Siberian Husky

The Siberian Husky is a medium-size, dense-coat working dog breed that originated in eastern Siberia. The breed belongs to the Spitz genetic family. It is recognizable by its thickly-furred double coat, sickle tail, erect triangular ears and distinctive markings.

Traits for Siberian Husky

Weight	Male	45–60 pounds (20–27 kg)
	Female	35–50 pounds (16–23 kg)
Height	Male	21–23.5 inches (53–60 cm)
	Female	20–22 inches (51–56 cm)
Coat	Thick double coat - thick undercoat and soft outer coat
Color	All colors from black to white along with a brown/red color
Litter size	6–8 puppies
Life span	12–15 years

Mating a female Siberian Husky

A brief Insight .....  The first signs that a female has come into season -or- heat is a thin discharge which will increase in color and discharge rate, after about 10 - 16 days the discharge will become clearer (yellowish). Simultaneously, there is a swelling of the vulva, (the exterior portion of the female’s re productive tract). At this stage the male dog will become extremely interested in the female, if the female is ready she will stand for the dog and mating may occur.

Pup calendar will, hopefully calculate a few of those important dates for breeders who plan their litters. Text book accounts of when a bitches come into season may not always be correct as we are dealing with nature. Some bitches will come into season within the ten days up to day twenty five (If your bitch has reached the twenty fifth day - I think you’ve missed the boat).

Gestation period is 63-65 days

How much weight can a Siberian Husky pull

The breed was quick and could master most if not every terrain. Their strength would lie in numbers when packs would work as a team in pulling sleds and covering great distances with minimal need of food. By 1908, the dog was introduced in Alaska word had gotten loose that there was a superior type of sled dog. In 1909, Siberian Huskies made its debut in the All Alaska Sweepstake Race. It is said that the average weight a Husky can pull on its own would be equivalent to its own weight. So if the dog weighed 25 kg it should have the strength to pull approximately 25 kg.

How to train your Siberian Husky

The narrow line between training and abuse

Many dog owners think that their Husky is the smartest in the world. There’s no problem with this, up to certain a point. This point is when the owner expects as much from the dog as if it really was the most intelligent creature the world has ever seen. They expect them to learn everything right away, whereas dogs need time to learn things, the same way as we, humans do. Just in a different way  Well, the point is, that training requires time and patience. It can be different for all dogs, but we do have to keep this in mind and take the time and energy to train our Siberian Husky.

Another common mistake (also because of the lack of patience) is to give up. Many people think that they have already tried everything but the dog doesn’t want to learn. In this case, maybe the methods are not the best, or they need more time. There are no dogs who wouldn’t be able to learn at least a few commands. Giving up is never a solution. 

So, if we have the time and the patience we can avoid the next, and maybe the biggest mistake: to turn training into abuse. Probably you expect me to tell you where this line is. I can’t. This is something the owner should know. Training is all about communication. If you know your Husky, if you pay attention to him, you see how he feels. Unfortunately many dog owners don’t have this ability, because they only keep pets for entertainment, while a dog is much more than that.

Going back to training, a very important rule is that your goal should be that your Husky obeys to commands because he is keen to do so. NOT BECAUSE HE IS AFRAID. Many-many owners forget about this, and feel the training successful, but actually they are making their dog unhappy. How can someone live happily in fear? No way. These owners are only keeping a dog to make themselves happy, and don’t feel the responsibility they should.

So the point is, that ‘positive training’ is possible. Actually, that’s the only way.

The first difficulties most Siberian Husky owners face is potty training their puppy. As with general training, the main principles remain the same: a positive, rewarding approach and a lot of patience is required. There are, however a few tips and tricks that will make the whole process faster and easier for both puppy and owner.

Husky Health

 They are remarkably healthy dogs with few genetic issues Hereditary, or juvenile cataracts (different from non-hereditary cataracts affecting elderly dogs) are the most common, followed by followed by corneal dystrophy, and progressive retinal atrophy.

No breed of dog is totally free from inheritable genetic defects, but few breeds have had the good fortune of the Siberian Husky. Their average lifespan of a Siberian Husky is 10 to 14 years. Not only is the individual dog generally healthy and of good temperament, but throughout the years there hasn’t been a lot of genetic issues.  The Husky generally only has two areas of problems when it comes to its health. These are:

Siberian Husky

1. Canine hip dysplasia: Hip dysplasia is an abnormality of the hip joint in which the head of the thighbone (femur) does not fit properly into its pelvic joint socket. This condition is not present at birth but develops during the first two years of the dog’s life. It is often progressive and causing inflammation, pain, and arthritis of the affected hip. It is aggravated by strenuous exercise as well as sitting up, lying down, or climbing stairs. The Siberian Husky has been one of the few breeds that had a dramatic decrease in the incidence of hip dysplasia from 1980 through 1995

2. Inheritable eye disease: These include: juvenile cataracts, corneal dystrophy, and progressive retinal atrophy. All of these are hereditary. Of the three major eye diseases of the Siberian Husky, hereditary cataracts are the most common, followed by corneal dystrophy, and progressive retinal atrophy. . The breed is at risk for three inherited eye defects that can occur in any eye colour.

