Sakhalin Husky

The Sakhalin Husky (Japanese: 樺太犬, Karafuto Ken; Russian: Сахалинский хаски; Chinese: 库页犬, Kuye Quan) is a critically endangered landrace and sled laika associated with Sakhalin Island and adjacent areas. They are also known Karafuto Ken, Sakhalin Laika, or Gilyak Laika. While bred primarily as a sled dog, Sakhalin Huskies are also used for hunting bear and fishing. There are approximately 20 Sakhalin Huskies remaining on Sakhalin Island. Description Appearance The body of the Sakhalin Husky is elongated, with a thick double undercoat. They are tall at the withers, and they weigh up to . The tail is held straight or slightly bent to the side. Historically, the Nivkh people would dock the last 1/3 of the tail at birth to prevent dogs from grabbing each other's tails while pulling a sled. Sakhalin huskies can have black, red, gray, and brindle coloring; however, black dogs are preferred as the color is the most visible during a snow storm. Sakhalin have triangular face with amber eyes and prick ears. The Sakhalin Husky are freighting sled dogs, evokes a sense of power due to its strong skeletal structure and well-developed muscles. They can drag more than of cargo over distances as long as at speeds of They have large paws and excellent endurance that allows them to cover long distances in snowy conditions in just a few days. As a landrace, there is currently no breed standard.