Siberian Husky is a terrific dog that resembles a snow wolf with all its appearance. And not in vain. This elegant wild beast is the direct ancestor of the modern husky. Most representatives of this breed have blue eyes, mesmerizing with beauty and resembling the home of these creatures - Siberia. Despite the wolfish appearance, these are unusually good-natured dogs and adore people with all their hearts. How to contain a Siberian husky, a description of the breed and character, as well as what difficulties you will encounter, can be found in this article.
History of the Siberian Husky breed
This breed is considered one of the oldest. According to rough estimates, the first husky appeared several thousand years ago. They lived side by side with the Eskimos. The task of the Siberian husky was to carry sledges with people and cargo over long distances. This required a huge amount of strength, energy and stamina, and these are the representatives of this breed. In addition, the husky is smart and not aggressive. People rejected aggressive animals, leaving dogs with a balanced psyche and good health. Thus, the Eskimos managed to breed a truly unique breed. Husky does not differ in devotion to a single owner, such as a shepherd. But these creatures are very kind, treat children well, are overly active and love games.
Animal standard
Siberian Husky is a breed of large sled dogs. These are very hardy and active animals. The breed did not lose its pristine purity and retained the features and character of the distant ancestors of the North.
According to the standard, the Siberian husky has a properly built, stately body, strong legs and a tail resembling a fox. The dog is endowed with thick warm fur with undercoat, which does not allow to freeze even in the most severe frosts. The color of the Siberian husky is found in different species. Most often it is black and white, fawn, red-white, gray. White Siberian Husky is very rare. They are considered very beautiful representatives of the breed. The white husky puppy is pictured below.
The dog has large erect ears. The eyes of the Siberian husky are slightly slanted. The most common colors are blue and brown. But there are also many-eyed huskies, and this is not considered a defect.
The weight and height of the dog depends on its gender. Males, as a rule, weigh 26-28 kg. Their size varies from 54 to 60 cm. Bitches weigh between 20-23 kg. They are about 50-55 cm in size.
Another nice feature of the dog is Siberian Husky - their hair does not exude odor. Surprisingly, this breed is characterized by increased cleanliness.
Siberian Husky: breed description and character
This dog is characterized by innate friendliness to people. They completely lack a sense of aggression, and if it somehow manifests itself in a pet, then this is the sad result of improper upbringing and a disturbed psyche.
The breed was bred as a working sled, able to tirelessly drive a sled for several hours. That is why for modern dogs of the Siberian husky there is nothing better than to rush in a cart in the snow. And they can do this for several hours without getting tired.
The dog is endowed with a hunting instinct, and it can easily catch small animals, but it will not bring its prey to its owner.
Husky does not fit in the role of a guard, since the breed has no aggression towards humans. Seeing a stranger in their territory, they immediately rush to lick and caress him. If the owner tries to make a guard out of the dog, then nothing good will come of it. As a result, the owner will only get an animal with a crippled psyche, which even the most experienced dog handler cannot re-educate.
Siberian Husky is a kind, curious and extremely active dog that needs frequent physical exertion and long walks. If you do not let the pet release energy in the right direction, then he will recoup on furniture, wallpaper and other things.
These are photogenic and elegant dogs. Husky in the photo is always obtained "one hundred percent."
Intelligence of the Siberian Husky is above average. They are very well trained, but it is important to take into account a particular feature of the breed. Husky - real stubborn. In order for a pet to complete one or another command, you need to be able to interest him.
Puppy choice: boy or girl?
The great moment came when all the family members decided that for the next ten years a Siberian husky would live side by side with them, a descendant of a snow wolf. The question follows: where to choose a puppy and not make a mistake with the purchase? Often you can find ads on the Internet, where almost for nothing they sell puppies of this breed and give them out as purebred.
Unfortunately, in most cases these are mestizos and not quite purebred dogs. The price of a Siberian husky puppy is an average of 20 thousand and above. If it is important for future owners to get a thoroughbred dog that meets the standard, then you need to contact trusted breeders. They must show documents for dogs and puppy parents for authenticity.
