Cafitachiqui Kennels
Huskies Extraordinaire
Breed Characteristics
Siberian Huskies are quite striking, strong and intelligent, dense-coated, medium sized working dogs. Their heavily-furred coats are comprised actually of an undercoat and a guard coat. They have thick, sickle-like tails much like that of a fox and triangular, distinctly erect ears. Their tail typically winds gracefully upward and over their hind quarters.
These working canines are well muscled, endowed with strong chests and backs. Huskies combine superior strength with elegant grace. The breed carries a myriad of coat colorations: black, grey, wolf grey, silver, agouti, white, pinto, piebald, light red, brown, copper, sable, black and tan. Siberian Huskies have a wolf-like appearance and typically have a variety of striking facial features or masks along with with some type of white markings on the face although other markings or no markings at all can also be seen in the breed. Siberian Huskies may have blue, brown, golden or amber eyes, be bi-eyed with both a blue and a brown eye, or be parti-eyed meaning that one eye has two colors. Parti-eyes and bi-eyes are very common physical traits in the breed. Although not to be confused with the Alaskan Malamute or the Samoyed, the Siberian Husky is similarly a working and sled dog of equal endurance and strength. Siberian Huskies readily adapt to new environments as well as to other humans.
The calm and easy temperament of Siberian Huskies make them good, gentle pets to have with children around. Although many websites state that their Siberians are bred for temperament, most all Siberian Huskies naturally have a gentle, easy temperament. Siberian Huskies are great with kids and are not an aggressive breed. These canines have a docile nature and energetic playfullness that make them good companions for children but be mindful of the fact that the animals will bite or nip at the child if the child is rough. It is not wise to be unguarded with any canine around really small children. As you can easily discern from the above photos, my granddaughter loves to play with and help out in the care of our family pack.
For more about the Siberian Husky breed, check out the amazing assortment of information provided by Allegro Kennels at the following link:
Another site that I visited recently also has some very useful information about the Siberian Husky breed:Shedding
One of the striking features of the Siberian Husky breed is their heavily layered thick coat of hair. Siberian Huskies actually have a double coat, the undercoat and the usually banded outer coat called guard hairs.
Depending upon their geographic location and climate the Siberian Husky will acclimate to the conditions by producing more or less hair growth as the conditions dictate. Siberian Huskies will completely shed their coat twice a year but they also shed stray hairs throughout the year. The downy like undercoat is the primary coat grown naturally for warmth. The thickness of the undercoat is dictated by the climactic conditions present where the Siberian Husky resides. A Husky living typically in the northern climates will generally have a much thicker winter coat than will those residing in more southerly equatorial locations of the US. Shedding is practically a constant problem with Siberian Huskies but the heavier seasonal shedding occurs twice a year.
Containment for Escape Artists
Siberian Huskies are known to be escape artists. A fence of six (6) feet is the minimum suggested for these smart animals. Huskies can jump, climb and open gates and doors. The Husky owner needs to be certain these areas are especially secure. In addition, the bottom of the fenced area should be reinforced from digging, because Huskies will dig a lot. The yard/kennel fence should be a top quality metal because Siberian Huskies not only dig but can and will chew right through a standard kennel type chain link fence. My husband and I have poured a concrete barrier into the ground around the perimeter of our Kennel fencing.
Even the most content of Husky companions will at some point make an effort to escape. Once they get out they can and often will run ...and run ...and run. These working dogs love to run and pull loads. Huskies will also chase and kill small prey like squirrels, mice, cats, snakes, lizards and so on and females will kill the newborn pups of another female. Certain aspects of the Husky are inherent to their nature and no amount of training will change some of the natural instincts characteristic of Siberian Huskies. For this reason, the owner of a Siberian Husky needs to be more conscientious about the surroundings and security of those surroundings in order to effectively contain these impressive canines.
