Siberian Huskies For Dummies Page 11

  Scooting

  If your dog scrapes his rear end along the ground, he’s scooting. Some people think dogs who scoot have worms, and they may, but more than likely, dogs who scoot are trying to empty their anal glands. Most dogs can accomplish this feat quite satisfactorily on their own, but in some cases you may need to see your veterinarian or your groomer. They will teach you how to express the anal glands yourself. It’s not hard, but it is smelly. If you attempt this task, you’ll probably need two assistants, one to hold the dog, and the other to hold your nose for you.

  Eating grass

  No one really knows why dogs eat grass. Some people think that dogs use grass to obtain roughage, which they may require in their diets, but grass is simply indigestible in dogs. Nonetheless, they persist in eating large quantities of the stuff and vomit it up everywhere. Actually, vomiting may be the idea behind the whole thing with grass acting as an emetic (something that causes vomiting). In any event, eating grass seems to cause them no harm, whatever the vomit may do to the furniture. If there’s anything harder to remove than grass stains, it’s grass stains mixed with dog stomach acid.

  Eating manure

  The formal term is for feces-eating is coprophagia. No one knows precisely why dogs sometimes engage in this disgusting behavior; it is probably programmed into their genes. A mother dog will eat the feces of her very young puppies, for example. This is normal behavior; it keeps the den clean.

  But in most cases, feces-eating is really counterproductive. Manure is notoriously ill-supplied with vitamins or anything else useful. That’s why it’s excreted as waste. Still, dogs continue to engage in this behavior. They may eat their own waste, the waste of other dogs, or even those of other species (cat and horse manure are particular favorites). Coprophagia is not only disgusting, it’s also dangerous for your dog.

  Nearly all dogs will voraciously devour cat excrement. Cat excrement is especially dangerous, because it carries Toxoplasma gondii, which can cause all kinds of hideous things. The solution is to keep the litter box out of the dog’s reach, and to clean up the yard frequently.

  Coprophagia is more common in young dogs between the ages of 4 and 9 months, so it’s possible your Husky may just grow out of it. On the other hand, he may learn to like the taste of poop and get worse.

  Other than just-for-fun, and just-to-be-aggravating, some medical conditions seem to induce coprophagia, including:

  Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency

  Pancreatitis

  Overfeeding a high-fat, high-carbohydrate diet

  Intestinal infections

  Certain malabsorption conditions

  Check with your veterinarian to rule out any of these disorders.

  Another possibility is that your dog is merely bored. Dogs are notoriously maladaptive when it comes to entertaining themselves. They never want to collect stamps or do anything educational. So they turn to something that does interest them: feces.

  Some people suggest sprinkling hot sauce on the feces in the hope that the dog will learn not to go near it, but I doubt this is effective. Dogs have an excellent sense of smell and will simply learn to not eat feces that smell like hot sauce.

  Certain products are available that are designed to discourage coprophagia. You can start with something cheap, like meat tenderizer or monosodium glutamate (MSG) added to your Husky’s food. Apparently the stuff makes dog waste taste bad even to dogs. If that doesn’t work, you can try Deter, an over-the-counter pill you can give your dog every two weeks. There’s also a veterinarian-prescribed product called Forbid that does the same thing.

  Try changing your dog’s diet to one lower in fat and higher in protein. You should expect results in a month or so.

  Noticing Your Siberian’s Sleeping Style

  Dogs sleep a lot — over 14 hours a day (more than any other mammal)! And noticing the body position of your Husky as he sleeps tells you a lot about his comfort levels and his self-image.

  In cold weather, the Siberian does what is known in the trade as the Siberian swirl, carefully tucking his tender nose under that furry tail for warmth.

  A Husky curled snugly close beside you is probably not so much interested in keeping warm (he’s hotter than you are) as he is keeping safe. If he’s an alpha dog, however, you may notice that he keeps himself a little distant from you — maybe just a few inches. He wants to be secure, but at the same time he’s letting you know that he is perfectly capable of handling anything that comes up. A dog farther down on the dominance scale may snuggle more closely.

  If your Husky prefers to take his ease flat on his back, legs in the air, you may take comfort in knowing that you have a supremely confident, friendly dog without a care in the world. He is totally at ease. This is an extremely vulnerable posture, and only the most self-assured dog will assume it.

  A dreaming dog exhibits the same rapid eye movement (REM) found in people. Do not disturb a dreaming dog. You may be walking right into his nightmare. The gentlest dog in the world has been known to snap if awakened at the wrong time.

  A Siberian lying flat on his stomach, legs sprawling in every direction, is probably hot. He is trying to dissipate his body heat as efficiently as possible.

  A yawning Husky does not necessarily mean a tired Husky. Yawns may also indicate anxiety or tension. You will often observe them, for instance, when getting your Husky ready for a walk or a ride.

