Scientists from Israel and Russia conducted a study that established that the relative leg length of sled dogs is shorter than that of wolves or other dog breeds.
This anatomical feature leads to a shift in the animal's center of gravity, which in turn allows people to utilize their pulling strength more effectively when working in a sled team.
It is noted that this characteristic is present not only in modern sled dogs but also in ancient specimens whose remains were discovered by archaeologists in Chukotka. The research results are presented in an article published in the scientific journal iScience.