All forums / General Balto Discussion
I have a question for everyone?
Title about explains it all!
Started by Lowes4803 on 04 Oct 2003, 23:34 UTC · 18 preserved posts
76-106254582304 Oct 2003, 23:34 UTC
Now on with the ?... I have had thoughts about this for a good year now and was still new to the community so here we go , yes its important lol
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Now, the ? is...
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What type of wolf was the wolf side of baltos orgin, because it would be interesting to see your responces.. yes this is a new question I have had in mind for months now.. so please respond.Thanks!
106-106196082205 Oct 2003, 00:07 UTC
Maybe he was a timber wolf. Probably was, since the only other wolf in Alaska is the arctic wolf, which is only white. But if Aniu really is Balto's mom, which I've always thought, then he could be arctic wolf.
70-106196059205 Oct 2003, 00:32 UTC
Going on Balto's size compared with Steele I would go with Arctic wolf too. They aren't just white, they can be black too and the dog side of Balto could genetically be dominant for colour too. If he was Timber wolf, then in theory he would be much bigger than Steele, but then having said that, huskies are relatively small dogs compared so that would bring him down too.
The final point I'd make is Nome's location. It is something like 80 miles from the nearest tree, so Arctic wolf would be well suited to the environment.\n\n
76-106254582305 Oct 2003, 18:21 UTC
Oh i see where this going, good point AC... I had thought the same thing for a good bit! Thanks!
75-106196063006 Oct 2003, 01:41 UTC
Yep,Arctic wolves seem appropriate.This is,of course,said in relation to the location of Nome.
How did Steele end up so huge,then?Maybe he's part wolf,too *grins*
67-106196056206 Oct 2003, 08:43 UTC
Or a firm believer in the use of steroids! 
65-106196052906 Oct 2003, 18:50 UTC
Steele is a malamute, not a husky, and malamutes are wolf-sized or even a little larger, sometimes weighing 120-130 lbs.
83-106196072606 Oct 2003, 19:48 UTC
Steele's a Siberian husky. The blue eyes are a dead give-away, as is the fact that he's not that much bigger than any of the other dogs around. If he is a malamute, then he's an awfully small one. 
70-106196059406 Oct 2003, 20:27 UTC
Malamutes can have blue eyes as well as Siberian Huskies...I would say Steele was a Malamute though..he was larger than the rest of the dogs, by quite a bit. Any breed of dog *can* have blue eyes, if they have a gene for the blue coloration... in coat and eyes. I had Shelties with blue and merled eyes (which are marbled) so siberian huskies don't have the corner on the market for blue eyes. Steele's bulk and his longer fur point to his being a Malamute...
Vesta
70-106196059206 Oct 2003, 22:57 UTC
As someone who has raced pure bred Siberian huskies, I would say that Star and Kaltag are the Siberians. Siberians are true huskies, although people may use "husky" to describe any sled pulling dog, Siberian is the only recognised breed of "husky". Just an interesting note. Steele is definately a malamute though, huskies aren't actually very big dogs, the males can stand quite tall, but on the whole huskies are pretty medium in size.
Malamutes are big dogs as Ag said, Steele I think it is safe to say was a Malamute.
106-106196082207 Oct 2003, 04:46 UTC
Yeah, Steele was a malamute. I took a Balto quiz once, and I chose Siberian Husky as my answer, cuz at the time, I thought he was one, but the result was he was a malamute.
67-106196056507 Oct 2003, 17:39 UTC
I think that Steele is more of a Alaskan Malamute mix rather than a purebred Mal. �The AKC considers blue eyes to be a fault in the Alaskan Malamute and Samoyed breed standards.
�
I do not really care about breed standards and consider performance more important than appearance. �I think that breed standards limit improvement in performance. �Though I think all northern breeds are interesting, I am seriously considering running Alaskan Huskies should I ever get into mushing. This is because there is not, nor will there ever be, a breed standard for the Alaskan Husky.