  Chapter 7

  Socializing Your Siberian

  In This Chapter

  Playing with your puppy from his first day home

  Getting your Husky used to other animals

  Helping your Husky and your children become the best of friends

  Dogs are social animals, and among dogs, no breed is more social than the Siberian. Bred to live in groups and in close proximity with human beings, the Siberian Husky presents no particular problems in socialization — with the single possible exception of the family cat. Nevertheless, socializing your dog is an important part of his education. And in this chapter, I let you know how to go about making your dog a welcome and loving part of any family.

  Interacting with Your Puppy

  Your Husky puppy should be from 8 to 12 weeks old when he arrives. This critical period in the life of a dog is sometimes referred to as the human socialization period — the time when your Husky learns to adapt his behavior to the human environment. (The earlier period is the canine socialization period, when the puppy learns to associate with other dogs.) If a puppy is not sufficiently socialized with others of his kind, he could turn into a fighter. Luckily, Siberians rarely have this problem. They are among the most sociable of creatures, both with people and other dogs, although not always with other species.

  Visiting with your Siberian

  Restrict the number of visits with your Husky pup until he has had his second set of shots. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take him out at all, but you should limit his contacts with other dogs. Many contagious diseases are lurking around. Be particularly careful when going for a walk in the park, because many people do not clean up after their dogs and lots of viral diseases are carried in feces (another good reason to check your own shoes when returning from a walk — you may have stepped in something unpleasant yourself). And your curious puppy will want to investigate everything (and I mean everything!) he finds.

  Socialization is essential for a young dog. He needs to be exposed to all different kinds of people — of different races, sexes, and ages. It’s especially important for him to meet babies and children. He should meet some strangers once or twice a week, and in different environments. You need to take an active part in seeking out these places. All dog-human encounters should be pleasant experiences for your dog; it helps if the friendly stranger will feed or pet him.

  When you do make your first visit, don’t feed your puppy immediately before venturing out. The intense excitement of going on a trip may cause an upset stomach and subsequent upchuck. Not the best way
to impress your friends with your new puppy. It’s also a good idea to exercise your puppy before bringing him to a new place. The thrill of being in a new house may well make him wish to christen it — or worse.

  Enrolling in puppy kindergarten

  If possible, enroll your Husky in a puppy kindergarten class. You can usually enter your puppy at 3 months, with graduation at 5 months. These classes are valuable because they help your puppy develop socialization skills with people and other dogs. Siberians excel at this, so you may just have the class valedictorian on your hands. Your puppy will also learn some elementary tasks, and you’ll pick up tips on basic obedience as well. Puppy kindergarten teachers can give you some good house-training advice as well.

  Introducing Your Siberian to Children

  Huskies and children were made for each other. With reasonable precautions, the introductions will go smoothly. Remember that the children and new dog will be curious about each other — maybe too much so. They may knock each other over, roll on each other, and steal each other’s toys. So never allow young children and dogs to play unsupervised.

  Clip your Husky’s nails; more harm to children results from scratches than from bites.

  Training the children to be pet-friendly

  To begin with, children need firm instruction in how to be kind to animals; some of them are unaware of how annoying their teasing can be. They don’t usually mean to be cruel; they just don’t know any better. Sometimes children chase a small puppy relentlessly or scream in the pup’s ears. This behavior is courting disaster. Even a gentle Husky may need to protect himself against this kind of abuse.

  If children misbehave around animals, it is often the fault of their parents. I have seen adults sit around, seemingly oblivious, while their kids pummel, bite, scratch, or pull the hair or tail of a dog. Also, children copy their parents’ behavior. If kids see their parents slap, annoy, or neglect a dog, they will do the same. Families like this are better off with pet rocks.

  Although most children’s abuse of pets is unintentional, sometimes it’s deliberate. Maltreatment of animals is not only dangerous in itself, it’s also a warning of future, escalating problems. If your child exhibits purposeful aggressive behavior toward animals, take him to a therapist and find a better home for your dog.

  Most of the time, though, Huskies and children are born friends. Take advantage of their natural comradeship. Reward your children for responding appropriately to the dog. Most dominance problems occur because kids do not know how to be good leaders (not bullies but friendly people in charge).

  Preparing your Husky for life with a baby

  Unexpected problems may arise with the arrival of a new baby, especially a first baby. For one thing, the family structure has been altered. Things have changed. Some dogs may feel that the baby is an interloper, or at least a very junior pack member. Even dogs who have never shown any dominance tendencies need to be watched carefully in this situation.

  What’s more, the new person is very, very small. Because size matters in a dog’s world, your Siberian is very likely to consider himself dominant over the new arrival. It is even possible that a Siberian could confuse your child with prey. This is not acceptable, of course, but don’t expect the dog to automatically understand. He doesn’t automatically comprehend that the new baby belongs to the family unless you teach him so.

  The best way to cure this problem is to make sure it never occurs in the first place. Even before the arrival of the new family member, prepare your Husky.

