Are Siberian Huskies part wolf?

No. The Siberian Husky is a domesticated pure bred dog and has been for many centuries. They are sometimes mistaken for wolves, and they are sometimes used in movies to depict wolves, but they are most certainly not wolves or part wolf.

Why are some Siberian noses partially pink and partially black?

This is called a "snow nose", and is fairly common in the breed. A snow nose is a reddish or pink marking on a black or liver colored nose. Snow nose can disappear over warmer months and reappear over the winter months. There is nothing wrong with a snow nose, and it is perfectly acceptable in the breed.

Can Siberians have different colored eyes?

Yes. This is fairly common in the breed. One eye may be blue while the other is brown.

Is there something wrong with an eye that is both brown and blue?

No. This is called a "pinto eye", a "parti eye", or a "split eye." It is also fairly common in the breed. One or both eyes may be all blue with a brown pie shaped wedge, or all brown with a blue wedge. At first glance, it may appear that there is something wrong with the eye but there is not. It is simply a matter if pigmentation. This too is perfectly acceptable in the breed.

I've heard that Siberians are mischievous. Is this true?

Yes and no. Siberians are very intelligent dogs. They will often do things that surprise their owners. They can get into things that one might think are impossible. When Siberians are bored, they can become quite mischievous, inventive, and destructive. This is typical of working dogs. This is why it is so important to include the Siberian in family activities and give him plenty of attention and exercise.

I've heard that Siberians are high-strung. Is this true?

Yes and no. Siberians are a very energetic breed. As a working dog, they need something to do, some way of challenging their intelligence and an outlet for their energy. If they are not provided one, they will find one for themselves.

I've heard Siberians are dumb. Is that true?

No! Siberian Huskies are extremely intelligent working dogs. People often mistake the fact that they can be difficult to train as a sign of stupidity. One must keep the Siberian interested and challenge his intelligence in order to properly train him. A Siberian will probably know what you want him to do, he just may not want to do it!

Just how cold can a Siberian Husky live in?

Siberian Huskies can work and live in temperatures as low as 75 degrees Fahrenheit below zero.

What about heat?

As stated repeatedly throughout this document, Siberian Huskies are remarkably adaptable animals. So long as they have adequate shade, shelter, and water, the seem to do just fine in warmer climates. See next question.

I live in a hot part of the country. Will this be uncomfortable for my Siberian Husy?

The best approach to this problem is to select a dog from a reputable breeder in your area or that lives in an area with a similar climate to yours. These dogs will be well aclimated to the warmer weather than a Siberian Husky from a cooler climate. However, so long as the dog is well taken care of, brushed regularly, has plenty of water and shade, he or she will likely be just fine in your warm climate. Siberian Huskies are found all over the world, from the deep southern part of the United States, where it is very warm and humid, to South Africa, Russia, New Zeland, Austrailia, and Alaska. Literally all over the globe in every climate you can imagine.

My Siberian Husky digs constantly and is destroying the yard. What can I do?

Digging can be a very difficult problem to solve. It is the nature of the breed to dig cooling holes to lie in. One method that has worked occasionally for me is to provide the dog an area in your yard in which he is allowed, even encouraged, to dig and train him to dig there. A sand-box, of sorts, with soft cool dirt with an occasional treat buried there can work. There are other methods of solution to this problem, but I have not tried them. For more information on solving general behavior problems such as this one, see 

My Siberian Husky puppy is very noisy, particularly at night. What can I do?

This is not particular to the breed, but since I get asked this question all of the time, it is worth repeating the answer. The noisy puppy at night is simply lonely. He needs to be near his "pack," which is you in this case. It used to be his littermates. Over time, your puppy will learn what I would call "pack permanence," borrowed from the term "object permanence" in which a human infant learns that objects that "dissapear," i.e., a dropped toy, a parent leaving the room, return. They do not vanish from his or her "universe," that is, they are "permanent." In the puppy, he needs reassurance that you are "permanent." One easy method is to use a crate at night with your puppy, and put the crate next to your bed. When your puppy wakes and whines, you can easily reassure, or in some cases "rattle" the cage, to quiet the dog. This is also an effective house training technique. For more information on crate training, 

My Siberian Husky puppy seems to be potty training very slowly or not at all. What can I do?

Crate training is by far the most effective techniqe for potty training your dog. I have never failed to house train any dog I have had in less than 2 weeks using this method. For most dogs, it took less than a week. A good description of crate training can be found at www.k9web.com

My Siberian Husky is an escape artist. He constantly gets out of the yard. What can I do?

This too is a very simple problem to solve. Siberians can be mischevious, and as a result can be notorious escape artists. The best solution to this problem is an electrified wire at the top, and or bottom of your fence, depending on the problem (digging or climbing or both). You can obtain a cheap, low power, electric charger at any home improvement store. I have two solar powered ones. The shock they produce is very small, sort of a strong static electric shock, and the dogs absolutely hate it. I have a very short fence where I live now (4 ft in some areas), with several gaps at the bottom that would take any of my dogs seconds to dig out. However, with the little wire at the bottom, they stay about 8 inches away from the fence at all times. All it takes is one shock. I do not recommend the "invisible fence" type of arrangement for a variety of reasons that I will not go into here. For other possible solutions to the escape problem,

My Siberian Husky howls all day long, annoying the neighbors. What can I do?

This too is a simple problem to solve. This problem should be approached in a series of stages. Stage 1 is use simple negative rienforcement when the dog makes unacceptable noise. This must be done repeatedly, every time it happens, for several days. Stage 2 is to step it up by employing a willing, perhaps the annoyed, neighbor to help. Have him squirt the dog with water when the noise happens. Most Siberian Huskies hate water. You could also employ any number of devices on the market designed to apply a squirt of water when a noise happens. I have never used one, but it should work. Unfortunately, it will not be able to distinguish between your dog making noise and a loud car, so your dog may recieve negative rienenforcement when it is not warranted. All of these methods, if applied with paitience and vigillence, should work. I have not tried stage 2. I have had stage 1 work most of the time, but occasionally have had to jump to stage 3, the bark-activated shock collar. These deliver up to eight different levels of shock to the dog when barking occurs, at adjustable levels of sensitivity. The shocks are similar to the electric fence above. I have used such a collar on two of my dogs, and have never had to go above level 2 on the collar. The problem was solved with the first shock. This may sound harsh, but it can save your dogs from the legal system if you have a sensitive neighbor. For more information on solving general behavior problems such as this one

I've been told that Siberian Huskies are "cat killers." Is this true?

They can be. It depends on how they are socialized as puppies. They have a very strong prey-drive, and if they are not socialized to smaller animals as puppies, they will likely kill most small animals they encounter (rabits, squirrels, cats, etc).

I have a newborn/small child. Is he/she safe around my Siberian Husky?

It is never a good idea to trust any dog around a small child unsupervised, no matter how docile the dog (and child) seem. Be extremely careful and supervise the dog and child. Gradually introduce the situation to both to make them both comfortable. This advice has nothing to do with the Siberian Husky breed in particular.

Are Siberian Huskies genetically pre-disposed to suffer from Epilepsy (siezures of unknown origin)?

No. However, Epilepsy does occur in the breed. The siezures are not, generally speaking, life threatening, but if your dog does have a siezure, you should have your dog checked by a veterinarian to rule out the many other possible causes. If, in the end, Epilepsy is the diagnosis, siezures are usually controlable with medication (Dilantin or Phenobarbital are usually prescribed).