Siberian Husky

[Sharna3]

1. What is my relationship with the breed? (ie breeder, first time owner etc)

First time owner, have a female sibe that was a rescue at 10mths, she's now nearly 6.

2. Where and why was the breed first developed?

Very old breed, but I'm definitely not an expert on their origins.

3. How common is it in Australia?

Fairly common, and sadly a lot of rescues out there. Cute pups, and people don't seem to realise that they grown into real dogs!

4. What is the average lifespan?

12-15yrs

5. What is the general temperament/personality?

In my experience, incredibly curious, tenacious, can be amazingly affectionate one minute then act like you dont exist the next. They are the cat of the dog world. Not a guard dog, will love everyone they see. Not great with smaller animals thanks to the prey drive but generally with other dogs, all they want to do is play. We've had issues as Jazz is very exuberant and other dogs can struggle with that - they get aggressive or defensive and she will not back down ever.

6. How much daily exercise is needed for the average adult?

Jazz is happy with a 20 min walk a day, plus some mental stimulation - training or just backyard play, plus her exercise with our other dog. If we don't walk her though, she turns into "Destructo-Jazz"

7. Is it a breed that a first time dog owner could easily cope with?

No way. They are an amazing breed but if you've never owned any dog, this might be too much. Sibe's are full on and need a lot of effort - they are worth it though!!! I'm not 'bagging' the breed, but I think they aren't the best introduction to dog ownership!

8. Can solo dogs of this breed easily occupy themselves for long periods?

I think a Sibe will always be best with companions around it.

9. How much grooming is required?

A fair amount..., as others have said, they shed A LOT. Its phenomenal. We still aren't used to it and we've had her five years!! we have siberan husky "tumbleweeds" all over the place!

10. Is it too boisterous for very small children or for infirm people (unless the dog is well trained)?

Like any dog, can be full on with kids, but is not significantly crazy.. we've found that Jazz's level of grace and agility means she rarely knocks into our friends kids.

One thing I will say - Sibes are renowned for their .... 'stubborness', or their natural aversion to obedience. But our Sibe, Jazz, is a very well trained and obedient dog. We say "sit", she sits. We tell her to "heel" she returns to sit by our left leg. We whisper "drop" and she's down in an instant. So they can be trained, definitely. On the flipside, unless we have her in an area that is fully fenced or appears fenced (ie a low wall around a park) we will NOT let her off-lead. She just wouldn't come back... not til she was ready anyway. I think that no matter how well trained your sibe is, their prey drive and love of running means they will never be a fully tamed breed!!!

[SilverHaze]

hey,

i have a 4 yr old husky male, which i brought from melb being told he was 2 1/2.

he is a beautiful male which i show but he talks so much. iv had him for 4 months now and my female samoyed is in heat. unfortunately i dont have a dog run so i keep my bitch inside. he constantly howls and whines when i take her away from him even when shes not in heat (but its worse when shes in heat).

iv tried everything to calm him down but he continues to howl and the neighbours get very mad.

is their any thing i can try to make him more dependant, as my samoyed was as happy as anything being alone. he also cant be tied up and left alone as he continually barks and whines.

any ideas is much appreciated.

also he is an extremly slow eater and is very picky and underweight. i have him on eaglepak and have found that he will eat pasta mixed with raw mince and vegies, but raw mince is so expensive just for a dog. he wont eat bones unless my samoyed is with him and hasnt eaten a great deal since shes in heat any other suggestions?

thanks

Hi Ruski,

Have you spoken to the dogs breeder? Have they been able to give you any advice?

If the dog has always had the company of other dogs, then unfortuantly i don't think you are going to be able to resolve this issue. Siberians are pack animals, and many of them always need either human or canine company.

They get very lonely on their own.

Why does he need to be seperated from his canine companion? If she is in heat, just ensue that one of them is crated and they are under supervision.

As for the food - bones won't put weight on him, so i wouldn't worry about him eating them. Have you tried chiken mince? That isn't too expensive. Our dogs get eagle pack (1 cup) plus chicken mince (large handful) and that is enough to keep them in condition. Or you can tried tined tuna/sardines mixed with dry food.

No unusual for your dogs appetitite to decrease while your bitch is in heat - he's pining for her.

These are all questions your breeder should be able to answer.

Where did you get your boy from?

