AboutLabman Expertise Housebreaking, feeding, training
PLEASE DON'T SEND ME MEDICAL OR BREEDING QUESTIONS. An internet forum is not the appropriate place for them. Even if I could tell what was wrong from a handful of symptoms, you would still need to get the medications from your local vet.
Breeding should be left to those not needing to ask simple, basic questions. Books have been written about it. Rather than ask me a question, start reading. Those unwilling to do the work it takes to produce quality puppies should spay/neuter their pets at 6 months. I will not answer questions that sound like a poorly prepared breeder.
Experience Since nobody with Eskimo experience has signed up, I will do my best using my general knowledge of dogs. I have experience and training through my volunteer work with a large dog guide school in modern, proven methods. The service dog schools have acquired a wealth of knowledge about raising well behaved, healthy dogs with long, active lives. They do not share it with the general public, but pass on the best of it to those like me that raise puppies for them. I am part of a group that has raised dogs for 6 different service dog schools. We meet monthly and share information.
Please don't send me medical or breeding questions. An internet forum is not the appropriate place for them. Even if I could tell what was wrong from a handful of symptoms, you would still need to get the medications from your local vet.
Breeding should be left to those not needing to ask simple, basic questions. Books have been written about it. Rather than ask me a question, start reading. Those unwilling to do the work it takes to produce quality puppies should spay/neuter their pets at 6 months.
Expert: Labman Date: 10/5/2004 Subject: Husky- living outside in Michigan
Question I have a 4 month old siberian husky and am wondering if she can adapt to living out doors in Michigan at this young age. We have a dog igloo for her for out doors and the question is, will her coat grow thick enough to tolerate the cold weather here in Michigan at this young age. It's the beginning of October and already the weather has been in the 30's during the night. Also do I increase the fat and protein in her diet in order for her to stay healthy over the winter. She is presently on Purina One puppy chow but I've been reading that husky's can't digest all the cereal in the commercial dog foods but should have a meat and vegetable diet. Should the meat be given raw or cooked? Should I begin to change her diet now?
Answer Is she losing her puppy fluff and an adult coat coming in? If so, I think she will be OK by the time real cold weather sets in. I have never used one, but those popular plastic dog igloos look to me like the door is too big. When I had an outside dog, his house had not one, but 2 small doors offset to reduce cold air infiltration. You might add a tunnel entrance like a real igloo would have. Carefully orient it away from the prevailing winds. Don't just face it south, but think which way the the wind does blow and how the snow drifts where you live. Huskies are not as bad about chewing as some breeds, but I still would not trust a pup with an electric light as a heat source. In a good tight, insulated dog house, the dog should be plenty warm. Michagan is a big state, some of it with much more serious winters than others.
If she is doing OK on the Purina 1 Puppy chow, I would stick to it. It may be higher in cereal than some others, but it is highly processed to make it more digestible. People I respect, think highly of it. If she was an indoor dog, I would suggest switching to an adult chow now. In the larger breeds the puppy chow is so rich that it creates such fast growth that contributes to joint problems. An early switch slows growth allowing stronger joints to develop. In this case, she can use the extra calories growing a coat and keeping warm.
If you would feel better about a meat based diet, stick to a commercial dog chow. You could move up to Pro Plan from Purina. Formulating your own dog chow is a very complex business. It is expensive and time consuming. Time you could better spend with the dog. Miscalculate a little and you can ruin the dog's health. Vegetables are very nutritious, but even harder for dogs to digest than cereals. Dogs have died from some of raw meat diets. The veterinarian establishment is strictly against it. For more on this, see http://www.secondchanceranch.org/rawmeat.html.
I once kept a stray for a few months that likely was a young Husky. He was a beautiful beast, tri colored with eye spots. He was calm and gentle. I named him London, wanting something to reflect his Northern heritage. I really enjoyed having him.
