Historical data on the Siberian Husky, the external standard of the breed, behavior and health, care: procedures, feeding, walking, training. Purchase and price of a puppy. Seven thousand years ago, man realized that not only can you hunt with dogs or they will guard his home, but you can also move around on them. A unique creation of nature is the sled dogs of the north. If it were not for them, it is unlikely that humanity would have been able to explore the South and North Poles, since in those harsh cold conditions it was impossible to do without the help of dogs. They howl so loudly and protractedly that they can be heard fifteen kilometers away.
This is a dog for all dogs! Even her name speaks about it. They come from the extreme north-east of Siberia. The local population used such dogs to work in the harsh conditions of the Arctic. They entered the United States of America through Alaska in 1909. These are one hundred percent sled dogs. They love to pull sledges along with them, and frost is their element. They have expressive, beautifully outlined eyes, a varied spectrum of shades. Their whole essence is the creation of northern nature.
Historical data on the emergence of the Siberian Husky breed
They say that the Siberian husky is more than seven thousand years old. Referring to some sources, for the first time a man thought of harnessing dogs to a sled just at that time period. Archaeological excavations have uncovered the site of ancient people and the remains of sled dogs and a kind of harness were found. During such a long period of their existence on the planet earth, the dogs have practically not changed, retaining their original appearance.
They are distinguished by a sharp little muzzle, triangular erect ears, a thick coat, a lush tail with a ringlet and their beautiful eyes. Husky girls are very kind, gentle and affectionate. Males, on the contrary, are serious and full of self-esteem. With all this, they will never offend either a mature person, or even whiter than a kid. These are extraordinary pets. There is such a cliche - friends of a person. This is exactly what they are. Thanks to the Siberian huskies, people survived in a harsh inhospitable climate.
For the most part, people think that huskies are gray-white, somewhat similar to "gray brothers", with eyes only the color of the sky, fluffy like from the cover of a magazine. In fact, this is a show class, that is, those breed individuals that take part in exhibition events. Working dogs are not like that at all. They have a lighter skeleton, they are more mobile. There are enough show pets in Russia, but there are not so many real workers. There are such "hard workers" in Alaska in Europe, where regular dog sled racing competitions are organized.
A real musher (driver) must know the nicknames of all his pets. This condition is required. When the dogs go in a harness, you need to control them: praise someone, “growl” at someone, cheer up or scold. Next to Siberian huskies you feel like a hero of the works of Jack London. These are wonderful dogs, with whom it is so pleasant to communicate. In the capital of the state of Alaska, in the city of Nome, in 1907, a dog breeding club was created. The organization pioneered dog sled racing across Alaska. The instructions and the course to be followed by the competitors have been prepared, reviewed and approved by the community members. They decided to lead her from the city of Nome to Kendel and back. This segment was equal to fifty-three kilometers. Even according to modern criteria, the route is the highest in the category of extreme.
1908 marked the start of the first races. Many participants competed in them with their pets from different countries. Among them was a Siberian Russian merchant named Gusak. He brought a team of small dogs with him. Since the pets were small, many made fun of the merchant, but he believed in his four-legged friends and came to the finish line first.
The young Scotsman, the gold miner Fokun Maura Ramsey, was so sunk into the soul of "little dogs" that he hired a ship and sailed to Siberia for his new Siberian pets. This journey turned out to be a pretty penny for him, but he got what he was so longing for - twenty-seven thoroughbred huskies. All that he had, he gave for four-legged athletes - twenty thousand dollars, at that time a huge wealth.
The Scotsman bought the dogs from Markov, a Russian settler. He was greedy and pulled all his savings from Ramsey. Deprived of money, but satisfied with the "purchase", he brought four-legged friends to Alaska. Already in 1910 he took part in competitions. Three teams of his husky were displayed at the race. Two of them took first places. This is how the Siberian "little dogs" gained recognition in Alaska.
Description of the external standard of the Siberian Husky
A dog of medium build, graceful, fast and graceful. Used as mounts or companions. They are very hardy. Dogs with a good nervous organization, human-oriented. According to the criteria, the height at the withers in males is from 53 cm to 60 cm, in bitches from 50 cm to 56 cm. The weight reaches from 23 kg to 29 kg. Free movement - with gait.
