Husky is a dog breed that you can't help but like. These animals are distinguished by their slender body, power, strength, endurance and incredible devotion. Their amazing sky blue eyes are especially striking. If you dream of having such a pet, you should study the nuances of their upbringing and maintenance. This is a dog of endless snowy expanses. In a comfortable apartment on a soft sofa, she may not be entirely comfortable. We invite you to familiarize yourself with the characteristics of this breed.
Historical reference
Since ancient times, in the territory of modern Siberia and the Far East, settled tribes engaged in hunting and fishing bred dogs. Some ancient sources even called these places “The Land of Dogs.” Over time, the need for such animals only increased. With the development of trade relations, there was a need for sled dogs for cargo transportation. This is how the ancestors of modern huskies appeared.
At the beginning of the last century, during the time of gold miners, Siberian huskies became faithful companions of seekers of wealth and adventure. The dogs were strong, hardy and fast, and were distinguished by their extraordinary friendliness.
Such animals appealed to all residents of Alaska. Later they began to be used for sporting purposes. This is how the history of dog sled racing began. A special husky harness was put on the animal, then they were united into one team and carried the rider on a special sleigh.
This sport forced people to improve their dog's racing abilities. Over time, mixed breeds appeared in the world.
Today, all dogs in this group can be divided into sled dogs, show dogs and working dogs.
Price
Siberian Husky puppies are quite in demand. Because there is demand, the price for this breed can be high. The cost, first of all, depends on the puppy’s pedigree. Without a pedigree, you can buy a dog for up to 10,000 rubles.
A puppy with a pedigree and meeting the standards will cost about 25,000-45,000 rubles, although the price of a Siberian husky can be much higher. There are many nurseries where you can buy puppies.
Using a Husky in a dog sled will give them great pleasure. However, this is possible only in the winter season and in climatic conditions with a large amount of snow. Well-trained Siberian Huskies will become your true friends.
Breed standards
If we talk specifically about Siberian Huskies, then these are dogs of medium height with sharp triangular ears and a curled, raised tail, somewhat reminiscent of a squirrel.
The main color of the husky is black and white; black, brown and brown-white dogs are less common. Their front legs should be powerful, straight, and the elbow joint should be adjacent to the body.
The coat is not long, but not short either, with a soft undercoat. This feature allows the dog not to freeze in harsh weather conditions, but does not in any way interfere with keeping a husky in an apartment. There are no requirements for mestizos, because they are not included in the breed register. The average lifespan of a dog is ten to fifteen years.
What kind of owner would suit a husky?
This must be a person with an active lifestyle. Definitely not lazy. Personally, I would add: not too old, at least under 30 years old. You need to pay a lot of attention to the dog for the first two years, when it has a lot of energy. It’s best when the owner goes somewhere with her, runs, and trains. Cycling is a great activity for huskies.
Photo: from the personal archive of Sergei Izotov
I don’t understand people who get huskies, and all they care about is walking the dog for 2-3 hours a day. I have friends whose dog is almost always alone at home. When she goes outside, she just goes crazy: she starts running, pulling, and if she gets loose, it’s very difficult to catch her.
No offense to the girls, but the guy should take care of the huskies. Most girls are very soft, but in raising a husky you need to be firm. Even in a couple, the dog almost always obeys the guy better, even though the girl spends more time with her.
You must understand that a husky is not the simplest dog. Unfortunately, lately there have been many cases when people get these dogs, they don’t cope and are given back to the kennel or “in good hands.”
Living in an apartment
The popularity of this breed gives rise to high demand and many questions. The most important thing that animal lovers are interested in is whether it is possible to keep a husky in an apartment.
These are very energetic dogs. They need to exercise a lot every day. Therefore, the issue of keeping the apartment does not concern the area of the premises, but the owner’s employment and his willingness to walk the dog a lot and actively.
Reviews from owners about huskies in an apartment indicate that the dog feels great even in a small room. She doesn't need much space to sleep and eat.
However, if the dog does not have enough activity, it may begin to damage furniture, scratch doors and walls, and over time, completely lose the habit of physical activity and begin to suffer from various diseases.
It’s how nature works that these animals require a lot of work. This is passed on to puppies at the genetic level. This feature cannot be changed, because this is what they were created for. The entire structure of the husky’s body is oriented precisely towards this, so low activity leads to disruptions in the functioning of all the dog’s systems.
It is possible to keep a husky in an apartment, but the owner will have to provide the pet with daily exercise.
Are Huskies prone to diseases?
I would not say that in the five years that Dominic has been living with me, we have encountered serious illnesses. Sometimes he has conjunctivitis. I don’t know if this is a breed disease or not. My dog just loves to dig, and then sticks his muzzle right into the hole. We wipe our eyes. We don’t always even go to the veterinarian with this problem: everything is clear anyway.
