AboutMarcus Doyle Expertise Questions about the general breed and temperament of Siberian Huskies. Also, I have had great experience in training them to be, well, a little less crazy. Nothing is a substitute for good research and training, but Husky owners are a special breed, and I can help in passing along some of that information.
I do not breed my dogs, they are just companion animals. I encourage that breeding be left to professionals and members of the SHCA. The SHCA can provide great information in helping fellow breeders and I am unable to answer all but the most basic of questions regarding breeding.
Experience Own two pure-bred Siberian Huskies (Karnovanda). Casual owner, but a love and understanding of the breed can be helpful in getting to the right resources.
Expert: Marcus Doyle Date: 7/15/2008 Subject: strange husky behavior
Question Hello I rescued what is almost now my 2 year old husky about 6 months ago..I have a few questions.. she is on the smaller side of huskies and weighs about 55lbs, do you think this is normal..she looks a little over weight but i've never had such a fluffy dog. Next she is very loving always waning to cuddle but on specific night when we leave her alone downstairs she decides to chew on specific things I can tell in the morning by her talking that she had done something wrong, is she looking for attention or just board.. i usually give her a bone but i do not want to spend the money and get her fat by giving her one every night. And my last question... I take her outside a lot and to a dog park.. i've been looking at flea and tick tropicals like K9 Advantix or frontline.. would you happen to know what would be most effective for her. Thanks!!
Answer Sorry for the delay in writing back - sometimes they don't mention there are questions waiting. A 55 lbs. female husky according to the "standard" would actually be slightly overweight - they are supposed to be 35-50 lbs.. Keep in mind that this is the SHCA (and therefore AKC) standard, so if your dog wasn't bred to that standard, it's really only just a suggestion. Sibes, having so much hair, actually look bigger than they are, but your best thing to do is to make sure you can see a waistline and feel the ribs (although it will take a little work to get through the fur).
As for chewing, Sibes are very intelligent, and very active, so my guess is she is just getting bored. You may want to try some bitter apple spray on things that she's not supposed to chew on, and other than that, just try to wear her out and keep her active. Finally, I've used Frontline for a while and have had no issues.
