When you first bring your pup home, handle him gently as he is likely to be rather bewildered by his new surroundings and it is only natural for him to miss his mother and litter mates. Let him investigate his new home fully as he must be able to feel comfortable with you. Introduce him to his bed for the night which should be cozy and not too isolated for the first night because he is not used to being totally alone. However, do not let him sleep with you if you wish him to eventually sleep outside as you will have dreadful trouble on the second night when you introduce him to his permanent sleeping arrangements. A spot in the laundry perhaps, with paper on the floor, and a covered, ticking clock, and warm blanket in a box or basket to simulate his mother’s presence. He will quite likely whimper or cry when left alone for these first few nights but try to restrain yourself from running to his side because this will set habits in motion and only prolong the settling in process.

Be prepared for his arrival, with plenty of paper, sleeping arrangements, such as a box, basket, or kennel etc.: food and water bowls, collar and lead if desired and sufficient food for him. Try to find out what he was fed before he came to you and start him off on a similar diet because a sudden change or diet added to the upset of a new home will disturb his stomach and most likely cause diarrhoea. If you intend to change his diet do this gradually.

It is also advisable that you obtain information from the breeder regarding his present worming and vaccination status, ideally this should comprise of a certificate or statement showing when he was last done and when he is due to be done again. Such information is best kept together in a folder so you can arrange for this to be continued. If you wish to have your dog on a calcium supplement find out from the breeder what if any he has been on to date, and consult your vet about extending this. This is also a good time to find out about exercising, socialising and training your dog.

Bedding

Your Siberian, regardless of whether he is to sleep inside or outside, should be provided with his own place to sleep, and separate bedding from other members of the family. This area should be kept clean and dry and blankets etc. should be washable. Should a kennel be your choice for instance, it should be raised from the ground to prevent wetness and draughts and regularly cleaned. Wherever the designated area, perseverance will be required to ensure your newly acquired pet will settle into the correct area.

House training

Puppies need to relieve themselves frequently and they do not have full control of their bladders. It is therefore necessary to be patient with your dog during this period of housetraining. if your puppy remains inside during the night, remember to lay down paper for him and to take him outside to the same spot first thing in the morning, after every meal, last thing at night before he goes to bed and whenever he gets exited or nervous.

To toilet train your dog you must try to anticipate when he wants to relieve himself, for example, he may become agitated, sniff the ground, or become generally restless. On such occasions, having let him out you notice he relieves himself, you should praise him for doing so. If your dog does have an accident in the house, and in your presence, never rub his nose in it or punish him for it. Rather, he should be told "NO" firmly, and taken outside to the preferred spot immediately. The soiled area must be cleaned and treated with deodorant or disinfectant to remove the smell and deter him from using the same spot again.

If your puppy relieves himself whilst out with you on a walk, encourage him to use the gutter, praise him and clean up after him.

Discipline

Basic Obedience

Basic obedience training is strongly recommended for your Siberian as their natural independent tendencies must be balanced by your need to maintain control of your dog in a happy relationship at home and in public places. Walking comfortably on the leash (heeling) coming when called, and obeying basic commands is extremely important, and valuable for correct behavior in the show ring. A dog which doesn't respect or take notice of his owner is one which can potentially cause great difficulty for his owner as he matures. A disobedient puppy has a good chance of developing into an unco-operative adult who has learnt to take advantage of his owner.

Even basic obedience training (often the most essential), is best taught under the guidance of proper obedience trainers, either in a club, or in a one to one situation. Such training is preferably done at an early age when it is most effective and before bad habits have had a chance to develop. We recommend at least some form of formal training as this ensures that the correct training techniques are followed.

"Yes, we have got a new puppy - how did you guess?"

Problems

For problems such as chewing, digging, excessive jumping etc.,, firm, gentle discipline is required and it is only effective when such behaviour is directly observed. Adequate exercise and attention should minimise boredom and therefore help control the naughty behavior which often results from it. In addition to this, teething puppies (between 16 and 24 weeks) or even adult dogs’ may have a need or desire to chew. In such cases, the dog may benefit from the addition of a safe, chewable object such as a raw-hide, nyla-bone, or natural bone (refer to the diet section for the correct bones to give your dog). These bones must be an appropriate size and the former types can be purchased from most pet shops. A bone is preferable to a 'doggy' toy as these are often too small for huskies and can be ripped apart into pieces which may get stuck in your dog’s throat or cause a blockage in their digestive system. Alternatively, a ball of sufficient strength and/or size often makes for a safe, enjoyable toy to play with or chew on.

