Description

The Siberian Husky is a medium-sized working dog, quick and light on his feet and free and graceful in action. His moderately compact and well furred body, erect ears and brush tail suggest his Northern heritage. His characteristic gait is smooth and seemingly effortless. He performs his original function in harness most capably, carrying a light load at a moderate speed over great distances. His body proportions and form reflect this basic balance of power, speed and endurance. The males of the Siberian Husky breed are masculine but never coarse; the bitches are feminine but without weakness of structure. In proper condition, with muscle firm and well developed, the Siberian Husky does not carry excess weight.

Temperment

Siberian Huskies are loving, gentle, playful, happy-go-lucky dogs that are fond of their families. Keen, docile, social, relaxed and rather casual, this is a high-energy dog, especially when young. Good with children and friendly with strangers, they are not watchdogs, for they bark little and love everyone. Huskies are very intelligent and trainable, but they will only obey a command if they see the human is stronger minded than themselves. If the handler does not display leadership, they will not see the point in obeying. Training takes patience, consistency and an understanding of the Arctic dog character. If you are not this dog’s 100% firm, confident, consistent pack leader, he will take advantage, becoming willful and mischievous. Huskies make an excellent jogging companion, as long as it is not too hot. This breed likes to howl and gets bored easily. Does not do well if left alone for a long period of time without a great deal of exercise beforehand. A lonely Husky, or a Husky that does not get enough mental and physical exercise can be very destructive. Remember that the Husky is a sled dog in heart and soul. It is good with other pets if raised with them from puppyhood. Huskies are thrifty eaters and need less food than you might expect. This breed likes to roam. Siberian Huskies can make wonderful companions for people who are aware of what to expect from these beautiful and intelligent animals and are willing to put the time and energy into them.

Training

Learning the theory on how to train a Siberian husky will probably not prepare you for the practicality of the exercise. Intelligence, stubbornness and the questioning nature of your dog may prove frustrating. Your husky will learn a trick quickly and soon become disinterested if asked to repeat it too often. Training sessions could easily become a case of you saying “jump” and your dog asking “why”.

The answer to the question, how to train a Siberian husky, is as simple as this; Treat him as an intellectual equal. Be aware that he only needs a small amount of positive reinforcement and reward based training to learn something new. The husky will only respond to positive handling and training. He will work out what you want from him quickly and with minimal effort. Your job is to work out how to motivate him to repeat his prior learning when required.

Avoid a Stalemate Situation... There is absolutely no point in persevering on a training stalemate situation with your husky. His stubbornness will prevail and training will become a frustrating exercise. If your request is falling on deaf ears, then change tactics to achieve your desired result. If you are asking something of him and the request is being met with lack of interest, then briefly ask for something else and reward him on delivery. You will take him by surprise which can then be used to coerce him into the previous request. How to train a Siberian husky, along with any other super intelligent yet independent breed can take thought and a little trickery.

Grooming

Siberians are considered easily groomed and require little care most of the time. Taking note that the coat sheds heavily twice a year. During that time they need to be brushed and combed daily.

Size

The ideal height for adult male Siberian Huskies is from 21 to 23.5 inches at the withers. For females, the ideal is from 20 to 22 inches at the withers. The weight of the individual dog should be in good proportion to the height, but typically males should weigh between 45 and 60 pounds and females should weigh 35 to 50 pounds. Huskies are slightly longer than they are tall.