Team training for husky dogs. Effective husky training is the foundation of dog training. Dog diet and nutrition

Huskies are unusual dogs, and once domesticated northern wolves, which are fundamentally different from most of their kind, because life in the northern regions and special duties have made them indispensable helpers of a person capable of making independent decisions. That is why the upbringing and training of a husky puppy proceeds according to a different program, which should take into account their breed characteristics.

Before you start teaching and educating your new, yet unintelligent pet, you should definitely familiarize yourself with the characteristics of the breed and understand why huskies behave differently in a given situation. For example, why would such a dog not guard the house or be a nanny for a child?

They do not make guards, because in the northern boundless regions they live freely, perceiving everything around them as their property - without fences and fences. In addition, huskies are pack animals that understand that it is impossible to survive alone in such conditions.

And the most powerful being, helping in all matters, is a man, and he needs to be given all kinds of help. Naturally, living outside such conditions leaves its mark on the representatives of the breed, but is not able to completely eradicate their habits, which have been rooted at the genetic level for a long time.

All representatives of sledding breeds, including huskies, were given great freedom, but it also requires great responsibility: the leader of the pack has to independently determine the path, without waiting for advice from the owner and without fear of obstacles that arise along the way.

The rest of the team members have a different task - to drag the lines without losing the general rhythm and not to stop without a serious need - the one who slows down the pace will be immediately punished by the rest of the team. Long centuries of such a life have developed a certain behavioral line in dogs - to work with all your might, at the same time appreciating the efforts of others and looking for your own path to the goal.

The husky has well-developed hunting instincts, but not like other hunting breeds, but like its wild ancestor, the wolf. For such dogs, all foreign creatures, except for humans, can be considered as prey. Therefore, a dog living in a house or apartment can, without any remorse, “hunt” neighbor cats or other pets. If a husky puppy got into a house where there is already a cat, then on the street he is most often not interested in such living creatures.

Such dogs treat humans differently - they often changed owners and moved from team to team, so they do not have the habit of choosing one owner for life. Huskies are not able to distinguish between strangers, that is, they consider strangers only as a potential threat to themselves, but not to their master's housing and property.

On the part of people, there were attempts to instill in sled dogs the skills of aggression towards people, but they did not lead to anything good - the dogs did not quite correctly perceive the messages and tried, to please the owner, to destroy everyone who was weaker than them.

Huskies in apartment and aviary conditions

When purchasing a husky puppy for keeping in an apartment, the family should be prepared for the following “antics” of a four-legged friend:

To influence the behavior of the pet, the owner has two options: to place the dog in an aviary with a concrete floor, or still turn into a pack leader and provide a four-legged comrade with a job that will give him the opportunity to feel needed.

Basics of the educational process

Breeders who have experience with dogs of this breed note that these are one of the most fearless dogs, so the use of threats or physical pressure during training is highly discouraged. In addition, while working, they drew attention to one nuance - huskies love to monkey. Pets are able to adopt the habits of other dogs, for example, those that are kept with them in the same enclosure.

It is undesirable if the husky begins to borrow the behavior of service dogs - do not forget that this is only an imitation of behavior that is unusual for sled dogs. But for training such dogs, training is used, the basis of which are two methods - imitation and encouragement. In addition, it also includes methods of punishment, but mostly not pain, but those that can subdue:

strict, calm voice, without high notes;
confident movements;
subsequence;
the owner should not retreat if the dog is "testing" patience and does not strive to complete tasks.

With this approach, owners can get the best result from training, because it was they who helped the dogs during their nomadic life.

How to curb a wayward pet

Siberian domesticated wolves do not have stubbornness among the main character traits - they just go very stubbornly towards the desired goal. But they are able to submit to other, stronger rivals only if they understand that the advantages are not on their side.