Kids should be well-groomed, clean and moderately well-fed. Like all children, they are active, inquisitive and playful. If the puppy is sitting languidly on the sidelines and does not pay attention to movement around, then, most likely, he is sick.
Often, future owners are faced with the following question: who to choose - a boy or a girl? It all depends on personal preference. Males, as is commonly believed, are wayward by nature, larger in size, bold, active and stubborn. Boys require a more serious upbringing and approach. In bitches, the instinct of a hunter is more developed, they are affectionate, calm and more oriented to humans. But not everything is so simple. There is a chance to get an affectionate dog with a calm character and, on the contrary, an overly active bitch. All animals, like humans, have their own personality.
Parenting
As a rule, the puppy is taken from the breeder at the age of 2-3 months. It is at this tender age that you need to start education. The puppy should have its own place where he will sleep and rest from games. You can’t spoil your pet, letting him climb onto the bed, explaining that "he is still small." Husky will not always be a baby, and when he grows up, he will literally sit on the owners’s neck.
The puppy should also eat in one place, and preferably at the same time. There should be no handouts from the table so that the dog does not grow up as a beggar and a thief.
The puppy must purchase toys, so that he sharpened his teeth and did not bite the furniture. If the baby nevertheless begins to spoil things, then you need to immediately divert his attention to the game.
Training a Siberian Husky: how to curb the pet’s difficult temper
Representatives of this breed are very smart and many teams literally catch on the fly. But there is one complication: huskies are rather stubborn and independent in nature. The owner requires a huge reserve of patience and iron will. Dogs feel the owner’s mood well, and if the owner is too soft or unsure of himself, the pet will not obey him.
Unacceptable physical violence in any form. In this case, the husky will simply be afraid of the person and about any obedience there can be no question. It is important to control yourself and be able to demand unquestioning obedience. The dog must understand that the man in front of him is his leader. This can only be achieved through everyday activities.
The main thing in training a Siberian husky is the ability to draw his attention to himself. At first, when the puppy is still small, classes should be conducted in a fenced area, where nothing will distract him. Training should take the form of a fun game. The first commands that the puppy must learn: "To me," "Sit," and "Next." For each completed task, the baby should receive a reward in the form of goodies. After two weeks of training, good results will be visible. After the puppy learns the first commands, you can proceed to the following: “Give a paw”, “Lie down”, “Die” and so on.
If the dog stubbornly does not want to obey, then you need to seek help from a specialist dog handler who will correct shortcomings in the upbringing and help to train the perfect pet.
Siberian Husky Care
Before you start a dog, you must certainly find out how to keep a pet and what is required for it. Caring for huskies is easy. During molting, in spring and autumn, the pet should be combed out so that the coat does not roll. Bathing Siberian huskies is often not necessary. These creatures practically do not smell, and they need to be washed only if necessary. The eyes, ears and nose should always be kept clean.
In summer, in hot regions, Siberian huskies can feel uncomfortable. The pet needs to pour cold water as often as possible and give the opportunity to take refuge in coolness.
In order for the Siberian husky to feel good, and the owner along with him, the dog must be subjected to physical exertion. Ideally, this is running in a team, but in the absence of usual normal ball games are suitable. You need to walk with a husky dog at least 4-5 hours a day. If you do not pay enough attention to the physical activity of the pet, then soon from boring pastime, he will ruin things and the whole house.
What difficulties can be encountered
Husky are hyperactive creatures, and it is extremely difficult for them to sit still. If you leave the dog alone for a long time, pay little attention to it and do not physically load it, then you can not be surprised to see the next time the apartment is in complete chaos.
Practically all owners of Siberian huskies faced difficulties in training, and their proud, independent character was to blame. It must be borne in mind that this is not a service dog, and the pet will not simply execute commands. The main thing for him is interest and the right motivation. You can interest a dog using a game or a favorite treat.
