Breed information: The Siberian Husky

The Siberian Husky is a sight to behold. Their majestic wolf-like look and beautiful eyes make many people love them. Everyone has seen images of them pulling sleds, but what else should you know about this breed?

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History

This breed has been around for thousands of years, originally bred by the Chukchi people in Siberia to pull their sleds. These people lived inlands, but needed to go to shore in order to provide their families with food. So the Siberian Husky became the ideal dog to aid them in these long travels.

In the 20th century, they became more known worldwide both because of their looks and for their racing skills.

Appearance

The Siberian Husky is a medium-large sized dog breed. The femals tend to reach height of 50 to 56cm (19.5-22inch) and the males are generally a bit larger, reaching up to 60cm (23.5inch). Their eye color can be either brown, blue, bi-colored (both eyes have a different color) or a mixture of brown and blue.

Their coats can have a variety of colors. Most Huskies have a white color on their legs and belly and brown or grey/black on their backs and head. Their coat is a so-called 'double-coat'. Which means it consists of an topcoat and undercoat. The topcoat has sturdier hairs while the undercoat is more fluffy. Since the make-up of this coat is able to keep them warm when it gets really cold and keeps them cool in hot weather, it's important not to shave them.

Personality

They are not at all protective dogs. Though they might let you know when someone walks up to your house, most often they are very gentle. They are usually also easy-going with other dogs.

Trainability

Huskies are often called hard to train, but they are actually quite intelligent. It's mostly because of the mixture of intelligence and independence they aren't the easiest dogs for new dog owners. Their independence sometimes makes them choose not to listen to you. If trained correctly however, they can be taught many things.

Energy level

The history of the Siberian Husky shows how he was bred to run multiple days in a row. So you can expect them to need quite some exercise to fulfill their physical needs. If done properly, they will be very easy-going dogs inside of your home.