The owner must ensure that the intensity of the loads is constantly increasing, this will allow not only the pet to show its capabilities, but also the owner to show the will. For example, you can make the dog run as long as he can, or you can invite him to climb to a height that the dog is afraid of, to overcome fear. You can train using stairs and exercises at height.

If it is not possible to subdue the dog with such methods, a more radical method can be applied - restriction of freedom of movement. For example, grab a pet by the withers, press it to the ground and hold it until the dog stops trying to resist.

Often, the owners have no choice but to put a wayward pet on a leash or place it in a not too spacious aviary. The only caveat is that it is important that the dog does not cheat, because the method will not work if the husky breaks off the leash or digs and takes off into the distance with a victorious look.

Important aspects of education

As soon as the puppy crossed the threshold of the house, the owner should immediately begin to educate him:

first of all, you should determine a place for your four-legged friend, and do not change it over time;
show the baby what he can play with and what is taboo; Naturally, the dog must have its own toys, and the list of prohibitions includes shoes, furniture, and more;
you should immediately accustom the pet to the toilet;
introduce a feeding regimen from the first day, depending on age;
forbid everyone around you, and, first of all, treat yourself to a puppy from your hands, and even more so from your table.

For a husky, it is important to feel dependent on the leader of the pack. To begin with, the puppy must learn to respond to his nickname, as well as relieve himself in the allotted place. On walks, the dog should walk next to the owner, get used to the collar and leash. It is worth accustoming a pet to a muzzle.

Huskies are very pedantic, although this quality applies to other animals, uniformity in behavior, environment and events is important for them. It is easier for them to learn the skills of correct behavior if the owner reinforces the process with encouragement: affection, sweets or a friendly tone.

The pet will be able to understand that he blundered somewhere if the owner immediately responds to undesirable behavior. Otherwise, the punishment will not bring results, and the dog will be sincerely perplexed, not understanding what he was guilty of.

Experts recommend training in such a way as not to inadvertently disturb the psyche of your four-legged pet, making it vicious or, conversely, cowardly. And for this you need to remember about stability. Using the same vocal intonations, gestures and commands will make the learning process more comfortable for the animal.

Another feature is the mode of practice. It is worth allocating certain days and times for them. But active games with or without inventory can be played whenever your heart desires. Husky will never refuse to frolic once again.

What is the best place to start

Representatives of the breed learn the primary skills quite well, especially if you take into account some of the subtleties:

Huskies are dogs of incredible beauty, grace and power, undoubtedly attracting the attention of dog lovers. But before you get such an extraordinary pet, you should evaluate your own strengths. Not only are husky puppies not cheap, but it will also take a lot of effort, time and patience to curb this recalcitrant northern dog.

Owners should understand that a sled dog will not make either a watchman or a guard, and its love of freedom does not exclude a craving for escapes. Huskies are not dogs for everyone, and it is better if the dog does his usual work, and not sit idly in 4 walls, spoiling property and screaming out of boredom.

It won its popularity, first of all, for its unusual wolf appearance and friendly disposition. Probably many would like to buy such a puppy. However, according to experts, due to some character traits, this breed is not suitable for all dog breeders. Husky care in any case must be carried out correctly.

A bit of history

The Husky breed was bred naturally, for thousands of years, by the inhabitants of the Far North - the Chukchi. In terms of physiological characteristics, it is a relative of the well-known to everyone (but not its variety). Huskies were used by the Chukchi mainly as sled dogs.

Unfortunately, unlike the Laika, after the 17th year this breed was recognized as unpromising in our country. And so she was completely ignored. The only thing that saved the Huskies from extinction was that even before the revolution, several of these dogs were taken out of Kamchatka by the Americans. That is why the breed is registered not in Russia, but in the USA.

How to choose a pet

They buy husky dogs, the care and maintenance of which at home require some knowledge, usually at the age of two months. Of course, it is quite difficult to determine whether a puppy meets the standards at this time without proper experience. However, paying attention to the skeleton of the animal (it must be strong), the correctness of the bite, the set of the neck and tail when buying, of course, is a must.

