Husky in an apartment: can you keep it, care and maintenance?

Incredibly fashionable Siberian Huskies have literally conquered the planet with their blue eyes. They practically do not bark or bite, they are very affectionate, love children, cope well with security duties and do not require special care. In order for the dog to always look great, the owner only needs to regularly brush the pet, remove dead hair and, if necessary, cut it. A light haircut simplifies care and ensures an excellent appearance for your pet.

Can a Husky live harmoniously in an apartment?

Once seeing this beautiful northern dog, almost everyone asks the question: is it possible to keep a husky in an apartment? It's difficult, but quite possible. It should be understood that if there is a lack of active walks, the dog has nowhere to put his energy. And most often this unspent energy is resolved in the form of stress, which manifests itself in the destruction of the apartment. When a dog is bored, it will look for ways to entertain itself. This breed can easily take apart a sofa, table and other interior elements.

Huskies amaze with their beauty

Note! Husky is the most runaway breed. You can only walk them on a leash.

Another not-so-pleasant feature of keeping this breed is its fur. A dog living in an apartment can shed all year round. This problem can be solved by daily brushing and regular visits to the groomer. One way or another, it is quite possible to organize care and maintenance for a husky in an apartment.

Double coat is the reason why Huskies shed a lot

We say that the Husky has a double coat, that is, a topcoat and an undercoat. The top coating is responsible for keeping water out, and the primer provides the necessary insulation to retain body heat.

Huskies have a double coat, meaning that when they grow new coats during the winter months, they produce a double coat that is both heavier and thicker than a regular coat. When it comes time to shed that double coat, it's understandable why Huskies shed a lot.

Accustoming to home environment

Beagle: care and maintenance in the apartment and in the house

Accustoming a puppy to a home environment is quite simple. In the first days, the little hasen will actively explore the apartment on his own. It is important to be nearby at this time, because the puppy will try everything. It usually takes from a week to a month for a husky to adapt to new living conditions.

It is more difficult to train an adult dog that previously lived in an enclosure. After all, such animals are accustomed to moving a lot, which means they will need to devote more time to active walks.

Do you need a cage or aviary indoors?

This breed definitely needs a crate. In crate training, it is necessary to take into account an important nuance - it is necessary to explain to the dog that the crate is not a punishment, but a house. A house where the dog can always hide, its own territory. The cage should be spacious enough for the dog to stand up, turn around, and lie down in it. Also, there should always be a bowl of fresh water in the cage. It is impossible to imagine how to keep a husky at home without a special cage.

A dog's crate is his place.

The cage is for the safety of the dog itself and the safety of the apartment during the absence of the owners.

Crate training does not always go smoothly. In order for the dog to understand that it was not locked because it was punished, it is necessary to be patient. A puppy who is put in a crate and the door is closed will immediately begin to scream and howl. At this time, it is important not to succumb to provocation. The howling can last for several hours. As soon as the baby becomes silent, you need to praise him. It is best to use a treat as praise. Over time, the dog will understand that the crate is good, and that they also give treats for silence.

Note! Caring for a husky puppy is easy, both in an apartment and in an enclosure. The main thing is to give the dog as much attention as possible and devote time to active games every day.

Care

How long do Huskies live at home in an apartment?

Proper care is the key to a dog's health. Husky is a fairly clean dog, not “slobbering”, and its fur and skin, as a rule, do not have a specific odor.

Bathing puppies and adult dogs

The coat of this breed cleans itself, so the dog does not need to be washed regularly. Puppies, like adults, are washed only if they have been very fussy about something. For washing, you must use a special shampoo for dogs. A small amount of the product is diluted in warm water and whipped into foam. It is with this foam that wool is washed. Next, you need to rinse the shampoo thoroughly and dry the coat and undercoat thoroughly with a towel or hairdryer.

How to trim nails correctly and when

Huskies are large dogs, and their nails usually wear down during walks. If this does not happen, you will have to trim the claws yourself. Is the dog clicking on the parquet? It's time to pick up a nail clipper.

