Siberian Huskies: history of the breed, what do dogs look like and how to care for them?

Husky is one of the popular dog breeds, and she is fond of many for her cheerful, friendly character, lack of aggression, love for people, especially for children. In this article, we consider this breed in more detail: its pros and cons, appearance, character, and required care.

Husky dogs were originally called eski, from the word "Eskimo". This breed was bred by the Chukchi of the northeastern part of Siberia, who needed dogs that could easily endure all the harsh climatic conditions and run in a team consisting of at least nine individuals. Thus, the Chukchi were transported from the places of their food to their camps.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the husky was registered in the USA as a dog for a ride. Horsebacks in Alaska bought these dogs to participate in sledding races. The famous Leonard Seppala - one of the people who stood at the start of breeding a new breed of husky, won the race several times in a row, thanks to the legendary dog ​​named Togo.

This dog and its owner got the main popularity due to the fact that they transported serum from a diphtheria epidemic to a small town in Alaska, which was torn from civilization by many kilometers of snowy waste ground and played a storm. Since delivery by any other means was impossible, Leonard and his loyal assistant to Togo were among the 20 participants in this relay and led a team for 1085 kilometers.

Togo was distinguished by the fact that he knew how to feel the dangers on the way, to choose the right direction in the dark, encouraged and forced other dogs to rise, who were exhausted, having run many kilometers without rest. When traveling, to save time and shorten the way, they had to walk eighty kilometers along the rather thin ice of Norton Bay.

Every now and then there was a crack of ice under the sledges and dogs. Significantly, there was a danger of falling into the water or breaking off on an ice floe that could be carried to the sea. So it happened, the ice cracked and they spent several hours drifting on an ice floe in the open sea, and when they were washed down to the whole glacier, they moved from it, but the team sank into the water. Togo again showed his courage: he caught hold of the harness and pulled it until the other dogs had the opportunity to move onto thick ice.

When it was 125 kilometers to the destination, the dogs were exhausted and fell. She continued this baton with a new team led by Gunnar Kaasen. The leader of the dogs was Balto, who in the blizzard found the right direction. It was they who delivered the saving medicine to a town called Nome. The epidemic has gone through five days after that.

In gratitude to this feat, Togo and Balto erected monuments, today they meet guests at the entrance to the Cleveland Zoo. And in the museum of the city of Vasilla in Alaska, the embalmed body of Dog Togo is still kept. Even in honor of the events of those days in Alaska annual races with teams are arranged. Next, the Siberian Huskies were crossed with Alaska aboriginal sled dogs, which are the oldest breed. Thus, derived mestizo. To date, the Siberian Husky is used not only as a dog to ride, but also as an exhibition. Many simply buy them as a great companion for the whole family.

Sled dogs are usually divided into three varieties.

• Workers. The most hardy dogs with well-developed intelligence and light, unpretentious character. Such dogs are created as assistants for transportation of various goods, mail over long distances, in remote places of the Far North. Externally, they differ from other subspecies by more developed muscles and powerful legs.
• The hounds Created for sledding competitions. It is believed that this subspecies can not be trained, but still with the right upbringing you can achieve good results. The external difference is shorter and thicker coat.
• Exhibition. Used to participate in show programs and exhibitions. Considered the best view for the content in the apartment. In turn, the "show dogs" are divided into two subspecies: American and European. Americans are more stocky than Europeans. A dog created for exhibitions differs from its tribesmen by a more shortened snout. That is why these dogs are not suitable for sledding, as they quickly catch cold in the frost, in contrast to relatives with an elongated face.

The cost of puppies also varies depending on the class. There are three such subspecies.

• Pet class Puppies with the lowest cost, because unsuitable for participation in exhibitions. These dogs have deviations from the standards of appearance, and they have no pedigree. Approximate price - from 20 thousand rubles. The older the puppy, the lower its cost.
• Breed class. These include dogs that meet all standards of the exterior of the breed, have a pedigree. In Russia, a puppy belongs to this class, if his parents had the title of “Champions of Russia”. The cost of such puppies will start from 30 thousand rubles.
• Show class. Here the price will start from 50 thousand rubles. Dogs of this class have a full set of all standard characteristics in appearance, as well as high achievements of parents. The pedigree is flawless. Such puppies begin to sell at the age of six months, so you can guarantee the absence of any deviations from the norm in the breed.