The color of the husky can be different. World standards allow 15 different shades. But in Russia they are recognized only with brown, black or gray. This should also be taken into account when choosing a puppy.

The eyes of these dogs usually have a rich blue color. It is this feature, along with the "wolf" appearance, that causes genuine delight in most people at the sight of a husky. However, the standards do not regulate the eye color of this breed too strictly. Brown, golden, olive, in any case, are not considered a defect.

When choosing a husky puppy, among other things, you should pay attention to his muzzle, paws and back. A light "mask" and dark "glasses" in representatives of this breed must be present. A hunchbacked back and loose paws, as well as sharpening wool, are considered defects according to the standards. The nose of representatives of this breed can be black, pink or even striped.

Husky in the future will be simpler if, when choosing, the owners pay attention to the character of the baby. The dog should be active, strong and not too aggressive. Perhaps, before buying, you should not only examine the puppy, but also take a little walk with him.

Character features

Husky is a very peaceful dog. Representatives of this breed are friendly to strangers. Therefore, using such a dog as a watchdog will not work. This breed is not suitable for those who want to see a cute “sofa” dog at home.

Husky care is, first of all, frequent walks. These dogs are very active, and without proper physical activity they begin to misbehave. If such a dog is kept in a city apartment, it is advisable to walk with it three times a day. Otherwise, gnawed furniture, scratched doors and floors are guaranteed to the owners.

Husky on the street

Walking representatives of this breed should only be on a leash, at least at first. These dogs (especially at a young age) show a tendency to wander and can easily run away. They never attack passers-by, but at the same time they can simply run up to someone from an excess of energy in order to “get acquainted” and scare a person with this. After all, the size of these dogs is quite large. In addition, in appearance they resemble wolves, which most people associate with aggressiveness.

Huskies, whose care and maintenance in an apartment involves frequent walks, can also feel good in the courtyard of a country house. In this case, an aviary with a warm booth is usually equipped for the dog. Allowing huskies to roam freely even in a suburban area is not recommended. Otherwise, the dog may decide to go on a free trade and hunt the neighbor's rabbits and ducks.

Husky care: how often to bathe

An unpleasant smell of dog from dogs of this breed almost never comes. This is considered one of the advantages of the Siberian Husky. But the purity of the coat of these dogs should be monitored as carefully as possible. During a walk, you should not allow the dog to climb into puddles or run through the mud, and even more so wallow in it.

The fact is that experienced dog breeders do not recommend bathing huskies too often. These dogs should take water procedures no more than once a year. If the husky gets dirty during the walk, the paws and contaminated areas of the body should simply be thoroughly wiped with a soft, damp sponge.

Husky care in the house and apartment: what to do with wool

Small puppies of this breed should be brushed at least twice a week. Their fur is very soft and thin, and therefore quickly falls into tangles. You can increase the time between combing to a week only after the husky is 5-6 months old. At this age, the coat of puppies becomes a little coarser.

During molting, care for a husky in an apartment should consist of daily combing. If this procedure is carried out less frequently, pieces of matted dog hair will fill the entire room very quickly. And it will be extremely difficult to remove them from carpets and upholstered furniture. If the dog is kept in the yard of a private house, combing during molting can be done 3-4 times a week.

It is better to take care of a husky's hair not with an ordinary comb, but with the use of special rakes, which you can buy at a pet store. Such a device has one important advantage. Rakes, unlike combs, do not tear the beautiful undercoat of dogs of this breed and do not break individual guard hairs.

What to feed huskies

Husky care includes the development of a balanced diet. this breed is best natural products. At the same time, the pet menu should be as diverse as possible. The dog should be given beef, chicken, sea fish, liver, heart, vegetables, etc. Of course, foods should be thermally processed before feeding. Otherwise, the dog may pick up worms.

