| Training | |
| Sensitivity to strangers | |
| Affection for family | |
| Suitable for first-time owners | |
| Ease of grooming | |
| Energy level |
Contents
The Chukchi of Siberia bred the Siberian Husky for centuries and this dog is the protagonist of epic adventures such as that of Balto.
For centuries, the Siberian Huskies were the dogs of Chuck his (Siberian Eskimos), who used them as irreplaceable companions to pull sleds and go on long hunts. With these journeys, the Siberian Husky shaped its temperament. But then, the careful selection helped to make them more and more docile in order to avoid aggressive or irritable specimens, and to give them a strong and muscular physical build.
Siberian Husky: Origins
Huskies were chosen for the Amundsen’s North Pole expedition. Leonhard Seppala, a Norwegian musher, was responsible for transforming the Siberian Husky into a companion dog.
While William Goosak, an American fur trader, was responsible for introducing them to Alaska in the early 20th century, where the breed was immediately noted for its exceptional ability in sledding competitions.
The Siberian Husky starred in a true story that was later immortalized in the movie “Togo”. The story centers around Leonhard Seppala and his titular sled dogs, Balto and Togo, in the 1925 serum run to Nome (Alaska) to transport diphtheria antitoxin serum through harsh conditions during an epidemic of diphtheria.
Currently, the Siberian Husky is still used in sled races, as in the Iditarod, which runs through the same stages of the company of Balto, Togo and their companions.
Siberian Husky: A Companion Dog
The Siberian Husky together with its “cousin”, the Alaskan Malamute, is a sled dog par excellence. Huskies went from being excellent working dogs to excellent companion dogs with their robust and muscular build, combined with a very distinguishable elegance. They are part of the Spitz-type family, and they have a wolf-like appearance due to the shape of the skull and body.
Huskies eyes are the protagonist. Although they may be brown, amber, blue or have different colored eyes due to heterochromia, it is often the ice blue color that characterizes this breed and gives them a very special look.
As it is a cold-weather dog, the Siberian Husky has a double coat – an undercoat and guard hair. The undercoat works as an insulator against the dog’s skin to keep its body warm and its core body temperature consistent. The undercoat is covered by an outer layer of hair called the guard hair coat. It is an overcoat that prevents ice and snow from building up in the dog’s hair.
Siberian Husky: Temperament
The Siberian Husky is really independent. It is a docile and affectionate breed with its owners. Huskies are sensible and intelligent, but a little bit stubborn, as is often the case with northern dogs.
Although it is playful and friendly with humans, it is a dog that does not lose its decorum. It rarely growls or begs, a behavior typical of other dog breeds.
If trained from puppyhood, it will be an obedient dog and will be ready to help its owner at any time. Thanks to its speed and muscular build, it is capable of doing almost anything.
The Siberian Husky considers its family as a group to which it belongs and follows a very precise hierarchy. If the dog considers itself the leader of the pack, it will not be submissive to anyone. But if it has recognized a member of the family as its leader, it will be completely submissive to him. You will be able to tell who it has chosen as its leader because it will show a little less respect to the rest of the family members. It may even disobey orders coming from others than its leader. However, this attitude does not undermine its protective instinct towards its family.
A distinctive feature is that this dog howls, rather than barks. They also love exploring, so they can manage to escape from their home to do so.
Siberian Husky: Physical Characteristics
The Siberian Husky can live quite well in an apartment, but it is not ideal for it: Its body size and habits make this breed love exercise and sport. Besides, it is a “social” dog and it would love to share its space with equals.
To prevent this dog from getting fat and lazy, you should take it for a run at least three times a day. Be careful, on walks you should always keep them in sight because, although they are not dogs that run away, they like exploring like the hunting dogs they are. This is why it is essential to train them to obey the call from an early age. The Siberian Husky does not need to live only in cold weather. Thanks to molting, it can adapt to any type of weather as long as it is not too hot.
Huskies’ body size is:
- A female Siberian Husky may be 20-22 inches (50–56 cm) tall and weigh 35-50 lb (16-23 kg).
- A male Siberian Husky may be 21-24 inches (54–60 cm) tall and weigh 44–59 lb (20-27 kg).
The Siberian Husky comes in different colors:
- Black and white, we also find it in a diluted black and white;
- Diluted silver;
- Gray or Silver gray;
- Chocolate;
- Red, also in a diluted red;
- Sable;
- White or Elizabethan white;
- White with black coat.
