Siberian Husky: the history of the breed, how the dogs look and how to care for them?

Husky is one of the most popular dog breeds, and she fell in love with many for her cheerful, friendly nature, lack of aggression, love for people, especially children. In this article, we will 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 north-eastern part of Siberia, who needed dogs that could easily endure all the hardships of harsh climatic conditions and run in a harness consisting of at least nine individuals. Thus, the Chukchi were transported from food production sites to their camps.

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

The main popularity of this dog and its owner was due to the fact that they delivered to the small town in Alaska, torn from civilization by many kilometers of snowy wasteland and a blizzard, the serum from the diphtheria epidemic. Since no other delivery methods were possible, Leonard and his loyal assistant Togo, were one of the 20 participants in this relay race and led a team over 1085 kilometers.

Togo was distinguished by the fact that he was able to foresee the dangers on the way, choose the right direction in the dark, cheer up and force other dogs to rise, who were exhausted, having run many kilometers without rest. When traveling to save time and shorten the path, they had to walk eighty kilometers on the rather thin ice of Norton Bay.

Every now and then heard the crackle of ice under the sledges and dogs. There was a tangible danger of falling into the water or breaking off on an ice floe that could be carried into the sea. And so it happened, the ice cracked and they spent several hours drifting on an ice floe in the open sea, and when they were nailed to a whole glacier, they got over it, but the team rolled into the water. Togo again showed his courage: he clung to the harness and dragged, until the other dogs had the opportunity to move on thick ice.

When there were 125 kilometers to the destination, the dogs became exhausted and fell. This relay race was continued by 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 the town called Nome. The epidemic went away 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 the dog of Togo is still stored. Even in honor of the events of those days, Alaska annually organizes races with teams. Then the Siberian husky was crossed with the native sled dogs of Alaska, which are the oldest breed. Thus, bred mestizos. Today, Siberian husky is used not only as a dog for riding, but also as an exhibition. Many just buy them as a great companion for the whole family.

Sled dogs are usually divided into three varieties.

• Workers The most hardy dogs with a well-developed intelligence and a light, unpretentious character. Such dogs were created as helpers for transporting various cargoes, mail over long distances, to inaccessible places of the far North. Outwardly, they differ from other subspecies in more developed muscles and powerful paws.
• Hounds. Designed for sled racing competitions. It is believed that this subspecies is not amenable to training, but still, with proper education, good results can be achieved. The external difference is a shorter and thicker coat.
• Exhibition. They are used to participate in show programs and exhibition events. They are considered the best type for keeping in an apartment. In turn, "show dogs" are divided into two subspecies: American and European. Americans are more stocky than Europeans. The dog, created for exhibitions, differs from its fellow tribesmen in a more shortened muzzle. That is why such dogs are not suitable for teams, as they quickly catch a cold in the cold, in contrast to relatives who have an elongated muzzle.

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

• Pet class. Puppies with the lowest cost, because they are unsuitable for participation in exhibitions. Such dogs have deviations from the standards of appearance, and they do not have a pedigree. The approximate price is from 20 thousand rubles. The older the puppy, the lower its cost.
• Brid class. This includes dogs that meet all standards of the exterior of the breed, have a pedigree. In Russia, a puppy belongs to this class if its 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 the high achievements of their parents. The pedigree is impeccable.Such puppies begin to be sold at the age of six months, so you can guarantee the absence of any deviations from the norm for the breed.

Depending on the place of purchase, the price for the same class may be different. In big 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 timely and properly vaccinated.

There were cases when an unscrupulous breeder presented fake documents and awards to customers. Sometimes, if the seller understands that the buyer is poorly versed in this, he gives the dog’s meaningless achievements very high, which explains the high cost of the dog. Before buying, inquire, read reviews about the seller.

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

These dogs are of medium height, they are quite compact. The body length is slightly greater than the height of the animal at the withers. The coat is thick with a good undercoat. The ears are straight, the tail is like a feather, it is also called fox. With the right feed, obesity does not threaten. Males differ from females in a more impressive skeleton. Females have elegant forms.

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

The eyes are 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 iris. The favorites of many are representatives with blue eyes.

Ears stand straight and high, without tilting.

The cervical part 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 extended and the head is extended forward. A marriage will be any deviation from the size according to the standard in one direction or another. The chest looks powerful, but it is not very broad-boned. The disadvantage is too wide or barrel sternum.

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

The front legs are not wide and narrow, they are even and parallel. There are elbow joints closely 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 too wide forelegs will be considered a minus.

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

The paws themselves are medium sized, have an oval shape, are well adapted to snow, between the fingers are fluffy. The front legs have dewclaws that are needed to itch.

The hair on the tail is of medium length, proportionally distributed, the tail resembles foxes. In a state of tension, it is 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 too tightly bent into the ring, then this is a marriage.

