The Siberian husky and other types of sled dog evolved over the centuries in cold, northern regions of Russia, Siberia, Alaska and Scandinavia.
These regions have harsh climates and very limited resources, and so the food available to dogs both wild and domesticated was very limited and often in short supply.
In response, huskies, malamutes and sled dogs have evolved specific physical characterisitcs which allow them to cope in such harsh environmental conditions and with such dietry constraints.
As owners, we can aim to optimise our sled dogs' health by providing a diet that takes the specific requirements of these breeds into account, and providing them with extra supplements that may be otherwise lacking.
Notably, the Siberian husky and other breeds of sled dog generally require a lot less food than other types of dog - rougly only 60% of what is usually suggested by pet food manufacturers for a dog of their size. This is due to the fact that the sled dogs' metabolisim is extremely efficient. Sled dogs have adapted to absorb as much of the energy and nutrient contents of their food as possible. In their natural Arctic environment, this would enable sled dogs to survive on small amounts of food in times of scarcity when other animals requiring more food would have struggled to do so.
The diet of the husky or sled dog in its native land would mostly consist of fish (especially oily fish like salmon), and perhaps caribou, seal and whale meat.
They would have hunted small mammals such as Arctic hares and perhaps caught birds on occasion.
Most of these creatures themselves are part of the marine food chain, (i.e. whales eat fish and krill; fish eat algaes, plankton, smaller fish and crustaceans, etc.).
The plants and animals in this food chain contain high levels of certain minerals in their bodies, such as Zinc and Vitamin C.
Sled dogs have evolved to require higher amounts of such minerals than breeds from other geographic regions.
Some of the most common health disorders seen in sled dog populations today are a result of dietary deficiencies of these minerals.
For the most part, sled dogs living in Arctic regions would eat small animals and fish whole, including their stomachs and the contents, and so their diets would include a certain amount of vegetable matter.
This is one reason why it is important to include vegetables as part of a raw diet.
They would also perhaps occasionally graze on seaweeds or algae along shorelines in times of scarcity.
Whether from grazing or from the stomachs of prey animals, much of the vegetable matter dogs in Arctic regions ingest would be kelp and other seaweeds.
Amongst other minerals, these plants are very high in Zinc, which is very important to for good health in sled dogs and northern breeds.
Zinc naturally occurs in very high quantities in the 'Northern Diet', in fish, crustaceans, seaweeds etc. Zinc Deficiency is a common ailment in huskies and sled dogs today, as complete pet foods often do not contain the levels of zinc they require. Zinc Deficiency manifests as Zinc Responsive Dermatosis (ZRD) in many huskies and sled dogs. This is a skin condition that primarily affects areas of the face and head, particularly the muzzle, ears and around the eyes where hair-loss occurs and red, scaly patches of skin develop.