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There is no need to make a fuss over the fact that I simply replied, Greykitty. I didn't slam the person. I just simply offered my own opinion back. When I last checked, we are allowed to differ here, so long as we don't fight or flame.

Or am I not allowed to state my position, or defend my reasonings for doing things? Am I going to be criticized whenever I do this?

I realize this is an old thread, but I wanted to comment anyway. Sorry if someone already said this... I'm pretty sure Dixie is an American Eskimo.

In a recent interview with Simon Wells, he believes that they intended for Dixie to be a Pomeranian. Even though he didn't seem 100% sure about his answer, it's official enough for me to say that Dixie is a Pomeranian. lol

http://www.animationsource.org/balto/en ... &nump=8497

Bumping old topics is allowed as long as you have something constructive add, so you're good there. :P

I strongly believe Kaltag is a Chinook, he has the same color and appearance, they can have upright or floppy ears and are a sled pulling breed. Nikki is obviously a Chow-Chow/Malamute mix, Star looks like an Alaskan husky which can have different fur colors and markings.

Kirby is probably a Chinook/Malamut mix, Ralph is most likely a giant Malamute which is basically a Malamute of a larger size. I always thought Dixie was an American eskimo dog but she could be an Eskie-Pom which is an Eskimo dog and Pomeranian fix. Sylvie is an Afghan hound.

Dusty could also be an Alaskan husky.


My guess is many of the sled dogs seen in the first Balto movie are Alaskan huskies, malamutes and Mackenzie river huskies which are all large.

Other breeds in the sled dog family include Samoyeds, Russian laikas, Finnish lapphunds, Canadian Eskimo dogs, Chinooks and wolfdogs.

Working dogs are different ones bred for show which is why they're mostly used for their original purpose or sold as pets

It's possible that Star is an Alaskan Husky (his ears fit the bill), though he could also pass as a Seppala Husky. Seppala Huskies are taller and thinner in build than Siberian Huskies. They also have tall, erect ears that sit closer together. Even Star's ears aren't exactly that of a Seppala Husky, I think his overall build fits the physical description. But hey! Steele ended up being an Alaskan Malamute when everyone thought he was a Husky. It just goes to show that you can never be so sure.



Kaltag

I believe that Kaltag is an Alaskan Husky, as his overall appearance suggests it. I know many believe that he's a Chinook, at that's fine, but I don't believe that's the case. Chinooks have a build that resembles a Labrador Retriever, and lack markings. On the flip side, Alaskan Huskies come in various colors and patterns.



More to come later

I think we need to take into account that dog breeds have changed a lot and that some didn't exist back then. Plus, this is an animated movie, some choices are delibarate, I assume all sled dog were supposed to be huskies (and huskies were probably the most known sled dog breed back in the 1990s, at least in many countries) since they focused on that breed when the half dog issue was raised. However, each character is a caricature of a dog, made to look a certain way. Steele is huge compared to his "friends" because he's the rival and ennemy. Some are fat, tiny, etc. because they provide comic relief.

Though I guess it's probable that some of them are just mutts or generic sled dogs.

The only breed that didn't exist back then was the Alaskan Klee Kai, which is what many uneducated fans believe Star is. There's also Dixie, who was confirmed to be a Pomeranian in a recent interview with Simon Wells. They were originally larger, and were used as sheep herders.

It wasn't just all huskies back in the 1900's. There were many other breeds used in sledding, and were often mixed with other breeds. Heck, even Balto's teammates look like they could be mixes. (the one dog by Gunnar's left side sort of looks like Star lol)



You're probably right when it comes down to Steele's (I will note that he's more than likely a Malamute due to a production video that can be found on YouTube) build, but I disagree with the dogs being labeled as "fat". I'm not saying they aren't, but these dogs are probably based upon dogs that have heavy coats.

Thanks for the historic accuracy on breeds. I don't know much about dogs. I just assumed about huskies because that's the only breed mentioned in the movie (though, I assumed most dogs back then were mutts? I read that pure breed isn't important for mushers).

So... I have to change my view. I still think the team tried to caricature mostly huskies, but historical concern is pointless. I always assumed Dixie was a pomeranian so your guesses are probably true.

Well if you want to look at it from an historically-accurate viewpoint, the movie is seriously lacking on several points.

While Siberian Huskies were well known in Nome and Alaska by the mid 1910s, they were not really called that. They were simply and usually referred to as "Siberians". The full breed name of "Siberian Husky" really came about with the official recognition by the American Kennel Club in 1930. And actually, most Siberians looked quite different, or at least markedly different, than the current breed as it exists today. Their legs were generally longer, fur coat tended to be a bit shorter (though fuller), and their markings were rarely symmetrical and "pretty". They were a breed made for work, not show. Their purest descendants exist today as the rare, and gradually-fading, Seppala Siberian Sled Dog breed. Though many working-line breeders, and even some show breeders, like to cross their Siberian lines with the Seppala breed, to try and refresh its gene pool. And you'll often see them lay claim to their dogs being such-and-such "percentage Seppala". Whether or not it's true, in individual cases, is debatable.

But there were many breeds and mixes used back then in and around Nome and Alaska. Not only to pull sleds and other devices, but in a variety of work and companionship duties. Even some you wouldn't expect. Even the mixed breed known as the "Alaskan Husky" existed back then, though it was generally larger and stronger, used for freighting work and other heavy activity, rather than in racing as it is so often used today.

Balto reminds me of a Czechoslovakian Wolfdog.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Czechoslovakian_Wolfdog

But the date the breed was introduced is wrong.

If we're going with the first Balto movie logic, his dad was probably a Timber Wolf and his mom a light-colored husky or Shepherd of some type.

Balto 2 logic, his mother is the white wolf and his dad is a grey husky/shepherd mix.

I can't believe this thread is 10 years old!

Balto was a Siberian Husky in real life (if that was what you were getting at), not some wolfdog like many people believe he was. He was raised by Leonhard Seppala, and was used for hauling freight short distances.

I don't think Balto's breed, in the film, goes much of any further than what we already know. As for his coloration, I would say he would either be a wolf grey, agouti, or silver.

As for his parents, Balto's mother was a wolf (possibly a Mackenzie Valley wolf), and his father was a husky.

Wolf grey: http://huskycolors.com/wolf.html
Agouti: http://huskycolors.com/agouti.html
Silver: http://huskycolors.com/grey.html