Toste - a strong male
Many of the dogs used in Antarctica
came from Canada, originally bred by the Inuit
as hard-working cold weather multi-purpose companions.
As a breed, they are thought to be over 1,000
years old, perhaps as much as 2,000. There are
many local breeds and varieties of such dogs
in and around the Arctic.
These dogs are as tough as you'd
expect for an animal bred for such an extreme
environment. They are intelligent, alert, affectionate
and develop deep and loyal bonds with their
owner/drivers.
They are large powerfully built
dogs, weighing around 30-40 kg (65 - 85 pounds)
for males and 20-30 kg (40-65 pounds) for females.
Height at the shoulder varies from 50 cm (20
inches) for smaller females up to 70+ cm (28
inches) for large males. They have a thick neck,
broad chest and strong, thickly muscled legs.
Their feet have dense fur and the thick double
coat is completely weather proof. Surprisingly
perhaps, they have relatively little body fat,
instead, it is their fur that provides insulation
- they suffer in warm environments being prone
to heat stroke.
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