Siberian Husky

This is one of the oldest and purest of the northern sled dogs and it’s said that they have been bred in their native Siberia as long as 3000 years ago. To the natives of the area, these dogs were key to their survival and were selectively bred to be able to carry loads over long distances at great speeds. The dogs lived alongside the families and so only non-aggressive dogs that were friendly towards the children were used in this ancient breeding programme — along with only the very best sled dogs. 

At the end of the 19th century, word of this ‘super dog’ reached the Americas and in 1909 a team of huskies were sent to take part in an Alaskan sled race — where they easily beat the larger but slower Malamutes who had until then dominated. 

After the second world war, when the breed had been used as a search and rescue dog in the Arctic by the U.S. military, they became increasingly popular and spread to Europe where they became a favourite for those with the space and ability to exercise and care for such a canine athlete. 

Ideal Siberian Husky owners will have experience with the larger spitz type breeds, lots of space both indoors and out, and a lot of spare time (both for their dog and to vacuum up all the hair they will shed endlessly). Sibes fare best where there is an outlet for their desire to run and run, so someone who loves dryland mushing, CaniX, or bikejoring for example. Homes need not be huge, but access to secure outdoor space is vital, and as Huskies tend to be better in multi-dog homes, a rural home is best. High fences are a must as these dogs are escapologists and opportunistic hunters. 

This Husky dog breed does need a considerable amount of exercise but this must be done in a safe, enclosed area, or on a lead, as they do have a strong desire to run if free and cannot be relied upon to return when called. A very well-fenced garden is a necessity and, as they can jump anything from a standstill, height is also important. An adult Siberian needs two-plus hours of exercise daily and an appropriate opportunity to run. 

The Husky size is medium but it’s important that they live in a house with plenty of space so they can run around. Therefore, a rural environment would be ideal for them as this would allow them to exercise freely and would be an environment where they are less likely to disturb any neighbours with their inevitable howling.  

Your dog's diet needs to have the right balance of all the main nutrient groups including a constant supply of fresh water. It's important to conduct regular body condition scores to ensure you keep your dog in ideal shape and remember to feed them at least twice daily and in accordance with the feeding guidelines of their particular food. Proper nutrition along with care can contribute to a Siberian Husky lifespan reaching 15 years. 

The Husky Grooming process is particularly easy: a brush and comb through two or three times a week normally, but daily grooming during the moulting period - which in a warm house, will be pretty much all the time. This is a clean breed with little or no 'doggie' smell. 

Siberian Huskies see no point in training whatsoever - their joy is to run and their view is that they don’t need to be trained to do that! They should however be well socialised and trained to walk on a harness and lead. Walking without pulling can be a challenge for this breed given that is what they were bred to do. A good recall should also be taught but this is for emergencies and not generally to be relied upon. This is a breed who will hunt small animals and so owners should watch out for that. 

The Siberian Husky is somewhat of a specialist dog who needs to run and who is probably far too high maintenance for most families. 

While many dogs are traditionally thought of as being good with children, all dogs and children need to be taught to get on with and respect each other, and be safe together. Even so, dogs and young children should never be left alone together and adults should supervise all interactions between them.