Depending on the place of purchase, the price for the same class may be different. In large cities, the price will be higher. Cheaper can be bought from Ukrainian or Belarusian breeders. Buying a puppy directly at the club will cost the most, but there will be no doubt that the puppy meets all standards, has a good pedigree, is properly and vaccinated in time.

There were cases when an unscrupulous breeder presented fake documents and awards to customers. Sometimes, if the seller understands that the buyer does not understand this well, he gives out meaningless dog achievements for very high ones, which explains the high cost of the dog. Before you buy help, read reviews about the seller.

Often the price includes the cost of vaccinations, feed, content. This is quite normal and explainable. If you buy animals for the purpose of opening a nursery and breeding, then choose already adult, unleashed dogs that brought the first offspring of excellent quality. The price, of course, will be much higher, because the rule here is that the more rewards, the more expensive. Here the price will start from 300 thousand rubles.

They are medium height dogs, they are quite compact. Body length a little more than the height of the animal at the withers. The coat is thick, with a good undercoat. The ears are straight, the tail looks like a feather, and it is also called a fox. With the right food, obesity does not threaten. Males differ from females in a more imposing skeleton. Females have graceful forms.

The skull has the right proportions. The length and width of the muzzle are small, the muzzle tapers towards the nose.Too massive or, conversely, a refined head is a reason for disqualification. The color of the nose - from black to solid, it all depends on the color of the dog's coat.

Eyes almond-shaped, located slightly obliquely and moderately wide. Color varies from blue to brown. Often there is the phenomenon of differences in the color of the irises. Favorite of many are representatives with blue eyes.

Ears stand straight and high, without tilting.

The neck is slightly curved and has an average length. When the dog is in a standing position, the neck is raised, and if the animal is running, the neck is pulled and the head protrudes. Marriage will be any deviation from the size of the standard in one direction or another. The chest looks powerful, but at the same time it is not very wide-boned. The disadvantage is too wide or sternum sternum.

When the shoulders are perpendicular, this means a flaw. And by standards it is believed that the shoulder should be obliquely positioned relative to the ground, at an angle of 45 degrees. The back of this breed is strong and straight, of medium length. The loins should be narrow and elastic.

Forepaws are not wide apart or narrow, they are even and parallel. There are elbow joints adjacent to the body, the length from the elbow to the shoulder is less than from the elbow to the tips of the fingers. A downside will be considered too wide forelimbs.

The hind limbs have powerful hips, the joint is well defined. The limbs should also be straight and in proportion to each other. When driving, they should not turn in either direction. If this happens, then this phenomenon is considered a marriage.

The paws themselves are medium in size, oval in shape, well adapted to the snow, fluffy between the fingers. Forepaws have dewclaws that are needed to itch.

The hair on the tail is of medium length, proportionally distributed, the tail resembles a fox. In a state of tension raised up and bent in the form of a sickle, in a state of rest the straight tail is lowered down. If the tail goes sideways, is too fluffy or is too tightly bent into a ring, then this is a marriage.

Puppies of different colors are allowed: from black to whitish with different markings in the form of spots of a different color. White, red, chocolate or black colors without impregnations are very rare, but are not discarded. The so-called face mask and two vertical mini-stripes on the forehead are welcomed. In fact, varieties of color quite a lot.

