All about Siberian Huskies

Appearance:

The Siberian Husky is a medium sized working class breed that originated in Eastern Siberia. Despite their larger size, they are quick and light on their feet, which makes them excellent sled dogs. Huskies have a thick coat, erect ears, and a bushy tail which can suggest their Northern heritage...commonly confused with Alaskan Malamutes the Husky is slightly smaller. Husky males stand at about twenty-one to twenty-three inches while females stand at about twenty to twenty-two. They weight in at about forty five to sixty pounds. Their thick coat can come in a variety of colors and patterns ranging from black and white, all white, or copper red and white (my personal favorite). Siberian Huskies have beautiful eyes that can come in blue, green, hazel or light brown...on occasion the breed will have bi-colored eyes (one blue, one green) The Siberian Huskies coat is a pretty complex thing, containing two layers – a dense undercoat and a coarser, thicker top coat. If you're looking for a dog that doesn't shed, the Husky is not for you!

Temperament:

Siberian Huskies may look like wolves, but they normally have a gentle friendly personality. They are a working breed, so they need to be kept active and alert with plenty of exercise – apartment dwellers, a Siberian Husky is not the breed for you. Most breeds don't display aggressiveness towards strangers or other dogs if socialized well...this makes them pretty terrible guard dogs, since they aren't prone to barking and will probably approach, and lick a potential attacker. Despite their friendly nature, you will need to be firm when training a Husky as they can be quite stubborn – they are not a breed for the inexperienced dog owner. They have an instinct to run, and should not be allowed off-leash or unsurprised in an area where they can wander. Huskies are also prone to digging, so if you do have a fenced in yard make sure that your pooch can't dig a hole and escape...they are sled dogs and need to be trained well from puppy-hood.

Possible health problems:

Generally, the Siberian Husky should remain healthy and live upwards of fifteen years, but on occasion they can develop hip dysplasia and eye problems (primarily in male dogs) but if you get your dog from a reputable breeder there are screenings that can prevent these problems.

Providing the right home for your Husky:

Like I mentioned, this breed is not recommended for the apartment dweller. They need plenty of exercise and room to run. If kept indoors they can be destructive, so homes with large, fenced in yards are best! Warm weather is a problem only if it's hot continually all year round, this breed prefers a cool climate.

Grooming:

Daily brushing is something I would recommend for any dog, and this goes for the Husky. Prospective owners should know that twice a year the breed goes through an extremely heavy shedding season.