Training your Siberian Husky
Training a Siberian Husky is a bit more challenging than training most other breeds because huskies are very intelligent and very stubborn. They have a mind of their own and if they are not provided regular and consistent training and implementation of that training you will eventually find that the husky is controlling you instead of you being the one in control. Training started at puppy stage is always the best way to adapt your dog to living with you. Calm and assertive humans can train a calm, submissive and obedient husky by practicing early on a few basic techniques.
For information on training your Siberian Husky follow the links to various websites that I have listed within my website pages and you will find a wealth of information on training your beloved companion.
Provided below are links to two sites I have discovered with useful information:
http://leerburg.com/
Health and Care of Your Siberian Husky
A diet rich in wholesome protein and fiber is necessary to maintain the general good health of your sibe companion. Regular excercise will help to keep the Siberian Husky healthy, spirited and happy. Siberian Huskies are for the most part a healthy canine breed, however, there can be some medical concerns. A Sibe can suffer from genetically inherited hip dysplasia. Other issues that can arise include eye problems like cataracts and corneal dystrophy. Another genetic trait is the development of dermatitis from a deficiency in zinc which can also affect the Siberian Husky, but is easily treated by adding zinc to your canine's dietary routine. Symptoms of zinc deficiency can appear similar to mange on the skin. Zinc deficiency can cause issues with the intestines, with immune system disfunction and even allergies. Zinc is an essential mineral nutrient important in promoting immune system health.
Siberian Huskies have a recessive geneteic trait that actually affects zinc absorption. Even a pet provided an appropriate diet rich in proteins can present symptoms of zinc deficiency. The problem is called "zinc responsive dermatosis." Meats provide good natural sources for zinc so providing your canine with a primarily meat-based diet can help resolve the problem in some, but not all, cases. Zinc is readily available in most stores that carry vitamin and mineral supplements but because zinc can cause GI upsets and other problems in your pet it is best to get the proper advice for using zinc supplements from a licensed practicing Vet. Zinc deficiency in Siberian Huskies is a heritable trait. It is currently advised that any carrier of this genetic deficiency should not be bred.
Although Siberian Huskies are a relatively healthy breed compared to other breeds, they do have a few health demons. One of those is Hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism is an endocrine disorder associated with low circulating thyroid hormone levels. This is one of the few conditions found most often in Siberian Huskies. Low thyroid levels can be directly linked to the following symptoms: poor hair coats, lethargy, reproductive failures, weight gain, anemia, silent heats, low libido, failure to cycle, skin disorders like dry, scaly skin, hair loss or changes in skin coat color, gait abnormalities, increased bacterial and yeast infections, allergies, chronic ear infections just to name a few. Huskies Extraordinaire does not guarantee that your new Sibe Companion will be free of thyroid-related disorders but we do advise that your Siberian Husky be tested yearly for this particular disorder at least for the first four years of its life.
Siberian Huskies are also more prone to cataracts and other eye problems. During your yearly visit to the veterinarian it is advised that the eyes be checked regularly to ensure the health of your Sibe's eyesight.
FLEAS - a BIG problem in the South
Sand gnats have several names like sand fleas, punkies, sand flies and others. The common name varies in different regions of the world. These invisible pests are often mistaken as fleas but they are actually more closely related to the mosquito. Sand gnats are a global pest. Their bites can cause dermatological problems in animals and in humans creating itchy and inflamed sores that can take months to heal.
Common Cat Fleas and Dog Fleas are also nasty little pests that invade your yard, your home and feed on your animals. These little bugs can jump several feet and their exterior body is extremely hard which prevents them from being easily crushed. The adult flea is susceptible to insecticides but the larva of these insects has a shield so impenetrable that almost nothing will affect it until after they emerge from their tiny cacoons. Flea bites can cause allergic reactions in your pet in the form of skin whelps that spread and can lead to infection of the sebaceous glands. Fleas are not just a biting problem, they also carry tapeworm eggs. These parasites can be transmitted to your canine through ingestion of carrying fleas and to humans through skin absorption in the soles of the feet or through hand to mouth contact.
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