Siberian Husky: Dog Breed Information and Care

The Siberian Husky is an intelligent and friendly dog breed that has a beautiful thick coat. Learn everything about the breed.

Breed information

As athletic and non-aggressive dogs with beautiful coats, the Siberian Husky draws the attention of those looking for a dog. They originate from Northeast Asia. Siberia, to be exact. The following is an overview of the breed:

• Group: Working.
• Life expectancy: 12 to 15 years.
• Height: 20 to 23.5 inches.
• Weight: 35 to 60 pounds.
• Colors: Black, white, and other colors mixed with white.
• Temperament: Alert, friendly, gentle, intelligent, loyal, and outgoing.
• Good with: Families, kids, strangers, and other pets.

Characteristics and traits

Siberian Huskies are happy, affectionate, and adaptable. They’re medium-sized working dogs that are fast while being light on their feet. The Siberian Husky is athletic and combines speed and performance.

One of the physical characteristics they’re known for is the medium-length double coat. The thick and soft coat comes in many colors, with black and white being the most common.

They’re also known for having striking almond-shaped eyes. Their eyes are blue, brown, or amber. Some even have one blue eye and one brown eye.

Siberian Huskies are friendly, gentle, energetic, alert, and intelligent. They’re also energetic, love to play, and need a lot of time and space to exercise.

Due to their strong desire for affection and being friendly, they’re excellent dogs for families and kids.

A Siberian Husky won’t be aggressive because it isn’t suspicious of strangers or other pets. While it’s not like a watchdog, they’re vocal and will bark or howl a lot.

Care and grooming

Siberian Huskies do an excellent job of cleaning themselves. Plus, they don’t have a dog smell like many other dogs.

It also means that they only require a bath a few times per year. They shed moderately throughout the year and heavily twice per year. Weekly brushing is essential because it’ll keep the coat in good shape.

Another aspect of grooming to pay attention to is the length of their nails. Trimming the nails is necessary because long nails can lead to injuries and foot problems.

Nutrition

High-quality dog food will ensure that the Siberian Husky is healthy. They require less food than other medium and large dogs, which means it’s easy to overfeed them.

Talk to your veterinarian about the ideal amount of food for your Siberian Husky and monitor its weight to prevent obesity.

Generally, 1 cup of high-quality dry dog food two times per day is sufficient. However, you can also feed your Husky raw or wet food.

Aside from what and how much to feed your Siberian Husky, timing is crucial. It’s best to have a consistent feeding schedule. Schedule the meals for an hour or more after exercise.

If you want to feed it before exercise, give it at least two hours to digest the food.

Health

Overall, Siberian Huskies are a healthy dog breed. They don’t have any major health issues.

However, the two conditions they’re susceptible to are hip dysplasia and eye issues, such as cataracts.

With high-quality food, exercise, and veterinarian visits, your Siberian Husky can live a healthy and happy life.

Training

Known for being difficult to train, Siberian Huskies aren’t a good fit for first-time dog parents or those with little patience. They can be stubborn and want to go off on their own to explore.

Since training can be difficult, get professional advice, help, or read books and watch videos about training a Siberian Husky.

Before you start training your Siberian Husky, make sure you have the right environment. If you’re training in your backyard, know that they’re diggers, climbers, and jumpers.

Make sure the fence is tall enough and has reinforcement, which will prevent the dog from escaping.

Rewards and positive reinforcement is the best way to train because the dog will respond to the commands. Eventually, it’ll become second nature.

Being energetic, they need to learn how to release their energy. Without training, they may seem uncontrollable.

While training your Siberian Husky, remember to be patient and persistent. Aside from helping the dog learn commands, you’ll remain the dominant one.

Also, never physically punish your dog. Stick to saying no and using your hand to block negative actions. Treat your dog with love like you would a friend.

History

The Chukchi people of Siberia in northeast Asia developed the Siberian Husky breed. Siberian Huskies were kept as pets for their families and as working sled dogs.

While it belongs to the Spitz family, their ancestry is unknown besides the fact that they evolved from wolves.

The Siberian Husky stood out as a breed due to its ability to carry light loads for long time periods. It had endurance, speed, and strength.

In 1909, the Siberian Huskies were brought to North America for sled races in Alaska. As they began winning races, they also grew in popularity.

What made the Siberian Husky even more popular was the 1925 serum run to Nome.

A diphtheria outbreak threatened to wipe out the town of Nome, Alaska. The antitoxin could only be delivered by dogsled across a portion of the Iditarod Trail. It was the only route accessible during the harsh winters.

Leonhard Seppala led a team of Siberian Huskies across a 674-mile trail from Nenana to Nome.

They went through gale-force winds, -85-degree temperatures, and whiteout conditions. The life-saving serum was delivered in 127.5 hours without a single broken vial.

Later, Siberian Huskies went to Canada and the rest of the United States. The AKC recognized the breed in 1930.

Today, the Siberian Husky is an energetic and cherished family dog.

Where to adopt or buy

It’s rare to find a Siberian Husky at an animal shelter. People love them, which means they’re high-demand dogs. Instead, you’ll have better luck with the following rescue groups and breeders:

• Siberian Husky Club of America breeder referrals.
• Free Spirit Siberian Rescue.
• Forever Husky.
• Husky House.

Fun facts

The following are fun and unique facts about Siberian Huskies:

• They love to talk by howling.
• They helped save a town in Alaska.
• They served in the Army’s Arctic Search & Rescue Unit during WWII.
• They’re too playful and friendly to be watchdogs.
• Rita Ora, Ben Stiller, Jared Leto, and Ashlan Gorse all have or had Siberian Huskies.

Conclusion

Siberian Huskies are intelligent, friendly, and energetic. They can also be stubborn and independent. Since they can be hard to train, they’re not a good fit for first-time dog parents.

With good training, excellent nutrition, plenty of space to exercise, and a loving family, Siberian Huskies are one of the best dog breeds.

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Featured image courtesy of Canva.