Regards,

Sophia

Snofall Siberians

[ruski18]

hey,

i have a 4 yr old husky male, which i brought from melb being told he was 2 1/2.

he is a beautiful male which i show but he talks so much. iv had him for 4 months now and my female samoyed is in heat. unfortunately i dont have a dog run so i keep my bitch inside. he constantly howls and whines when i take her away from him even when shes not in heat (but its worse when shes in heat).

iv tried everything to calm him down but he continues to howl and the neighbours get very mad.

is their any thing i can try to make him more dependant, as my samoyed was as happy as anything being alone. he also cant be tied up and left alone as he continually barks and whines.

any ideas is much appreciated.

also he is an extremly slow eater and is very picky and underweight. i have him on eaglepak and have found that he will eat pasta mixed with raw mince and vegies, but raw mince is so expensive just for a dog. he wont eat bones unless my samoyed is with him and hasnt eaten a great deal since shes in heat any other suggestions?

thanks

Hi Ruski,

Have you spoken to the dogs breeder? Have they been able to give you any advice?

If the dog has always had the company of other dogs, then unfortuantly i don't think you are going to be able to resolve this issue. Siberians are pack animals, and many of them always need either human or canine company.

They get very lonely on their own.

Why does he need to be seperated from his canine companion? If she is in heat, just ensue that one of them is crated and they are under supervision.

As for the food - bones won't put weight on him, so i wouldn't worry about him eating them. Have you tried chiken mince? That isn't too expensive. Our dogs get eagle pack (1 cup) plus chicken mince (large handful) and that is enough to keep them in condition. Or you can tried tined tuna/sardines mixed with dry food.

No unusual for your dogs appetitite to decrease while your bitch is in heat - he's pining for her.

These are all questions your breeder should be able to answer.

Where did you get your boy from?

Regards,

Sophia

Snofall Siberians

hi sophia,

its a very long story about why and how we got our boy.

he is from lihuk kennels in melb and was sold to another breeder who sold him to a person that was buying a bitch from one of his litters.

that same litter happen to be a boy that i got from them but passed away. i was told about the dad was for sale and was told he was 2 1/2 yrs old.

got him flown to WA and realised his papers said he was 4. since then i have contacted the ppl who sold him to me and they have contacted me since i went off after they told me that they didnt realise he was 4 not 2 1/2 (so i only paid half for him $350)

so i have a personal attachment to him since he is the father of my dead puppy and looks so alike.

my bitch is in heat and because i work allday i cant supervise her in a crate.

as far as i was told he has been a kennel dog most of his life so i doubt he was ever left alone.

i will try chicken mince, iv tried tuna but it makes all his biscuits soggy and wont eat them, are they allowed to have sardines, given that they have bones?

how many times do ur sibes eat a day and what type of eagle pak are they on?

i have the anchovy one i think.

thanks

chelsea

[SilverHaze]

OK coming from Lihuk he def would have always had other canine companionship.

Sounds like he come in a round about way to you for sure, but nice that he was able to come and replace the pup you sadly lost.

What is his name? Photos are a must - come and visit us in the sibe thread in the breed forum!

My dogs are on either power or natural. Fish bones are fine - just make sure the fish is raw. We give tinned sardines, and also whole fresh sardines and other fish.

Such a shame that you can't keep the dogs near each, he will def be feeling lonely, poor bugger!

[HollyE]

This is fantastic!!

I feed my pups..

Bonnie dry food (switching slowly over to Science diet sensitive) and a BARF diet (raw food), I also add tucker time puppy into their food, they get fish treats etc also!

[HollyE]

This is fantastic!!

I feed my pups..

Bonnie dry food (switching slowly over to Science diet sensitive) and a BARF diet (raw food), I also add tucker time puppy into their food, they get fish treats etc also!

Wow how i have changed since then!

I feed Holistic Select now and RAW also.

[whiskedaway]

Something to note would be that sibes will try the same things on with every person they meet and they will remember who lets them get away with what. For example - i have never tolerated Zero begging for food while we're eating. He knows this but if I am sitting at the table on one side and someone who has not told Zero he's not allowed to do it is sitting on the other, he will beg them and will try to do it so that I don't see him doing it. Once I have told him to back off he will stay away but if I was to get up and leave the table, he will go back to begging that person. The more people who are there who do not know his rules, the more he will try on.

I completely second this. Akira will not beg for food with me or my OH (she'll hang around when we're eating breakfast, but that's about it) but when my sister was puppy-sitting when we first got her, the first thing she did was pinch a piece of pizza from her. Likewise, she'd never even think of chewing on my hands, but my OH gets chewed on all the time. She knows exactly who will let her get away with things.

[my_sibe_owns_me]

Hi

i'd very much like to hear from other owners how they deal with the Sibes 'alpha male'/dominance issue - ie how do you control this or maintain your dominance over the Sibe. is this something that has to be done from a pup? What if someone adopts a rescue husky, how do they maintain or establish their leadership role over the sibe?

