An important step in obtaining a well-mannered four-legged companion is proper raising and training. Raising a husky is required not only for hunting, but also for everyday life. It is better to have a pet that will respond to commands and listen to its owner. Only in this case, no problems with the animal will arise later.
Laika sits
Training and education of huskies
It is recommended to start training from 3-4 weeks of your pet’s life. A distinctive feature of this breed is high intelligence and increased activity. It is recommended to start with the basics to ensure your pet is obedient.
Toilet training a puppy
At first, you should be tolerant of the puppy going to the toilet in the wrong place. You can’t beat him for this, but you can scold him. In order for the animal to quickly understand what is wanted from it, it is recommended:
- Spread diapers around the house.
- After sleeping and eating, take your husky to the toilet area, waiting until she relieves herself.
- Gradually reduce the number of diapers laid out.
You can start training from 1 month.
Accustoming to a nickname
The animal's name must be repeated as often as possible. Whenever talking to a pet, you should call it by name.
Place training
At five weeks of age, the husky should know its place. She may ignore her owner's requests, so patience is required. The puppy should be put in its place, and when trying to escape from it, put it back, saying the command. The voice should not be threatening, but confident.
How to stop biting
At a young age, a puppy can bite its owner quite painfully. This happens during games. To avoid discomfort, you need to teach your dog to control his jaw. If the animal bites hard, you should squeal and move away from the pet offended, or grab the puppy by the withers.
Puppy bites finger
Behavior on the street
Adaptation to the street needs to be done as early as possible.
The owner is free to decide at what age to start acquaintance. The animal best begins to adapt to a new environment at the age of 3 months. Your pet should be taken out on a leash and walked slowly. Important! The first walks should not exceed 10-20 minutes, depending on the time of year. Their duration should be gradually increased. You should avoid places with large crowds of people.
Collar training
It will only take a few days to get used to it. It is necessary to start training when the puppy is expecting something joyful. This could be a walk, play or feeding. At first, the animal will try to get rid of the foreign object. But as soon as your pet stops doing this, you should praise him and give him a treat.
Training a husky to fetch
Training the Russian-European husky for fetching must begin at home, introducing it to the puppy with play. In the first days of training, it is worth standing next to the object that the pet must bring, subsequently moving away from it at a greater distance. In this case, training a husky should be accompanied by a reward in the form of the dog’s favorite treat.
For play, you should use a rubber or rag toy, but if you want to raise a dog for hunting, then you should choose a product that resembles a bird’s body in appearance and attach a few feathers to it. When the animal brings the item that the owner asked for, he should gently pat the dog on the head and give him a treat.
Getting used to swimming
You can start learning to swim as early as six months. For this purpose, you should choose a reservoir with shallow depth, the water in which should be warm. You cannot shout or hit the animal during training, as this will cause fear of water.
Attention! For the first time, it is recommended to go into the water either with your pet in your arms or by calling him along.
Laika in the lake
Accustoming to a nickname
When talking to your puppy, always address him by his name. The nickname must be repeated as often as possible, then the animal will quickly get used to it. Don’t forget that the animal’s name should be easy to pronounce. Dogs that will be used for hunting are often given names that are specific to the characteristics of the animal or the area in which they will be "working."
Commands that Laika should know
Training a husky should not be a hassle, as it is an intelligent animal that picks up new information on the fly. First of all, you need to learn the following commands with your pet.
"To me!"
Training and education of the West Siberian Laika should begin with the command “Come to me!” The animal quickly remembers and performs it, thanks to its devoted character. But this does not mean that the pet should not be encouraged when doing it.
"Sit!"
Raising a husky puppy should begin with the command “Sit!” For training, you need to take treats, which the pet will receive for completing it. There are 2 ways to start training your husky at home:
- The treat should be placed in your hand, brought closer to the dog’s nose, and your hand should be raised sharply so that the pet raises its head and sits up. At this moment you need to say a command.
- You need to put the treat in your hand and move it upward from the dog’s nose. If the animal does not sit down, then with your other hand you should press on the puppy’s sacrum until it complies with the command.
Note! Correct action must always be rewarded so that the animal will be willing to obey.
"Near!"
At the age of six months, it is worth starting the learning process for the “Near!” command. Using a leash, training should begin at home.
To do this, keep your pet next to your left leg on a short leash. Say the command and start moving slowly. If the puppy starts running forward or to the side, you should repeat the phrase “near!” again. and pull the leash. At the same time, you should not forget to thank the animal with a treat when it is nearby.
Laika next to owner's leg
"Lie!"
The stage of teaching the command “Lie down!” quite simple, but requires patience. There are several ways to carry out training. It is necessary to sit the pet down, begin to press on the shoulder blades with your hand, pronouncing the command at this moment. Or bring your palm with a treat to the animal’s nose, slowly lowering it to the floor so that the dog follows suit.
"Place!"
To teach a husky the command “Place!” you need to choose a site where the animal can be fastened with a leash. After pronouncing the phrase, the owner must begin to move away. After a few minutes, the pet needs to be released and given a treat. Gradually it will be possible to move on to training without using a leash.
