Home › Dog Breeds A–Z › Siberian Husky
Siberian Husky
A striking, tireless sled dog — friendly, energetic and famously fond of escaping and "talking".
How to spot it
A medium, athletic dog 50–60 cm tall and 16–27 kg, built for endurance, with a thick double coat, erect triangular ears, and often piercing blue eyes (or one blue and one brown). It looks like a compact, elegant wolf.
Temperament
Friendly, outgoing and gentle, even with strangers — which makes it a poor guard. Bred to run in teams, it is pack-minded, independent and mischievous, and howls and "talks" rather than barking much.
Exercise & training
Needs a great deal of daily exercise and will dig and bolt if bored — a Husky is a notorious escape artist and should never be trusted off-lead near roads. Training rewards patience; it is intelligent but independent.
Grooming & care
The dense coat sheds enormously, blowing out twice a year in clumps; brush several times a week. Crucially this is an Arctic breed built for cold — it suffers badly in Indian heat, needing cool housing, shade and plenty of water, and is genuinely hard to keep well in a hot climate.
Health & lifespan
Around 12–14 years and generally healthy; watch for eye conditions such as cataracts and for hip dysplasia.
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