Cheers.

I suggest using the Nothing In Life Is Free method (NILIF). Has worked well for mine. Start it the second you get the dog no matter the age. If you get an adult you should be treating it like the 8-12 week puppy you would be getting. Start by crate training and watching it around the house to correct the wrong behavior and praise the good. This will A. help your bond and B. set up the foundation of your leadership. And sometimes when all else fails you have to make them think something is THEIR choice when really you have just out smarted them into thinking that. :rolleyes:

Also keep in mind that by nature sibes tend to be possessive and if you let them get away with it it can lead to some pretty nasty aggression issues. Thats why I always suggest to people that they should do basic training (in their homes or going to class) with their Siberians when they get them and why I believe that NILIF method because it teaches them that EVERYTHING is YOURS. Your just being nice enough to SHARE with them.

Also you have to look at the background behind your sibe. There is so many of them for sale from questionable lines that you really need to know what you are getting yourself into.

[Nursy]

Is there anyone who is interested in adopting a female Siberian Husky who is 9 Years old a the RSPCA shelter in Pearcedale, Vic? Or anyone who knows of someone who would be interested? She would be best suited to someone who has another Husky. Her profile is on their site.

[~*Shell*~]

Is there anyone who is interested in adopting a female Siberian Husky who is 9 Years old a the RSPCA shelter in Pearcedale, Vic? Or anyone who knows of someone who would be interested? She would be best suited to someone who has another Husky. Her profile is on their site.

There is one at the Rouse Hill (sydney) RSPCA too that I have heard is a sweetheart. Unfortunately there are just so many of them in pounds at this time of the year though no fault of their own.

[idigadog]

Is there anyone who is interested in adopting a female Siberian Husky who is 9 Years old a the RSPCA shelter in Pearcedale, Vic? Or anyone who knows of someone who would be interested? She would be best suited to someone who has another Husky. Her profile is on their site.

Poor baby Have you tried the Siberian Husky Club of Vic http://www.siberianhuskyvic.org.au/rescue/. I know they state that they only do rehoming now for club members, but it might be worth a shot?

[Nursy]

Is there anyone who is interested in adopting a female Siberian Husky who is 9 Years old a the RSPCA shelter in Pearcedale, Vic? Or anyone who knows of someone who would be interested? She would be best suited to someone who has another Husky. Her profile is on their site.

Poor baby Have you tried the Siberian Husky Club of Vic http://www.siberianhuskyvic.org.au/rescue/. I know they state that they only do rehoming now for club members, but it might be worth a shot?

I have tryed them, but they couldn't help. They said it would be hard to adopt an older dog. I feel sorry for her because nobody wants to adopt her due to her age.

[The Bears]

I wish I could Nursy - I personally love the older sibes....but I have a mally in samoyed clothing with the same-sex thing. Any update on this bubs - miracle of miracles she may have been adopted?

But onto the reason for my post. Someone suggested I post in here for advice. I've recently rescued a 1yo husky who needs to have some knee surgery. She's a little livewire so we're training her to "go to her mat" which will be placed inside a crate, to keep her as still as possible during recuperation with her foster carer. Problem being I've never had to crate a dog in my life, so I don't know what size would be appropriate. She's standard husky length, but tiny in that she only weighs 16.6kgs.

I've got my eyes on a 42" and 48" metal collapsable crate. Are either of these appropriate? How much room should I give her? Should I get bigger or smaller than these listed? Any and all advice appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

[whiskedaway]

I wish I could Nursy - I personally love the older sibes....but I have a mally in samoyed clothing with the same-sex thing. Any update on this bubs - miracle of miracles she may have been adopted?

But onto the reason for my post. Someone suggested I post in here for advice. I've recently rescued a 1yo husky who needs to have some knee surgery. She's a little livewire so we're training her to "go to her mat" which will be placed inside a crate, to keep her as still as possible during recuperation with her foster carer. Problem being I've never had to crate a dog in my life, so I don't know what size would be appropriate. She's standard husky length, but tiny in that she only weighs 16.6kgs.

I've got my eyes on a 42" and 48" metal collapsable crate. Are either of these appropriate? How much room should I give her? Should I get bigger or smaller than these listed? Any and all advice appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

I use a 36" for my Sibe who is a little girl at 20" tall - it's big enough that she can lie down in, though her ears get a bit squashed if she stands up (it's actually the Lappie's crate, we very rarely crate the Sibe). So I'd say a 42" should be fine.

[~*Shell*~]

Zero has the 48" crate - it's HUGE. I'm about ot buy him a 42" one so it fits in the car easier

[Raybans]

Firstly Sorry if this is in the wrong place.