Dogs with white nails usually have a pink part visible. This is a vessel that feeds the claw phalanx. You should cut at an angle of 45° exactly to this pink part. If after cutting the nail there is bleeding, you need to cauterize the area with dry potassium permanganate or apply a cotton swab with hydrogen peroxide.

How to trim claws correctly

If your dog has black claws, cut off the claw a little at a time. It is necessary to trim the claw until a black dot appears in the center - this is the beginning of the sensitive zone of the claw, next to the vessel.

Should I groom my husky?

Huskies don't need a haircut. Even during hot weather, their fur is an excellent protection against heat stroke. The undercoat of these dogs acts as an air cushion, which perfectly protects against overheating. Despite this protection, in the heat it is better to exclude active games and provide your four-legged friend with shade and a bowl of cool water.

For your information! Huskies are clipped only if the coat is matted, or before shows the groomer slightly corrects the symmetry of the coat.

Health

Like any other breed of dog, the Siberian Husky is prone to certain diseases:

• diabetes,
• problems with the thyroid gland,
• eye diseases (glaucoma, corneal dystrophy, cataracts),
• hip dysplasia.

Preventative measures to protect your husky puppy

• To keep your Husky puppy completely safe, you first need to minimize his contact with unfamiliar dogs, especially strays. Therefore, you should not let your dog off the leash, as in this case it will become impossible to control its behavior and communication with other dogs. Since a dog can easily become infected with distemper from simply touching the nose of a sick animal. This disease can be transmitted to a dog through sniffing. Your dog can become infected with trichophytosis from contact with the lichen-affected fur of a sick dog. Naturally, it is impossible to completely exclude a dog’s communication with other dogs, since it must be socialized. Therefore, try to find friends with dog lovers who look after their animals. By adhering to this rule, you can eliminate the risk of pathogen transmission by 80%.
• You should walk your dog in places where there are no landfills. Since garbage very often attracts rodents, which in turn are very often carriers of various infections. Gray rats are especially dangerous because they carry such a serious disease as leptospirosis.
• You should not allow your dog to sniff other people's feces, as they are a source of worms.
• Monitor your husky's health. Pay attention to even the most minor changes in his behavior. For example, your dog may appear lethargic, lose his appetite, or have a dry nose. Or you may notice that the dog begins to shed, and this has nothing to do with seasonal shedding. If hair loss becomes excessive, this is the first symptom indicating health problems in your pet. And only you can help him. Therefore, it is important to take the dog to the veterinary clinic in time, where the disease can be overcome for sure. In no case should you ignore the symptoms, since advanced infections are much more difficult to treat, and sometimes even impossible. If you start treating your dog, the disease can lead to his death or he will develop serious complications that will affect his hearing, vision, limbs and much more.

What to buy for a new family member

How to care for a husky: keeping in a private home, education

The appearance of a dog in the house is always a joy. But you need to prepare for the arrival of a new tenant.

Collar and electric collar

The collar for the dog is selected individually. For walks, it is better to immediately accustom the puppy to a harness. If the dog pulls hard and behaves too energetically, a strict collar will do.

Glowing collars

Note! An electric collar is used in the most extreme cases for completely uncontrollable animals. Before choosing such a training method, it is necessary to consult with a competent dog handler.

Muzzle

No dog likes to be muzzled, and that's a fact. Huskies are no exception. The presence of a muzzle is mandatory in several cases:

• It is mandatory to wear a muzzle in public places, this is the law;
• if the dog is aggressive towards people and other animals;
• If the dog is prone to picking up on the street, a muzzle is a safety feature.

For your information! Instead of a muzzle, you can use a halti - a special halter for dogs.

Walking harness

A harness is normal equipment for a husky. Thanks to the harness, the dog harmoniously distributes the load and does not choke itself when jerking. The most important thing in choosing a harness is that it can be adjusted individually.