Another problem encountered by the owners of this breed is the loss of pets. Since huskies are very freedom-loving creatures, they often break loose from leashes or simply run away from the owners in an unknown direction. Unfortunately, this phenomenon is not uncommon. Just in case, on the pet’s collar you need to indicate the phone number and address where he lives, so that the person who found the dog can help bring him home.
Siberian Husky
To keep the dog healthy and strong, you need to monitor its diet. How to feed the Siberian husky? The owner has two choices - natural and ready-made food. The following foods should be included in a natural diet:
- meat (beef, turkey, veal);
- cottage cheese (once a week);
- eggs (once a week);
- vegetables (zucchini, beets, potatoes);
- cereals (buckwheat, rice, oatmeal).
In meat and porridge, you need to add one tablespoon of vegetable oil. This improves the digestion of the dog and contributes to the normal functioning of the intestines.
If you choose ready-made feed, you need to pay attention to the mark "premium". It already contains all the necessary vitamins and minerals for the pet.
The dog should always have fresh clean water.
Siberian Husky Disease
Unfortunately, even such cheerful and physically strong creatures may feel unwell. Sometimes Siberian husky get sick quite seriously. The reason may be an unbalanced diet, insufficient care, lack of physical activity. Also, the pet can "pick up" the disease by eating something on the street or by talking with a sick dog.
A number of diseases to which Siberian huskies are subject:
- oncology;
- glaucoma;
- hypertension;
- allergy;
- cataract;
- adenoma.
To prevent the disease, you need to carefully monitor the pet and often drive him to the veterinarian. Husky is a fairly hardy breed and with good care can live about 14-15 years.
Keeping a dog in a private house and in an apartment
Representatives of this breed are unpretentious in terms of housing and can easily live anywhere, if only the owner was nearby. Many mistakenly believe that the Siberian husky is unbearable to be in the apartment, but this is not so. The main thing is to walk with the pet more often and not let it get bored in the four walls.
In the private sector, living conditions for the Siberian husky are somewhat better than in an apartment. As a rule, in such a place there is a fenced area where the dog can run as much as she wants. If the pet lives on the street, then you should take care in advance and build a spacious aviary for it. The house should have a wide canopy, the task of which is to protect from direct sunlight.
In the aviary, the pet will rest and sleep, and he should spend all his remaining time outside. Even if the husky lives in a private house with his own land, he still needs long and active walks. It is also worth considering that dogs of this breed love to dig holes and can cause damage to plants and flowers. Those places where the husky can accidentally flood, you will need to fence off.
Should I buy a Siberian husky?
Before acquiring a puppy, you need to know why the breed was bred. Siberian husky dogs are born runners and feel great in teams. These are not indoor dogs that can live peacefully in four walls and go out for a walk twice a day. Siberian husky requires a lot of attention. For athletes who love an active lifestyle, the dog will be a great friend and companion. Those who prefer to stay at home, it is better to abandon the idea of having a Siberian husky, as living will be uncomfortable not only the owner, but also the pet.
Owner reviews
On the Internet, owners of snow wolves often leave comments about their behavior, characteristics of the Siberian husky breed and content.
Some write that this is a real hurricane in the form of a dog that blows everything in its path. You can only let the pet off the leash in a fenced area, since husky dogs tend to shoot. They are not guards and will not guard the house, like an alabai or a German shepherd.
Judging by the reviews, Siberian huskies are not easy to educate, they require long walks, and not simple ones, but with loads.
Dogs of this breed do not feel devotion to one person, as they are independent. By nature, they, like cats, adore freedom and do not like to be commanded.
With a dog of Siberian husky it is difficult to catch "one wave." But they are able to love equally all members of the family. Husky is very friendly and just delighted with games with children. If you provide a pet with comfortable living conditions, give him the necessary workload, pay enough attention, then the dog will certainly respond with a great and comprehensive love.