Special care and regular visits to the vet, can ensure that your Husky is getting treatment to hopefully prolong occurences or treat the symptoms. Do bear in mind, that apart from these diseases, the Husky is a generally healthy breed compared to other dog breeds!

Feeding a Husky

Food for your Siberian Husky, Alaskan Malamute or Sled Dog

The food that we feed to our pets has significant consequences for their happiness and well-being. Siberian huskies, Alaskan malamutes and other sled dogs can be fussy eaters. They are often sensitive to some of the ingredients found in pet foods, particularly the many of the cheaper, more widely-available brands. Fortunately, there are a wide variety of dog foods available today, some of which seem to suit huskies and other sled dogs particularly well.

The choice of diets and feeding plans available, together with the sensitive digestion systems of many huskies and sled dogs, can make finding a suitable diet solution seem like a daunting task.

Don’t worry! Feeding your husky, malamute or sled dog can quickly become very simple. The key points to remember are;

* Be aware of the main ‘problem causing’ ingredients found in some commercial dog food.

* Figure out the right amount of food to feed your dog (sled dogs generally need less food than other dogs their size)

* Change foods GRADUALLY. Sudden changes to diet usually lead to upset tummies.

* Stick to a set feeding routine.

Feeding Options

Generally speaking, most husky and sled dog owners feed either Kibble or Raw Diets, or a combination of the two.

Kibble is a ready made food that provide all the basic nutrients your dogs needs. Feeding Kibble is often the simplest, least time consuming option. It also involves less mess, storage space etc.

Another alternative is to feed a

Raw Diet. Some owners suggest that raw diets significantly improve the overall health of their dogs. There is no doubt a raw diet provides more variety for your dog, and many of the foods involved, such as raw meaty bones, provide entertainment as dogs chew away on them happily for hours.

Feeding a Raw Diet requires some initial research into the nutritional needs of your dog, and sourcing food suppliers takes time and patience. You will probably also need to acquire an additional fridge and/or freezer in order to store food, and may want to designate an area in your kitchen or utility room specifically for meal preparation as much raw meat is involved.

Although feeding a Raw Diet may seem a daunting and complicated prospect, in reality, once you have done a bit of initial research, it does become very easy to manage and is very often cheaper than feeding kibble. Indeed, for many owners the sourcing and preparation of raw food is an interesting and satisfying task, particularly once they see their dog’s enthusiastic reaction to the foods on offer.

Combining Raw and Complete Foods

Many husky and sled dog owners feed both Raw and Complete foods at different times, depending on circumstance, availability and time constraints. This is perfectly acceptable, although it is not recommended that you feed both types of food at the same meal. Kibble and raw foods are digested at different rates. Feeding both raw food and kibble at the same meal may increase the stress on the digestive system, and health problems – specifically an increased risk of bloat (gastric torsion) may occur.

For this reason, it is best to separate raw foods and kibble into different meals. Some owners choose to feed kibble in the morning and raw food later in the day, or they may feed raw food for the most part and kibble if travelling with their huskies or attending rallies or shows.

Over-Feeding Huskies and Sled Dogs

Huskies and sled dogs generally require a lot less food than other breeds of dog. Sled dogs evolved in harsh and unforgiving northern environments where food was scarce, and as a result their bodies adapted to process food very efficiently. Huskies and sled dogs can extract a relatively high percentage of the available energy and nutrients from their food compared to other breeds. It is often the case that the feeding instructions provided by food manufacturers will suggest more food than is necessary for a husky or sled dog, as instructions are not generally breed-specific. 

Feeding your husky or sled dog too soon before or after exercise is to be avoided. It can not only be uncomfortable for your husky to exercise on a full stomach, but feeding too close to physical exertion has been linked to one of the most serious and life-threatening medical emergencies sled dogs can incur; ‘bloat’ or gastric torsion. It is recommended that you wait AT LEAST 30 minutes (longer if at all possible) after exercise before feeding. This gives the dog’s body a chance to settle down and cool off before having to deal with the digestive process. You should also wait AT LEAST 2 hours after a meal before you exercise your husky or sled dog, longer if possible, especially if you are exercising the dog vigorously (i.e. if you are ‘working’ your husky on a rig or scooter).

The list below is for SOURCE information only 

the best vitamin and mineral sources to feed an Siberian Husky

Vitamin & Best Source

Vitamin A Palmitate

Vitamin B-1 Thiamine Hcl & Yeast

Vitamin B-2 Riboflavin & Yeast

Vitamin B-6 Pyridoxine Hcl & Yeast

Vitamin B-12 Cyanocobalamin & Yeast

Vitamin D D-activated Sterol

Vitamin E dl-alpha tocopherol acetate

Niacinamide

Biotin

Folic Acid

d-Calcium Pantothenate

Para Amino Benzoic Acid

Mineral & Best Source

Calcium Bone Meal

Copper Gluconate

Iodine Potassium Iodide

Iron Ferrous Sulfate

Magnesium Magnesium-Sulfate

Manganese Manganese-Oxide

Phosphorus Bone Meal

Potassium Potassium-Gluconate Zinc Zinc-Sulfate

Please do not feed this breed of dog any supplemental vitamin C (ascorbic acid, sodium ascorbate, calcium ascorbate or ascorbal palmitate) because of the kidney and liver damage it can do.