• Pure white - This is perhaps the rarest type of color. The undercoat is also white. On a snowy landscape such a dog is very difficult to detect.
• Gray white wool is the most common. The undercoat is pale yellow or cream.
• Chocolate or Copper The color has a rich shade and depth.
• Redhead The color differs from the previous one in that it is more faded.
• Silvery white Color under the standard assumes an undercoat of extremely cold shades.
• Pastel shades prevail in the color of dogs fawn and cream color.
• Sable wool is very rare. It gives copper, fawn and yellow shades, and on the tips of the hair the color turns gray.
• Color Wolf Gray. Dogs with this color are quite difficult to distinguish from a real wolf. Warm gray tones with yellow splashes prevail.
• Agouti. This color is present mainly in the representatives of the working and racing breed. The palette is gray-black, redhead on the limbs is allowed. The tail on the end is black.
• Marble Color reminds dalmatians. There is a fairly large number of black or dark gray spots throughout the body.
• Lucky Suit. Mostly white color prevails, but one third of the body is marked with round black spots according to the standard.
• Splash Coat - This is the predominance of white color, on the back there is necessarily the presence of a dark spot of large size, rolling on the sides.
• Isabella color - this is a rare instance. It assumes the presence of a beige or reddish undercoat in snow-white wool.
• Black color wool in Siberians is rare. There are allowed several white spots on the face.
• Classic can be considered black and white color. Colors are distributed in the same proportion. Undercoat white or black.

Not oversized, but very thick, with a soft undercoat. The dog can sleep peacefully in the snow in the bitter cold and not freeze.

Male reaches a height of 53.5 to 60 centimeters. Bitch grows from 50.5 to 56 centimeters. Weight depends on the size, but, as a rule, a dog does not exceed 28, and a bitch - 23 kilograms. The disadvantage is considered too high, low, beyond the standard of the individual. They are disqualified and not allowed to breed from the club.

Siberian Husky is a friendly pet. Quietly treats strangers, not adapted to hunting, it’s not worth waiting for prey from him. In the form of a guard and guard dog is also not suitable, because he completely lacks aggression towards a person. Also, the Huskies are not suitable for the role of a service dog, as it is not always trainable. If you try to make the dog aggressive to the person, it will contribute to a mental disorder.

Huskies are great as a best friend for kids.. This is a very cute, vibrant baby animal. Never bite. True, children under the age of twelve will have a difficult time with him, as the husky tend to dominate. This is a rather independent breed of dogs, loving to make extraordinary decisions, and patterned training is unlikely to bring at least some results.

Such a dog is smart, his mental abilities almost do not need additional training, but nevertheless it is recommended to play and practice with a pet often. In addition, this dog is designed for prolonged physical exertion and long walks in new places, and the owner must take this into account before starting an animal. On the day of the Husky you need to run at least ten kilometers on a long leash.

This breed of dog Perfect for lovers of cycling, roller skating, avid runners. And it would be better if you walk with the dog not in a straight terrain, but with ups and downs. It is often recommended to take the pet to a specially equipped obstacle course. It is better not to lower the leash.

If you do not walk with them enough, do not give the required amount of load per day, the shoots will be frequent. They quickly learn to open doors, they are able to climb over even a high fence, they can knock out the glass with their faces. In addition, they are excellent diggers and easily make a tunnel for the manhole.

Grid-chained railing for the enclosure is also not suitable. Huskies easily gnaw it, and can still injure its paws on the sharp ends of the wire. Take care of the canopy so that the hot sun worries your pet as little as possible.. Choose a shady spot to build. Still, these dogs are accustomed to the cold, and feel great even in very cold weather.

Huskies are talkative. You seldom hear their barking, but this dog publishes guttural sounds often, thus expressing its delight. Loves to sing to the music. She can have a long and drawn out howl. Many breeders are wary of caution, believing in the prejudice that such a dog’s behavior brings trouble.

However, the reason why the Huskies prefer to howl instead of barking was revealed. It is assumed that during long runs to communicate between themselves and the owner, so as not to waste extra energy on barking, Huskies prefer to howl, which is less expensive energy.

With good care, Siberian Huskians live from 12 to 14 years. But there were cases when representatives of this breed lived to be 20-25 years old. If you regularly and properly give the dog a load, taking into account all its features, the dog may well become a long-liver.

Huskies have good, stable immunity, rarely get sick. Of course, provided that all appropriate vaccinations were made on time. Of the diseases there are several that this breed is genetically susceptible.

Eye Disorders:

• cataract may develop at the age of six years, if time does not begin treatment, it can lead to loss of vision;
• retinal atrophy - the disease is inherited, and when choosing a puppy should pay attention to the diseases of the parents;
• entropion - This disease develops due to conjunctival inflammation.

In dogs with light or different irises, one can observe:

• testicular cancer;
• hypertension;
• dermatitis;
• food allergies;
• paralysis.