Grooming

Grooming is essential for keeping your dog’s skin and coat healthy, and it also serves to build a relationship between you and your dog. Ideally, grooming should become an enjoyable routine, and it is also a good time to check on your dog’s ears, eyes, teeth, feet, and length of toenails etc. A steel comb and brush are recommended, and these must be capable of removing dead hair yet gentle enough so they won’t scrape the skin. Thorough brushing will be especially important at those times when your Siberian is shedding, or dropping his coat.

Bathing should also be done on a regular basis, especially when showing your Siberian, although only products suitable for dogs should be used as other products may be harmful to their skin. Many grooming products are available in local pet shops or at the Showgrounds in the All Breeds Dog Shop. If you are in doubt as to what is the best shampoo etc. to use you may wish to ask the advice of other Husky owners or to have the local grooming parlour recommend a product or products best suited to our breed. Some people prefer to use shampoo for dogs with white coats in order to brighten their husky; some like to use a conditioner in conjunction with a shampoo as an extra softening agent; and it is just a matter of personal preference and experimentation to find out what suits your dog’s particular needs, and what brings the best results for you. In addition to the regular products, flea control products may be used such as a flea control shampoo or rinse (please refer to the section entitled 'flea control'). Regardless of the product used, flea control or otherwise, they should always be used carefully and only according to the instructions.

Flea Control

All dogs have contact with fleas. Fleas are small, brown insects that spend most of their life cycle off the animal and feed on blood. When they bite, they make the host (either you or your pet) want to scratch, and after having their blood meal, fleas lay hundreds of eggs either on your pet (in his coat), or in the surroundings (dog bedding, carpet, lawn etc.). These eggs hatch into larvae that then develop into adult fleas after a week to several months, depending on conditions. Both flea eggs and larvae survive for many months in carpets, lawns, kennels, and bedding etc. so it is therefore important to treat these areas also, as well as your dog, if you want to control the problem properly.

Fleas cause:

A dog with fleas may show signs of continual scratching, hair loss or very small brown specks of dry blood right at the skin surface (known as flea dirt) where the flea has bitten your dog. All of these are evidence of a flea infestation. The period from spring to summer is usually the time of greatest flea infestation.

Flea control has two main parts:

Treating Your Dog

An insecticide applied to your dog’s skin and coat is the best way to kill fleas in contact with the dog. This may take the form of a flea powder used twice to once a week; an insecticidal shampoo used weekly; a flea collar; a flea kill spray applied directly to the coat as required; or a flea ‘rinse’ (or flea ‘wash’ as it is also known) used weekly. Of these options, a flea collar is less desirable because they tend to be ineffective on large dogs and may damage the coat, and likewise, powders are also less effective due to the difficulty of getting the powder to penetrate through the dense coat. Depending on the degree of the problem any of the other methods are good, remembering that if you use a flea rinse this is a solution you dilute yourself and leave on your dog’s coat after he has been bathed and towel dried — you do not rinse it off.

Obviously, all other pets should be treated at the same time but extra care must be taken when treating small animals and puppies because when insecticidal products are too strong (i.e. instructions have been followed incorrectly) or when large amounts are swallowed (as a result of excessive licking) this can be highly toxic to the dog. Some insecticides are more effective than others so it is best to ask your veterinarian about a suitable brand and should you have any queries about dosage and application it is advisable to check these before usage.

Treating the Environment

Health and Your Siberian

Your Veterinarian

It is advisable to become a client of a local veterinary clinic and to have available the clinic hours and emergency number of the clinic. It is sensible to arrange an initial checkup, at which time you may wish to discuss any questions you have regarding diet, general health care, worming, neutering, vaccinations etc.

Vaccinations

Having obtained a puppy, it will usually have had its first vaccination at six weeks of age and a certificate of this initial vaccination should be provided by the breeder. A booster vaccination will be required a month from this date. Adult dogs require only yearly booster vaccinations after the set of puppy shots outlined in the pamphlet, and your veterinarian will be able to tell you when your dog is due for these subsequent vaccinations.

Intestinal Worms

Intestinal worms are parasites which live within your dog's digestive system and feed off his blood and nutritive supply. Four types of intestinal worms axe common in Australia: Roundworm, Hookworm, Whipworm, and Tapeworm. All of these are potentially dangerous to your dog, and therefore all dogs should be routinely treated against all four to prevent serious infestation.

