The Siberian Husky is believed to have originated among the Chukchi, a tribe of Siberian nomads. Its breed’s history is relatively unknown but DNA tests show and have confirmed that they are amongst the oldest dog breeds. Its has been known that the Chukchi uses dogs as fast transportation and that they interacted with the Chukchi as a family dog. Huskies often slept with the children and provided warm comfortable beds for them.
The Siberian Huskies were imported to Alaska in 1908 and were used as sled dogs during the gold rush. They were used in the All-Alaska Sweepstakes, which is a 408-mile dogsled race.
Records indicated that the last Siberian Husky was exported from Siberia in 1930 when the borders were closed by the Soviet government. The breed continued to thrive in North America. Although they have changed slightly from their Siberian foundation dogs, the Chukchi Sled Dog, they still maintain many of the wonderful qualities of that breed.
The Siberian Club of America was founded in 1938 and the Siberian Husky was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1930 and the Canadian Kennel Club in 1939.
Size
On average, males stand between 21 and 23.5 inches high while female averages 20 to 22 inches. And the average weight for males is between 45 and 60 pounds and for females 35 to 50 pounds.
Personality
Siberian Huskies are pack dogs, and they long to have an owner who is the clear leader of the pack.
When this happens, it’s important not to give in to their pushiness. Assert yourself as a leader, however not by bullying, or, hitting but rather by confirming the ground rules with clarity and consistency.
Making your dog wait to eat is one of the best ways to impose your authority as the leader. The Husky will view you as the keeper of all valuable resources of their food, treats, toys, and other needs.
This high-energy breed can be destructive both indoors and out — especially when bored or not given adequate exercise.
It is ideal for everyone if you will teach your dog to dig in one spot only instead of trying to break him off that habit.
Nonetheless, they can be quite charming with their mischievous and playful nature. They are also quite social and love to show off their talents.
Siberian Huskies do not bark and that’s the good news. However, here’s the bad side: they do enjoy howling, which can be very frustrating for your neighbors. Unless you have a properly trained and well-exercised Siberian Husky, they do not make ideal pets for apartments.
Additional Info on Siberian Husky Personality
Although Huskies are adored for being friendly and gentle, they make lousy watchdogs. Unfortunately, they are not overly suspicious of strangers, including burglars. The fact is that they tend to love everybody.
Their temperament doesn’t occur in a vacuum. It’s affected by several factors, including heredity, training, and socialization. Puppies with nice temperaments are curious and playful, willing to approach people and be held by them. Choose the middle-of-the-road puppy, not the one who’s beating up his littermates or the one who’s hiding in the corner.
It is advisable, to meet at least one of the parents, usually, the mother is the one who is available to have an idea that they have nice temperaments that you will be comfortable with. Meeting siblings or other relatives of the parents is also helpful for evaluating what a puppy will be like when he grows up.
Like every dog, Siberian Huskies need early exposure to many different people, sights, sounds, and experiences when they’re young. Socialization helps ensure that your Siberian puppy grows up to be a well-rounded dog.
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Enrolling him in a puppy kindergarten class is a great start. Inviting visitors over regularly, and taking him to busy parks, stores that allow dogs, and on leisurely strolls to meet neighbors will also help him polish his social skills.
- Siberian Huskies are generally healthy, but like all breeds, they’re prone to certain health conditions. Not all Huskies will get any or all of these diseases. But it’s important to be aware of them if you’re considering this breed. In Huskies, you should expect to see health clearances from the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) for hip dysplasia (with a score of fair or better), elbow dysplasia, hypothyroidism, and von Willebrand’s disease; from Auburn University for thrombophilia; and from the Canine Eye Registry Foundation (CERF) certifying that eyes are normal.
- Cataracts: A cataract is an opacity on the lens of the eye that causes difficulty in seeing. The eye(s) of the dog will have a cloudy appearance.
- Corneal Dystrophy: This condition affects the cornea or outer transparent portion of the eyeball. There is no therapy for this condition, but it does not seem to affect the vision.
- Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA): This is a degenerative eye disorder that eventually causes blindness from the loss of photoreceptors at the back of the eye. PRA is detectable years before the dog shows any signs of blindness. Fortunately, dogs can use their other senses to compensate for blindness, and a blind dog can live a full and happy life. Regardless of how healthy your dog is when you first bring them home, you should prepare for any issues that may come up throughout their life.
Care
Siberian Huskies need to be exercised for 30 to 60 minutes daily to keep them from becoming bored. Surprisingly, they need only a small (but secure) backyard to expend their energy.
Bottom line: Siberian Huskies need to be working to stay happy. Usually just maintaining your own active life through hiking and other outdoor sports will keep you Siberian Husky healthy, happy and out of trouble.
As mentioned earlier, training is a must with this breed and you may want to invest in more advanced obedience classes. This can be difficult for many owners and trainers as the breed is very intelligent and will determine the difference between classes and home.
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Crate training is an important tool that is often recommended by breeders. It keeps you dog and puppy safe and also gives them their own safe haven to retreat to when they are feeling overwhelmed or tired.
Leash training is also a must as Siberian Huskies should never be left off leash when they are not in a fenced area. They love to run and will do so without any thought of how far away you are. You can easily lose your Siberian Husky if he decides to chase something or simply enjoy a heartfelt run.
Feeding
- Recommended daily amount: 1.5 to 2 cups of high-quality dry food a day. Divided into two meals. When it comes to mealtimes. Siberian Huskies are known for being “easy keepers” requiring a small amount of food for their size. As the Chukchi’s developed these dogs pulled a light load at a fast pace over great distances in low temperatures on the smallest possible intake of food.
- However, how much your adult dog eats depends on his size, age, build, metabolism, and activity level. Dogs are individuals, just like people, and they don’t all need the same amount of food. A highly active dog will be needing more than a couch potato dog. The quality of dog food you buy also makes a difference. The better the dog food, the further it will go toward nourishing your dog. And the less of it you’ll need to shake into your dog’s bowl.