Off and on we receive
messages regarding the various colors and color
patterns of our dogs. Recently we've received
several, so perhaps it is time to garner up some
thoughts.
By using the navigation
button for the history of our kennel we delved
into some unique colors that happened to us in
the '70s and have on occassion resurfaced. In
looking at many of the photos taken of Siberians
in and around the Sweepstakes era the varieties
of color patterns then have again on occassion,
in fact with some regularity, occur in our
kennel. Perusing the old photos, whatever your
source may be, it seems several of those dogs
were either somewhat shortlegged or long in the
back. Of course, all the pictures do not
indicate this but it does seem the most noteable
ones of Seppala during the Sweepstakes and the
Ruby Derby do. This has always been a
puzzlement, why, I don't know, just something
always pondered in relation to the Siberian as a
competitive dog and too seems that's all we look
at are those photos. For whatever reason, I
became more at ease when I pulled out the book,
"Northwest of the World" by Olaf Swenson.
Turning to page 112 there is a photo of Swenson
standing beside his dogs in Kamchatka. There, in
just one photo, is a whole gambit of colors and
color patterns and whats more, finer boned dogs
appearing to have some length to their legs. Not
that this photo is a function of anything but is
simply refreshing to see apart from all the Nome
photos that are so widely heralded when the
banner waving for Siberians is brought up.
By the way, "Northwest of the
World" is an interesting book to read too.