Even as a puppy, he grabbed various things on the street, because of this he had an upset stomach. We went to the veterinary clinic, prescribed an antibiotic, and I injected it myself. Now there is nothing left on the street.
From the owner's observations: When they stopped sledding and started working more on their behavior, many problems somehow resolved themselves. I started listening more. If earlier I could grab a dead pigeon on the street, now I’ll come up, smell it, and I’ll say “Ugh!” - he leaves.
Or maybe my Dominic has become wiser with age.
Features of training
For all their friendliness, huskies are very capricious dogs. You should immediately abandon the idea of using the “carrot and stick” method. Any violence is completely inapplicable and ineffective towards this breed.
The most important thing is strict authority. The dog must know who is in charge in this relationship.
The next principle, rather of education than training, is the same rules of behavior for everyone. All family members should equally encourage or discourage any behavior. If a dog is not allowed to sleep on the sofa, then everyone should prohibit it, otherwise there will be complete confusion in his head.
Repeating commands multiple times and rewarding them for their execution is the key to quickly and efficiently mastering them.
The question of how to raise a husky should be asked before the puppy arrives in the house. Training should begin when he reaches the age of 3-4 months.
Descriptions of origin
Unfortunately, not everyone who decides to have a pet really understands the full responsibility of their desire. When choosing a friend from the animal world, many pay attention to his appearance and popularity. The Huskies will take the lead on these points.
The appearance makes a touching impression, and the origin story, in which real Siberian wolves are present in the ancestors, adds brutality.
How cute are the puppies! Fluffy lumps with blue eyes and playfully wagging tails. But these Siberian fluffies are notable not only for their appearance. They have an excellent character ; centuries of experience in serving people have made them understanding and friendly.
They are hardy, good hunters, and ideal for living in cold climates. Thanks to their dense, warm undercoat, it costs them nothing to spend the night in the snow. Thanks to their vague external resemblance to wolves and excellent training abilities, Huskies often become movie stars.
These dogs have a proportionately strong muscular body. They are dexterous and agile, accustomed to great physical activity, they constantly need it. The breed has the following standards :
- head. From the ancestors of wolves, they inherited the shape of a head with an extended nose. The head shape is triangular;
- ears. The size is medium. The ears are located close to each other. Always in an upright position;
- eyes. Puppies have blue eyes, then become brown. Almond-shaped, obliquely set;
- body. A somewhat elongated body with well-developed muscles and a strong skeletal system. Wide chest;
- height at the withers. The maximum height of an adult male is about sixty centimeters, the minimum is fifty centimeters. The maximum height of an adult female is fifty-six centimeters;
- weight. An adult male weighs from twenty to thirty kilograms. An adult female weighs from fifteen to twenty-five kilograms.
- life expectancy. They can live up to fourteen years.
Companion dog
Representatives of this breed lack aggression and unsociability. According to reviews from husky owners, they fit perfectly into the family and quickly become everyone's favorites.
The dog gets along well with small children, which is also due to its history. The fact is that the ancestors of huskies (Eskimo dogs) lived on the street. However, after the birth of the child, they had the honor of living in the home and warming the baby in the severe cold. Thus, if you decide to get a dog with a small child, then a husky is an excellent choice.
Representatives of this breed are very playful and affectionate. Family evenings with such a pet will become especially warm and cheerful.
What does your pet eat?
Dominic eats a completely natural diet. Eats mostly meat. We buy beef especially for him and cook it. Sometimes I add porridge, he doesn’t eat vegetables. What is its norm? If he has had a good walk and run, then 1 kg of meat will be enough for him. If we walked twice a day for 1.5 hours, then the norm is less – 500-600 grams. I don't think that leaving a husky slightly hungry is a bad thing. Moreover, a little hunger is the norm for this breed. Under no circumstances should you overfeed. This dog has very light bones, so it itself should not be heavy. If there is an excess of mass, problems with the joints may occur.
Photo: from the personal archive of Sergei Izotov
Dog care
Reviews from Husky owners say that the main difficulties with grooming lie in cleaning and combing out the thick coat. After walks, which do not always take place in dry and warm weather, the dog has to be tidied up. In this case, bathing is allowed 1-2 times a year, since shampoos and water can disrupt the fat balance of the skin, dry it out, which will disrupt the process of heat exchange and sweating.
A dog needs its own corner for sleeping and eating. Nutrition should be balanced and contain the required amount of vitamins and minerals. It is best to give your dog high-quality, expensive food or prepare your own porridge based on cereals, with the addition of cottage cheese, vegetables, meat and other healthy foods. It is best to consult your veterinarian about which nutritional supplements to use.
It should be remembered that a dog is a big responsibility. Its maintenance and health are entirely in the hands of man. Therefore, you should not neglect a planned trip to the veterinary clinic.