Leash

A leash 3-5 m long would be ideal for walking with a four-legged friend. You should pay attention that the leash is rubberized, such equipment will last longer. It is better not to use tape measures, as they are bulky, inconvenient, and it is not always possible to hold the tape measure when the dog jerks.

Origin story

The Husky Siberian breed was bred by the indigenous peoples of northeastern Siberia (Eskimos, Chukchi, Kerek) to help overcome long distances and transport goods. The appearance and character of animals were formed in harsh climatic conditions with short summers and long winters.

In the Soviet Union, the use of Siberian huskies was recognized as a futile activity and they planned to replace dogs with motorized transport. Further selection work was continued by the Americans, who brought the first huskies to Alaska in 1908 to participate in racing. Dog handlers in the United States registered the breed in the 30s of the last century as sled dogs, common in Kolyma, Kamchatka, and Anadyr.

In their work they focused on the sports component. To achieve this, Siberian Huskies were crossed with local sled breeds. Mestizos turned out to be faster, but are still not recognized by FCI countries due to unstable external characteristics.

Siberian huskies returned to their homeland only in 1995. The animals were brought from the Czech Republic and Belgium. After only 5 years, the Russian Cynological Federation registered about one and a half hundred puppies.​

How long does this breed sleep?

Huskies, like all dogs, sleep on average 12-14 hours a day. The place to sleep should be soft, without drafts, in a quiet corner. This could be a large bedding pillow or a house.

It is best to arrange a place to sleep in a secluded corner of the apartment.

It is not advisable for Huskies to sleep on the same bed with a person, since this breed is not deprived of leadership leaps. A husky sleeping next to its owner will constantly compete for the title of leader.

You can't comb it, you can't cut it

A healthy alternative to unnatural haircuts is combing. Husky owners joke that it is impossible to completely comb hair always flies from them , mountains of hair .

Huskies do leave fur on the furniture, but they still need to be brushed at least once a week (preferably twice). To do this, you need a slicker brush and a stiff brush or comb, which you can use to slowly work through your pet’s entire skin.

Huskies shed twice a year - in spring and autumn - and during shedding you will have to comb the dog as much as necessary to completely get rid of mature hair (at least once a day). The scheme for processing wool during molting is similar to the usual one: first you need to carefully go through the undercoat with a slicker brush, then remove the dead hair with a comb. comb your Husky smoothly, without pulling the hair, using gentle movements. It is recommended to accustom your dog to brushing while still a puppy - this will make it easier for him to endure the procedures when he becomes an adult.

Tolerance to frost and heat

These northern dogs love winter. Huskies really blossom with the arrival of cold weather. Snow is their native element, and their thick undercoat allows them to easily endure cold temperatures down to −30 °C.

Winter is a dog's favorite season

When it's hot, things are more complicated. Although the air cushion of the wool protects them from overheating, in the heat it is better to postpone long walks and active games.

Important! A husky should never be cut to keep it cooler. The air cushion of the fur protects them from the heat, which is enough for the dog.

If your dog can't handle the heat very well, a special cooling blanket can help. You can buy it at a pet store or order it online.

Anatomical features of the muzzle

The length of the muzzle should correspond to the overall size of the head and be equal to the length of the skull.

The forehead is moderately convex, wider at the top, but tapering towards the muzzle. The stop is not sharp, but at the same time well marked. The bridge of the nose is smooth and straight, and the muzzle itself should end in a slight rounding.

The lips are dense, but not thick, their pigmentation color matches the color of the nose..

The jaws are strong, but not massive, the teeth are complete.

For Huskies, only a correct, scissor bite is considered acceptable.

Caring for a husky in an enclosure

Keeping in an enclosure is the best solution for this breed. This dog is better suited for a private home than for an apartment. The dog moves enough and can always frolic and run around. It is necessary to place a warm kennel in the outdoor enclosure. You also need to keep the dog's area clean.

