General Information
Last Updated on Friday, 12 September 2008 17:28 Written by Zena Thomas
An active, energetic and resilient breed whose ancestors came from the extremely cold and harsh environment of the Siberian Arctic, it was imported into Alaska during the Nome Gold Rush and spread from there into the United States and Canada, initially as a sled dog. It rapidly acquired the status of a family pet and a show-dog, no longer as much used as a sled dog as formerly; today it has been largely replaced in dogsled racing by crossbreds.
Siberian Huskies have strong prey drive, consequently, Siberians may instinctively attack animals such as house cats, birds, squirrels, rabbits, chickens, quail, and even deer, and have been known to attack and kill sheep.
Siberians are normally relatively healthy dogs, typically living up to eleven to fifteen years of age.
Some identified health issues in the breed are cataracts glaucoma ,zinc deficiency thyroid problems .
Eye testing and hip scoring potential breeding stock is recommended. But it should be noted that just because a dog has a good hip score and a clear eye test this does not make it an exceptional dog on these merits alone .
As with any dog breed, Siberian Huskies do have some qualities which some pet owners may find undesirable. Despite their affectionate nature, Siberian Huskies are not as subservient and eager to please their owners as some other popular breeds, and will sometimes refuse to perform a task unless given a better "motive" than simply pleasing their trainer. Siberian Huskies can be challenging to train due to their strong will and independent thinking. Proper training requires persistence and patience. Siberian Huskies are not generally recommended for first time dog owners, as their strong will and desire to run are difficult for inexperienced owners to manage.
Siberian Huskies have strong running instincts and therefore for their own safety should never be left to run free off-leash. Due to their strong hunting instinct they are not trustworthy with livestock and can view small furry or feathered animals as potential food and therefore should always be kept on a leash or in a fenced garden or area, Siberians also love to landscape your garden (to their own design ) and dig large holes .They will show considerable ingenuity in escaping from fenced runs.
Siberians require exercise on a daily basis and a secure fence at all times. Although they do sometimes bark, they are more frequently known to "yodle", "howl", or "whoo", often vocalizing when excited, back-talking to their owners, or to initiate some play or challenge behavior with either human and canine companions.
Siberian Huskies do not really like being left alone and can quickly become noisy and destructive .Siberians shed their coats at least twice a year providing their owners with wall to wall husky fur carpeting!!!
If after all this you still decide this is the bred for you ,then try to visit breeders ,talk to them, get as much information as possible, go to watch a rally and or dog show Spend some time with these dogs hopefully this will give you an insight into what it is really like owning a Siberian Husky
Please think very carefully before deciding if this is the breed for you : they are really the dog for you ??????