All dogs, and especially puppies, are susceptible, to worm infestation because the environment is contaminated with eggs and larvae which develop into adult worms when inside the dog. Such eggs and larvae can easily be picked from the surrounds either by licking the ground, their own coat or paws, thereby ingesting attached eggs. Roundworm eggs, for example, are passed out in the droppings of an infected dog, and an adult female Roundworm can lay up to 200,000 eggs every day! Dogs may also become infected by swallowing or drinking contaminated matter, or through direct penetration of the skin (such as the feet), as in the case of Hookworm. Puppies, in addition to their surroundings, are also in danger of becoming infected before they are even born. If the mother has not been effectively wormed prior to the pups, immature worms within her are stimulated to move into the uterus (or womb) to infect the unborn pups; young pups can continue to be infected through the bitch's milk after birth.

What Harm Do Worms Do?

Once swallowed, eggs and larvae develop into adult worms inside the dog, and although they spend the greater part of their lifecycle in the gut, part of their time may be spent in the liver or lungs. During this time they cause inflammation of the liver, lungs, stomach and intestine. Depending on the type of worm and the degree of infestation, worms may cause abdominal pain, indigestion, bloody droppings, weight loss, poor coat condition, and blood loss associated with anaemia and diarrhoea. Because diarrhoea involves abnormal fluid loss and decreased food absorption, an infected dog (especially a puppy) is in danger of dehydration, and in severe cases, death.

How do I detect worms?

Apart from the external symptoms described above, or a specific faecal test, worms are rarely evident in the early stages. Tapeworms, however, are easy to spot as the hindmost segments of the adult worm are shed in the droppings containing thousands of eggs each. These segments are about 1 cm long and cream in colour. In addition to this, infestation may be evident from excessive anal irritation, or in severe cases of Roundworm infestation, the vomiting up worms is common. Puppies are much more likely to be seriously affected than adults and the severely affected pup often displays a pot-bellied appearance with general thinness and poor condition.

How do I treat my dog for worms?

Most puppies and dogs are treated routinely for these worms without actually diagnosing an infestation, and a suitable worming program should begin immediately. Most dogs from a registered breeder will have already started worm treatment which you should be familiar with and regular worming should proceed from here. A general regime for worming is to treat pups every 2 weeks until they are 3 months of age, i.e. 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 weeks of age, then every month until they are 6 months of age. After this, dogs should be regularly wormed every 3 to 6 months, which should be continued, throughout their adult life.

Seek veterinary advice regarding a worming program, and always use a reputable brand of worming treatment. Worming previously required two different types of tablets: one to deal with Roundworm, Hookworm and Whipworm (e.g. Canex plus), and another to treat Tapeworm (e.g. Droneit). However, now all four types of intestinal worms can be treated with the one product. These “allwormers” are available under various brand names, and vets typically stock “Drontal Allwormers” which are an effective tablets and usually available over the counter. Worming treatments usually come in a syrup form for young puppies but be careful that whatever product, or products, you are using, will cover all four types of worms and that you are administering the correct dosage for your dog’s weight.

Are we in danger of worm infestation from our dog?

Yes, people can become infected with worms, and children in particular may become seriously ill through Roundworm infestation. This is likely to occur if, whilst playing, they come into contact with eggs present on the ground, in the droppings etc and subsequently put their fingers in their mouths.

The Tapeworm, or more specifically, the Hydatid Tapeworm, is another worm which can be passed on to humans. Eggs can likewise be passed from dogs, or the environment, on to humans, resulting in illness. Dogs can initially become infected with the Hydatid Tapeworm by eating infected raw meat or offal (especially raw sheep liver).

In conclusion, to reduce the chances of you or your pet becoming ill through worms, the following measures can be taken:

Heartworm

Heartworm in dogs has been a serious problem for many years in New South Wales and Queensland however the incidence of heartworm within Victoria has appeared at a low but increasing rate and your dog could contract heartworm without ever leaving Melbourne.

What are Heartworms?

Heartworms, (Dirofilaria immilis), are parasites of dogs which occasionally affect cats and, very rarely, humans. Infections in cats and humans are usually, sterile and harmless, but in the dog, their main host, they can cause great harm.

