Siberian Husky: Training, Breed Personality, Fitness & Care

(Husky, Sibe)

About Siberian Husky Origin and History of the Breed A native of Siberia, the Husky was brought to Alaska in 1909. The Chukchi people in Siberia had used them for centuries to pull sleds, herd reindeer, and do watchdogging. The Siberian Husky was brought to North America by fur traders in Malamute for arctic races because of their great speed.

The Husky went with Admiral Byrd’s expeditions to the pole. The Husky is an excellent pack animal and gets along well with other dogs. They are known for their endurance and ability to adapt. He is a light-weight sled dog with great stamina.
Siberian Huskies have been used for sledding, carting, and racing.

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A General Appearance of the Dog

The Siberian Husky is a medium-sized working dog who is quick and light on his feet. (He is smaller than the Alaskan Malamute.) His reasonably compact body is well-covered with protective fur. His head is broad with triangular, erect ears.

A Siberian Husky has a sickle-shaped brush tail, unlike the Alaskan Malamute who has a curved-over-the-back tail. The Husky’s face can either be all white or marked with a bar or mask. He appears proud, well-built, strong, and steady.

The feet are furry for gripping on ice and have very tough pads. Brown eyes, blue eyes, amber eyes or eyes of two different colors are acceptable. His alert, almost mischievous expression also indicates the boundless energy he possesses.

If you are planning to adopt a Siberian Husky, learn how to choose a happy, healthy dog or puppy.

Personality

Temperament of the Dog

The energetic Siberian Husky youngster is always ready to play. Happy and affectionate, they are good with older children.

Adult Huskys are quieter and more dignified; however, they remain active indoors and outdoors. Males are very dominant.

Huskys need plenty of attention and early, firm training to keep them from becoming destructive when they need to be left alone. It is recommended that if your dog will be alone, you will want another dog for companionship as a single dog left alone will be quite destructive as a result of boredom.

Huskys may be slow with housebreaking because they are primarily an outdoor dog. Socialization needs to start early. If you want your Husky to get along with cats or other small animals, introduce them when he is a puppy. It is not hard to teach Huskys to be well-mannered since they love to please.

Formal obedience training is important for this breed, but they may be difficult and need a firm hand. They can be stubborn. They must see the point of what you are telling them and they get bored easily with long training sessions or repetition and simply quit obeying.

The Siberian Husky does not need as much food as you might think.

Better suited to an indoor or outdoor lifestyle?

The Siberian Husky loves to be outdoors, especially in cool weather. In hot weather he needs to be in the air conditioning. He loves a large yard and is not suited to apartment living. Make sure the fencing is tall and the base of it is buried. If in an appropriate climate, he is happy to live outdoors as long as he gets plenty of “people time” with his human pack members. Companionship and pack time are important to them.

Outdoor games and activities that you and your Husky can do together will make him happy.

Siberian Huskies like to roam, so be sure they are safe in a secured area.

Are they suited to homes with kids?

Huskies do well in homes with children.

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Activity Level

How Active is the Breed?

Siberian Huskys are a fairly active breed. They love to play. They desire a long walk each day at the very least, but cannot do much in hot weather. Make sure they have shade and cool water to drink if the weather is warm. They love cool and cold weather.

How Much Exercise Does the Dog Need at every stage of its Life?

The Siberian Husky is not recommended for apartment living. They love to play both indoors and outdoors. They have a lot of energy. They like to play all types of games.
A secure, tall fence with the base buried is necessary for the Husky.

This is a pack breed, so he enjoys going to a dog park to play with other dogs.

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Grooming

The Siberian Husky will require some brushing. He does shed heavily twice a year.

Grooming your dog yourself, at your home and at your convenience will help you build a strong bond with your Siberian Husky. You will not only save yourself the hassle of taking him to a groomer regularly, you save some money too.

Coat Color

Husky coat colors have a tremendous variety. From jet black to white and all shades of gray, light peach to red-orange, chocolate brown, wolf-gray, and Agouti which is coyote colored, the Husky can also have many different markings. Typically the face mask and underbody are white.

Coat Type

The coat of the Siberian Husky is double and medium in length, giving a well furred appearance. The undercoat is soft and dense and of sufficient length to support the outer coat. The guard hairs of the outer coat are straight and smooth. The Siberian Husky can withstand temperatures as low as -58 to -76 degrees F (-50 to -60 degrees C).

Health and Care

Feed a couple of small meals a day. They do not need as much food as you would expect.

Genetic Problems

They are prone to hip dysplasia and some eye problems like cataracts and PRA and corneal dystrophy). Some clubs require OFA and CERF certification of both parents. Huskies also sometimes have zinc responsive dermatitis (a skin condition which improves with giving zinc supplements).

An Siberian Husky's health is directly related to it's diet. Find out how you can help your Siberian Husky to live longer.

Litter Size: Litters average 6 puppies.

Life Span: Siberian Huskies live 12-15 years.

Weight

Males: 45 - 60 lbs
Females: 35 - 50 lbs

Height

Males: 21 -23.5 inches
Females: 20-22 inches

Group: AKC Working Dog, KCGB Working Group

AKC Ranking: 25

National Breed Clubs

British – The Siberian Husky Club of Great Britain – www.siberianhuskyclub.com
US – Siberian Husky Club of America - www.shca.org

Other Recognition: FCI, AKC, UKC, KCGB, CKC, NKC, NZKC, CKC, APRI, ACR, ANKC

Rescue Link: www.siberianrescue.com