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Mackenzie River Husky
Black, caramel & cream; female; 96 lbs. |
|
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| Classification and
standards |
| Not recognized by any major kennel club |
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The term Mackenzie River Husky describes
several overlapping local populations of arctic and subarctic sleddogs, none of which constitutes a breed. Most prominent and current
of these are the sleddogs of Donna Dowling and others in the
interior of Alaska. These dogs
are described as standing 26 to 29 inches (66 to 74 cm) in
height and weighing 63 to 104 pounds (29 to 47 kg). Usually
long-coated, they are rangy, deep-chested and long-legged, built
for heavy freighting in single file through deep snow. Their colors
are the usual northern-dog range of black and white, shades of grey
and sable, tan, or blonde.
Historically, the term has been variously applied to different
dog populations in the Arctic and subarctic regions of Alaska and Canada. Dogs from Old Crow, Fort McPherson,
Arctic Red
River, Porcupine River, Hay River
and Mackenzie
River regions, although distinguished by locals, were
collectively termed “Mackenzie River” dogs by outsiders; crosses of
these local freighting huskies with large European breeds such as St.
Bernards, Newfoundlands, or Staghounds were sometimes called
“Mackenzie River Hounds,” giving rise to great confusion
surrounding the name. Some reference sources describe the Mackenzie
River Husky as a dog, used by the Royal Canadian Mounted
Police, consisting of a mix of Inuit (Eskimo) dog, large European breeds, and wolf
ancestry.
Currently Donna Dowling acts as a coordinator for Alaskan
residents interested in breeding and preservation of the native
arctic freighting dog. She describes the gene pool as capable of
considerable variation, but states that the temperament is always
guaranteed to be independent but “completely trustworthy with
children, intelligent and eager to work.”
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