- Head harmonious in size, in good proportion to the body. Its occipital part is slightly rounded, on the forehead it expands and narrows towards the eye sockets.
- Muzzle average in length, equal to the skull. The nasal bridge without hump is straight. It is not very wide, but not narrow either. Its ending is neither sharp nor dull. The transition of the muzzle to the frontal part is clear. The lips fit well. Their pigmentation is black. Strong teeth form a scissor bite.
- Nose black in gray, red or black dogs. Brown and liver dogs have a brown nose. Flesh-colored or pinkish in white individuals. It can also be streaked - "snowy nose".
- Eyes Husky oblique, elongated. Their size and fit are medium. The color of the iris of the eye is very wide, but the color of "blue ice" predominates. There may even be multi-colored eyes. The eyelids are always dark-pigmented and tight-fitting. For example, one is blue, the other is brown. The look is expressive and intelligent.
- Ears medium, pointed, triangular, erect. They grow on the head high and close to each other, strictly directed upwards. The cartilage is thick. Densely covered with hair.
- Neck average in length. It is raised, has a smooth curve and a high fit. When driving, it is directed slightly forward.
- Frame husky elongated, compact. The ribcage is of sufficient depth and width. Ribs slightly widened laterally. The back is strong, flat along the entire length. The loin is springy, narrower than the chest. The croup is lowered slightly at an angle from the back.
- Tail placed lower than the spine. It twists and bends over its back in the shape of a sickle when the dog walks or runs. In a calm state, it is lowered down and smoothly bent. Covered with thick, beautiful hair especially along the lower edge. Something like a fox.
- Front limbs Parallel set, strong but not heavy bone. The distance between them is moderate. The shoulder blades are strictly backward. The shoulders are placed at a slight slope. The elbows are pressed to the body. The hind ones are straight, parallel to each other. The thighs are firm, well muscled and strong. The knee joint is movable. The hock joint is well defined and close to the ground.
- Paws in the form of a feline in a ball, directed forward. The fingers are not long, compact and the canvas is pressed. Wool grows between them, which protects from sub-zero temperatures. The paw pads are springy. The nails are strong, which provides a good grip. Dewclaws are removed.
- The coat is double. It provides reliable protection from wind, rain and cold. This allows them to survive in very low temperatures. The length of the guard hair is medium, not long. The dense, soft undercoat supports it well. Looking at the husky, one can say that she is well dressed, but this does not interfere with seeing all forms of the dog.
- Skin fits tightly to the muscles.
- Color Siberian dogs are diverse. There are black, gray white, wolf. On the head there can be masks of different shapes. The eyes are outlined with black eyeliner.
Husky dog behavior
Siberian Huskies have an independent, slightly stubborn personality. They lend themselves well to training, just do not try to be more cunning than them. Where other dogs do not pay attention to it, they will think - no, today I do not want to do this. Independence is genetically embedded in them, because there are conditions when no one else will make a decision except for them. They are so perfectly prepared for the harsh conditions that sometimes they themselves look for adventure, so there are cases when pets have escaped - especially males.
Dogs are very fond of digging snow or soil. Husky are friendly dogs. Their owner is loved and distinguished from the rest of the people in the house. All family members are friendly, especially the little ones. With children, they love to run and play. With great pleasure they will keep you company wherever you go. They do not conflict with their fellows unless there is a reason for that.
Siberian husky health
To keep your pet in top shape, you need to know how to take care of it. That is, a dog from puppyhood should be properly fed and given balanced physical activity. It needs to be vaccinated on time, and antiparasitic procedures should be systematically carried out. Since this breed is a sled breed, the greatest load goes on their connective ligaments, tendons and bones. For the prevention of bone diseases, working huskies need to be given chondroprotectors, vitamins and minerals, especially calcium.
Siberian husky care
If you want to have a Siberian Husky in your apartment, then wool in the house is provided for you all year round. You will only be that constantly comb out your "shaggy" and clean the apartment with a vacuum cleaner. So it is better to have a private house and a dog enclosure.
- Wool dogs with a double undercoat are combed out at least twice a week. To do this, use a slicker. When the pet sheds, the manipulation is carried out every day, so you will help the dog get rid of dead hair faster. They bathe "fluffies" as they become dirty.