For your information! A husky can live in the house itself next to its owner.

Is it possible to put on a chain

Husky is not a chain breed. If you put this freedom-loving dog on a chain, over time it will become angry or fall into apathy. Keeping a husky on a chain in a private home is not an option. This is a recommendation from professional dog handlers that is best adhered to.

How to teach commands

Due to its freedom-loving nature and lack of strong attachment to its owner, training a husky can take a long time. It is difficult for them to concentrate, they want to be on the move and most of all they love active games rather than boring training.

Huskies are best trained while playing. It is worth remembering that training is an element of education. The dog will only obey someone he respects. Violence in education should not be allowed under any circumstances.

It is necessary to begin training as soon as the dog appears in its new home. Training can begin at three months. Husky is a dominant dog, the following manifestations of character should not be allowed:

• aggression towards other animals for no reason;
• aggression towards the owner and family members;
• running away, ignoring the commands “fu”, “no”, “back”.

Yes, a dog can ignore a person, but a person must also be able to be interesting to his dog, otherwise cooperation will not work.

You can't hit a dog. If, after a stern call, she does not stop doing what the person does not like, you can take the dog by the withers and press him to the floor. This is how older dogs discipline the younger ones in the pack. The husky may begin to squeal from such tactlessness, but you can only let go of the withers after the animal is silent. A dog will never learn or understand human language. But a person can communicate in the language of a dog.

After each correctly executed command, the dog must be rewarded. There are several types of incentives:

• praise with a voice;
• praise with stroking/patting;
• praise with a treat;
• praise your dog with your favorite toy.

Each animal is an individual, and each has its own method of reward. Huskies are usually happy to obey a command in exchange for a tasty bite. It is best to use food that your dog usually eats as a treat.

Interesting Facts

Amazing facts about the breed:

• to develop the pet’s intelligence, the owner needs to create new routes and diversify outdoor games;
• when raising animals, praise and encouragement for good behavior are more effective; physical punishment is unacceptable;
• dogs exhibit artistic abilities, especially when they want to get a tasty morsel;
• pets love to stock up for a rainy day;
• self-sufficient representatives of the breed demonstrate stubbornness and willfulness; it is better to entrust training to experienced dog handlers;
• In New York's Central Park, there is a monument to the husky Balto, who in 1925 saved the residents of Nome, Alaska, from an outbreak of diphtheria by delivering the necessary medicines to the settlement.

Who to choose - a boy or a girl

First of all, you need to decide what the dog is for. For shows, exhibitions and harness work, a male is better suited; for further breeding, a female is better suited. If “for yourself”, you should pay attention to the pros and cons of both sexes.

Boys and girls have differences not only in appearance, but also in character

Males

This is the very essence of the breed, its brightest representatives. Powerful, muscular, large.

Pros:

• puppies will not suddenly appear in the house;
• the absence of heat makes it possible to walk anywhere and not fight off gentlemen;
• possibility of exhibitions all year round.

Minuses:

• Males run away more often than females. It is also not uncommon for boys to snatch the leash from the owner’s hands in pursuit of a female dog in heat;
• males are less attached to their owner, they are more self-sufficient;
• more stubborn and more difficult to train.

Bitches

Tender, graceful, flexible. There are exceptions, but quite rarely.

Pros:

• more than males, they are attached to the owner and home;
• girls are more intelligent, sometimes this can be a disadvantage;
• easier to train, but the dog must be interested.

Minuses:

• not as large and powerful as boys;
• in heat. During this period, the dog is prone to escape and must be closely monitored;
• Sometimes a dog's intelligence is a nuisance.

Before getting a dog, you need to study as much material as possible about the breed and approach the choice of your future friend with a cool head, without emotions. Husky is not the easiest breed, and making a dog into a well-mannered family member is sometimes quite difficult. If you don’t have a lot of free time and energy, it’s better to refuse to buy a dog of this breed and choose a four-legged friend among the breeds of companion dogs.

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