big husky

Huskies Can Pull Not Only Sleds

 

Wolf or Husky… Can you tell them apart??

A Guide to Wolves and Huskies

How to Take Husky Photo

 

Time it well. If you’re looking for action shots, have your photo shoot before the daily three-mile run. If you want a serene portrait, make it after.

Let your Husky get used to the camera. The click and flash of a camera can rattle dogs at first. Let your dog give the camera a good sniff, then start casually shooting the surroundings (if you’ve got a film camera, you can do this before you load the film). Once your Husky’s gotten used to the camera and starts doing his own thing, begin taking pictures.

The idea is to keep things natural and relaxed. What not to do: Grab a ton of treats, abruptly shove the camera in your dog’s face, and repeat, “Mommy’s gonna take your picture!” at high pitch.

Take lots of pictures. This is the first rule of photography, no matter what the subject. The more you take, the better your chances of getting a few amazing shots.

Turn off the flash. Most amateur photographers do best with warm, natural sunlight. To avoid washed-out pictures, shoot in the mornings or evenings, on slightly overcast days, or in the shade on a bright day.

For indoor shots, you’ll probably need a flash. You’ll get a more natural-looking shot if you use an off-camera flash and swivel it upward so the light’s bouncing off the ceiling.

Get down on your Siberian’s level. If you stand over your Husky and look down, every shot you take is going to look like everyone else’s.

Pay attention to background. Simple backgrounds, like a white sandy beach or green trees, make your Husky stand out. If you’ve got a point-and-shoot camera, have your dog at least a dozen feet in front of the background so he’ll be more in focus than whatever’s behind him, and of course, watch for the tree branches growing out of his head. Pay attention to color.

Enlist help. A friend with a squeaky toy will come in handy if you want a head-on shot or a regal profile. However, keep your Husky”s personality in mind with this tip. Some dogs get amped up really fast when their toys are around, so it can have the opposite effect of what you intended.

Get creative and playful. Lots of full-body shots taken from ten feet away can get mighty dull. Get up close so your Husky fills the entire frame. Get even closer so you get the full effect of that long, wet nose. Photograph your dog head on, in profile, at 45-degree angles. And don’t get hung up on perfection.  Sometimes that shot with your dog’s tail out of the frame is the one you’ll have hanging on your wall for years. The best shots are often the spontaneous ones.

Husky Activities

Siberian Huskies are highly energetic dogs who do well in activities involving pulling, the reason for their many accomplishments with sledding. Since many owners now have these sled dog breeds as pets within settings that are not ideal for sledding, other activities have been found which are good for the Siberian Husky and fun for the owner.

• Skijoring is an alternative to sled pulling, but mainly used in somewhat the same environment as sledding with the exception that the owner (cross-country skier) does not need a full pack in order to participate.
• Dog hiking is an alternative for owners who live closer to woodland trails. The owner travels with their dogs along trails in the wilderness. This activity allows the owner and dog to gain exercise with out using the huskies strong sense of pulling. Some companies make hiking equipment especially for dogs in which they may carry their own gear including water, food, and bowls for each.
• Carting, also known as dryland mushing or sulky driving, is an urban alternative to dog sledding. Here, the dog can pull a cart which contains either supplies or an individual. These carts can be bought or hand-made by the individual.
• Bikejoring is an activity where the owner bikes along with their dog while they are attached to their bike through a harness which keeps both the dog and owner safe. The dog or team of dogs can be attached to a towline to also pull the biker.
• Dog scootering is a mushing activity which relates to bikejoring and carting, where the owner rides a scooter that is pulled by the dog.

 

Husky and a Baby

If you are like most parents-to-be, you’ve spent hours preparing your home for the arrival of your new baby. You’ve arranged the nursery, stocked up on supplies and baby-proofed your home. If your pet husky will be awaiting your arrival from the hospital, be prepared for how you will introduce your dog to the newest member of your family.

1. Greet your husky alone for at least five minutes when you arrive home from the hospital if you are the mother. If you are the father, wait outside of the home or in another room with the baby. Let your husky get out all of his excitement before he is in the presence of your fragile baby.
2. Let your husky smell you and become acclimated to the smell of your new baby on your skin and clothing. You can even bring one of your baby’s blankets in the room for your husky to smell.
3. Put your husky on a leash.
4. Command your husky to get into a sitting or laying position, then tell your dog to stay. Get a firm grip on your husky’s leash.
5. Enter the room with your baby in your arms if you are the father. If you are the mother, stay with your husky, giving him attention and making sure he does not jump up toward the baby.