We found a lovely 2 year old Husky at a RSPCA shelter, and just waiting on the vet report/desexing, and with a bit of luck everything is good, and we might be able to bring her to her new home this weekend.

While in my youth I worked with dogs and horses a lot, (farm dogs, cattle dogs, hunting dogs, and some with elkhounds)

this will be my first husky. (been looking for a husky or elkhound or malamute)

so I am after some tips and advice, as I have been doing a lot of reading (over the last 6 months or so)

What do you find is the best comb/brush for a husky.

a. I found one at Petbarn called a Furminator and wanted to know if experienced husky lovers would recommend it.

b. I have been looking at using the Science Diet or Pedigree for dry food, and supplimenting it with Canned or Fresh. I have been told that with the Science diet the dog will actually digest more, and have less poo. And be healthier too. Love to know opinion on this.

c. I can not stand the idea of a choke chain, and I think it would be wrong with a pulling bread, but they had a different type that was 80% cloth color and then chain, so that there was a minimum size that the collar would go if the dog was pulling. Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.

d. Do you guys use the Kong Toys.

So while it has been many years since I have had a dog, I have really been looking for a companion, and am really looking forward to the challenges and rewards from a breed like this.

i would like to know if there are any good obedience instructors as well in the sydney area, that understand the husky. I am in the bankstown/yagoona area, but would be more then willing to travel around the greater sydney area for the right help.

For training dog treats, I was thinking the liver and kangaroo treats that the petstore has, are there any comments or suggestions around that.

and I do want to see if she is interested in some sledding one day once I have had a chance for her to get to know me, but finidng it hard to find information on how to train them to do this, and follow instructions. for stopping and starting and turning.

sorry if this is a lot of questions, but this seemed like the best forum for huskies in australia.

[whiskedaway]

Hi Raybans. Congrats on your first Husky and well done on rescuing one. I hope she has a great life with you.

In answer to some of your questions:

1. I wouldn't use a furminator on a Husky. They rip the top coat and are really expensive. My best brush for dealing with shedding is actually a moulting comb. Mine is made by Noah's and I bought it from Pet Network online - only cost $7. (http://www.petnetwork.com.au/cgi-bin/shopping.pl?page=combs.htm&cart_id=169250) I also use a brush and a fine/coarse comb.

2. The best food is the one your dog does best on. So sometimes it can be a bit of trial and error. Some people won't touch Science Diet at all, I have no opinion on it as I've never tried it. I've had Akira on both Supercoat and now ProPlan, and I have to say the better quality the food, the less smelly the farts and the less poo! A lot of people find that canned food gives really smelly farts. A good quality dry is the best thing to feed IMO with no more than 20% raw meat so that they get an adequate calcium intake.

3. You're talking about a martingale. Have used them on Akira (actually I've tried everything, because she is a puller) though I do find the easiest to control her is a slip collar (or a choke chain if you'd rather call it that). We only use a fabric slip though so that it doesn't harm her coat. Once again, you'll often go through a few different things before you find the one that works best for your dog.

4. Used a kong for a fair while, but most of the things that go in them (peanut butter, raw chicken) upset my Husky's belly, so I use a treat ball that I can actually put kibble in. Keeps her amused for ages.

Can't really say much about instructors in Sydney, though hopefully Shell will come in here - she's an instructor and owns a Husky and lives in NSW.

Come say hi in the Husky thread and/or the Spitz thread in the Breed Subforums. You might get more replies there than you will here.

[moonbaby]

Hi

I too rescued a Husky in December from the pound. He was 7 years old then, so now he's 8. I had never had a Husky b4 either. (German Shepherd and Labradors b4)

When we got Humphrey he was very underweight and even now he is not at all food motivated and so it was very hard to get weight onto him. We bought him a Kong, which he looked at and gave us a look like 'what do you want me to do with that?'. He's completely not interested in any treats, and doesnt even show any interest when we are eating our dinner. Very different to German Shepherds and Labradors

We feed him Nutro Natures Choice (Chicken) dry food and wet. (You can get it at Petbarn - its currently on special!) We tried the lamb version too but he prefers the chicken, and it gives him nice firm stools. He also has an easily upset stomach, he may love bones and the like but they upset him. He also has days when he doesnt eat at all and then he starts again, so we now dont panic about that, he's just different to any other dog we've had

As for the Furminator, I think its great and do use it. When he first came to us he was in bad condition and his fur was coming out in handfuls, you could ruffle up his coat out side and it would look like some some small animal had been destroyed. We would have to vaccuum daily but now he's in good condition its not nearly as bad.