- Ears should be systematically checked and, if excessive sulfur has accumulated there, they should be cleaned. This is easy to do. Fill the auricle with a special cleaner, massage and wipe off any excess with a napkin.
- Eyes inspect, if you find something amiss, immediately take the husky to the veterinarian. Well, when dirt or dust gets in, just wipe with a clean and damp sponge.
- Teeth you need to clean the dog from a young age. This can be done with zoo paste and a brush. You can also clean them with regular charcoal purchased from the pharmacy. You need to wet it and rub the dog's teeth. There are many special toys for the prevention of dental plaque. Their shape and material contribute to the excellent removal of all excess from the teeth of the dog when chewing.
- Claws sled, mobile dogs almost always grind down themselves. If for some reason they are longer than usual in the industry, then they must be cut. Nail clippers will help you in solving this issue. Just do not touch the live edge in any case, otherwise the pet will be hurt.
- Feeding from a person's table is not suitable for any dog, as it is salty, fatty, fried and pickled food. In nature, canines are meat eaters. Your husky's natural feeding needs to be properly balanced. If you take it as a percentage, then not fatty meat is eighty percent, but the remaining twenty, cereals, eggs, cottage cheese and some vegetables. Vitamins should not be neglected, especially when the dog is in the process of intensive growth. Also, minerals will help strengthen her bone apparatus. Ready-made food is also an excellent and correct choice, especially when the breeder does not have time to prepare meals on his own. The only question is to choose the right one. Buy only premium and super premium concentrates. You can poison your pet with poor quality, cheap and unknown food. Now the market is replete with a large selection, and there are a lot of fakes of well-known companies. Be careful, in spontaneous markets with random people, you run the risk of running into a poor-quality product. Only pet stores for animals specialize in good products. For each pet, you can choose something individual. It all depends on the specific breed, the state of the pet's body. For example, an adult dog or puppy, a pregnant or lactating bitch, what functions does the pet perform, whether it has digestive or hair problems, and so on.
- Walks and loads Siberian huskies are very long lasting and extensive. This breed is not suitable for keeping in a subtropical climate. Animals generally do better in colder climates. Their fur provides some protection from the heat, but like other canines they need shade and water. They need a living space to release their energy.
Siberian husky training
There is special testing to determine whether the dog will "run" or not. They take an adult, trained individual who knows what to do, two or three puppies are harnessed after him and released. And then they observe the behavior of the dogs. As a rule, all Siberian huskies pass this test with a bang, because such properties are inherent in them, at the genetic level. Later, upon reaching the earliest eleven months, the pet begins to work. Previously, in no case is it possible. The animal's body must be formed, and too much stress can greatly harm it. They begin training in early autumn so that they throw off their winter coat and they do not get hot. There is a special card into which they are harnessed and begin serious training. They teach commands: right, left, stand.
Interesting facts about Siberian huskies
Once upon a time, Siberian huskies saved the inhabitants of the town of Nome in Alaska. In 1905, diphtheria spread rapidly there. Due to the remoteness of the area and the harsh climate, it was difficult to get medicines. Therefore, it seems to us that such an insignificant disease was very dangerous and even fatal. People were dying of dehydration. And here are several volunteers on a husky harness, barely overcame a severe blizzard and nevertheless delivered healing immune serum to the dying residents. The leader of the team was a dog named "Belto". He was a truly heroic dog. Subsequently, appreciating his merits and adoring the feat of "Belto", a monument was erected to him in the central park of the city of New York.
Siberian huskies have developed incredible abilities. The dog can change its metabolism. Scientists to this day cannot explain how this turns out. These animals can run for many hours in a row, generating energy from fat reserves, while not getting tired.
Purchase and price of a Siberian husky puppy
Before buying such a dog, you need to carefully study all the features of the breed. You need to know what it is intended for, the features of its content, its illness and other important nuances in behavior. Next, decide, why do you still need this dog? Come to the kennel club, chat with husky breeders. Experts will tell you everything they know and advise you on how to proceed. Experienced professionals immediately see what kind of person is in front of them and you can sell him a puppy or not. A lot of people are denied due to their inexperience and incompetence, or I advise you to get a completely different breed. If you have finally decided, then feel free to go to the nursery. There they will pick up a puppy for you, everything will depend on your goal. The price of a husky is about $ 500-900.
More informative information about the husky in the following video:
