As the name would suggest, Siberian Huskies are native to Siberia, where they have been trained for hundreds of years by the Chukchi people to pull sleds. The Chukchi are semi-nomadic people, and the Siberian Huskys ability to pull sleds with light loads for long distances made it a useful companion. Recent DNA an*lysis has shown the Siberian Husky to be one of the oldest breeds of dog.

A team of Siberian Huskies was brought to Alaska in 1909 to compete in the All Alaska Sweepstakes Race. Following their debut a large number were imported to Alaska, and a team of Siberian Huskies won the same race the following year. In subsequent years, Siberian Huskies went on to win many different races and gain fame for their speed and endurance.

Siberian Huskies were made even more famous in 1925, when the city of Nome, Alaska was struck by a diphtheria outbreak. Several different teams of sled dogs, most of them Siberian Huskies, relayed the necessary serum back to Nome. After this story became national news, Leonhard Seppala, a famous breeder of Siberian Huskies and a key figure in the Nome rescue, toured New England with his team. These events helped to popularize the breed, and in 1930 the Siberian Husky was recognized as a breed by the American Kennel Club. They are still used in various sledding, carting, and racing events, and are largely responsible for the popularization of these activities. In recent years, however, the Alaskan Husky, which is specially bred for speed, has largely replaced the Siberian in many races; in response, a movement has started to create races specifically for Siberian Huskies. Recently, the breed has found success as a hiking companion, therapy dog, and as a loving pet.