Husky dog

History of origin

Huskies first appeared in Siberia at the beginning of the XNUMXth century: then the tribes needed sled dogs, as well as hunting assistants. Nine dogs were required for one team, and a large number of fish caught made it possible to feed such a number of animals with ease.

Freight forwarders of the 1908th-XNUMXth centuries helped the development of dog breeding. Soon, the Americans also learned about sled dogs, and since XNUMX they began to import them to the states from the Far East, where the huskies proved to be excellent and became more and more popular every year. Thanks to the husky (the leader of the pack, named Balto), the city of Nome was saved from the epidemic. Later, two monuments were erected to this dog – one in New York, the other in Alaska. It should be noted that during the years of the Great Patriotic War, the Huskies proved to be real rescuers, and helped to pull the wounded people out from under the rubble.

Officially, the Husky breed was registered only in 1934; at the same time, breed standards were developed and approved.

Breed description

Husky is a rather large dog, with an elongated body and well-developed muscles. They have a large head with triangular, high-set ears and a bright black nose. The eyes are almond-shaped, widely spaced, slightly oblique. The color is blue or brown. The paws of the husky are of medium length, strong, and the tail is thick and fluffy.

The coat of the Husky is thick, with a developed undercoat and of medium length. The colors are very different: from black to white, with marks and stripes all over the body. The most popular are black and white and gray and white.

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Character

Huskies are very friendly and affectionate dogs. They establish closer and deeper relationships with only one member of the family, thereby showing whom they have chosen as their master.

Husky is not a guard dog. They are very good-natured and will not be able to protect you from robbers. Although their appearance is similar to wolves, their character is more like a cat. Husky children are very fond of, but you should not leave a child alone with a dog. Husky is an excellent companion, ready to follow the owner, no matter where. They love to travel and are ready to learn something new every day. You should not leave the dog alone for a long time, he will be bored and start howling, which is unlikely to please the neighbors.

Care and maintenance

Huskies are quite unpretentious in content and do not require special care. They are very clean and will not cause problems with a strong smell from wool. Bathing this breed is rarely necessary – 1 – 2 times a year is enough.

Dogs shed twice a year – at this time they need to be actively combed out with a slicker brush. Shedding can last up to three weeks. Dogs should never be sheared – thick wool saves them from heat and cold.

You need to trim your dog’s nails once a week. Overgrown claws cause dogs pain when walking and jumping.

Huskies are undesirable to keep in an apartment. They need a lot of free space, ideally a country house and a large yard. Get ready for a lot of walking – Huskies need a lot of exercise as they are sled dogs. On the day they need to pass, and even better to run up to 10 km.

Huskies are great travel companions. If you make a backpack for a dog, then it can carry food and water. In winter, huskies can ride children on sleds – it’s not for nothing that this is a sled dog!

You need to feed your pet with super premium dry food. If you stop at the “natural”, then choose lean meats, offal, eggs, cottage cheese, vegetables and fruits. In no case do not give dogs sweet, salty and starchy foods. You don’t need to boil the meat either, you need to feed the dog with a raw product, previously frozen for 3-5 days, to avoid helminthic invasion.

Education and training

Huskies love to dominate and always strive to take the place of the leader in the family, so immediately show the dog who is the boss in the house. The dog should eat only after the owner has eaten. The dog can also enter the premises only after the owner and leave it on command.

Learning simple commands should start from early childhood – from two to three months. Teach your dog to give a paw, sit, lie down, to the fetch command. Conduct training in the form of a game, praise the dog for correctly completed tasks – and for each success, please with a treat or pat on the head.

Do not yell at the dog and in no case do not hit – she will not understand aggression, and you will only lose contact with her. Repeat the command calmly up to 10-15 times.

From the age of six months, it is better to give the dog to a dog handler for special courses. This is a difficult transitional age, and if you miss this period, the dog can become uncontrollable.

Health and disease

Huskies are a fairly healthy breed, but there are still a number of diseases that are common with them. Vision problems – this includes corneal dystrophy, entropion (eyelid inversion), progressive retinal atrophy, cataracts. Huskies also suffer from glaucoma, atopic dermatitis, paralysis of the larynx, and hypertension. Males have testicular tumors.

Every year, dogs need to be vaccinated, and treated for worms every 3 months. In early spring, summer and early autumn (before the first snow), the dog should be given anti-tick preparations.

If you notice that the dog is lethargic and refuses to eat, do not hesitate, immediately take it to the veterinarian. The main rule is never self-medicate.

Popular questions and answers

She answered us questions about the husky veterinarian, zoo engineer Anastasia Kalinina.