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There is something magical about a dog’s ears. All the puppies belonging to different breeds have floppy ears when they are born, but husky’s one grows into perked up ears with time.

According to the breed standard, the ears of Huskies do stand up. Normally, ear erection in Husky dogs start from the age of six weeks, but in some cases, it delays up to six months.

It is important to maintain a quality diet and add all the necessary vitamins and minerals into the ration for your husky puppy, as calcium deficiency and lack of other vitally important nutrients tend to be the main reason for huskies to have floppy ears.   

You cannot set a time for the erection process as it varies in different breeds. Similarly, the Siberian Huskies have floppy ears when they are just puppies, but, with time, these ears develop and begin to perk up. The erect triangular ears of the Siberian Huskies can quickly help you to guess what they feel.  

When Do Husky puppies ears stand up?

There a couple of reasons due to which your Husky’s ears tend to stand up, including his age.

The erection starts from the age of 6 weeks.  Before your Husky turns 6 months old, the ears should completely perk up. The erection of ears takes time because initially, the bones and cartilages of the Husky’s ears are in the process of growing. Some dogs have floppy ears, even if they are above six months.

As the dog grows older, these cartilages and bones become firm. The weak cartilages, if not treated properly, can cause long-lasting hearing problems. 

How to tell if your dog’s ears will stand up?

Usually, the ears of all puppies stand up at a certain age. In case you are curious, and you need to figure out that when will your puppy’s ears stand up or will they even stand up at all, you should check your puppy’s ears. If your little one’s ears stand up when he gets excited, they will probably stand permanently by the time he is six months or when the period of eruption of permanent teeth is over. 

Another way to guess if your puppy’s ears will stand is by noticing where the ears are set on the head. The ears that stand partially tend to be set erect on the head and closer together.

What Influences the Husky’s ear growth?

Several factors influence your Husky’s ear growth, including their diet. Diet is an essential factor for every living creature; the same is the case with Huskies. A Husky’s diet is necessary for his entire body, including his ears. Calcium deficiency also hinders the growth of Husky ears. 

The best way to overcome this deficiency is by adding vitamins and quality supplements to their diet. Calcium will also help to strengthen their muscles around the ears. 

Avoid: [scrubbing the top of your little one’s head with your hands and even snuggling with them can affect their ear’s growth. You should avoid doing this at the early age of your husky puppy because their bones and ear cartilages are still in the process of growing and developing.] 

Is My Husky Has an Ear problem?  

Floppy ears are technically a defect, and Huskies, along with all other breeds, have floppy ears when they are just puppies.

Symptoms of an ear infection include head shaking, lousy odor, itchiness, and pain, swelling, and redness. Complicated and severe infections can take months to resolve, whereas uncomplicated infections take a week or two.  

If the floppy ears of your Husky are not growing into mature erect ears, you should check whether there is any mineral deficiency in them or not. Floppy ears in husky dogs are pretty average and the most vital thing is that you should ensure that you clean them adequately. 

Moreover, ear infections are quite a typical condition in all breeds of dogs. Similarly, huskies also have ear problems, especially when you do not clean their floppy ears properly. The bacteria in the dog’s ear wax causes infection in the ears if not cleaned for a long time. Yeast and mites can trigger ear infections in dogs as well.

Siberian Huskies are less likely to have infections because they have erect ears. The perked up ears allow proper airflow, and this helps in preventing bacteria along with diseases. The time when they have floppy ears, they require more care. 

You should consult your vet if you find any of the symptoms mentioned above. He will clean your puppy’s ears thoroughly by using a medicated cleanser. If he sees something severe, he’ll prescribe proper medication.

How to Clean and Take Care of Puppy Ears?