This breed is unpretentious, it is easy to settle in a new place and is quite suitable for keeping in an apartment. But still the best conditions for dogs will be country houses, not apartments. Huskies can not stand loneliness, and if conditions of detention allow, it is best to start several animals at once. If your pet lives in the apartment, and at the same time for the most part is alone, then do not be surprised when you return, if half of the items will be “eaten”.

Caring for huskies at home is very simple. This breed of dog is very clean. Leather and wool have no smell, you need to bathe no more than 1-2 times a year, with the exception of white colors. In winter, these dogs love to lie in the snow, and therefore their wool is well cleaned. Do not slobber, during molting, which occurs naturally twice a year, a thick undercoat needs to be combed out.

In addition, after each walk, you must inspect the paws for damage. If any, lubricate "Panthenol." Trim the claws need every two weeks, for this use special nippers. Also pay attention to the ears, it is best to clean them every week, shallow.

Teeth are cleaned every day, with the help of special tools. Since their childhood, these dogs are taught this procedure. Or you can buy special toys and bones for self-cleaning of tartar.

Here, in fact, the whole care.

When choosing a puppy is recommended to contact only in specialized nurseries or directly to the breeder. So you protect yourself from buying a baby, which later may have health problems due to improper maintenance or feeding. A professional breeder or nursery will provide you with all the necessary documents: from the pedigree to the veterinary book with a note about all vaccinations made.

Husky can begin training from the age of three months. The dog will only give in to the commands of the person whom it has chosen to lead. If the animal does not perform the actions that you want from it, then it means that he is bored. It understands you, but does not want to do it, he is not interested.

Your voice during teams should sound calm, clear and confident. Rudeness and cry in the education of Siberian Huskies will not lead to anything. Some owners note that their pet is happy to obey the request, but does not respond to the mandative tone. In any case, try these two methods, and you yourself will understand which approach is best for your dog. Reinforce the praise with a delicious delicacy.

Punishment for a dog can serve as a manifestation of its power over it.

Since the dog perceives your entire family as a pack, it needs to understand who is the leader in this pack. Behave as an authority not only with your pet, but with all households so that the dog does not have any doubts about this. When you teach a puppy to the team "place", and he still does not listen and turns under his feet, then ignoring is the best way. When the dog realizes that anyone here is not interested, he will leave. It always works flawlessly.

The main thing is not to prohibit the Huskies to communicate with other dogs, do not strain him for too long and tedious study of the same team, be respectful in the behavior with this breed, do not hit or throw at yourself, do not shout at the dog. Let's take a regular, rather heavy exercise at any time of the year. This is one of the main rules for these dogs.

Puppies up to two months must be fed six times a day. From two to four months - four times. As the puppy grows, it is worth reducing the number of meals to one or two times. Portion is selected individually. The animal should eat everything completely.

If you are going to feed your pet with natural products, you should balance your daily diet well. Meat should be 1/2 part and be given raw or scalded with boiling water. Chicken meat can cause allergies, so be extremely careful. But turkey is great. Pork and lamb are not recommended, it is better to give preference to beef and rabbit.

Rice porridge, buckwheat, oatmeal can be used daily, but add there raw egg yolk should be no more than twice a week. With cereals should be careful, as they are not suitable for everyone. If after a week of feeding porridge dog begins to smell unpleasant, then your pet has a protein-fat exchange. As a rule, such a fat metabolism is typical for Siberian Huskies, and protein-carbohydrate is typical to a greater degree for European breeds. In such cases, exclude all cereals from the diet and feed meat products and vegetables.

Vegetables can be given both raw and steamed. These dogs love and fruits, such as pears, apples. Potatoes and beans are not welcome. The starch contained in them, the digestive system of this breed tolerates poorly. Greens and vegetable oils are very useful for the husky diet.

You can add them to porridge. In addition, you can fill porridge and fish oil. Milk is suitable only for puppies, and fermented milk products and cheeses will be enjoyed by adults. Fish is a natural food for huskies, but in order not to acquire parasites, it is better to give boiled, and remove the bones in advance. And do not forget to additionally treat the dog with vitamins that the veterinarian will select.