The adult heartworm is a long thin worm 12 - 30 cm long, which lives inside the right chamber of the heart and pulmonary artery, which leads up into the lungs. Occasionally adult worms can be found in other tissues, such as the brain, eye1 lungs, and peritoneal cavity.

The parasite feeds on the blood of the dog and the harmful effects are as follows:

The heartworm larvae (microfilaria), migrate through the tissues of the dog’s body as they develop into adult heartworms and cause damage to organs such as the kidney, which can lead to irrepairable renal failure. At any stage of the heartworm disease sudden death may occur due to the blockage of arteries or capillary beds in the lungs, brain, heart, bowel or kidney, either migrating larvae or adult worms.

What are the Symptoms of Heartworm?

The disease is very slow in its progress, usually over many months, and the symptoms are similar to an old age heart, which can’t pump efficiently. No symptoms are evident in the early stages of heartworm infestation and symptoms such as a chronic cough, shortness of breath, low exercise tolerance and a swollen distended abdomen only become evident when the disease is well advanced.

How Is Heartworm Spread?

The disease is transmitted from infected dogs by the bite of a mosquito, heartworms are not passed directly from dog to dog, a mosquito must first bite an infected dog and then pass this on to another dog by biting that. The mosquito sucks the blood of an infected dog into its body, taking with it the microscopic immature forms of the adult heartworm. These larvae, called microfilaria are now present in the mosquito and are subsequently injected into another dog when the mosquito feeds again, thereby infecting the next dog.

Once a dog is infected, the heartworm larvae develop through a series of immature stages over a period of 5 to 9 months into adult heartworms, which then commence laying new live larval heartworms (microfillaria) into the bloodstream and the cycle repeats itself. In this way, since an adult heartworm lives for several years, an initially infected dog is capable not only of spreading heartworm to other dogs (via mosquitoes) over a prolonged period, it is also capable of reinfecting itself many times over, resulting in a large population of heartworm within its own system. Dogs have been known to harbour over one hundred adult heartworms alone, but even one or two adult worms can cause severe disease.

How Can Heartworm Be Prevented?

As it is very difficult to eliminate the possibility of your dog being bitten by an infected mosquito, and the effects of heartworm can go undetected for many months while causing irrepairable damage, it is obviously preferable to prevent infection rather than be faced with a seriously ill dog. Once your dog is infected, the disease is a difficult and potentially fatal disease to treat; on the other hand however, heartworm disease is 100% preventable.

Heartworm disease can be easily and safely prevented by the administration of either a daily or a monthly drug both of which are perfectly safe when used in correct doses at correct intervals.

The daily medication is a drug called Diethylcarbamazine citrate, or D.E.C., and it is available in tablet or liquid form. D.E.C. acts by killing microfilaria, and therefore these larval forms are prevented from developing into the adult form of the heartworm which is principally responsible for the harmful effects of the disease.

Importantly, however, to be totally effective, the correct dosage is dependent upon your dog's weight, and the minimum effective daily dose is between 6 to 11 milligrams per kilogram of weight. Many commercial preparations of D.E.C. give only the lower dose range and it is therefore important to have your dog accurately weighed and to consult your veterinarian.

Secondly, it is important that D.E.C. be given strictly on a regular daily basis as the drug is rapidly absorbed and excreted within 24 hours. There is no residual action and cover is for a 24 hour period only, any larvae picked up in a 24 hour period not covered by D.E.C tablet will escape the initial action imperative at that crucial stage and will go on to develop into an adult heartworm. Having started on a course of D.E.C., when you realise you will run out of tablets soon, it is necessary to have a new supply ready to go on with, especially if your vet clinic requires notice when you order drugs to be picked up over the counter.

Finally the last important point regarding the administration of D.E.C. is that it must never be given to dogs already infected with heartworm. Because D.E.C. kills microfilaria these may be present in such large numbers in an infected dog (possibly millions of larvae in the bloodstream), that to kill them all would cause a toxic reaction and sudden death to the dog. To avoid this it is absolutely necessary to have your dog tested for the presence of heartworm before commencing any preventative tablets or if you have lapsed in your regular administration of this drug. However if you dog is under the age of 3 months, due to the life cycle of the heartworm, it will not require testing before commencement of the D.E.C. Your dog can easily be tested for the presence of heartworm by a simple blood test performed by your vet.