70-106196059207 Oct 2003, 23:09 UTC
| Quote (Coasterfreak @ Oct. 07 2003,6:39, pm) |
| I think that Steele is more of a Alaskan Malamute mix rather than a purebred Mal. �The AKC considers blue eyes to be a fault in the Alaskan Malamute and Samoyed breed standards. |
The Alaskan Malamute wasn't recognised as a breed in AKC until 1935ish, quite some time after Balto too place, so I don't think blue eyes are really an issue on breed standard as there wasn't one back then.106-106196082208 Oct 2003, 02:26 UTC
Well, Steele's one of those "faulty" Malamutes then Coaster Freak.
65-106196052908 Oct 2003, 07:27 UTC
Off-topic note:
A quote from the AKC standard for Alaskan Malamutes: The Malamute is structured for strength and endurance, and any characteristic of the individual specimen, including temperament, which interferes with the accomplishment of this purpose, is to be considered the most serious of faults.
Malamutes are one of the only dogs for which the breed standard states that functional ability takes precedence over appearance. I suspect that this is because malamutes were still almost exclusively working dogs when the breed was first recognized, whereas Siberian Huskies were already being kept as pets and being bred to be pretty, barrel-chested, stocky, and almost totally unfit for serious sled work by the time they were recognized. Working Siberians are often considered Alaskan Huskies by their mushers these days, anyway, precisely because they tend not to meet the breed standard.
70-106196059208 Oct 2003, 11:36 UTC
Our breed standard for Siberians here is/was very different to the American. Although this is slowly changing to favour the American style, IMO ruining the breed. I raced huskies for years and a REAL Siberian husky is more similar to a grey hound in structure. Picture a greyhound with fluffier fur and that is a real husky. This new breed standard is making huskies unfit and nothing like how they should be, these dogs cannot work but still have the work ethic in their subconcious. They try but can't, it is quite sad.
Look at the photos I have on my page about the real Balto.. they are true to huskies and at the moment anyway, the British breed standard is pretty similar to them.
Look at this guy here
That is Comet, he was one of the dogs I handled, he, like his team mates has long legs, tucked up stomach and no fat, just muscle. Now compare him to the older photos.\n\n
83-106196071611 Oct 2003, 08:01 UTC
| Quote (Fluke @ Oct. 08 2003,7:36, am) |
| Our breed standard for Siberians here is/was very different to the American. Although this is slowly changing to favour the American style, IMO ruining the breed. |
I'm no dog expert, but I'd say those standards (the American ones) are pretty much based on looks, and not performance. Well that's what I come away with whenever I read those AKC requirements.
As for the original question, arctic wolf is the first thing that came to my mind. I'd certainly say the White Wolf was one. ^_^;67-106196056520 Oct 2003, 02:32 UTC
Now that you mention it, Fluke, I do remember reading somewhere that Malemutes were nearly crossbred out of existence with other northern and southern breeds.
As I understand it, the Siberian Husky breed has split into two distinct groups: Racing/Working and Show. Show Sibes tend to have well defined and symmetrical facial markings. This type of Sibe is what most people associate with the breed since they tend to get shown in the movies (although most people also think that northern breeds have recent wolf heritage in them).
Since appearance does not matter (other than having a sound skeleton) on Racing/Working Sibes, most do not have the well-defined and symmetrical facial markings. Indeed, I have seen photos of Sibes with Seppala lines that have well-blended, wolfish-looking facial markings.
That said, I have nothing against Show Sibes. It gives them a job to do and not have to be a couch potato for their entire life. All Sibes can pull a sled but Show Sibes can only be used for recreational mushing, carting, and packing. They just are not built for doing any other kind of sled pulling. I have noticed that there is a movement to create dual-purpose Sibe that may just save Show Sibes from becoming another version of the American Show German Shepherd Dog. Show GSD's were specifically bred to trot around the ring and cannot be used for things such as herding, Police/Military work, and Search and Rescue work that GSD's were bred to do.