The content of this page is for information only and is not meant to be the only way to raise a Siberian Husky. This page is about how I raise my own dogs. It is up to you to decide what is best for your dog in your situation. If in doubt contact a good vet or another breeder and ask them there recommendations.
Siberian Huskies do not require a lot of maintenance they are one of the easiest dogs to care for.
Feeding:
Adult Huskies
There are so many kinds of dog food on the market that there is no one kind that is best for huskies. There are many that will be just fine and there are many that fall way short of providing the husky with proper nutrition.
Look for a premium food that is high in protein and contains little or no corn and meat is the main ingredient and that is readily available in your area.
Some also feed what is referred to as a raw diet. A raw diet is a diet that is totally prepared at home often in your kitchen using meat as a main ingredient. If this sound like some thing you would like to do there is a wealth of info on the web about raw diet.
If your Siberian Husky becomes aggressive try switching it to a food with a little less protein this is mostly a problem with the raw diet.
PUPPIES
Puppies need a quality puppy food to begin there life. As they are growing rapidly the need the extra calcium, minerals, and calories that puppy foods provide.
Once our puppies reach about six months of age and begin to slow down their growth I switch mine to the adult diet. Studies have shown that Siberian Huskies as well as other breeds that are left on a puppy diet to long are much more susceptible to hip and joint problems.
Handling:
The first thing that every husky must do is be leash trained. A husky can never be trusted outside without being fenced in or on a leash. One minute the husky may seem fine and not run and stay with you the next they see some thing or just get the urge to run and they are gone. If you are lucky they come back home if you are not they either ran so far they got lost or someone picked the beautiful dog up or the worst case they got hit by a car.
Grooming:
There is little grooming that needs to be done most of the time. Siberian huskies shed their coats twice a year and the hair comes out in clumps and looks bad. Brushing every or every other day greatly reduces the amount of clumped hair hanging off the husky. If you keep a husky inside your house brushing daily is a must during this time, although the shedding is less severe on huskies kept inside.
Huskies also require periodic trimming of the toe nails paying special attention to dew claws if intact.
Housing:
All huskies enjoy being outside and that is why I keep mine outdoors all year round. They love the fresh air and love playing outside.
Although huskies are wolf like and love the cold they still require dry shelter to get out of the elements when needed. Most of the time though they will just lay on top of their house or right in the snow.
Heat is the most dangerous element for your husky and must be provided with cool fresh water and shade in the summer. In extreme heat they my need taken inside or fans provided.
Keeping Siberian Huskies inside is a good option if they can be provided with enough exercise and stimulation that they do not get bored and tear your house apart. They are a high energy breed and need lots of exercise to keep them from becoming destructive.
All owners of Siberian Huskies need a outdoor kennel or fenced yard to allow the husky to get exercise, fresh air, and do their business in safety.
Vaccinations and Deworming:
Most good breeders provide their puppies with the proper first vaccinations up to leaving them. This means that the puppy should have started getting vaccinations at six or eight weeks and will continue getting vaccinations by you the owner until it is about 16 weeks old then yearly boosters after that. Your breeder and or vet can guide you on what vaccinations and when as some breeders require that they be given at certain intervals to comply with their guarantee.
Your Husky should have also been dewormed every few weeks by your breeder and will need several more by you. Almost all puppies have worms and need dewormed they get their worms from their mothers even if the mother is healthy most have worms that lay dormant inside them until pregnancy wakes them up and they begin multiplying causing the mother and puppies to need aggressive deworming.
Adult Huskies will still need dewormed about every six months as a precaution.
Huskies over 3 months of age also need to be on a monthly heart worm preventative to protect them against heart worms they get from mosquitoes. You can speak to a vet on what the best preventative is in your situation as there are different ones on the market.