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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