The second form of medication used to prevent heartworm is a monthly tablet containing the drug Invermectin and dispensed under the product name of Heartgard. Heartgard is available only from veterinary clinics, and comes in three weight specific size categories. It has a wide safety margin and can be used in all dogs over 6 weeks of age. Again you need a blood test before a vet will authorize usage. Your dog must be weighed and administration must be at regular 1 month intervals. Heartgard kills the larvae at a specific stage in their development which lasts several weeks and this makes the once a month dosing possible. D.E.C. however kills larvae at a stage which lasts only one or two days so it is therefore necessary to give this tablet daily to ensure no larvae survive beyond this point. Heartgard does work out to be relatively more expensive yet some people prefer its convenience, especially if their dog is difficult to give tablets to. Heartgard is also handy to use if you have lapsed in the administration of D.E.C. because it covers your dog for the month prior to giving the tablet. However if you plan to recommence with the daily D.E.C. this must be given the day after a Heartgard tablet.

Heartworm Treatment

If your dog is unfortunate and becomes infected with heartworm, there are treatments for both the heart disease and eradication of the worms themselves. The treatments are not always simple or fully effective and can be potentially toxic to some dogs. In the case of such an event it is best to discuss the options fully with your veterinarian and be guided by him as to the most appropriate form of action and the most suitable type of treatment should you decide to go ahead.

Neutering

Unless you want to show or breed from your Siberian you may wish to consider the option of neutering your dog. It should be noted that neutered dogs are allowed to compete in K.C.C. obedience trials as restrictions on neutered dogs only applies to ‘conformation’ showing.

To accomplish neutering, a veterinarian must surgically remove certain reproductive organs. If your dog is a female, the ovaries, fallopian tubes and uterus are removed. This operation is called an ovariohysterectomy but is commonly referred to as spaying. In males, the testicles are removed and this is an orchiectomy, or more commonly referred to as a castration. In both cases, it is usually standard procedure, though not compulsory, for the vet to tattoo the dog’s left ear as evidence of the operation i.e. for registration purposes.

Unspayed bitches will normally come “on heat” or “into season”, as it is otherwise known, every six months or so. At this time, there will be a bloody discharge from the vulva and they will become extremely attractive to male dogs. This will extend for approximately two weeks, during which time your bitch should be separated from all male dogs to avoid any unwanted pregnancy.

Neutering your dog will:

The Bitch's Oestrus Cycle: "Coming on Heat", "In Season"

A bitch may reach sexual maturity anytime from 6 to 12 months of age and this is indicated by the first oestrus cycle, more commonly referred to as "coming on heat" or "coming into season". From this initial season, bitches come on heat every six months (for most bitches), and each oestrus period lasts about 18 - 21 days, but this differs from dog to dog, and it can vary from 14 - 28 days.

During this time, the ovaries produce a crop of eggs and the bitch becomes fertile, capable of becoming pregnant if mated at the correct time. Associated with this is a discharge from the vulva, a swelling, a probable behaviour change as a result of altered hormone levels, and she will become extremely attractive to male dogs.

On average, in the first stage of heat, the vulva will begin to swell and there will be a blood-stained discharge, your bitch will usually be interested in the males which are attracted at this time but will not accept them for mating. This stage usually lasts for about 9 days. In the second stage, often specifically referred to as the heat phase of the oestrus cycle because the female is actually receptive to mating and will stand for the male in order to do this. The vulval discharge is no longer blood-stained, but rather a straw colored discharge. Conception can only occur during this stage, which lasts anywhere from 6 - 12 days, (usually the former). The third phase of the cycle is signified by a subsiding of the whole process, as the vulva returns to normal, males will cease to be attracted by the bitch and she will not accept any males for mating. This usually takes around 30 days and it is followed by a period of rest for the reproductive system until the next heat.

It must be stressed that the oestrus cycle varies enormously between bitches in terms of behaviour outward signs and duration; we have only described a generalized case, so do not expect your bitch to follow this exactly, rather, use it as a guideline to understanding your own bitch.

If you do not wish to mate your bitch during a heat she MUST BE SEPARATED FROM MALES FOR THE DURATION OF THE ENTIRE SEASON, excluding the resting phase of course. Make sure your yard is dog proof and keep her on a leash whenever she is outside your property. Should you be considering mating your bitch in the future then it is imperative that you look into this very carefully and discuss it fully with your veterinarian first so you are aware of, and understand the requirements and procedure before you undertake it. It would be helpful to keep note of your bitch’s own characteristic oestrus cycle so that if you wish to mate her in the future you can use this as a guide for calculating the correct time for mating. I do not wish to go into any further details regarding mating, pregnancy and whelping because this is an important and serious area which would be better dealt with by experts and professionals.

