Mishnok Siberians
Siberians.....The Whole Truth...The Good, Bad, and the Ugly
The Siberian Husky, while a wonderful breed, it is NOT the breed for everyone. Please, do your homework before welcoming one into your home. There is nothing cuter than a Siberian puppy, but you must realize what that puppy is going to grow into, and what stages it goes through to become an adult. Be warned, you MUST enjoy eating dog hair as Siberians shed, and there is nothing you can do about that! It is nature's way of providing a dog with a new fur coat. NEVER shave your Siberian, it doesn't allow the dog to remain cooler as one might think, it actually sets a dog up for coat and skin problems as well as sunburned skin. I jokingly tell my pet people that I hope they saved extra money because they are going to need a new vacuum. Don't laugh, I have three, and two happen to be contractor style shop vacs. I also have a vacuum cleaner repair man who knows me on a first name basis. So if you don't like dog hair on everything you own, or in your meals, then DON'T GET A SIBERIAN! (oh yeah, I also buy those sticky rollers in case lots. My recommendation, wear a lot of gray fleece, it doesn't show dog hair)
(Do Siberians Shed A Lot?? Take a look!)
Do you take pride in your plush green landscaping? If the answer is yes, then you better reconsider your breed choice. The Siberian LOVES to dig, and I am not talking small potholes, I am talking trenches that would work well in a war situation. It is amazing how much earth a forty pound dog can move in a very small amount of time. Worse yet, be darned if I can find all of that dirt the dog has removed in the first place! Not sure where it all goes, but I have a very good wheelbarrow and shovel that I can let you borrow so you can fill in those holes so you don't break your neck. So, if you want a pristine lawn, DON'T GET A SIBERIAN!
I love when I get a phone call from someone who didn't do their homework and I am asked, "How can I keep my Siberian from running away?" Sorry, this one always gets the best of me and I can't help but laugh. This breed was and is bred to run. No training can curb that instinct. The Siberian gets nothing but pure joy out running full speed. Don't believe me? Go to any breeder's home and ask to see the dogs out in the exercise yard. The look on their faces will be enough to convince you. Not only that, you will see the SPEED this breed is capable of. So, if you are considering a Siberian as a life long friend, then you MUST have a securely fenced in yard or at the very least, an escape proof chain link kennel. Remember: THIS BREED NEEDS DAILY EXERCISE (and a short walk around the neighborhood isn't enough) WITHOUT IT THE SIBERIAN MAKES UP ITS OWN GAMES!! Games?? Hmmm...lets see, these are some of the "games" I have been made aware of over the years....hear that squeaky spring in the sofa or chair? So does your Siberian and s/he KNOWS that there is a mouse in there somewhere and will go to great lengths to get the sucker out, you come home to a house full of fluff and one very satisfied and happy Siberian as s/he thinks s/he won (no more squeak) (same goes for car seats). Your brand new $100 shoes are wonderfully tasty, you now own a $100 pile of leather confetti. That should give you a feel of what a Siberian is capable of! This is a very clever breed that was bred to think on its own, and THINK it does. They are amazing creatures!
I often get asked if Siberians can live with cats or other small animals. My answer, it depends on the dog. No doubt Siberians have a high prey drive, and this is something that needs to be understood about the breed. Some of my dogs are better mousers than my cats, and yes, I have cats. So it is possible to have cats and Siberians, BUT....there is always a but, isn't there? I don't trust all of my dogs with my cats. Most are fine, a few, well, I am convinced that they perceive the cats as meatballs in fur coats. Siberians can for the most part live with cats IF raised with and taught to respect cats. We just lost a cat known as Uncle Baby. Uncle Baby would go into the whelping box (on his own mind you) when pups were around 3 weeks of age. He allowed them to chew and suck on him and all was well, however, when the pups started to get teeth Baby would "swing" into action. He never used his claws but you could hear his "punch" from across the room. I know this sounds far fetched, but it has been witnessed by many. Why Mama Dogs allowed Baby into the whelping box I will never know. Not sure what I am going to do without Baby. There is one more piece to this, I trust MOST of my dogs with MY CATS, I have had the dogs tree a not so smart neighbor's cat who thought it might be fun to go into our dog yard. He would have been a meatball if I hadn't seen him streak across the yard. So, understand that the prey drive is there and PLEASE USE COMMON SENSE. As for small animals such as hamsters, guinea pigs, and rabbits...ummm..not a good idea with a Siberian. To them they ARE furry, yummy meatballs. I know of one large, famous Siberian kennel who kept a caged rabbit, knowing all too well that if a Siberian happened to escape that is where it would go. It was a fool proof method to catch escapees. Let that be a fair warning, if your Siberian gets loose and comes across a caged pet rabbit or a coop of chickens, chances are you are going to get a phone call, a bill, and have a lot of explaining to do. Hence the need for a securely fenced in yard or escape proof chain link kennel.
Ok, now, no one is perfect, and yes, on occasion someone has managed to escape from my yard. Usually because of a human error, usually my husband, but we are right behind them. Don't believe that your Siberian will come home on its own. Remember this breed is bred to RUN, and run it does. The danger is this breed runs blindly, by this I mean..... Your loose Siberian is exclaiming, "YIPPEEEE, I AM FREE, OFF I GO, OH THE JOY TO BE FREE" eleven miles later s/he finally stops and realizes s/he has no clue where they are or how they got there and they are hungry (that is if they get that far and haven't been hit by a car). Now the trouble begins, you have no idea which direction the dog has gone, so where do you start looking? Your dog may be hurt, hung up somewhere, or chasing/catching someone's cat, rabbit, chickens. If you are lucky you get a call from animal control or you are REALLY lucky and you find him. Most time than not you are not lucky and never see the dog again. Please realize that this is NO EXAGGERATION, this is the biggest pitfall of this breed. Do not even consider getting a Siberian if you do not have a fenced in yard or are not willing to put up an escape proof kennel. Enough said.
OK, that is the bad and the ugly of the Siberian. However, I cannot imagine my life without this breed. If the Siberian is the breed for you then you will be owned by one for your entire life. Yes, you read correctly, YOU WILL BE OWNED, it isn't the other way around! Please, do your homework, and if you ever have any questions contact a breeder in your area. Breeders are your best resource for information as we cherish this breed and want to find forever homes for our dogs. DO NOT be offended when a breeder starts asking you many questions, you have to understand that reputable breeders have the philosophy that we want the best homes for our dogs. The best being defined as a home where they will receive the same care and love that they do in our homes. We know all too well that this breed is NOT for everyone, and unfortunately, many people out there do not know what they are getting into when they welcome a Siberian into their home. Listen to what breeders have to say!
Below is a recommended reading list, this is just a place to start, but it will give you an educated understanding of what the Siberian is all about. If you find out that the Siberian is for you, congratulations, you are in for a heck of a ride! If you decided that the shortcomings of this breed is not for you, don't feel bad, there is a breed out there for you, keep researching and you will find the right dog for you.
Online Profiler: Is the Siberian Husky the Right Breed for you?
So...You Want a Siberian Husky?
A Partnership for Life: Learning to Understand your Siberian Husky
by Dennis & Mary Ferentinos Published by the Siberian Husky Club of America
The Standard for Siberian Huskies
The Siberian Husky: A Brief History of the Breed in America
Your Siberian: Its Hips and Eyes
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