Husky pork and lamb are not allowed. These types of meat are too heavy for their stomach. Be sure to include cereals in the diet - steamed oatmeal and buckwheat should be in the daily menu. Eating cereals of this variety stabilizes the work of the intestines and stomach of dogs of the described breed. At the same time, semolina and barley husky are completely unsuitable.

Experienced dog breeders advise a newly acquired small puppy to be put on a rice diet for a week. In the future, small pieces of white poultry meat or sea fish should be gradually alternately added to such a porridge.

Features of training

Proper upbringing from an early age is what is required for husky dogs. The care and maintenance of these large intelligent dogs require training. If the education of the puppy is not given enough attention, he will grow up completely uncontrollable. Love of freedom and the desire to lead in everything and everywhere in these northern dogs is literally in the blood.

Getting started, you should remember that the husky is primarily not a service dog, but a working dog. For example, she, on her own, without any training, will gladly ride the children or even the owners themselves on a sled. But at the same time, there is no way to develop aggressiveness in relation to strangers in a dog.

Most often, husky training begins from 2-3 months. The training program is chosen so that the dog will be as interesting as possible. It is not worth punishing huskies for not following commands during classes. Much better results with these dogs can be achieved using praise.

The commands themselves during training should be given to the husky in a clear, authoritative, calm voice. It should be shown during training and perseverance. However, we must not forget that these northern dogs respond much better to requests than to orders.

Proper care of a husky puppy is punished only if:

manifestations of aggression towards the owner;
committing acts dangerous to the dog itself;
displays of aggression towards other dogs.

Under no circumstances should you hit a husky. The following is usually used as a punishment:

the dog is taken by the withers;
press her to the floor so that she cannot move;
after the dog stops resisting and relaxes, he is released.

As a reward for training, be sure to use some goodies. Praise dogs in a flat, soft voice. These dogs absolutely cannot stand shrill intonations.

What mistakes should not be made

This is how Siberian Huskies are trained at home. As you can see, the upbringing and care of the described dogs presuppose the observance of certain rules. When raising a puppy, you should try not to make mistakes that are typical for beginners. These include primarily:

bans on communication with other dogs;
dragging a dog in his arms (especially with his stomach forward);
retraining (huskies will not perform an already learned command for no apparent reason several times in a row).

Among other things, a dog of this breed should never be allowed to play with household items - old socks, slippers that are no longer needed, etc. Otherwise, in the future, the dog will do the same with new things. Moreover, it is unlikely that it will be possible to wean him from this.

Conclusion

Husky care and feeding, as well as the training of this breed, are relatively simple procedures, as you can see. Pay more attention to your pet, walk with him in time, show maximum patience, and this dog will surely thank you with his love and boundless devotion.

This article will focus on the features of the training course, namely the very initial training course at home. Many people have the misconception that huskies are quite difficult to train, but in fact this is an erroneous opinion. The Husky breed is actually quite intelligent, capable of picking up course commands on the fly. And there was this opinion about the husky due to the fact that the breed is independent, sometimes even huskies come across with the character of dominants. That is why they often refuse to follow your course commands. In order for your pet to better listen and follow the course commands in the future, you need to start the Husky from the very beginning, when you brought the puppy into the house. Teaching the training course should begin with the most necessary and useful command “come to me”, it must be worked out very carefully, first at home, and then tried gradually on the street during a walk.

Let's start a little with history. Huskies and humans began to live side by side a very long time ago. People shared their meals, shelter and warmed themselves on cold nights. Also, these friends of a man in a team could deliver a man home, even when he himself lost his way in a snowfall. People trusted these animals even with the most valuable thing, their small children, and did not worry that the husky would harm him. in a pack, if necessary, they themselves could get their own food, hunting like wolves. It is thanks to this that such character traits as independence and trust in a person appeared. Not all dogs of this breed behave in the same way, this is natural, but they have such common character traits, playful, active, they need physical activity from time to time.
Husky training course. How to start training.

