Tag Archives for " health "

Dogs have special dietary requirements to keep them healthy. Some foods are likely to lead to discomfort, and others are downright deadly. Here are six foods you should avoid feeding your Siberian Husky. This is particularly important in the puppy stage where their smaller mass and less developed immune system can result in more serious and faster effects.

1. Milk and some dairy goods

Although some dogs are fine with milk and dairy, and others can tolerate a small amount, you generally should avoid feeding milk products to dogs. This is because dogs lack a digestive enzyme named lactase, which breaks down the lactose sugars present in dairy foods.

Foods to avoid are milk, ice cream, and more than 10% fat yogurt. Problems after ingestion can include bloating, gas, diarrhea, and other symptoms of an ‘upset tummy’. Accidental and small intake of milk and dairy is unlikely to lead to anything serious and life-threatening, but you wouldn’t want your Husky to be continually upset, would you?

Healthy Alternative:

At online pet stores, you can buy special ‘puppy milk’, which has much less lactose and is safe to feed animals. It’s a great treat and healthy for younger puppies to get calcium to help build strong, healthy bones.

2. Chocolate

Everyone loves chocolate, right? Well, dogs might love it too, but it is a big ‘NO NO’ to feed anything chocolate to them. This includes chocolate bars (even just a nibble), cookies, brownies, cocoa drinks, licking the beaters after mixing a cake… anything with a chocolate component.

The caffeine and theobromine chemicals present in chocolate are very toxic to dogs. The darker the chocolate, the more cocoa content, and hence more toxic.

Ingestion can cause a wide range of issues including vomiting, excessive thirst, general discomfort, abdominal discomfort, heart rhythm issues, tremors, high temperatures, and so on. Seizures and death are at the extreme (but not unlikely) end of the scale.

You need to be particularly attuned during holiday seasons when chocolate poisoning cases go up; Easter, Halloween, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, etc. These are days where we are more likely to have chocolate lying around the house, on a coffee table, or in a bag.

3. Grapes and Raisins

It isn’t fully understood why grapes and related products (raisins, currants, etc) are a problem for dogs but can lead to serious issues such as kidney failure. Some dogs are fine with these products, others are not. Worse is the symptoms can be delayed from 12 hours to a few days.

Initial symptoms of poisoning include vomiting, diarrhea, and general lethargy. Over the next few days, kidney failure might occur, or long-term kidney disease develops over time.

Don’t forget that cakes, cookies, cereals, and snacks (such as muesli bars or trail mix) often have grape products in them. It isn’t just raw grapes that can cause issues.

4. Alcohol

All types of alcohol should be avoided; beer, wine, spirits, mixed drinks, cocktails, egg nog, etc. Because of their size and metabolism, dogs are more sensitive to alcohol than humans. Puppies are especially vulnerable. Like excessive consumption by humans, dogs will experience vomiting, coordination, and disorientation issues, and in extreme cases, coma and death.

Remember that you might not feed your dog alcohol, but if they go sniffing around the house when you aren’t looking they might just come across it themselves, so keep those drinks locked up!

If you find your husky has consumed alcohol then (again, like humans), watch him carefully until they start to feel better. If your dog is so inebriated they can not stand up and move about, then seek expert guidance from your vet or animal emergency room.

5. Onions and Garlic

This family of foods includes onions (all kinds), garlic, shallots, scallions (spring onions), chives, and other related herbs and bulbs in the allium family of plants. These contain thiosulfates which are a toxin to dogs when ingested in quantity.

Don’t forget that many packet foods such as soups, spice mixes, and powders contain dried versions of garlic and onion. Onion has a high concentration is of most concern. The thiosulfates damage red blood cells in the dog’s cardiovascular system, leading to lethargy, weakness, and difficulty after even mild exercise. The effects can take a few days to set in so it might not be immediately apparent what has caused the change in behavior.

In the case of suspected poisoning, a trip to the vet is essential to get your Husky checked out and medical options explored. If you get on top of the problem quickly you can avoid worsening the effects, and get the help your dog needs to recover.

6. Avocado

Avocado is an unusual food in that different varieties have different levels of toxicity, and some animals simply don’t feel the effect of it at all. However, you should still avoid avocado to be on the safe side. The toxin is named Persin and can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, and generally an upset tummy. In greater doses, some worsening respiratory and heart issues can develop, even death.

If the intake is small (a bit of flesh) then watch your Husky closely to see if he or she displays any adverse effects. For large ingestion of avocado, you should seek advice. Of particular note is the pip (stone) in the avocado: ingestion of that can lead to significant obstruction problems in the intestinal system and requires immediate professional attention.

What if my Husky ingests one of these Foods?

Head straight down to your vet or animal medical center. They can administer treatment to help get your dog healthy again. If nothing else you can live knowing you did all that was possible to save your Husky (and more than likely it will survive if you act quickly).

Conclusion

Pay attention to what you are feeding your Husky, especially if they are getting leftovers or if food is lying around. The best thing, of course, is to feed your Husky proper dog food which is safe, affordable, and has many nutritional benefits suited to animals. 

Milk, chocolate, grape, onions, and alcohol products all should be avoided for the lifetime of your Husky, and particularly at the puppy stage of life. You should stick to regular dog food in various forms and textures to provide some variety: dry kibble, wet food, raw meat, and doggie treats. Don’t forget to lock up your kitchen cabinets or keep your Siberian Husky out of the kitchen. Bored huskies will open anything that can be opened and investigate. Sooner or later they will find something they shouldn’t be eating and will not know any better. So keep your Husky away from human food!

