Description: The Siberian Husky has a sweet nature and is a breed that is suited for the whole family, but does not make a good guard dog. Gentle in character with a determined look the Siberian Husky is a very people oriented dog. Siberian Husky males have a tendency to roam and need to be kept in a fenced in area. If the Siberian Husky gets out it may be impossible to catch him on foot. A member of the Spitz family, the Siberian Husky is strong and has the ability to haul heavy loads over long distances and rough terrain. The Siberian Husky will happily pull a young child in a wagon or sled.
A Siberian Husky is a happy, bold, energetic dog; they are extremely intelligent and active. Their greatest attribute is their working ability, closely followed by their excellent quality intelligence seems to know no bounds and their assertive nature and boundless energy can at times be overwhelming. The unique personality of the husky is capturing the hearts of many, but they are not a dog for everyone as a companion.
Other Names: Arctic Husky
Height: 20 - 23.5 inches.
Weight: 35 - 60 lbs.#
Colors of the Siberian Husky:
All colours; from white through to black
and all combinations in between, markings on the head are common.
Eyes:
Their eyes are brown, hazel, or blue. The light blue eye colour is characteristic but incompletely dominant. The breed may have one eye brown or hazel and the other blue, or may have blue and another colour mixed in the iris of one or both eyes; this latter trait is sometimes called "bi-eyed" by Siberian enthusiasts. This might be the only breed for which different-coloured eyes are allowed in the show ring.
Ears:
Its ears are triangular, well-furred, and erect; its fox-like brush tail is carried in a sickle curve over the back.
Coat:
Medium, well-furred; outer coat straight
and smooth against body; undercoat soft and dense.
The Siberian Husky is a comparatively
easy dog to care for. He is by nature fastidiously clean and is typically
free from body odour and parasites. Siberians clean themselves like cats.
In fact, a Siberian that becomes soiled with mud will clean himself up.
Therefore, bathing requirements are minimal. In fact, most owners bathe
their dogs once per year or less.
Twice a year, Siberians blow their undercoats, that is, they shed their undercoats completely. It is a very intense shedding period that can last three weeks or more from start to finish. The good news is that this only happens twice a year. The remainder of the time, Siberians are relatively shed free. The bad news is that the shedding period can be rather messy. The hair comes out in large and small clumps.It should be noted, however, that this shedding schedule is climate dependent. Some owners that live in very warm climates, ones that lack clearly defined seasonal changes, report some shedding year round in the breed.
Other than during coat-blowing season,
the Siberian needs very little grooming. No trimming or shaving of hair
is required or recommended. Just occasional brushing to remove dead hair
and keep the coat fresh and shiny is required. Their nails should be checked
and clipped periodically, and their feet should be checked regularly to
ensure good health, particularly in actively working dogs.
Popular as family pets and as show dog due to their striking appearance and gentle temperament, Siberians have certain drawbacks. Siberians are extremely affectionate, curious and welcoming to people, which means they rarely hurt humans but are not good guard dogs. Although normally quite tractable, affectionate and docile with people, they have a strong hunting drive and will kill cats, rabbits, chickens, squirrels and other birds and small animals; they have been known to savage sheep. They should be kept in secure enclosures as they will not always come to call and will often disappear on long hunting trips; they cannot be allowed to run loose. Siberians are also accomplished escape artists and diggers, so it is important to check enclosures frequently for any potential escape routes. Siberians are trainable to a certain degree, but patience is necessary. They are independent in nature and not given to blind obedience to every command.
Health:
Siberians are normally rather healthy dogs, living typically from eleven to fifteen years of age. Health issues in the breed are eye troubles , glaucoma , and corneal dystrophy ( among others), allergies and cancer in older animals. Hip dysplasia occurs but is not a major concern in the breed. This breed needs a high-quality diet with high levels of protein and fat, particularly when used for dog sledding That said, Siberian Huskies are rather fuel efficient dogs, consuming less food than other dogs of similar size and activity level. The diet must be adjusted to their level of work and exercise; obesity can be a problem for under exercised, overfed pets.
With Children: Yes
With Pets:
The Siberian Husky enjoys other dogs, and may do better if there is more than one Husky. Does not get along well with cats or other small animals. But can learn to leave in peace and tolerate family cats if brought up together from an early age.
Special Skills: Sled dog but love all sports and activity
Watch-dog: low / Medium
Guard-dog: Low
Training: A sled dog at heart, they need consistency and patience when training. They will obey if they see the point.
Learning Rate: High, Obedience - Low, Problem Solving - Very High
Activity: Very High
Living Environment:
The Siberian Husky were able to survive
in the Arctic not only because they could tolerate cold but because more
precisely, they could tolerate extremely wide swings of temperature in
relation to their body temperature. Therefore, they are also, it appears,
better adapted for severely high temperatures. The animal that was selected
by living in a temperate climate, that is, one in which the temperature
stayed very close to the animal's body temperature throughout the year,
is not only going to be very susceptible to cold weather, but also is going
to be more susceptible to severely hot weather which is well over the dog's
body temperature.
Life Span: 10 -14 Years
Litter Size: 4 - 8
Country of Origin: Russia
The Inuit ( Eskimo ) Chukchi people of the extreme north eastern part of Siberia ,once depended on Siberian Huskies to survive. The hearty dogs pulled sleds, herded reindeer and guarded property in a challenging, frigid environment. Their amazing stamina captured the attention of passing fur traders, who eventually brought the dogs to other parts of the world.
Huskies gained worldwide recognition when
they rushed needed medicine to ill Alaskans. They still compete in sled
races, but also delight pet owners with alert, gentle and independent spirits.
Despite having developed in cold climates, Siberian Huskies adapt well
to a variety of living conditions.
They do not have qualities of the guard
dog. they are not overly suspicious of strangers or aggressive with other
dogs. They are intelligent, tractability, and have an eager disposition
to be an agreeable and willing companion..
Dogsled racing:
Siberians are still used occasionally as sled dogs in dog sled racing but have been widely replaced by the more popular Alaskan Husky and hound-type crossbreds that are specially bred and selected for speed and have less heavy coats .especially in and around Alaska where sled dogs are still needed and required to do the job they were bred to do . Siberian Huskies were designed to pull a light load over long distances at a medium pace, and simply can't keep up with their faster counterparts. Siberians are still popular in races restricted to purebreds and are faster than other pure sleddogs breeds such as the Samoyed and Alaskan Malamute .Today the breed tends to divide along lines of “racing” Siberians versus “show” Siberians.
Apart from dogsled racing, they are very popular for recreational mushing and are also used for Skijoring (one to three dogs pulling a skier) and European ski-pulka. A few owners use them for dog-packing and hiking. They have also seen use as therapy dogs.
First Registered by the AKC: 1930
KC Group: Working Group
Class: Working Dog
Registries: AKC, ANKC, CKC, FCI (Group
5), KC(GB), UKC
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