And so, as mentioned above, you need to start training a puppy as soon as you bring him into the house. You need to start the training course with the most necessary course command like ““, and you also need to help the puppy remember his name as quickly as possible. The main course of training can begin after the puppy reaches 6 months of age, preferably under the supervision of an experienced dog handler, who will tell you how to and how not to train a husky puppy.

To begin with, you yourself need to hone your behavior towards the puppy and strictly adhere to this. If this is not done, your pet simply will not understand what they want from him, because. one member of the puppy's family can encourage, and the other scold for the same act. You must clearly indicate to the puppy your place, on which he should sleep and eat. After some time, the puppy will choose a leader for himself, it is this person who will need to take on not only the upbringing of the puppy, but also his training as a whole.

Before you start a husky training course, remember the basic principles of the course, and do not neglect them:

No physical punishment.
You need to train a husky only with affection and goodies. Praise and give your puppy treats whenever he does what you asked him to do. If you do not like his behavior, try to divert his attention with a toy.
Repeat the learned commands of the training course many times.
Since the Husky grasps all the commands of the training course on the fly, understands what they want from her quickly enough, but, nevertheless, does not always follow the course commands the first time. The thing is that because of their nature, they can easily be distracted from the training course to other things that are more interesting in their opinion. Therefore, give your pet the same training course command at least 10 times a day, and be sure to wait for it to be completed. It happens that a husky may not obey the training course, in which case you need to find a way to distract the puppy. Let me give you an example, you gave the puppy the command of the training course “to me”, and instead of running towards you, he starts to run away. Show him the toy and wait for him to come to you, then clearly say the command "come" and praise him.

I bring to your attention a video of a husky training course.

Husky breed dogs are amazing creatures that have not only an unusual appearance, but also a special character. This is exactly what should be taken into account when raising such a dog, because experienced dog owners always train their wards, taking into account their character.

Husky puppy: how to choose a baby

Before moving on to the issue of training, you need to start with the very first steps - this is the choice of a husky puppy. actually pick up a good dog is not so easy, so here you need to heed the following tips:

As seen, some special criteria there is no choice of a husky puppy, so you can take home any puppy.

Everyone who wants to get such a dog should immediately understand that the husky is a working breed. She is hardy, strong, one has only to remember in what harsh northern conditions she is able to live and work. This must be taken into account. Husky education should take place in the same way as young children are raised, that is, in the process of playing. That's how the dog understands and perfectly executes all commands. For the success of the pet, you must certainly praise it, otherwise it will simply refuse further training.

The dog must understand the authority of his master as the most important person in the family. There should be no lisping and no cruelty in the training of a husky. The owner of such a dog must immediately establish a trusting relationship with his dog, be strict with him, but fair.

Attention! Of course, the husky breed is extremely charming and causes endless tenderness in everyone. But if you constantly touch and lisp with her, then no discipline and proper education will work: the dog will simply become spoiled and will not listen to his master. And vice versa, in no case should cruelty be used in training: huskies are very smart and understand everything, so they will remember all excessively harsh actions, and in adulthood they will definitely remember them to their master.

As you can see, a husky dog is intelligent like a person. When there is a process of raising a child, it is necessary to refrain from connivance and cruel treatment. Exactly the same is the case and with self-training of the dog: only mutual respect, justice, rigor and encouragement.

Experienced dog breeders advise starting training a puppy from the age of 3 months, some start even earlier. It is worth emphasizing right away: such a dog is extremely smart and wayward, therefore, if he does not obey, does not follow commands and does not want to continue communicating with his owner at all, then this means that he is bored, he decides to be stubborn, or the dog simply does not want to at the moment to study despite the fact that he perfectly understands what they want from him.

If such a situation arises, then you can try to change the game process to a more dynamic and exciting one. And a few other very important points:

all commands must be given in a clear, well-defined voice, as if a trainer is a teacher at school;
the tone of voice should not be raised, you need to speak calmly;
as mentioned earlier, the husky is a working dog, but not a service dog, so commands should not sound like an order, but like a request.

