|
Siberian Husky Facts Life Expectancy: 14 years Size: 20-24in Noise: Noisy Common Health Problems: Eye problems Breed Recognized By: AKC, CKC, FCI, KC Alternate Names: Chukcha, Husky Friendliness | Loyal to family members, wary of strangers, usually don’t tolerate small animals well | Grooming | Moderate | Energy | High, requires a minimum of 60 minutes of exercise or a few miles daily | Trainability | Best trained by an experienced dog owner | The Siberian Husky is one of the oldest dog breeds in the world, and has been used by humans for at least 3,000 years. Huskies are one of the breed’s most closely related to wolves, and their wolf-like appearance has made them popular as pets. Huskies are still used by Native Americans as utility dogs that hunt, pull sleds, and guard. Although most Huskies today are family pets, many are used for dog sled racing. Huskies retain many of the characteristics of their wolf ancestors, and so they are very “pack” oriented. Huskies enjoy living with their people or other dogs and are usually friendly and affectionate to those they recognize. Huskies can be wary of strangers and Huskies and Husky-type dogs are one of the most common breeds reported in dog bites. Early socialization is essential to ensuring a Husky is comfortable around new people and situations. Because Huskies have a high, wolf-like prey drive, they don’t adapt well to life with small animals. Huskies have a thick double coat that requires daily brushing, especially during semi-annual periods of heavy shedding. Huskies that don’t have loose hair removed on a regular basis can become matted and prone to sores. Huskies don’t just enjoy exercise, they need it. Huskies that don’t get enough exercise will become destructive and even aggressive. Huskies can easily jump or dig under a fence, and will find a way to wander if not given a chance to run by their owners. Huskies should only be adopted into very active families that give them plenty of daily exercise. Huskies are a strong-willed breed that requires daily training sessions from a human they can respect as a pack leader. Huskies, not surprisingly, are prone to pulling and require extensive training to learn how to walk on a lead. First-time dog owners will need to consult a professional dog handler when working with a Husky.
|