Diet and Your Siberian

The following pages have been compiled from a variety of reliable sources for the exact purpose of giving you, the Siberian owner, the best possible information to enable you to have a healthy and well-maintained dog. If you are in any doubt regarding anything that may be written, please consult your veterinarian; because like many clubs, we care about the well-being of the dogs, and also want you to get the most from your Siberian Husky, we have tried to include only the most applicable information for your benefit.

Below is a listing of the sources where the club has obtained this information. The club initially made up a ‘Health Sheet’, which was sent to various veterinarians for their valued comments as we do not profess to be experts in any particular field, and certainly not in the complicated and diverse area of nutrition. After the club received back these comments the following ‘final draft’ was prepared in the light of these and is presented below.

Veterinarians consulted:

HOGARTH-SCOTT AND KELMAN (Veterinary surgeons)

118 Princes Highway, DANDENONG. VIC. 3175.

Tel. (03) 792 2754, 792 4787

Prof. R.W. MITTEN

UNIV. OF MELBOURNE

Dept. of Veterinary Science: Clinic & Hospital.

Princes Highway, WERRIBEE. 3030

Tel.(03) 741 3500

Dr. IAN. M. GUNN and ASSOCIATES

YARRA VIEW VETERINARY CLINIC

28 Bell Street, YARRA GLEN. 3775.

Tel. (03) 730 1569

Dr. CLIVE. A. J. OGILVIE

FERNTREE GULLY VETERINARY HOSPITAL

Corner Burwood Highway and Rolling Road,

UPPER FERNTREE GULLY. 3156.

Tel. (03) 758 4055

Dr. ROWAN BLOGG

ARMADALE VETERINARY EYE HOSPITAL

547 Dandenong Road, ARMADALE.

If anyone would care to see the original comments sent forward by these veterinarians, please contact the Secretary.

Nutrition - General Principles

A dog's digestion is extremely adaptable to a wide variety of foods, but feeding need not be the complicated business that all too many people associated with dogs would have it be. Many diets are more suited to the owners than to their pets.

Many reputable dog food manufacturers now make brands of complete dry food for dogs. Some are more palatable than others, but they all contain a balanced mixture of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, and a selection of the essential minerals and vitamins required to maintain a healthy dog. If the dog is fed dry foods from weaning, then little trouble will be experienced in encouraging your dog to take this form of food as an adult.

If palatability of dry food is a problem, then adding a proportion of cooked meat or canned food to the measure of dry dog food may enhance its appeal. Lean meat from veal, rabbit and poultry (white meats), are very similar in composition to red meats, and all share a high food value. The main difference for our purposes, is the fat content; white meats having generally much less fat, and are of a more polyunsaturated nature than the red meats. Fats add flavour and digestibility to other foods and help bind together dry foods; they are also a good source of the vitamins A and D.

Too high a proportion of meat is harmful and is not a balanced diet. Proportions fed should be approximately 20% meat or canned food, and 80% dry food (of the complete balanced type). Whilst canned food has not been suggested to form the whole diet, at least 20% good quality canned food has been recommended. In fact, the better brands of canned foods are completely balanced and are therefore better than fresh meat in this regard. Brawn loaf and other such pet foods have not been recommended, as the meat source, freshness, and preservative levels are often dubious.

DO NOT CONFUSE ORDINARY DOG BISCUITS WITH THE COMPLETE DRY FOOD BRANDS.

Suitable brands which provide your dog with a fully balanced diet can be found by checking the details on the label or by checking with your vet. Most brands on the market are suitable and a lot will depend on your dog’s preferences. If changing from one brand of dog food to another, be patient with your dog. The old mixture should still be fed whilst you gradually add the new brand; mix the two thoroughly, making every attempt to conceal the new food within the old. This should be fed until your dog eats this with the same relish as his old food, gradually adding more and more new food and less and less old food. For some dogs, there will be no problem, but for others, this procedure may take several days. Don't hurry this, after all, the dog may have had 24 months or so to become accustomed to his old diet, so don’t expect all this to change in 24 hours. Your dog's digestive system must also adjust to this change which may take up to 2 weeks.

