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Siberian Huskies are delightful dogs, and in this post, you will learn some important facts about them. They are not only gorgeous looking but also get along very well with their human companions. The Chukchi people of northeast Asia first bred the Siberian Husky. This breed reached Alaska in 1909 and became the sled dog.

Here are some facts about the Siberian Husky dog:

1) They are born escape artists, so if you own a Husky be very alert or else your pooch might run away and never come back. They can easily open the door latch or jump out of the window or verandah or run out when you open the door. Do not take the escape-artist trait in your husky for granted—they are smarter than you think. Make sure you keep your doors securely locked if you own a Husky. When a husky tries to escape, it does not mean that it does not like you or does not want to live with you. Escaping is their inborn instinct and thus is natural to them. Huskies love to dig under fences, and this is another way they can escape. They can also escape from leashes.

2) It is possible for a husky to have eyes each of a different colour—this condition is known as Heterochromia.

3) Huskies have immense stamina and can run long distances on little food. Unlike most other dog breeds, they can regulate their metabolism—scientists are still trying to figure out how. An average husky can run up to 40 miles without resting and up to 100 miles in a day. They can adapt very well to almost any kind of climate, so it is not surprising that even in a tropical country like India, many dog owners have huskies.

4) Like Labrador retrievers, huskies are also very warm, playful, fun-loving and friendly dogs, so are not suitable as guard/watch dogs. They are excellent with children and also provide great emotional comfort to their human companions. For people suffering from depression, huskies can provide a lot of cheer and humour. The Chukchi people, who are indigenous Eskimos, use their huskies to look out to their children. Siberian Huskies are very expressive and have a variety of facial expressions. This breed loves to cuddle.

5) Huskies dislike being alone and get bored easily. They can become destructive if left alone. Ensure that when you are not at home, your huskies are confined. The pack-mentality of huskies is stronger than in other breeds so they want to function as a family unit—they always want to be with their humans.

6) Siberian Huskies are high-energy dogs so need to be exercised a lot and kept occupied— a tired Husky is a well-behaved pet. If you own one, you need to keep varieties of dog toys (soft, middle and hard) to keep it occupied. They are not intentionally destructive, but if bored or not exercised properly, they can create a mess—always keep stuff such as currency notes, important documents, gadgets like mobile phones out of their reach. Basically, as a husky owner, you need to exercise your Husky adequately so it has no inclination left to behave destructively.

7) They are curious, love to explore and get mischievous; restrict access to areas of your home where you do not want your Husky to snoop around.

8) Huskies do not bark often but are still very vocal. They howl, groan, jabber, make funny sounds, mimic human speech; most Huskies love to chat with their human companions. You can hear a Husky’s howl from a distance of 15 Km. They can even memorize human words and understand their meanings.

9) They are highly intelligent but independent minded and stubborn dogs. Huskies have a mind of their own and will evaluate your command before deciding to obey you.

10) Siberian huskies have a high prey drive and love to hunt squirrels, cats and even livestock. Also, these dogs have very strong bites—about 320 PSI (pounds per sq. inch). It takes only 130 PSI to break a human arm bone!

11) Their average lifespan is approx 11 to 15 years. They drool and snore in moderation.

12) Huskies are double-coated so shed a lot; sometimes the shedding can overwhelm the owner. In warmer climates they can shed heavily. Therefore, grooming your Husky is necessary even when it is not the shedding season. As a Husky owner, you will need to groom and brush your dog routinely to prevent excessive shedding.

13) Huskies can see very well in the dark but not in pitch-dark.

I am sure the above-stated facts about the Siberian Husky will have given you first-hand knowledge about them. They are amazing dogs but not the breed for a first-time dog owner. If you have no experience with Huskies, it is best to do some research before you get one. Siberian Huskies are spunky dogs and full of personality. They are good for large apartments but not middle or small-sized ones. If you can put up with its idiosyncrasies, it can be a pure delight as a pet.

Explore this site and you could probably know some more facts about the Siberian Husky.

Click to read about this legendary husky.

Photo by photo-nic.co.uk nic on Unsplash

Manish Jaitly

I am a dog lover and creator of this site. I am also the author of ‘Keep Sleeping Keep Missing- if only you knew’ (available on Amazon, Flipkart, Kobo, Google Store, etc.).

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