SIBERIAN HUSKY BLUEPRINT Heads or Tails? BY DONNA BECKMAN
TAILS IT IS! A
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. The Tail section begins and ends with a description of the coat on the tail. The hair on the Siberian’s fox-brush-shaped tail is of medium length and approximately the same length on all sides, and is not to be highly plumed. As one might expect, the coat on the Siberian’s tail mirrors the characteristics seen elsewhere on the body: well-furred, medium in length, not obscuring the outline of the dog, and not shaggy. There seem to be very few questions about the tail fur. The confusion stems from other descriptions of the tail. Let’s examine the structural tail details relating to the tail. The topline of the Siberian, when standing and moving, is to remain strong, straight, firm, and level from withers to croup. The croup slopes away from the spine at an angle, but not too steeply. This information prepares us to understand how the tail is set on the dog “just below the level of the topline.” The tail set is probably the most important aspect of a Siberian’s tail, because a flat or steep croup usu- ally means a high or low tail set, respectively, either of which adversely affects the gait of a Siberian. Correct gait is essential to the Siberian Husky, a distance, endurance sled dog whose original function was “in harness most capably carrying a light load at a moderate speed over great distances.”
ny project needs to start with a goal. Next comes a plan to meet the project’s goal. That plan is expanded to list steps, materials, contributors, and deliverables.
Progress is monitored, and deliverables and goals are evaluated to determine if the project is successful. Dog breeding, exhibiting, and judging have steps similar to those of a project, with goals, plans, contributors, and evaluations. At the heart of a dog project, used by breeders, exhibitors, handlers, groomers, photogra- phers, and judges, is the blueprint of each breed: the Breed Standard. From the moment we become interested in pure- bred dogs, the Standard becomes our companion. Regardless of our role in the dog world, the study of the Standard becomes a constant activity. The Standard for any breed is difficult to cover in a single article, but I would like to focus on the section of the Siberian Stan- dard which, by far, prompts the majority of questions from judges: the Tail. This section can be a bit confus- ing, and this article attempts to address some of the misconceptions about the Siberian Husky tail. Neck, Topline, Body: Tail: 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
250 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, FEBRUARY 2024
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