Husky’s ears require a lot of care and attention. You can also ‘train’ your Husky’s ears to stand up before the due time. Some of the essential points to take into consideration regarding your Husky’s care are:

• Ensure that you clean them at least once a month, depending upon the dirt stuck inside.
• You should make sure that you properly dry your Husky’s ears after swimming or bathing. Excess moisture is a cause of ear infections. 
• Make sure you clip the hair grown inside the ears of dogs; this will help in preventing ear infections. 
• Take your little pup outside for a walk, fresh air help strengthen the immune system and help relieve stress.
• In particular, it is best to let your Husky’s ear grow and develop with time. You should ensure that you avoid fondling and caressing your pup around the ears area, to prevent the cartilage from breaking. 

Things to avoid:

• Some people tend to massage the Husky ears to improve pointedness, but this might prevent them from erecting. 
• Many people recommend taping until the ears of their puppies do not stand on their own. There is no certainty that this will work. This can lead to paw discomfort and also in weakening the cartilages. Even if you decided to do the taping, remember to cut a bit of the puppy’s ear fur to prevent stickiness and pain.  

Ear Cleaner for Huskies 

Being a Husky owner myself, I completely understand the struggle and fear of identifying the best cleanser for your puppy. I have got my hands on many products and after profoundly analyzing numerous customer reviewed ear cleansers, I found TropiClean Ear Solutions for Dogs on Amazon, which seems the best option in terms of showing effective results for my huskies.

Why Does my Husky Have one ear Up and one Down?

Ears are the most important organ of dogs in terms of communicating. Huskies have erect and perked up ears. The erected ears are a great sign to check your Husky’s mood that your dog is happy and wants to play. On the other hand, if you notice both ears dropped, they may be anxious about a particular thing. 

If one of the Husky’s ears is up and the other is down, you do not need to worry. I’ve been through this when my dogs were puppies.

Research shows that the reasons behind this action were that either the dog is just being submissive and is hearing what you are saying or the dog’s pinna is underdeveloped. The solution to this is to wait and let the dog’s ear grow by itself, without forcing it! 

Conclusion

You do not need to worry if your Husky’s ears are flopping or are pointing downwards. It is normal, and once your pup is a grown-up, the ears will begin to perk up. Of course, there are many ways to train your Husky’s ears to erect up, but the best way is just to let them take time and grow on their own. Make sure that you take good care of your Husky and ensure regular cleaning of their ears. 

Have a Siberian Husky puppy and looking for games to keep it entertained and occupied? Here are 5 playtime ideas you can try…

1. Fetch and Drop-It

Everyone knows to fetch, and the chances are your Husky puppy will pick it up very quickly. Find a small, durable, rubber toy that can fit in your puppy’s mouth, but is not so small that he or she might be tempted to eat it. Balls are great because they bounce along the ground and help train your puppy to predict moving objects.

Just as important as retrieving the toy is dropping it on command. Use a simple command such as ‘drop’ and be sure to use feedback and treats to encourage this behavior. The drop command might come in handy later if your puppy likes to steal other things around the house, such as your shoes and socks!

We found KONG Squeaker Tennis Balls to be a great toy for playing fetch and drop with your husky. We tested different sizes and the medium one seems to fit perfectly since your husky still would be able to chew it, which is what they like to do as well. 

2. Freeze

If your puppy likes to get excited and boisterous (and Huskies are likely to) then try this game of bringing things to a halt. When the excitement is high and your puppy is bouncing around, call ‘freeze!’ and stop.

Totally freeze up: in movement and facial expression. Sure your puppy won’t understand this at first, but when your puppy does quieten down, give some positive feedback and a treat to acknowledge he or she is doing the right thing.

Like ‘drop’, the ‘freeze’ command will be handy later on when your puppy gets out and about. Being able to bring an over-excited Husky to calmness in public areas, or when guests are present, is an essential skill.

3. Find the Toy

If your puppy has a few toys there is a good chance it prefers to play with one in particular. So give this toy a nickname to identify it – the name doesn’t matter so just pick a characteristic that is easy to remember. For example, if the toy is a rubber chicken, you might call it ‘chookie’.