"Voice!"
This command should be practiced while the dog is sitting. To provoke an animal, you should hold a treat over its head while saying a phrase.
"Give it to me!"
Few people know how to train a husky with the “Give it!” command. This is a rather difficult lesson for an animal, since this breed is characterized by playfulness and excitement at an early age. It is necessary to show the pet that he cannot take the object away.
Education begins with the owner putting a toy or stick into the husky's mouth. Then they pronounce the command, extending their hand to the animal’s muzzle.
"Look!"
Training a puppy to like the command “Look!” implies that the animal will subsequently be used for hunting. Any training manual says that you need to stock up on a large number of the animal’s favorite treats. It is recommended to take a piece of meat, give it to the dog to sniff, hide it nearby and order it to look for it.
Additional Information! Laikas find hidden meat quite easily. Subsequently, to complicate the training, you can secretly hide the loot.
"Wait!"
The command “Wait!” needs to be studied in conjunction with “Lie down!”, “Sit!”. After completing them, you just need to say the words. If the pet does not change position, it should be rewarded.
Training for the “Wait” command
"It is forbidden!"
An important command that any dog should know, regardless of its purpose, is “No!” This will prevent you from picking up treats and other items on the street that could harm your pet.
A team can be trained in several ways. In most cases, the following is used: the dog must be kept on a leash and brought to a treat. As soon as the pet jerks to grab the prey, it should be pulled back and a command should be spoken. To consolidate the situation, it is worth repeating several times.
The second method: bring a treat in your palm to the animal’s nose, and if the dog tries to eat it, pull your hand back and say a command.
Attention! It takes several repetitions for the pet to understand what is being asked of him.
Breed characteristics
Laika is, first of all, a hunter, freedom-loving and independent, and at the same time very devoted to his owner. Laikas are very inquisitive and during a walk they can easily run away from their owner, explore the territory, get carried away by other dogs and get lost. Such unpleasant situations with representatives of this breed, unfortunately, happen quite often.
As for external characteristics, huskies differ from many other breeds in their grace and beauty, bright coloring and a large fluffy tail that curls into a curl. They are quite large: the weight of an adult husky is from 18 to 30 kg, the height is from 50 to 60 cm at the withers, these parameters depend on the type of breed and gender.
Distinctive features of an adult husky from other breeds:
- the ears are always in a standing position (in an adult);
- tail wrapped in a roll;
- in the neck area, thick hair creates a “collar”;
- oval head shape;
- graceful figure;
- strong physique.
Nataska
Raising hunting huskies requires training. The first hunt will always be carried out by the pet at the level of instincts, since he does not understand what they want from him.
Moose and wild boar training
Ungulates can pose a danger to huskies, so training is carried out using all precautions. The animal is given the task of driving the wild boar into a certain place, or identifying its location. The husky should not be allowed to approach wild animals and bite them.
The initial stage of training is carried out no earlier than 2 years of age. To do this, it is recommended to visit hunting grounds where a wild boar or elk is kept in an enclosure. The dog is placed at a distance of at least 3 meters from the animal.
Note! At 6 months of age, you should start giving your dog meat or the skin of elk and wild boar so that the husky gets used to this smell. However, if your pet is afraid to approach large animals, it is not recommended to use it for hunting.
Training a husky on a boar
Squirrel training
At 10 months you can start training the animal to squirrel. To do this, you need to follow the procedure step by step:
- Let the dog smell the animal's paw.
- Go to a nearby tree and run your paw along the ground.
- Place the animal's body under a tree and cover it with branches.
- Order the husky to search.
Subsequently, the procedure can begin to become more complicated. To do this, hang the squirrel on a tree. After each successful execution of a command, the animal must be rewarded.
Marten training
Many people do not understand how to properly raise a husky so that it brings prey when hunting. Training on a marten is carried out according to the same principle as on a squirrel. It is required to start training at the age of 10-11 months.
Attitude towards caught prey
Laika should be restrained in relation to prey. This quality is formed in the process of education and training. You should not allow an animal to gnaw prey, not give it to the owner, or play with it.
Laika with game
How to stop barking
If your dog is 5-7 months old and constantly barks for no reason, you need to wean him off this.
Stages of weaning from causeless barking:
- Practice the “come to me” command so that the animal carries it out without the slightest hesitation. If the dog does not follow the command, punish it in a dissatisfied tone, but without shouting or physical force. If the dog complies with your request, give a treat. Over time, the animal will understand that barking excessively may result in punishment.
- When the puppy begins to bark for no reason, touch his ears, squeezing the shells inside and out with your fingers, but not too much.
- If you can’t wean your dog off even at an older age, you can use calming supplements of plant origin, as well as special collars with citronella.
Possible difficulties with learning hunting skills
In most cases, difficulties with education arise among beginners. Therefore, it is recommended to start training at a young age. If the puppy is scared by whistles and gunshots, this is a normal situation. Patience is required. You can take your husky with you a couple of times a week when the owner goes to the shooting range.