Many owners, due to their incompetence, perceive all breeds of dogs as one, for such, both husky and shepherd dogs are, in fact, the same creatures, which means that training should be the same. this is a profound delusion. And if you do not take into account the nature of the husky, then the training will simply fail.

A smart and resourceful husky will always feel if the owner is afraid of her or spoils her too much, then she will let in all her cunning and start to be self-willed, so you should educate her wisely, be sure to encourage her for success. As a compliment you need to use a variety of goodies, especially in the early stages of training. In the future, already with an adult dog, verbal encouragement will be enough, while speaking in a soft and pleasant voice. It is not necessary to squeal with joy or praise in a squeaky voice, imitating children: huskies, and in principle all dogs, cannot stand such intonations.

Punishments should not be applied if the dog is not in the spirit of following commands, because like any other creature, she also needs moral and physical rest. However, sometimes there are situations where a dog needs to be punished, for example:

aggression towards its owner and surrounding people;
aggression towards other animals;
behavior that could harm the dog itself.

Even for such dangerous actions In no case should a dog be beaten, instead it is better to use the following methods:

in a strict voice, try to stop the inappropriate behavior of the dog;
take the pet by the withers and press it to the ground, do not let go until it calms down.

Thus, the dog will feel that the owner is stronger than him, and the latter, in turn, without the use of force, will calm the dog and establish his authority in front of him.

Commands and other rules of training

So, how to train a pet at home? How to teach different commands? The question is complex and simple at the same time. To start the dog she must remember her nickname, and here everything is simple: you need to address her only by name, while gently stroking her. Before you feed the dog, you should call him, you need to do this constantly, and in a few days the pet will learn its nickname.

The dog must clearly understand who is the boss in the house. Husky is a dog of a pack breed, so it will instinctively look for a leader in the family according to his authority. If she does not find this, then she will try to become the leader herself, and this will already entail disobedience and spoiledness.

How to call a dog and accustom to the command "next"? Everything is simple here - this is the phrase "to me, to me, here's a smart girl" with a cheerful and joyful intonation, plus a treat for the work done. If the ward does not want to obey, you can run away from him a little, then the dog may be afraid of moving away from his master and will try to shorten this distance. As soon as he starts running up, you need to continue to call him, and as a result, reward him with a treat.

The team "near" should be taught by all means with the help of a leash: they cling to the dog's collar and lead near the left leg, saying the word "next". As soon as the dog tries to run forward or to the side, you need to pull on the leash and say "near" again. In several days the dog will remember this rule and will walk next to the owner as it should.

As for the collar itself, as well as the muzzle, things can be somewhat controversial here, since the Husky is unlikely to like the idea of wearing something extraneous. At first, she will try to pull off the collar, this will need to be monitored at first. Putting on her such attributes, you should do it during the game, treats for exemplary behavior. Over time, these items will evoke pleasant associations in the pet. The leash should be used only when the dog gets used to the collar.

Huskies are disciplined and very clean creatures, so it should be immediately accustomed to a place specially designated for sleeping. You should not allow the dog to run around the house and sleep wherever it pleases. little puppies and it’s worth keeping in cages at all, sometimes making promenades from room to room.

If the dog does not know how to behave in the presence of guests, namely, it barks loudly, jumps at everyone, asks for food and much more, then such actions must be answered with indifference. It is better to immediately warn the guests so that they do not stroke the dog and do not pay attention to it, otherwise it will not leave them behind.

And finally: the dog must be accustomed to veterinary examination. Visits to the animal clinic are best from the very first months of life, then the pet will not be afraid of the doctor. You should also teach her to bathe, cut and comb out from an early age.

If you strictly follow all the tips and rules given above, then no one, even an amateur, will have problems with how to raise a husky.