Humphrey is not a jumper but he is a digger, Huskys can be great escape artists so you need to be careful of that. We have built him a pen complete with a kennel AND a human size lounge and is about 4M x 5M and on a concrete floor under our pergola and he is very happy there when we are at work. He cant dig.

Exercise is the key! Humphrey gets 2 walks a day at least 30min long, then he is satisfied, and will curl up beside us on the lounge like a big cat and go to sleep.

Good Luck, and it's great you have rescued another Husky

Regards Robyn

[moonbaby]

Hi

I too rescued a Husky in December from the pound. He was 7 years old then, so now he's 8. I had never had a Husky b4 either. (German Shepherd and Labradors b4)

When we got Humphrey he was very underweight and even now he is not at all food motivated and so it was very hard to get weight onto him. We bought him a Kong, which he looked at and gave us a look like 'what do you want me to do with that?'. He's completely not interested in any treats, and doesnt even show any interest when we are eating our dinner. Very different to German Shepherds and Labradors

We feed him Nutro Natures Choice (Chicken) dry food and wet. (You can get it at Petbarn - its currently on special!) We tried the lamb version too but he prefers the chicken, and it gives him nice firm stools. He also has an easily upset stomach, he may love bones and the like but they upset him. He also has days when he doesnt eat at all and then he starts again, so we now dont panic about that, he's just different to any other dog we've had

As for the Furminator, I think its great and do use it. When he first came to us he was in bad condition and his fur was coming out in handfuls, you could ruffle up his coat out side and it would look like some some small animal had been destroyed. We would have to vaccuum daily but now he's in good condition its not nearly as bad.

Humphrey is not a jumper but he is a digger, Huskys can be great escape artists so you need to be careful of that. We have built him a pen complete with a kennel AND a human size lounge and is about 4M x 5M and on a concrete floor under our pergola and he is very happy there when we are at work. He cant dig.

Exercise is the key! Humphrey gets 2 walks a day at least 30min long, then he is satisfied, and will curl up beside us on the lounge like a big cat and go to sleep.

Good Luck, and it's great you have rescued another Husky

Regards Robyn

and we use a harness which we got from America on the internet called 'Nordkyn Outfitters' and it's great

[~*Shell*~]

Hahahaha - I looked at this and went "hmmm, what did whiskedaway post in the sibe thread?"

I agree with everything WA said - i have a furminator and I NEVER use it. It can't even get into Zero's coat. It just skims the top coat. IMO nothing is better than a comb and a pin brush. Mine were expensive ($50 greyhound comb, $240 worth of chris christenson brushes) but you definitely don't have to go down that route! get yourself a comb that's comfortable to hold in your hand with the teeth not too far apart and a pin brush and that's your grooming needs covered some of us also have forced air dryers (made for drying dogs) but again, that's just one of those things to make life a little easier. Zero is a big boy and so i find blow drying him when he's blowing coat really helps to lessen the amount of time spent grooming the fluff out of him. Everyone grooms a bit differently - it all comes down to what you prefer and it might take a little bit of trial and error to find what works for you

Zero is on artemis grain free kibble - keep in mind that your girl is a desexed spitz breed when you're feeding. They tend to need less food than other breeds to maintain weight. Zero is on 3/4 cup light dry food a day + training treats. He could stand to lose a couple of kilos too. Zero has been on nearly everything under the sun and I have found artemis to be the best for him - at the same time, a friend found that it didn't agree with her dog so moved them to something else. Find out what's best for your dog! Zero won't touch pedigree or science diet - but I know plenty of dogs that would scoff it down

Speaking of food - i find the best training treats are soft and easily eaten. Devon/bbq chicken/cheese works a treat! There are a few really good obedience clubs in sydney. Club is great because it means that your dog is in a class with other dogs and gets some distraction training in at least once a week. They also do everything from baby puppies right through to high-level obedience and trialling. I teach at hills district training and kennel club but that's a bit of a hike for you - deerbush, sutherland or blacktown would probably be closer for you. Clubs tend to be cheaper too. Our new members pay $40 to join the club and then $4 for each week they attend training. If you don't attend, you don't pay

As for collars, personally i use a flat leather collar but again, it's what your dog does best on. Neither of you is going to enjoy a walk if she's just pulling you around! A martingale is fine - i know lots of people who use them. I used to use one but I find that Z doesn't need it anymore so he has a ruthless leather collar now.

Oh and join us in the sibe thread. Zero can't sled because of his back but there are plenty there who do! The siberian husky club of NSW is also a great place to get some advice on sledding - they run introduction days and have sibe meets. Really nice people too! :D