** When water, at room temperature or warmer, is added to foods made from plants, it activates enzymes already in the plants. These enzymes break down the phytin complexes, freeing the minerals for your dog to use. This is one of the reasons why soaking your dry dog food before feeding it improves its digestibility. However once this dry dog food is moistened it is far more susceptible to bacteria and other germs which is why you should never leave your dog’s food lying around after he has finished with it.

Maintaining your Siberian

Feeding the adult dog to maintain his or her optimum weight is called MAINTENANCE. To successfully maintain his body weight, a dog’s energy intake MUST balance his energy output. It is not necessary to balance energy on a day-to-day basis, for example, if a dog expends more energy than it obtains from its food on one day, it will make it up on succeeding days by eating more food. Likewise, if & dog takes in more energy (i.e. food) than it uses up in the short term, it will balance it with a lowered intake later. This is done without any conscious attempt on the part of the dog, but rather it is controlled by an appetite center within its brain. It is because of this built in energy center that most dogs will eat only enough to meet their own energy needs and no more.

Every dog has its own inherent ability to utilize calories. This explains why some dogs are “easy keepers”. and need their food more closely monitored to prevent obesity, whilst dogs at the other extreme are “hard keepers” and seem to require special handling to prevent excess weight loss.

It was suggested by the University of Melbourne, that dogs be weighed routinely about once a month as a means of monitoring your dog’s weight and objectively avoiding the possibility of obesity. This can be done at home, or free of charge at many vet clinics using their dog size scales. A weight change of 5 - 10% is an indication to alter the amount you are feeding your dog as the present amount will be either too little or too much. To explain it in a different way, eliminating other possibilities such as worms, disease etc.; if a dog is still losing weight, then perhaps the food intake is insufficient to maintain your dog at his optimum weight, and at the same time provide him with enough energy to keep warm, maintain bodily functions, and keep up with his exercise demands. This can quite often be the case for an overactive Siberian, and this would require a change in the diet, concentrating upon an increase in fat and protein.

Feeding your Siberian

Maintenance Rations

Maintenance rations are formulated and designed with the above points in mind so that, when eaten in adequate amounts, it will maintain a dog in good health and maintain a constant body weight.

Growth Rations

Growth rations are formulated to provide both the increased energy and nutrient requirements of a growing puppy. Puppies are undergoing enormous growth and development which can only be sustained by a correct diet especially designed for their high energy and nutritional demands. In accordance with the recommended 80% dry food to 20% meat or canned food, the suppliers of complete dog food also provide both dry and canned products especially for puppies e.g. Pal Puppy Food, Harper’s Puppy Chow.

Importantly, a pup’s diet must be in form easily handled by his inexperienced digestive system, it should always be pleasing and easy to eat because this will ensure an adequate intake. The growth ration is suggested to be fed to puppies up to 12 months of age, but in real terms, up to the 8 month stage is fine after which the maintenance ration can be fed. Again, if in any doubt, consult your veterinarian.

Other Rations

Other rations include: Lactating rations for bitches in whelp, working or stress rations, which should include a higher percentage of fats and protein to compensate for the increase in physical activity (fats being the greatest source of energy that a dog can most easily break down and use). There are also reducing rations for obese dogs, old age rations, medicated rations, and probably many others.

As a Siberian owner, you should mainly be concern~ with the growth ration (initially), maintenance, and working/stress rations. Most commercial dog foods will tell you whether they are designed for growth or maintenance (and a few also cater for working dogs).

Some important points to consider when choosing your dogs food are:

Amounts to Feed

There is no hard and fast rule on quantity: a lot will depend on the type of dog and its growth rate. A suggested method is to feed a growing pup all it can consume in 5 minutes, remove the food, and repeat this 3 to 4 times per day.

When feeding an adult dog i.e. over 9 months of age, the amount of food should be adjusted to keep the dog in the condition you want it to maintain. Adult dogs are not growing and therefore only need half to a quarter of the amount of food fed to a pup, as this is only needed to maintain bodily functions and exercise requirements. An-active working dog on the other hand, has a much higher energy requirement than an inactive lap dog, and should be fed accordingly. Your dog’s growing stage, size, and energy demands should all be taken into account when calculating the amount fed, and the correct amount will only be found through estimation and adjustment.

How Often To Feed

When weaned, feed 3 - 4 times a day. At 12 weeks of age, three times a day, and at 8 months feed twice daily. As an adult dog at around 9 - 12 months of age twice daily feeding is sufficient depending on the owners preferences, just as long as the total daily intake is high enough to maintain the dog at its average ‘body weight and supply him with enough energy for his exercise requirements.