Possible diseases
Siberian Huskies have fairly good health and strong immunity; they are adapted to northern living conditions and persistent frosts. The health of a pet largely depends on the care and concern of the owner. As a preventive measure, you need to provide the necessary care to your dog:
- Maintain a balanced diet;
- Provide regular walks in the fresh air and physical activity;
- Surround with love and care.
It is especially important to monitor growth, development and health during puppyhood. However, like any other breed, the Siberian Husky is susceptible to diseases. Some diseases can be hereditary and transmitted from the mother, so it is advisable to pay attention to studying the puppy’s pedigree. The most common diseases:
Husky dogs have good health
- Different types of parasites. This species, such as Helminth worms, is transmitted from the mother. External types of parasites (fleas, ticks, lice) appear quite rarely in Siberian Huskies. If external parasites are present, using special flea shampoos or collars will help.
- A lack of zinc in a dog’s body can manifest itself in the appearance of bald spots, sometimes with bouts of vomiting or diarrhea in the dog.
- Diseases of the thyroid gland and joints are associated with heredity. Also, various eye diseases - this is a weak point of the Husky - can be inherited from the mother.
- Unfortunately, it is in the Husky breed that cervical spine injury is a common disease. This is due to the inexperience of the owner and is the result of improper distribution of the load on the dog’s cervical spine when harnessed to a sled.
- Myositis is also a common disease in Huskies. It occurs as a result of improper care of the dog during active running in the cold season. The dog definitely needs a pre-warm up and warm conditions after the run to cool down.
- Atopic dermatitis is a manifestation of an allergic reaction, mainly to food consumed.
The most beautiful Siberian Husky puppies
Pros and cons of the breed
Such a friendly, active and athletic dog can become an excellent family pet, companion, or used in sports.
However, this is absolutely not a suitable breed for hunting. Husky will not bring prey, since it is not adapted to this.
Another area in which this dog is inappropriate is protection. Husky will not rush at strangers, since aggression is not characteristic of it by nature. For the same reason, it is not suitable for protecting people, fighting, or as a service dog. Judging by the reviews of husky owners, trying to change the dog’s nature is useless and dangerous, as this can harm its psyche.
In addition, representatives of the breed are quite capricious.
What funny stories happened to Dominic?
Not long ago there was a funny incident. I came home, took Dominic and went for a walk. And after the walk, when I entered the room, I discovered that there was a hole right through the balcony door. It turns out that when mom left, she didn’t notice him and locked him on the balcony. And he chewed through the door to get out.
Photo: from the personal archive of Sergei Izotov
Or our failures in sports. I flew over the bike several times thanks to the efforts of Dominic. One day he suddenly stopped suddenly near a puddle. And I, unable to resist, flew over the steering wheel and found myself in the very center of it. I also remember: we were driving along the highway, picked up speed, and then we passed a Labrador in heat. Dominic turns sharply and follows her. And I was left lying in the sand...
Reviews
All lovers of this breed admire the beauty of its representatives, friendliness, and playfulness. However, in reviews, even those who adore dogs point out that keeping a husky in an apartment is very difficult. Dogs cannot behave adequately indoors (they need freedom), tear furniture, wallpaper, chew wires, do not know how to eat carefully, and constantly and very actively demand attention. On the street they also need freedom in everything.
As many owners write, representatives of this breed are difficult to train. During walks, they can run wherever they want, picking up and eating everything edible that comes their way. For this reason, health problems may occur.
They are absolutely unsuitable as a watchman; they play with children, but may not calculate their strength and knock down a small child (preschooler).
Price
How much does a husky cost today? A puppy with documents (and a purebred dog should only be bought with documents, otherwise it makes no sense.
With the same success, you can buy a mongrel similar to your grandma husky, with behavior unusual for the breed) you can buy for twenty thousand rubles.
This seems quite affordable, but we should not forget that we pay for a pet throughout its life , and not just once. He will need good nutrition, most of which is fresh, quality meat. The services of veterinarians will also be required, even if your family pet is completely healthy, he will need to be vaccinated and periodically taken for preventive examinations.
What is the price
Buying a Husky puppy is not as simple a task as it might seem. Firstly, you cannot always trust advertisements posted on various Internet resources. And secondly, it is not so easy to find a large nursery that breeds and sells. On average, a puppy without pedigree, documents and distinctive physical abilities costs about thirty thousand rubles.
The presence of documents immediately increases the cost by ten thousand rubles. Well, if you are interested in compliance with all standards and formalities, the puppy’s involvement in a famous dynasty, participation in exhibitions, etc., then the price will start from fifty thousand rubles. Such promising kids, showing artistic abilities , are immediately visible.
But if you are a beginner, then it is better to look for a good and reliable friend from ordinary puppies . In order to win exhibitions and create your own show programs, it is not enough to buy a promising artist, you still need to be able to grow him into a real star.