Siberian Husky puppies desire a lot of attention to prevent boredom. Exercising them is a great way to help them stay entertained, not to mention grow up healthy, but how much exercise should they get? Here are our top five tips on exercising your Husky puppy.

1. Exercise every day

It is really important that Huskies, particularly younger ones, exercise every day. This is a form of training where you teach your puppy healthy habits, discipline, and encourage socialization. Doing it every day keeps the routine up: if you miss a day you will ‘feel’ it and not lapse into more than a day of inactivity. Your puppy will love you for it as well. Exercise helps build their strength and endurance – characteristics that Siberian Huskies are bred for.

2. Go slow for the first year

Your Husky grows rapidly during its first few months, reaching adult size after about a year. The joints, ligaments, and muscle mass of your puppy need time to develop, so don’t overdo it early on. If you push too hard, especially with repetitive-motion activities such as walking and running, you might put too much stress on the puppy’s ligaments which can lead to soreness, tiredness, and inflammation.

3. The 5-minute-month rule for walking

Walking is a great exercise activity: it is free, easy, and good for both your puppy and yourself! We recommend the ‘5-minute-month’ rule:

Walk your puppy each day, increasing 5 minutes each month.

For example, if your puppy is three months old, walk him or her for up to 15 minutes every day. If your puppy is six months old, walk up to 30 minutes every day. If you follow this simple formula you will build up the necessary walking exercise gradually and in sync with your puppy’s natural growth over the first year.

After your puppy reaches his or her first birthday, you will be up to an hour of walking each day and can stay at this level. You might also graduate to jogging or running, or go for longer sessions, but only if your dog is used to walking and ready for the extra effort.

4. Any time is playtime

15 minutes for a puppy does not sound like much, and it isn’t. However, you can take on other exercises in the form of playing games. Simply ‘playing ball’ with your puppy will mix up the physical movements: starting, sprinting, slowing, stopping, turning, etc. You can easily squeeze a few minutes in here and there of play to fill out the day and tackle boredom. Check out my Five Play Time Ideas for Husky puppies, to help fight the boredom of your dog. 

5. Stay cool

You know already that all dogs need clean drinking water available at all times to stay hydrated. The coat of the Siberian Husky might be dense but this also acts as an insulator in warmer weather, helping to regulate body temperature. So although the Husky might have originated in arctic climates, they should do fine in warm weather. Just make sure water is on hand, and if your Husky shows any signs of tiredness, take it easy. If you live in a hot environment you might want to consider walking your puppy in the morning before the heat builds up, and makes everyone just want to laze back and go to sleep.

If you start slow and build up exercise over the first year of life, mix in lots of play, and remember to keep your puppy hydrated, you will give your puppy a great start to a long healthy life. Just as important, you will get some exercise out of the deal as well!

Selecting your first Siberian Husky puppy from a litter is an important decision. You are about to choose your latest family member and you need to be sure that your new pet will fit in well with your family’s lifestyle, as well as be healthy for years to come. Here are some basics on Husky puppy selection to help you decide:

1. It is ok to say “No”

First and foremost – it is ok to say “No”, and not feel compelled to make a decision on the spot. Introducing a new family member is a long-term life-changing decision. You don’t want to make such a decision on a whim, do you?

If this is your first Siberian Husky you might want to visit a few breeders to compare experiences and the range of puppies available. Good breeders know that different litters come from different parents and so have different temperaments, adherence to breed standards, etc. They will be more than happy to see you more than once and be patient in answering all of your questions.

If breeders are few and far between in your area you might even delay your decision for a couple of years and wait until a new litter is born.

2. Male or Female?

In general male Huskies are going to be more outgoing, more affectionate, but also more dominating and difficult to train. You are going to have to exert yourself as the alpha dog of the pack to maintain authority. Female Huskies will be more reserved but tend to learn a little quicker and be more focused on training drills.

If you have other dogs in the home you might want to avoid placing two males together because they could compete for authority over each other. However, if you are a confident trainer and have some experience with Siberian Huskies you can probably overcome most of those issues.

3. Temperament and Engagement

An energetic puppy that can’t wait to climb all over you might be cute, but is that the kind of dog you want long term? Can you match the energy levels? On the other hand, pups that slink away and show fear of strangers probably have not been socialized properly. For most people, a “middle of the road” pup is the ideal choice. Look for a Husky puppy that engages with you, shows curiosity, and is not outright afraid of strangers.

4. Health check

All of the puppies you are looking at should have been vet-checked with a report of good health. The pup should be vaccinated and wormed as well. Look for any discharge from eyes or ears which might indicate a health issue – the face should be clean. The puppy’s coat should be clean and generally looking good. A sign of a good breeder is one that will offer a guarantee of the health of the puppy for a period, say up to five years.

5. Ask The Breeder

Finally, but by no means least, you can simply ask the breeder for advice. A good breeder will ask you questions on what kind of lifestyle you live and should be able to help pair you up with a suitable pup from the litter.

When you visit Siberian Husky breeders you should let the breeder help you in finding a pup suitable for you. Visiting a number of breeders might be required to aid in your selection. Unless you have experience in raising and training Siberian Huskies you are probably going to look for a puppy that is neither excessively shy nor excessively energetic. Always look for a puppy that is in good health and likely to remain that way.

Having difficulty finding a Siberian Husky breeder in your area? Check out our Breeders Directory for a breeder near you.

Just want to see some cute puppies? Here you go…