If you are the owner (or potential owner) of a Siberian or Alaskan husky, you will need to learn about the specific needs of this truly unique dog breed. Huskies have been bred to travel long distances in unfavorable weather conditions, for this reason they need a lot of exercise (they give the best of themselves if trained properly), and their fur needs special care. Caring for a husky is quite challenging, but it's definitely worth it - these dogs can become truly inseparable companions!
Steps
Method 1 of 5: Training
Step 1. Know that you will need to keep your husky in training
These dogs are full of energy, and they need a lot of exercise. Moving makes them happy. A healthy husky should walk the equivalent of 5-8 km a day, four days a week.
This exercise can be done in the form of running, playing with other dogs, swimming or sports (the most suitable are those similar to sled shooting, such as bikejoring)
Step 2. Increase the amount of exercise in stages
Your dog probably has the energy to do all the work starting from the first day, but it lacks training. When you take it with you on your bike rides, pedal slowly, so that it can run next to you at a leisurely pace.
Usually the dog starts running quickly right away: in this case the owner should stop him until the animal finds the right step. You have to be careful: riding a husky can easily wear him out - the dog may overheat and tire excessively from the speed. As an extreme consequence, he could even end up dreading the exercise
Step 3. Only have him exercise when it's cool
Above 18 ° C the dog should not train. If there is wind and little humidity or the dog has the opportunity to cool off in the water from time to time, then you can run it even at these temperatures.
- On summer days, let him train less and take him for a run when it's not too hot, in the morning or in the evening.
- If you have a cool home, alternate outdoor and indoor exercise.
- Remember that sled dogs are at their best when temperatures drop below -6 ° C.
- If it's hot, have him work sessions of less than 5km.
Step 4. Watch for any signs of overheating
These include: excessively labored breathing, exaggerated salivation, bright red tongue and gums (or pale gums), weakness, vomiting (with traces of blood) and collapse. Never get this far: Heatstroke can have devastating consequences for your husky.
- Give him plenty of fresh water to drink. Some dogs also love ice.
- Often, to avoid problems, it is enough to have a little common sense. If you feel faint from the heat on a hot day, think about how your dog can feel with all that fur.
- If you train him with a muzzle, make sure he can open his mouth wide enough to breathe normally. Breathing with the mouth is the only way the dog has to reduce body heat.
- The bigger the dog, the harder it is for him to keep cool. Dogs reduce their body temperature by panting. Larger dogs have more body heat to dissipate, so they take longer to cool down.
Method 2 of 5: Coat Care
Step 1. Brush your husky regularly
This will keep the coat in top condition and make the dog shed less hair around the house. You can use a dog shedding brush - this is a very effective tool that removes dead hair from the outer coat and undercoat.
Step 2. Don't wash it too much
You can of course give him a bath, but sometimes a good brushing and dry shampoo are all your dog needs. Every time you wash your dog, you also remove the oils to protect his skin. Bathe him only when necessary (for example, if he has had an encounter with a skunk) and make sure the coat dries properly to avoid skin problems.
Step 3. Never clip a husky
The coat helps the dog to regulate the body temperature. Most huskies have a double coat, consisting of an undercoat and an outer coat with protective functions. The double layer keeps the dog's body temperature constant.
- Only shear your dog if he has health problems, and on the advice of your veterinarian.
- The skin of Nordic dogs is like that of people, it is not protected from the harmful rays of the sun. When you shear your dog, you leave it unprotected.
- Also, each time you shear your dog, the undercoat loses health and the outer coat grows less soft and more prone to knotting.
Step 4. Take care of the paws
After exercising your dog, always check his paw pads to make sure they have not been damaged. Hot surfaces can burn paws and rough ones can cut them. Examine the pads carefully and check between your fingers. Check that the nails are not too long and that they do not impede the correct movement of the paw.
Dogs have sweat glands under their paws. When the warm and moist paw touches the cold snow, it is possible that the latter adheres to the fingertips, injuring the animal's skin. Simple dog boots can solve the problem; if you do not have them, make sure that the dog does not have snow attached to its paws after exercise
Method 3 of 5: Training
Step 1. Get the right equipment
To train a husky you will need a harness with a front hook and a halter collar. Other types of harnesses may work, but those with a front hook are best for teaching your dog to tow. With the help of the harness, your husky will learn to tow, while with the halter collar he will learn to walk diligently.
Use the right equipment. Never allow your dog to be towed while wearing the collar (normal or halter): it could damage the back or neck. Always use the harness when you want me to tow something
Step 2. Teach them to respond to a call from you
Teaching your dog to come to you when called is very important. The dog must be trained outdoors by keeping it on a leash. Starting training from the earliest years of age can make everything easier. The basic principle of training should be that of positive reinforcement, which consists in generating a gratification associated with correct dog behavior.
- Starting training from an early age is very important. Keep the dog on a leash inside a fenced area. Make sure he is relaxed (training him after exercising is ideal). Keep treats on hand to reward him (such as bits of cheese or chicken). Let him wander around you, then call him saying: "Come, Fido!". When he responds to the call, give him the right reward.
