At-A-Glance: The Siberian Husky Dog Breed
The Siberian Husky dog breed can be described as alert,independent, clever, and extremely adventurous. These dogs absolutely love to run long
distances and unless thoroughly trained may tend to roam if left unattended. Because this breed was originally bred to perform his task with less
human control, he tends to be more intelligent and on the stubborn side. In other words the Husky loves to roam and do his own thing making
him rather resistant to training, particularly with the “Come” command. The Husky is usually friendly to almost anyone and is usually good with
children, well-behaved around other house pets but may be a bit aggressive towards strange dogs outside.
The Siberian Husky stands 20-23 inches at the shoulder and weighs between 35-60 pounds. He has a medium-sized athletic body with a
profusely shedding coat and dense undercoat giving the dog great insulation against the cold. In the spring the Husky loses much of this
undercoat.
History/Origin: The Siberian Husky was originally bred in Northeast Asia by the Chukchi people, and at that time
was named the Chukchi Husky. Although not much if its ancestry is known, this dog is definitely related to the Spitz family.
During the Alaskan Gold Rush, these dogs became extremely important to life in the Arctic regions.
Side Note: The popular Alaska Sweepstakes Race, which covered over 400 miles in the distance
from Nome all the way to Candle, became an entrance for the Chukchi Huskies in 1909.
These dogs did not really fare well in popularity at that time, however, there was one racer that was impressed with these animals and
imported 70 of them to train for winning the 1910 race. Amazingly enough, his three teams of Huskies did indeed win first, second, and
fourth-place. As you can probably guess, this immediately set the stage for the Siberian Husky to become the dominating winner for
future races.
In 1925 the Siberian Husky started to show up in Canada and then soon after the United States. The AKC recognized this dog as an official
breed in 1930. In World War II, a fair amount of Huskies served with soldiers for the US Army's search and rescue missions. This further
helped its popularity among dog enthusiasts. Eventually it became a common household pet and of course remains the most popular of any
Arctic dog breed in existence today.
Proper Care & Maintenance: Physical upkeep for this dog breed must require plenty of daily exercise, preferably with
long jogs or better yet, off-leash running where it is safe for them to roam. A person with an active lifestyle will enjoy the companionship of a
Siberian Husky. These are perfect pets to have if you live in an area where the weather is cold. They also enjoy pulling exercises,
such as sleds and other objects.
The Siberian Husky is generally very healthy with absolutely no major health concerns. Minor issues which may pop up, but are rare,
include hypothyroidism, PRA, corneal dystrophy, and cataracts. Dog enthusiasts who become the proud owner of a Siberian Husky can look
forward to a lifespan of up to 13 years.
Grooming requires a thorough brushing once or twice per week. Their coat runs short, but may need daily brushing when experiencing times
of heavy shedding.
The ideal home would be a house with a fenced yard.
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