Puppies of different colors are allowed: from black to whitish with different marks in the form of spots of a different color. White, red, chocolate or black colors without intersperses are very rare, but not rejected. A so-called mask on the face and two vertical mini-stripes on the forehead are welcome. In fact, there are quite a few varieties of color.

• Pure white - This is perhaps the rarest type of color. The undercoat is also white. In a snowy landscape, such a dog is very difficult to detect.
• Gray white wool is the most common. The undercoat is fawn or cream.
• Chocolate or copper the color has a rich hue and depth.
• Redhead the color differs from the previous one in that it is more faded.
• Silver white color according to the standard assumes an undercoat of exceptionally cold shades.
• Pastel shades prevail in the color of dogs fawn and cream color.
• Sable hair is very rare.. She gives away copper, fawn and yellow shades, and at the ends of the hair, the color turns into gray.
• Wolf gray. Dogs with this color are quite difficult to distinguish from a real wolf. Warm gray tones interspersed with yellowness prevail.
• Agouti. This color is present mainly in representatives of the working and racing breeds. The palette is gray-black, a redhead is allowed on the limbs. The tail at the end is black.
• Marble color reminiscent of the Dalmatians. There are a fairly large number of black or dark gray spots throughout the body.
• Pint suit. Mostly white color prevails, but one third of the body is marked by standard as black round spots.
• Splash coat - this is the predominance of white, on the back the presence of a dark spot of large sizes, passing to the sides, is mandatory.
• Isabella color - This is a rare instance. It suggests the presence of a beige or red tint undercoat in snow-white wool.
• Black color wool is rare in Siberians. Here, several white spots on the face are allowed.
• Classic can be considered a black and white suit. Colors are distributed in the same proportion. The undercoat is white or black.

It does not differ in excess length, but very thick, with soft undercoat. The dog can sleep peacefully in the snow in severe frost and not freeze.

The 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, the dog does not exceed 28, and the female - 23 kilograms. The disadvantage is considered too high, low, beyond the standard of an individual. They will be disqualified and not allowed to breed from the club.

Siberian Husky is a friendly pet. He calmly treats strangers, is not adapted for hunting, he should not expect prey from him. In the form of a guard and guard dog, too, is not suitable, because he completely lacks aggression towards humans. Also, husky will not be suitable for the role of a service dog, as it is not always amenable to training. If you try to make the dog aggressive towards humans, this will contribute to mental disruption.

Husky is great as a best friend for kids.. This is a very cute animal that is kind to a child. Never bite. True, children under the age of twelve will be difficult for him, since husky are prone to domination. This is a fairly independent breed of dogs, loving to make extraordinary decisions, and template training is unlikely to bring at least some results.

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

This breed of dog perfect for lovers of bike rides, roller skates, avid runners. And it will be better if you take walks with the dog not in direct terrain, but with ups and downs. It is often recommended that you take your pet to a specially equipped obstacle course. It is better not to lower the leash.

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

The netting for enclosure of the enclosure is also not suitable. Husky can easily bite through it, and they can also injure their paws on the sharp ends of the wire. Take care of the canopy so that the hot sun bothers the pet as little as possible. Choose a shady place to build. Still, these dogs are accustomed to the cold, and feel great even in very severe frost.

Husky is talkative. You rarely hear their barking, but this dog often makes guttural sounds, thus expressing his delight. He likes to sing to music. Her howl can be long and long. Many breeders are wary of howling, believing in prejudice that such dog behavior brings misfortune.

However, a reason has been identified why huskies prefer to howl instead of barking. It is assumed that during long races for communication between themselves and the owner, so as not to spend extra energy on barking, Husky prefer to howl, which is less costly energetically.

With good care, Siberian husky live from 12 to 14 years. But there have been cases when representatives of this breed survived to 20-25 years. If you regularly and correctly give the dog a load, given all its features, then the dog may well become a long-liver.

Husky have a good, stable immunity, rarely get sick. Of course, provided that all due vaccinations are done on time. Of the diseases, there are several that this breed is genetically susceptible to.

Eye diseases:

• cataract can develop at the age of six years, if treatment is not started on time, this can lead to loss of vision;
• retinal atrophy - this disease is inherited, and when choosing a puppy, you should pay attention to the diseases of the parents;
• entropion (inversion of the century) - This disease develops due to inflammation of the conjunctiva.

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

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

This breed is unpretentious, easily settles in a new place and is quite suitable for keeping in an apartment. But nevertheless, the best conditions for the dog will be country houses, not apartments. Husky 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 upon return do not be surprised if half of the items are “eaten”.

Taking care of huskies at home is very simple. This breed of dog is very clean.. Leather and wool are odorless, you need to bathe no more than 1-2 times a year, with the exception of white colors. In winter, these dogs are very fond of lying in the snow, and therefore their coat is well cleaned. Not slobbery, during molting, which naturally occurs twice a year, a thick undercoat needs to be combed out.