Now, use this name whenever your puppy picks up that toy. Over time your puppy will learn the association with your nickname and that toy, which you can use during fetch. Furthermore, you can hide this toy around the house or yard and ask your puppy to ‘find chookie’. Once this toy is “learned” move on to other toys or objects. Dogs have a remarkable ability to learn words and Siberian Huskies are no exception.

4. Treat Toys

A chew toy such as a Kong or Nylabone is going to keep your puppy engaged for long periods of time, and the toy itself should last months or years of heavy chewing abuse. Our favorite is a Kong toy (you can check the price on Amazon here)

Typically, stuff a Kong toy with dry dog food in with peanut butter and leave it to your Husky to get the treat out. For an added challenge, we freeze it for 4-6 hours before giving our huskies to play.

We like to stuff it with any treats, peanut butter, cheese whiz, a mixture of kibble and yogurt works for us as best, or literally with nothing at all – it doesn’t matter, your husky will go crazy for this toy, particularly if they’re a chewer or chaser!   

This is a great toy to leave a dog that is left alone in the yard. A Husky’s temperament is inquisitive and, if left to become bored, may become destructive.

So a toy such as this is a good distraction if you are out or unable to keep an eye on the dog. It also can prevent so many behavioral issues, like destructive chewing or excessive vocalization from boredom or anxiety. 

5. Soccer

Find a ball that is too large to fit in your Husky’s mouth, and reasonably soft or bouncy, and simply play soccer with him or her. At first, your puppy might try to grab the toy in its jaws – but after he figures this can’t be done he will start pushing it around. A good alternative to fetch if you don’t want puppy slobber all over your hands!

Whatever game you play just be aware that a puppy can tire out quickly, so limit physical exercise to 10 minutes at a time before rest. As your Siberian Husky puppy grows, you can extend this playtime, plus of course mix it up with walking or jogging your dog for exercise.

Want to buy a Siberian Husky puppy from a breeder and not sure where to find one? Here’s how…

Ways to find a good husky breeder near you

If you are new to the breed you will want to look for breeders close to home. You will be able to visit a few of them and pick one that you feel comfortable with. Being able to physically visit means you can quickly identify any potential puppy mills or backyard breeders. Being local means you are not pressured to make a decision on the first visit and can come back again after you have time to think about what you saw, or to visit other breeders.

1. Use breeder directories

Directories of Husky breeders are a great place to start. We have our own breeder directory or you can use the Siberian Husky Club of America’s directory here, or the American Kennel Club breeder search here. Please note that just because a breeder appears on a reputable web site, or is registered, it does not give you a guarantee that they aren’t a puppy farm. You should always do your homework – and we have some specific advice on choosing a Siberian Husky breeder.

2. Use search engines

Head over to your favorite search engine (Google, Bing, Ask, Yahoo, whatever you prefer) and use the term: husky breeders in <your state>, or husky puppies in <your state>. You can put in your state name or your 2-letter state code. Examples:

• husky breeders in California
• husky puppies in CA

You might be able to find some breeders this way, but like referral directories, a good breeder web site does not guarantee anything. You need to make contact and talk to the staff. Many breeders do not have web sites, simply because they don’t breed as a business, they do it for love. So to find these people you need to ask around…

3. Talk to local dog clubs

You can make contact with your local dog clubs, or just turn up when they meet and ask around. If there is a Siberian Husky dog club in your area that is a great place to start. Alternatively, you could expand the search a little and look for alternative but similar breeds such as Alaskan Husky or Alaskan Malamute.

If you are in a smaller town and do not have specialist dog clubs, try the general dog club and ask if they know anyone who breeds Huskies. Good dog breeders don’t work in isolation: rather they actively participate in the local community to share knowledge and news.

4. Talk to other dog owners

Your best bet is to find dog obedience or training school and have a look at who turns up. If anyone has a Husky then you can approach and find out where they got their puppy from. This is also a great way of checking out the reputation of local breeders and steering clear of any bad ones.

If walking down the street and you pass a Husky you can also ask the owner for advice. Most dog owners are more than happy to stop and talk about their dogs and share advice!