FRESH WATER SHOULD ALWAYS BE AVAILABLE!

it is important that your dog’s food and water bowls be kept clean and washed separately from your own utensils. Regularly change his water and keep his food fresh by throwing away uneaten food. Encourage a good appetite and good eating habits by observing a regular feeding time or times as the case may be.

Should I supplement my dogs diet?

An important consideration that must be remembered by all dog feeders is to NEVER ADD SUPPLEMENTS TO A DIET UNLESS YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IS DEFICIENT IN THE PRESENT DIET AND EXACTLY HOW MUCH OF THE CORRECT SUPPLEMENT TO ADD TO BALANCE THE DIET. A supplement, for our purposes, is a formulated vitamin or mineral concentrate, available in liquid or tablet form, designed to meet a deficiency in the diet or correct an imbalance. The danger of neglecting the above consideration is that you will most likely be creating a GREATER imbalance more often than obtaining any improvement. In most cases, the supplements dog feeders add to their dog’s diet are of little value nutritionally, and some are actually harmful. The addition of a vitamin or mineral supplement can merely substitute one imbalance for another, and the latter may be worse than the first. When the correct diet is fed no supplement should be necessary.

In cases of a sick or recovering animal, however, your vet may find it necessary to recommend a supplement for a specified period.

What about Calcium?

Many people believe a CALCIUM SUPPLEMENT is required for growing puppies, and whelping or lactating bitches where the calcium demand is great.

Calcium is essential for:

Importantly, calcium and phosphorus must be present in the body in the correct proportions. To ensure adequate calcium is available in these cases, whilst also not interfering with the correct balance of calcium and phosphorus, a suitable calcium supplementation should be discussed with your veterinarian first.

Sources of Meat

Meat from the butcher may well be better quality than meat bought from a pet store because it has undergone a meat inspection and will be free from disease. However it could still microscopic parasites and therefore it is suggested that all meat be cooked.

Some of the sorts of meals to ask for are:

Can I feed my dog eggs?

Regardless of how many or where they are obtained, an egg should never be fed to a dog raw. Raw egg whites react with the vitamin, biotin, and prevents a dog from using it; in fact, feeding raw egg whites is the way scientists produce experimental biotin deficiencies in a laboratory. Secondly, the protein present in an egg (specifically in the white, or albumin, of the egg), is more readily digested when the egg is cooked. Cooking whole eggs provides the best possible protein available to a dog, and the egg yolk is a good source of fat. When using eggs to increase the value of protein in commercial foods for an adult dog, never add more than one egg to each pound of food or it will be wasted.

Dental Health

Keeping your dog’s teeth healthy is your responsibility as your Siberian will not join you in the bathroom with a toothbrush after his meals. Whilst a largely dry dog food diet will do much for keeping gums and teeth clean, all dogs will experience a build up of tartar and you should keep a regular check on your dog’s teeth.

Allowing your dog to chew on suitable bones does help prevent a build up on tartar on the teeth. Tartar is more than just unpleasant to look at; tartar renders teeth vulnerable to decay by providing a haven for bacteria that leads to other infections, loss of teeth and bad breath. Chewing bones is also an enjoyable act for your dog, and some would suggest it provides an outlet for doggy tensions. However, you must be very careful because COOKED AND SMALL BONES ARE DDIGESTIBLE AND CAN KILL YOUR PET: ONLY FEED LARGE RAW BONES TO YOUR DOG. Cooked bones are brittle and will splinter, perforating the inside of your dog’s stomach, intestine or bowels; and small bones can become lodged within your dog’s digestive system causing enormous problems.

The use of common sense when feeding bones to your dog is the safest method, and if in doubt about the suitability of a type of bone then do not take the risk. Chop bones, pork and poultry bones should be avoided, and some veterinarians have also had to remove lamb necks caught in the throat or oesophagus of dogs so these should be avoided too. Large raw marrow bones are a suitable bone to give your dog.

In regards to bones misplacing teeth by continual chewing, this could quite likely be a danger early in life because the teeth and roots are soft and could quite easily be moved. Bones will not affect jaw growth, as tartar build up is minimal and rawhide chews or dry food is just as good in young dogs.

Additional Reading

Videos available include:

Siberian Husky Club of Victoria Inc.
Last Updated: 30th January, 2000.