In addition, after each walk, it is necessary to inspect the paws for damage. If any, lubricate with Panthenol. You need to trim the claws once 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, using special tools. These dogs have been taught this procedure since childhood. Or you can buy special toys and bones for self-cleaning tartar.

That, in fact, is the whole departure.

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

You can start training husky dogs from the age of three months. The dog will succumb to the commands of only the person whom she has chosen to be the leader. If the animal does not perform the actions that you want from it, then this means that he is bored. It understands you, but does not want to do, it is not interesting to him.

Your voice during the teams should sound calm, clear and confident. Rudeness and cry in the upbringing 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 tone of command. In any case, try these two methods, and you yourself will understand which approach works best for your dog. Enhance your praise with a delicious treat.

A punishment for a dog can be a manifestation of its power over it.

Since the dog perceives your entire family as a pack, it needs to understand who in this pack is the leader. Behave as an authority not only with your pet, but with all household members so that the dog does not have doubts about this. When you accustom a puppy to the “place” command, and he still does not obey and turns under his feet, ignoring is the best way. When the dog realizes that it is not interesting to anyone here, he will leave. It always works flawlessly.

The main thing is not to forbid huskies to communicate with other dogs, do not strain it by too long and tedious studying of the same team, be respectful in behavior with this breed, do not beat and do not wave, do not yell at the dog. Give regular, fairly large physical activity 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 to two times. The portion is selected individually. The animal must eat everything completely.

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

Rice, buckwheat, oatmeal porridge can be used daily, but raw egg yolk should be added there no more than twice a week. You should be careful with cereals, as they are not suitable for everyone. If after a week of feeding porridges the dog starts to smell unpleasantly, it means that your pet has a protein-fat metabolism. As a rule, just such a fat metabolism is typical for Siberian husky, and protein-carbohydrate is typical to a greater extent 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 also love fruits, such as pears, apples. Potatoes and beans are not welcome. The starch contained in them, the digestive system of this breed does not tolerate well. Greens and vegetable oils are very useful for the husky diet.

You can add them to cereal. In addition, you can season with porridge and fish oil. Milk is only suitable for puppies, and sour-milk products and cheeses will appeal to adults. Fish is a natural food for husky, but in order not to get 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 pick up.

Despite all the taste and benefits of naturalki, experts agree that it is best to feed dogs specialized dry food or canned food. Of course, this is an expensive way of feeding, since husky only premium food is suitable. Closely 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 intake.

Consider the popular names for the Siberian Husky breed. These beautiful, stately dogs will not fit children's awkward nicknames, choose a name that is simple in sound, but quite expressive. Many people prefer to give names that have any meaning, believing that the name will indirectly affect the fate and character of the pet:

For example, boys are called like this:

• Amur, what does devotion mean;
• Timati - impulsivity;
• Amethyst - adherence;
• Jack - equilibrium;
• Quint - constancy;
• Dick - leadership;
• Buran - fervor, activity;
• Rivers - obedience.

Dogs are often given names, given the homeland of the husky, for example:

• Siberia;
• Polar Star;
• Snowball;
• Snowball;
• 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.

Dogs are often called by names from literary or mythological works: Loki, Caesar, Siegfried, Zeus, Thor, Achilles, Rex, Fuchs, Nero, Thunder. Also, the name may express some character trait inherent in this breed. For example: Fast, Tricky, Whirlwind. The characteristic mask pattern on the face gives a rather malicious look, for which dogs are often given nicknames like Faust, Damn, Gloom.

When choosing a property, many people emphasize that it contains such letters as “X” or “P” - it is believed that this way the puppy gets used to it and responds more easily. Here is a list of examples of popular nicknames with the presence of these letters:

• Rover;
• Stream;
• Reef;
• Rogdan;
• Rumbic;
• Raj;
• Renault
• Rally;
• Radar;
• Ruslan;
• Hort;
• Swag;
• Horsun;
• Chilon;
• Honda
• Frowning.

But huskies, in principle, quickly get used to any name.

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

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

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

• Vesta - calm;
• Yuna - hardy;
• Naida - reliable;
• Ella - light;
• Bagheera - graceful;
• Akira - smart;
• Tina - kind;
• Salma - good-natured;
• Ada - decisive;
• Elsa - obedient;
• Hoshi - stellar;
• Ricky - strong;
• Sakura - cherry;
• Assa - dawn.

Also common nicknames are:

• Etna;
• Yara;
• Aigri;
• Vesta;
• Bona
• Erta;
• Ken
• Java;
• Ugra;
• Ava;
• Aida;
• Assol;
• Isis
• Guillemot;
• Mayan;
• Gressy
• Eileen;
• Aigi
• Weasel;
• Martha;
• Juno;
• Vey;
• Airlie.

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

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

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

See even more interesting facts about Husky in the next video.