5. Ask local vets

Breeders have to get their puppies checked out by experts, and generally, have a preferred veterinarian to assist. Vets in the area might know of some breeders and can pass on contact details.

5. Check at rescue shelters

Shelters and rescue organizations sometimes need to place dogs in the temporary care and are likely to be aware of local breeders who have the facility and expertise to look after a stranded dog.

6. Ask other dog breeders

Good breeders will be happy to talk about other breeders in the area. If you know of at least one Husky breeder near you, chances are if there are more than that breeder knows who they are.

7. Do NOT ask pet shops

Whilst some pet shops are brilliant, many are not and are just front to puppy farms. Unless you have a pet shop that is very reputable and doesn’t keep puppies in small glass cages, you might want to steer clear of getting advice from one.

Conclusions

Looking to buy a Siberian Husky puppy from a breeder and not sure where to find one? Try using web directories and search engines to find breeders near you. If that fails try talking to people in your community such as dog clubs, vets, other Husky owners, and breeders, for a referral to breeders that they know of. It might take a while but the more effort you put in now, the better chance you have at finding a breeder that has a puppy perfect for you!

Whilst nobody can put a true price on love, purebred puppies can attract a pretty penny. How much does a Siberian Husky cost, and why the large variance? Read on…

If you are purchasing a Siberian Husky from a reputable breeder you can expect to pay between $500 and $800 for a puppy. If the parents of the puppy are winning shows or sled dogs then this will be closer to $1500-$2500, even as high as $10000!

Why Siberian Huskies are so expensive and what determines the price?

Siberian Husky combines natural beauty, devotion, affection. With their smart, understanding gaze, they win the hearts of many pet lovers. But not everyone is ready to buy a puppy because of the high cost. So what determines the price and what should I look for when buying husky puppies?

First, you need to decide for what purpose you want to have a husky. Do you want to get a pet companion or build a dog career? The price of a husky will depend on the pedigree and breed standards.

In order to understand why a purebred husky puppy is worth the money they ask for, you need to familiarize yourself with the costs for the breeder. Before selling husky puppies, responsible breeder invests a lot of labor and money in quality food, vitamins, vaccinations, vet visits, which accumulate and create a real price for Siberian Husky puppy.

The AKC Breed Standard for Siberian Husky is quite specific about the size, weight, and physical appearance of what a Husky should look like. If the parents of a puppy both meet the standard and have been winning shows, there is a good chance the puppy will also be of such a high standard.

There is similar reasoning for sled/racing dogs. If the parents are successful at winning races, built for endurance and power, then the puppies are also likely to be suitable for sledding competitions. There is no guarantee that the offspring of champion parents will themselves be champions, but will have a better chance than mating two domestic Huskies.

What if I don’t need a show dog?

Great! No problem at all with that. Most dogs ever owned will be loving members of the family and never be put on stage or put in a race. For this reason, you can look at breeders who are still keen and capable of matching animals to better the breed but might not be attracting the show’s parents. Some breeders might lower their prices to $300 to help find their puppies home. Keep in mind that the breeder still has to pay for housing, food, vaccinations, and other vet bills, not to mention their time in training and socializing the pups. $300 is pretty cheap for the service offered.

Are there any alternatives?

Believe it or not, pet shops are likely to charge more for puppies because they have rents and retail margins to make. We would generally not recommend buying from a pet shop as many are fronts for puppy mills and dogs are not necessarily bred for the betterment of the breed. That is, to improve the physical qualities, health, and temperament of the animals.

We have put together a guide on alternatives to buying from a breeder which should give you some ideas about where to look. These include classifieds, agencies, and local breeders who might not advertise.

Just remember that over the course of Husky’s twelve to fourteen-year life, the purchase price is going to be relatively insignificant compared to food, health checkups, and other costs associated with keeping animals. So while you might be tempted at the start to save a couple of hundred dollars, perhaps you are better off purchasing from a reputable breeder with a track record of producing healthy, happy, and ideal puppies.