The character of huskies

The qualities and temperament of Nordic sled dogs

What character do huskies have? This is a frequently asked question here at the Husky Village, where we are home to more than 70 of these specimens, offering each of them the best possible living conditions. In reality, it should be made clear that the term husky does not identify a specific dog breed, but rather a group of groups that fall into the Nordic dog family. Those present at the Husky Village in Valtellina are Alaskan Husky breeds (discover the different breeds of sled dogs), and as such they have specific and well-defined character traits. Let’s discover them.

Sled dogs, strong, robust athletes who love to run

Sled dogs such as the Alaskan Huskies are descended from the Nordic breed of dogs that in the past were used as working and pulling dogs in the North American territories where, thanks to their ability to withstand extreme weather conditions, they were invaluable resources for moving from one place to another and for transporting goods during the coldest and snowiest periods of the year (as the famous story of the dog Balto also testifies).

From their ancestors, the Alaskan Huskies have consequently inherited their proud bearing and independent nature, as well as the physical characteristics that make them great athletes, endowed with extraordinary stamina and robustness. Sled dogs are genetically inclined to live outdoors, love the cold and snow and run covering long distances, just as they do during the Husky Village sleddog excursions, pulling a sled or kart guided by a musher.

It is precisely because of this temperament that Alaskan Huskies are in no way indoor dogs or city dogs: their ideal environment is in the middle of nature, with the possibility of running in open spaces for kilometres, in low temperatures all year round (Nordic dogs suffer from heat), in the company of their peers since huskies are used to living in packs. These are the living conditions we guarantee the animals at our Nordic dog facility, one of the largest and most advanced in Italy and Europe.

Affectionate, loyal, playful: the sociable character of huskies

Behind their wilder and more competitive nature, which leads them to take part in international dog sledding competitions on routes of hundreds of kilometres such as the Iditarod, huskies reveal a diametrically opposite side to their character. Sled dogs love contact with humans, in particular with the one they identify as their leader, they are sociable and affectionate, also with children: not only tireless runners, therefore, but also faithful companions and sensitive and intelligent animals, as the historical examples of the relationship between the mushers and their dogs testify.

When they are not busy running through the snow, Alaskan Huskies are very playful dogs. This is why, at the end of the excursion on board the karts or sleds pulled by the dogs along the Cancano Decauville in Alta Valtellina, the experience offered by the Husky Village always ends with a face-to-face moment between the participants and the huskies. This is a unique opportunity to become familiar with real Nordic dogs, stroking them and cuddling them after having guided them with voice commands along the entire trail. It is also this opportunity that makes the husky excursion a special activity to try with the whole family during a mountain holiday in Valtellina.

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