Owning a Siberian Husky is tremendously rewarding, providing the owner can give the love and care it deserves.
The Siberian Husky (or Sibe) is one of the most strikingly beautiful dog breeds on the planet, with piercing blue eyes and a distinctive coat. Sibes are also extremely intelligent and can be very cunning!
The Husky is a strong working dog and is very playful, friendly and easy-going. Siberians love people, to the extent that they can be over-friendly to strangers, and therefore do not make good guard dogs. Traditionally a sled dog, huskies love to run, but when they do they can become oblivious to everything else. Sibes need a fenced-in yard to keep them safe and away from danger.
10 Useful Tips on Caring for a Siberian Husky
- Contrary to their size, Huskies are thrifty eaters. They can also be picky and can get bored easily with the same diet. Do not overfeed, as when they get older they quickly put on weight.
- Ensure that a yard or garden is fenced-in, with the base of the (wire) fence firmly and deeply buried the ground. As many owners have found to their cost, Siberian Huskies love to dig and can be great escape artists! Also, provide fencing that is at least 6ft high; these dogs are superb jumpers.
- No matter how well trained a dog might be, when a Sibe sets his mind to it he will run and run. This includes into the path of an oncoming car. During exercise in outdoor areas, never let a Husky off its leash unless the area is safe and secure.
- Twice a year the Husky sheds its heavy coat and requires intensive grooming with a metal comb or shedding blade to get rid of the excess hair. At other times, grooming a Siberian is relatively easy.
- Huskies are extremely social animals – they are pack dogs. They thrive on human company, love children and are (too) friendly with strangers. If left alone for long periods a Husky yearns for companionship, so it is better to own 2 of the breed. They have an amazing love for their owner and are loyal and affectionate.
- When it comes to training a Siberian this can be a battle of wills. Although this dog breed is very trainable, often a husky will not do something unless it sees the point of doing it! In this instance the dog can be too intelligent for its own good and become extremely willful. Unless members of the family establish their role as pack leaders, be warned that a Sibe will often take advantage and can be mischievous!
- Siberian Huskies rarely bark but they are excessive talkers. An owner can develop their dogs vocabulary by communicating regularly with their pet. Husky communication is punctuated with lots of woos and howls (particularly when it comes to feeding time) along with imitating sounds they hear from their owners. A good example of this is the many talking husky videos posted on You Tube.
- Huskies love to dig into their water bowls which can result in its owner having to refill them frequently. A good tip is to provide several adequately-sized smaller bowls, rather than a big one, proving more difficult to put (muddy) paws in!
- If left alone, like many breeds, Huskies can be destructive when they become bored as they need mental stimulation. Possible (and popular) tasty targets are shoes, sofas, remote controls, cell phones and the like. Provide them with plenty of tempting doggie alternatives to chew!
- The breed is relatively free from health problems. As a Sibe ages hip dysplasia can be an issue, along with occasional eye problems (especially in males), like displacement of the urethra. It is possible to obtain regular veterinary screenings for these. Not all Huskies are blue-eyed, some are bi-eyed (brown and blue) or have pure brown eyes. This is an accepted characteristic of the breed.
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The copyright of the article How to Care for a Siberian Husky in Dog Care is owned by Gill Hart. Permission to republish How to Care for a Siberian Husky in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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Nov 12, 2008 4:03 PM
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