  Review all obedience commands. “Sit,” “stay,” and of course “no!” are especially helpful.

  Allow your Husky to meet new babies while he’s on a short lead. This way, the sight of one won’t completely freak him out.

  Carry big dolls around the house and practice changing diapers, and so forth. Your Husky will get used to the sight of you attending to this new creature.

  Make a recording of a crying baby; let your Siberian get used to the sound. Don’t exhibit any undue alarm when either the recorded baby or the real one starts to cry. Your Husky may misinterpret your reaction and regard the child as a threat to you. A baby’s high-pitched cry can even sound like wounded prey to a dog. (It sounds like that to me sometimes.)

  In the few cases where Huskies bite children, the incident is often triggered by some gesture of affection from the child, usually a hug or kiss. Dogs regard a person leaning over them as an expression of dominance, and while they may accept the gesture from an adult, some dogs apparently do not consider children in the same category and will unexpectedly attack. Have your child practice obedience commands with your dog.

  Never allow any dog who has ever shown aggression against any person near a child. I have heard of cases where as many as four years passed between bite incidents. In one such case, the dog suddenly raced out from under a table and ran into the next room to attack a visiting 2-year-old who had not gone near the animal.

  Helping your Husky welcome a baby into your family

  Your Husky should not be present when the baby is brought home, for a number of reasons. For one thing, you will have your hands full with the baby, and you won’t be able to give the dog all the attention he wants right away. Also, if the Siberian is brought in when the new child is already at home, he will be more likely to think of the baby as a new family member than as a guest. It’s a territorial concept.

  The greatest danger is not that your Siberian will attempt to bite the baby, but that he will try to jump up on you while you are holding the baby.

  When he meets the new baby, give your Husky plenty of personal attention at the same time. It’s nice if the mother pays attention to the dog, while the father or another family member holds the baby. Give the dog a new toy or a nutritious treat; he’ll associate the appearance of the baby with something pleasant for himself. But keep a leash on him.

  Allow him to sniff the baby’s blanket; you can give him one to sleep with so that he becomes accustomed to the scent. He can sniff the baby too, while he’s on a short leash, but he doesn’t need to be right in the baby’s face to do so.

  Guard and secure the baby’s dirty diapers, because your Husky may want to eat them. In the wild, animals devour the feces of their young to prevent the scent of vulnerable infants from wafting around the area.

  Dealing with toddlers and your dog

  Siberians are extremely family-oriented dogs, and few cases of aggressive biting in Huskies have ever occurred. However, it can happen and does happen, as with any other breed, so it doesn’t hurt to be prepared.

  Toddlers are in more danger from potentially aggressive dogs than are other family members. Not only may they pull a dog’s hair or ears, but their low stature gives them direct eye contact with a Husky-sized dog. A potentially aggressive, dominant dog may perceive this as a threat. In addition, toddlers, unlike babies, are running unchecked all around the house, getting into everything. (You may have noticed this phenomenon yourself.)

  Actually, young children are in considerably more danger of being knocked over by an exuberant Siberian, being scratched by overlong nails, or being playfully chewed on, than they are of being bitten. Toddlers often cannot distinguish this behavior from an aggressive attack, however, so this is another reason you should watch your child around all dogs.

  Introducing Your Husky to Other Animals

  Siberians are happiest when they can share their lives with other dogs. The Chukchis bred their Huskies to be social — it’s one of their most endearing characteristics. Still, rivalries may pop up from time to time, and you must be prepared to deal with them.

  Small dogs may excite a Siberian’s prey drive. In some cases, Siberians make a distinction between large and small dogs, playing happily with dogs their own size or larger, but regarding tiny dogs as being on a level with rabbits and attempting to hunt them. Don’t leave your Husky with a small dog until you are absolutely sure they are fast friends. Most of the time, it’s best to crate o
ne of the dogs, or separate them in some other way when you are gone.

  Don’t wait too long to introduce your new Husky to his animal housemates. They’ll smell each other anyway. Do the introductions in a controlled setting, with potentially disorderly dogs on a leash.

  Cats

  Siberians are often poor housemates to the family cat. Sometimes they chase them, and they may even regard cats as prey animals. But if brought up carefully together, it is possible to avert this natural disaster. The dog and cat may even become the best of friends. This desired result is somewhat more likely if the cat is the prior occupant; however, you may be able to introduce a new cat to your Husky by carefully holding the cat close to you often. Let the dog clearly understand that the cat belongs to his family. But do not restrain the cat; let her run away if she’s worried about the dog. If she does leave, don’t follow her. Never let your dog see you chase the cat. He’ll want to join in, and Fluffy will not appreciate it in the slightest.

  If you are considering adopting an older Siberian, make sure he is safe with cats before you bring him home. Don’t leave your cat and Husky alone together until you are very sure that they are friends. If they sleep together, it’s a good sign. Still, always make sure your cat has a safe, Husky-proof area to which she can escape in case of trouble.