- Train it for a week. Training sessions should be quite short (5-10 minutes). When the dog begins to respond to the call with some frequency, stop giving him treats and only praise him. Learning to respond to a call can be very helpful for both the dog and the owner.
- The more the dog moves away from the owner, the more he is encouraged to do so. Better to limit this behavior from an early age.
Step 3. Learn to manage the husky's predatory instinct, which is quite strong
The dog may mistake cats or small animals for prey. To better manage your husky's predatory instinct, keep the animal under control, teach it to respond to your commands and give it the opportunity to vent its energies in a constructive way.
- To ensure its safety and that of the animals in the neighborhood, it is important that the dog is kept an eye on. Keep him on a leash when taking him for a walk, and let him free only in fenced areas.
- Teach him to respond to your call. If the dog is attacking or preparing to attack another animal, it is important that you are able to stop it by attracting its attention. Knowing how to give orders to your dog is of fundamental importance in some cases. The training can be long and tiring, but it's really worth it.
- Give him the opportunity to vent his energy. Play regularly with him. Throw him objects to bring them back, let him play tug-of-war or give him toys to let off steam. If you can focus your dog's attention on a fictitious prey, it will be less likely to hunt for real prey.
- Huskies can get along well with cats, but this is often not the case. When a husky and a cat live under the same roof, the owner must always be alert. If you are willing to take certain precautions (keep doors and gates closed, constantly clean litter boxes, etc.) and to protect your cat at all times, then you shouldn't have any particular problems.
- If you're not willing to constantly monitor the situation, don't get a husky if you already have a cat. Huskies and cats can live in love and in agreement if they have been socialized properly and have been used to living together.
Method 4 of 5: Nourishment
Step 1. Provide your dog with a balanced diet
Generally the best choice is to feed him a mixture of dog food and raw food. The dog needs a high-protein diet, and a well-balanced commercial product combined with raw meat can best meet his needs.
- Do some research to figure out which food is best for him. If you don't know exactly how to feed it, consult your vet - he no doubt has some good advice to give you.
- Never feed him cooked bones. They can shatter and injure - or even kill - the dog. Raw bones, on the other hand, are a great snack.
Step 2. If your dog spends most of his time outdoors, have him follow a seasonal diet
It is advisable to add fats and proteins during the cold months, and then reduce the quantity in the warm months. Similarly, depending on whether it is summer or winter, you can switch from one commercial product with certain characteristics to another.
Only feed him after exercise. Doing this first would put him at risk for gastric dilation and stomach torsion. It is a very serious, potentially lethal disease. Feeding the dog 30 minutes after or four hours before exercise can help prevent it
Step 3. Give him plenty of water to drink
To stay healthy and hydrated, dogs need to have plenty of water to drink. It is good to remember that, when it is particularly cold, the water inside the bowls can freeze, so remember to keep the water containers in an area of the house where the temperature does not drop excessively.
Method 5 of 5: Dog Care
Step 1. Enrich your dog's life with ever new experiences, it will make him happy
Sled dogs run tens of kilometers four times a week. If you don't sled, you'll need to find other ways to make your dog happy. Find activities for him to use his brain in addition to his muscles. Bones and chew toys, food stuffing toys, long walks and dog sports are all good ideas for keeping your dog busy.
- Huskies are true escape artists. The fact that he tries to escape means that the dog is bored. If you want to keep him from escaping, keep him busy with a sea of interesting activities.
- In addition to being more than excellent sled dogs, huskies can do well in agility dogs, flyballs and disc dogs.
- Building an agility course is a great way to keep your dog busy.
Step 2. Take care of his health
Take him to the vet regularly: he can evaluate the health of the dog and tell you if there are any problems to pay particular attention to.
- Make sure the dog has no fleas or ticks. Ticks can irritate the skin and carry parasites. To notice fleas or ticks, you will need to be particularly thorough while brushing it.
- Huskies that live outdoors are more prone to certain diseases. Make sure your dog is protected from fleas, ticks and heartworms, and have your vet checked annually. Diseases caused by parasites can easily be prevented with veterinary supervision.
Step 3. Decide whether to let the dog live indoors or outdoors
Huskies can live safely indoors. It has been shown that sled dogs sleeping in shelters perform better than those sleeping outdoors, which is why many mushers (sled conductors) have begun to build small shelters for their dogs.
- Huskies are at their best when temperatures are low, but they are not immune to the cold. You can't leave a husky outdoors all day when it's cold, he'll need at least a kennel to shelter.
- Similarly, it is not advisable to leave a husky outdoors when it is very hot. The thick fur of this dog does not allow it to cool down properly during the summer. If you live in a muggy area, do not let the dog live outdoors.
Step 4. If he spends a lot of time outdoors, build him a cozy doghouse
Huskies also need a place to retreat to when it's raining or cold. The kennel must offer protection from external agents: it must have a waterproof roof and walls and be slightly raised from the ground (with bricks, paving stones or treated wood), so that the air circulates under the floor and to prevent puddles form all around the kennel.
- Inside the kennel there should be a blanket or dry straw (which should be changed once a week).
- The kennel should be large enough for the dog to move freely inside, but still small in size, to make it easier for him to maintain his body temperature.
