard
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| 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 |
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Measuring your Siberian
Height is measured at the "withers" or highest point of shoulder to the ground.
Length is measured from the "point of shoulder" or "prosternum" to the farthest point of the "pelvic" or "hip" bone (croup).
Any dog over 23-1/2" or any bitch over 22" AT THE WITHERS is disqualified from conformation showing.
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| Size, Proportion, Substance |
Height: Dogs, 21 to 23 1/2 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 23 1/2 inches and bitches over 22 inches. |
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Faults of the head include:
~ eyes set too obliquely; too close together
~ ears too large in proportion to the head; too wide set; not strongly erect
~ head clumsy or heavy; head too finely chiseled
~ insufficient stop
~ muzzle either too snippy or too coarse; muzzle too short or too long
~ any bite other than scissors
The "occiput" is located at the back of the skull behind the ears and feels like a small bump. |
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| 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. Faults: 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. Faults: any bite other than scissors.
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Faults of the neck, topline & body include:
~ neck too short and thick; neck too long
~ Chest too broad; "barrel ribs", ribs too flat or weak
~ back that is weak or slack; roached back; sloping topline |
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Neck, Topline & Body
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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. |
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Faults of the tail include:
~ a snapped or tightly curled tail; (such as the Akita tail)
~ highly plummed tail; (as can be found on the Alaskan Malamute)
~ tail set too low or too high |
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Tail
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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. |
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Faults of the shoulders include:
~ straight and/or loose shoulders
Faults of the forelegs include:
~ soft or splayed toes;
~ paws too large and clumsy
~ paws to small and delicate
~ toeing in or out.
Length of leg from elbow to ground is slightly more than distance from elbow to the top of withers.
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Forequarters ~ Shoulders & Legs |
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.
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Faults of the hindquarters include:
~ straight stifels, cowhocks, too narrow or too wide in the rear
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Hindquarters
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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, cowhocks, too narrow or too wide in the rear. |
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Topline ~ should be firm and level without any "bouncing" when the dog is moving.
Reach ~ When properly structured and moving correctly, ideally, the foot should hit the ground in line with the nose when the neck and head is extended slightly forward. |
Drive ~ propels the dog forward and the rear foot should move in the path of the foreleg on the same side. They should not "overreach" by going beyond where the front foot is. Often dogs who "overreach" will tend to "crab" (where the rear of the dog appears to move off to one side) or they will move wide in the rear.
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Gait
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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 straight forward, 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.
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Color
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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.
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| Thank You :www.cracarsiberians.com |
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