Siberian Husky: Use
The Siberian Husky was born as a sled dog, a task in which it excels. He loves “driving” the sled; it can even cause an accident because of its enthusiasm, but everything will be in order if the owner knows how to command his dog.
Its origins showed that It is not a guard or defense dog. It recognizes no limits to its territory as it used to live in an extensive land and travel hundreds of kilometers in a short time following the Chukchi, the Siberian Eskimos.
Believe it or not, they do not distrust strangers even if they know for miles that they do not belong to their group. If they are not well-trained, their strong hunting instinct towards chickens, birds, and mice may develop.
Siberian Husky: Health
The Siberian Husky is a healthy dog, with no serious genetic diseases. It could not be any other way: It was born to carry out heavy work and withstand quite extreme conditions, such as the big ice in the north and hunting together with its owners.
The life expectancy of a Siberian Husky is about 12-14 years. It may suffer from hip dysplasia, like all medium and large-sized dogs. However, it is not that common in this dog breed. Genetic problems are often related to its eyes. Some eye diseases that may affect them are cataracts, corneal dystrophy, progressive retinal atrophy, etc.) It may also have gastric problems, as they are used to pull sleds.
Siberian Husky: Relationship With The Owner
A Siberian Husky’s ideal owner must support his dog’s desire for freedom, running, and being outdoors. It is certainly a dog that will bring happiness to your life, but it cannot be limited to a lonely life in an apartment without a reasonable size garden.
As a Siberian dog’s owner, you should know that its undercoat is shed twice a year. The ideal owner must be patient to find and remove all the hair that will fly throughout the house.
It is important for the owner to ensure that his Husky recognizes him as the leader it needs from puppyhood, and thus prevent his dog’s from becoming disobedient or excessively independent.
Siberian Husky: Relationship With Children
Siberian Huskies are very safe for children. Huskies used to take care of Chukchi children, so they were bred in a family context. Actually, they were considered full-fledged family members.
They behave very similar to wolves. This means that they need to feel part of a group, they are highly sociable. Children would be the puppies of the pack, and our furry friend would play with them as if it was one of them. Moreover, when our Husky is an adult, it will protect them without hesitation.
The Siberian Husky are great playmates for children; they are great companion animals that will always be by your children’s side.
Siberian Husky: Relationship With Other Dogs
The Siberian Husky is extrovert, cheerful, and calm. It is naturally affectionate and is not aggressive at all towards other dogs. It is a friendly, independent and curious dog. Huskies are very different from the classic guard or defense dogs, so there are no problems for them to live with other dogs or specimens of the same breed, if they get used to it from puppyhood.
As we have already said, it is friendly even with unfamiliar dogs. But things change when it comes to other Huskies. Dominant behaviors may occur if it is threatened, especially if a female dog is involved and there are other male Huskies.
Siberian Husky: Puppies and Price
The Siberian Husky boomed a few years ago, when the movie Balto and other movies related to this beautiful breed, like Eight Below or The Hunter were released. A Siberian Husky puppy may cost from 1000 to 1600 dollars, about 900-1400 English pounds.
Although it seemed that the boom for this beautiful dog breed had passed, it is today reasserting itself and continues to be a popular animal, especially in the United States.
Trust only certified breeding establishments, which can provide you with all the necessary documentation along with the pedigree of the specimen. There are specialized breeders in Canada, United Kingdom and the United States. You may also find your puppy in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, India, Scotland, South Africa and other countries with a little patience.
Siberian Husky: Breeders and Puppies For Sale
It is essential that you buy from a reliable breeder so that you can be sure that your puppy has been:
- Bred for good health and temperament;
- Well-selected (this means that its parents were chosen without genetic diseases);
- Properly socialized, so that it is neither too fearful nor too aggressive;
- Vaccinated and well-groomed.
If you adopt a puppy, a reliable breeder will give you a veterinary certificate which states that the dog has been dewormed and is completely healthy.
You can always ask for the pedigree, which is essential: it allows you to check the dog’s breed’s purity. An animal with a pedigree has certain characteristics of its breed that differentiate it from the rest.
Now that we have clarified all the most important aspects, you can go in search of your new 4-legged friend, who is surely waiting for you.
You may be interested in reading another article related to other dog breeds such as:
- Pug
- Doberman Pinscher
- Pekingese
- Collie
- Bull Terrier
- German Shepherd Dog
- Bernese Mountain Dog
- Great Dane
- Saint Bernard
- Cane Corso (Italian Mastiff)