Husky and a Cat

 

Cats and dogs typically live together harmoniously, provided the introduction goes smoothly. The introduction is important because it establishes the dynamic that will prevail between the two animals. Dogs are territorial and may respond negatively if they think the cat is making a claim on their territory. This is why the introduction must be handled sensitively by you and your helper. Huskies by nature are predatory and the American Kennel Club recommends they be supervised when introduced to small animals, but even predatory breeds can be trained to live alongside cats

1. Put a leash on your Husky. Huskies respond quickly to movement. The reaction of your dog to a new animal in the house is hard to predict. In most cases, the dog will be inquisitive and possibly agitated. Prevent any sudden lunges by keeping it leashed. This way, if the dog lunges you can do two important things; prevent the dog from getting to the cat and correct the unwanted behavior or lunging.
2. Stand next to your dog at the end of the room and act as normally as possible. Brace your legs. If the dog makes a break for the cat, you need to be well-balanced to restrain it. Huskies are extremely pack-orientated and retain a strong pack instinct. Your Husky may look to you as pack leader. If you are agitated or acting differently, your dog will pick up on this. By standing at the far end of the room, you give the two animals a longer period where they are aware of each other without being in close proximity. If the cat is brought into the room and immediately has to contend with an inquisitive dog, agitation is likely.
3. Close all doors except the door to the room you are in. Leaving the door open is important because it gives the cat a chance to escape if it feels threatened. Forcing a cat to endure the presence of a dog when it doesn’t want to is counter-productive for both animals. Closing the other doors prevents the cat from escaping the house.
4. Issue praise to the dog for as long as it remains calm. If the dog becomes aggressive or tries to get at the cat, issue a firm “No” and gently tighten your grip on the leash to make sure the dog can’t move beyond your reach. If the two animals approach each other, allow them to socialize. A typical cat is agile and smart enough to get away from a dog if it wants to, provided it has a clear exit route. After five minutes, remove the cat and praise the dog. Feed both separately. Repeat the process daily, extending the contact period by a minute each day.

Husky and Coyote Similarities

 

The Siberian husky, which developed as a sled dog breed in northeastern Asia and came to Alaska and northern Canada in the same role, is one of the more feral-looking strains of domestic dog, seemingly not far removed from their wild brethren. One of those relatives is the slightly smaller coyote of North and Central America, a supremely adaptable canine that has flourished alongside human development. The two are quite similar looking in a general sense, though important physical differences easily distinguish them.

Head

In a rough sense, the head of the husky and the head of the coyote much resemble one another. They both have erect, pricked ears, though those of the coyote are larger in proportion to their head than the dog’s. Both have prominent long muzzles, but the husky’s is somewhat broader and more round-edged than the sharp, narrow snout of the coyote.

General Shape

Both the Siberian husky and the coyote embody the classic form of the archetypal canine: lean and long-legged. Those slender, muscular legs that power the husky’s relentless energy in a race or the coyote’s dogged pursuit of a jackrabbit or elk calf are strikingly different from the heavy, muscular ones of big cats or the squashed legs of weasels. Dogs are cursorial predators: They chase down prey, capitalizing on their excellent endurance. Thus they are strong but stringy, their paws designed for slapping the earth rather than grappling with prey, like a cat’s. Huskies typically have a fuller chest than a coyote and are generally stockier.

Tail

Both coyotes and Siberian huskies have thick, bushy tails. One difference lies in the distinctive curl most husky tails exhibit, often so tightly contoured that they wrap over the dog’s hindquarters. Coyotes tend to have straighter tails, sometimes held rigidly behind them but more often angled downward. That angle of the coyote’s tail, incidentally, is a diagnostic difference from the gray wolf, the ancestor of the Siberian husky: wolves usually hold their tails straight behind or even toted upwards when running, while coyote’s usually have them down.

Howl

Coyotes a

nd huskies both howl, which associate them with the wolf’s iconic song. A husky might be prompted to howl by a fire engine’s siren; coyotes howl to keep in touch with one another, to display dominance in a particular territory, or, as with a dog, simply to convey excitement or other emotions. Th

e dog’s howl is often more full-throated and wolfish than the coyote’s, which generally manifests more as a wild, reeling amalgam of yapping and high-pitched barking.

Sociability

Siberian huskies developed as sled dogs, which by their nature act as a team to pull a load long distances. Thus they are supremely sociable, though, as they are hierarchical, this can involve intense aggression. Coyotes, too, are highly social, although in certain regions they may be relatively solitary as adults. They often form packs that are essentially extended family groups, centered around a mated alpha pair.

 

Husky Bath

Siberian huskies have thick coats that can hide dirt which has their owners washing them too often. This dog’s coat produces natural oils which helps keep the coat attractive and reduces the risk of infections. Bathing a husky more than twice a month can cause elimination of its natural oils and skin irritation. Although giving a husky a bath can be somewhat challenging because of its thick fur, your dog will love you for bathing it.

1. Brush your husky with a dog brush until there are no tangles or rats in its hair.
2. Place your dog in the bathtub. Wet its coat with water using a plastic pitcher.
3. Apply five or six drops of dog shampoo to the husky’s coat. Work into a lather by pressing and squeezing the coat to reduce tangling the fur. Lather all areas including its belly, legs, feet and tail. Apply more shampoo to its coat if needed.
4. Brush the dog’s fur with the rubber curry brush. The brush will help loosen dirt deposited deep in its thick coat.
5. Rinse the dog off until there are no more suds and the coat no longer feels slippery. Wet its face and add a small amount of shampoo, working it into a lather. Avoid its eyes and inner ears. Rinse off its face.
6. Let your husky shake itself off. Towel dry any excess water off, then allow it to air dry.