It is worth using the help of a dog handler if:
- the dog lacks hunting passion;
- the dog is disobedient;
- the pet is shy.
Laikas are capricious and distrustful creatures, whose training must begin at 2-3 months of age for training to bear fruit. If the owner is a beginner, it is recommended to contact a dog trainer so that there are no problems with training.
Getting used to walking
The optimal time to accustom an animal to walks is 2-3 months. You should take your husky outside only after it has completely gotten used to its owner. You only need to take your dog out on a leash and wearing a special small collar designed for puppies. When walking down the street, give the puppy time to get acquainted with the area, do not run headlong. Let him sniff.
It is advisable to choose places protected from strong noise and traffic. You need to reward your dog with treats. If the puppy suddenly becomes frightened of any object, slowly approach it, pet it, and talk affectionately. In a fenced area, you can remove the leash without danger. At first, it is enough to walk the dog for about 15-20 minutes, gradually increasing the duration and intensity of the walks.
What not to feed
The following types of products are excluded from the natural diet:
- Pork;
- Corn;
- Sweets and flour;
- Smoked, salted and food with a lot of spices.
Constantly monitor your pet's health. Under no circumstances should you feed from your table. To avoid allergic reactions, you should not change your dog’s diet or introduce a new type of food in large quantities at once.
If you experience a negative reaction to food, you must stop feeding this product and contact a clinic.
Special conditions
A Husky puppy is often compared to the negative of a photograph - it is unknown what will appear over time. One can only guess about his specialization, focusing on the working qualities of his parents. There are very few universal huskies that work simultaneously on both small animals and bears - one in several thousand. By taking a Laika puppy into your home, you may be getting a bad hunting dog and a wonderful friend. This also happens with this breed of dogs - there are mediocre individuals.
In any case, a dog living next to a person definitely needs training.
Features of feeding
Laika is capable of absorbing everything in its path that it considers more or less edible. Therefore, nutritional culture is instilled from an early age. The owner builds a routine, draws up a diet, and determines the size of portions.
Feeding a husky has features based on the physiology, lifestyle of the animal, seasonality and other factors:
- An adult dog is fed twice a day. If the husky is under heavy stress, it is acceptable to feed it three times a day.
- Dietary supplements purchased must contain phosphorus, omega-3 fatty acids, calcium and vitamin B.
- The daily diet of pregnant dogs includes 700 grams of protein. Increase the consumption of vegetables and fruits, give low-fat milk.
- In the spring-summer period, the cover changes and more liquid is required. It is recommended to drink plenty of fluids and feed them fiber, then the new coat will be smooth and shiny.
- In summer, limit the consumption of heavy foods. During this season, the dog compensates for the lack of vitamins, so the husky’s diet includes vegetables, fruits and berries.
- Feeding the husky occurs after a walk in the morning and evening.
- In winter, the diet is adjusted. To keep warm, it is necessary to provide more protein and reduce fiber intake. Natural feeding of huskies implies an increase in the share of meat products, which should account for 80% of the total volume.
- Once the animal reaches eight years of age, the calorie content of the food is reduced. The amount of meat is reduced, preference is given to vegetables and cereals. The musculoskeletal system in old dogs weakens, the cardiovascular system wears out. Therefore, the Yakut Laika in old age is fed sour milk. If milk products are poorly digested, they are replaced with calcium tablets.
Diet
A properly formulated diet for a puppy up to one year is the foundation for a strong skeleton, ligaments, joints, and muscle mass. It is quite difficult to create a complete diet for a dog on your own, so many owners choose ready-made industrial food. Complete dry food eliminates the need to purchase additional vitamin and mineral supplements, which often have to be added to natural food.
When choosing ready-made food, you cannot save money. Cheap food contains a large amount of grain derivatives and fat, which lead to allergic manifestations and problems in the gastrointestinal tract. It is better to take premium, super-premium or holistic food.
Dogs have been domesticated for a long time, but they have remained predators; the best feeding option is natural food. When choosing natural food, your diet must include:
- protein (lean meat, eggs);
- complex carbohydrates (cereals, preferably rice, oatmeal);
- easily digestible proteins (sea fish without bones);
- calcium (cottage cheese and other fermented milk products);
- vitamins, fiber (vegetables).
Consultation on additional vitamin and mineral supplements can be obtained from any veterinarian.
Squirrel training
You can start training a husky on a squirrel when the dog is a puppy. It is important that she already knows the basic commands. It is advisable that an already trained dog be present at the training, who will set an example for the puppy. If there are a lot of squirrels in the area, you can train the puppy alone. Training is best done in late summer and early fall, when squirrels often come to the ground in search of supplies. The dog must learn to find a squirrel, chase it, and indicate its location to the hunter using its voice. To start training, you can use a squirrel corpse, which the owner himself can hide in the branches of trees, and let the husky sniff the animal’s paw. When the dog finds prey, it needs to be rewarded.