Despite all the taste and benefits of naturalka, Experts agree that it is best to feed dogs with dry specialized food or canned food. Of course, this is not an expensive way to feed, as husky is suitable only for premium food.Carefully monitor the health of the animal, even if you use high quality dry food, so that if necessary you can adjust the menu on time. If the pet lives on the street, then in winter it is necessary to increase the daily feed rate.

Consider the popular names for the Siberian Husky breed. These beautiful, stately dogs will not suit children's awkward nicknames, pick a simple name for sound, but rather expressive. Many prefer to give names that have any meaning, believing that the name will indirectly influence the further fate and character of the pet:

For example, boys are called like this:

• Amur, what devotion means;
• Timati - impulsivity;
• Amethyst - inflexibility;
• Jack - equilibrium;
• Quint - constancy;
• Dick - leadership;
• Buran - ardor, activity;
• Rivers - obedience.

Often, dogs are given names, considering the husky’s homeland, for example:

• Siberia;
• Polar Star;
• Snowball;
• Snowballs;
• Buran;
• North;
• Wind;
• Iceberg;
• North;
• Snow.

The most popular nicknames include the following:

• Demon;
• Shaman;
• Wolf;
• Fierce;
• Altai;
• Typhoon;
• Buddha;
• Dusk;
• Barbarian;
• Fog;
• Alpha;
• King.

Often dogs are called by names from literary or mythological works: Loki, Caesar, Siegfried, Zeus, Thor, Achilles, Rex, Fuchs, Nero, Thunder. Also the name can express any character trait inherent in this breed. For example: Fast, Sly, Whirlwind. The characteristic pattern-mask on the face gives a rather vicious look, for which dogs are often given such nicknames as Faust, Devil, Darkness.

Many people when choosing an estate emphasize that such letters as “X” or “P” are present in it - it is considered that this is how the puppy gets used faster and responds more easily. Here is a list of examples of popular nicknames with the presence of these letters:

• Rover;
• Creek;
• Reef;
• Rogdan;
• Rumbik;
• Raj;
• Reno;
• Rally;
• Radar;
• Ruslan;
• Hort;
• Swag;
• Khorsun;
• Chilo;
• Honda;
• Frowning.

But the Huskies, in principle, quickly get used to any name.

Now consider the popular nicknames for girls. They may also reflect the climatic conditions of origin of the breed, namely:

• Alaska;
• Taiga;
• Night;
• Arctic;
• Winter;
• Snowstorm;
• Fierce;
• Tundra;
• Hilda;
• Northerner;
• Ice floe;
• Blizzard;
• Avalanche.

When choosing a name with a value, the nicknames are appropriate for females:

• Vesta - calm;
• Yuna - hardy;
• Naida - reliable;
• Ella - light;
• Bagheera - graceful;
• Akira - smart;
• Tina - good;
• Salma - goodwill;
• Hell - resolute;
• Elsa - obedient;
• Hoshi - star;
• Ricky - strong;
• Sakura - cherry;
• Assa - dawn

Also frequent nicknames are:

• Etna;
• Yara;
• Egri;
• Vesta;
• Bona;
• Erta;
• Ken;
• Java;
• Ugra;
• Ava;
• Ida;
• Assol;
• Isis;
• Guillemot;
• Mayan;
• Gressy;
• Aileen;
• Aygi;
• Laska;
• Martha;
• Juno;
• Vey;
• Earley

If you take literary and mythological works, you can select several of the most popular names: Josephine, Greta, Juliet, Gerd, Hera, Indira, Olympia, Patricia.

After monitoring the reviews, it can be noted that the majority of breeders of the Siberian Husky breed dogs are quite their pets. Such positive features as friendliness, excellent attitude to children, kindness, cheerfulness, caress are generally noted. However, almost every breeder warns against keeping husky in the apartment. These dogs are very energetic, accustomed to the open space, they love to live in a pack. Therefore, leaving the dog alone in an apartment, you risk losing its former appearance.

To get such a dog should be, only if a plot of a country house allows you to make a fairly spacious aviary. Also, all breeders confirm that heavy physical activity for a pet is a vital component.

See the next video for more interesting facts about Huskies.