As all dog lovers know, Huskies are popular among the masses because of their adorable, friendly, and eye-catching beauty. Still, abundant space requirement has proved to be a significant limitation towards their adoption. The Miniature husky breed has curbed this limitation because they don’t require an extravagant place for their living with the same characteristic as the Siberian breed, which paves the way towards their enlarged adoption by Husky lovers.
1- Origin
Bree Nowmandian was the one who first developed the miniature husky breed in the 1970s as she wanted sled (trained) dogs of smaller size.
There are a lot of methods to develop new species of dogs, Bree used the technique of breeding the most petite pups of the litter or runts to create miniature huskies. She took Siberian huskies (Alaskan Malamute, Alaskan Husky, Mackenzie River husky, Sakhalin Husky, Pomeranian Husky, West Siberian Laika) or runts smaller than the standard size. She bred them until she created a miniature Husky.
But the breeding of runts has become controversial because they grow into weaker dogs as they are the lowest of a litter of puppies.
2- Physical Appearance
Mini Huskies are Wolflike in their appearance, and they have an extravagant resemblance with their founding breed, i.e., the Siberian Husky. They have specific physical traits which make them attractive. Miniature Huskies have thick, fluffy coats, piercing colored eyes, which may sometimes have different colors, erect ears, broad muzzles, black or brown noses with an iconic fluffy sickle tail.
2.1-COLOR
- White
- Gray and White
- Red and white
- Black and white
- Piebald
Huskies have different color abstract spots on some parts of their body.
2.2-Height
Miniature Huskies are usually about 13-17 inches tall.
Male Height: to 43 cm
Female Height: 33-41 cm
2.3-Weight
The Miniature Huskies vary from 20-35 lbs in weight.
Male Weight: 35 lbs
Female Weight: 20-30 lbs
3- Behavior & Traits
The eyes are the most noticeable aspect of miniature huskies because their eyes are not solely blue or brown. Still, they also have a specific trait of being bi-colored, and this condition is known as Heterochromia, which means both eyes have a distinct color.
Miniature Huskies can survive in both severe hot and cold climates. During hot, your pet should be hydrated, and shaving is another way to keep cool during warm days. Huskies can do better in winter because their coats have a natural ability to protect them from the harsh cold.
Mini Huskies are independent and not one of the most obedient species, but they are intelligent. If you are an outdoor lover, then this breed is the best of all. A miniature Husky has a burning desire to hunt, and they chase their prey irrespective of their small size until they pursue them.
They do not have a threatening aura despite their negative and stubborn mood. Mini huskies are not short-tempered, and they don’t bark anywhere like other breeds. This characteristic has made them not so efficient guards.
Miniature Huskies are family dogs because of their friendly temperament and are attention seekers. They like playing with children, but they sometimes get over-excited, so proper supervision should be carried out to avoid any harm.
4- Training
If you are a Husky lover and have a Miniature Husky breed at home, you may want to sled them. It would be best if you had a lot of temperament. As Huskies are friendly in their behavior, they can easily be taught things, but they have mood swings and stubbornness. It is recommended that they be trained before becoming full grown because they become more independent and stubborn when grown up.
So the things which you should consider while training include rewarding, dynamic, and short training because getting bored of prolonged and unattractive exercise quickly.
5- Grooming
Dogs are hard to groom as they hate being groomed because of pessimistic experiences and lack of comfortability due to anxiety. There are many ways to groom a dog with sedatives, consult a vet, and feed the medicine before your dog gets anxious.
But, on the contrary, mini Huskies require low maintenance in terms of clipping and grooming as they are rational self-groomers. They have a double coat comprised of a long-haired topcoat and a dense undercoat, which help them survive. Mini huskies will shed their hair throughout the year, specifically if you live in warmer climates, together with an extreme shedding in the spring season.
Investing in a good brush and suitable vacuum cleaner for hair is a viable measure to minimize the shedding. It will help evacuate any dead hair before it falls and gets entangled in carpets. It should be done once a week only.
The bathing of miniature huskies is a major concern among the Huskies owners. It is preferable to give a bath with shampoo to your canine husky only when you find them dirty or smelly after playing in the mud.
Like cats, huskies can clean off the mud or dirt by themselves, but they can’t shower off it thoroughly. Regular bathing your Husky is unnecessary because it is much better for their skin and coats. Experts recommend that you can bathe your huskies no more than once a month.
6- Diet
As Siberian Husky is the founding breed of mini Husky, they don’t eat much but need balanced food for their average growth, and the same is true of their developed breed. The amount of food consumed depends on age, size, activity level, and food quality. To keep the diet balanced, you must provide the appropriate amount of protein, fat, carbohydrate, minerals, and vitamins. A young husky should be fed three meals per day at the age of 12 weeks, and it’s lucrative if you provide them with the same feeding schedule until they become six months old.
The big question is, How does someone know whether they are providing appropriate food or not?
The answer to this is that if you are observing several changes like a dull coat, obesity, loose feces, dandruff issues, and excessive shedding, you must immediately consult your vet and tell him about your observations. Your vet will diagnose the problem and recommend treatment protocol.
If you are wondering which is the best food type for huskies, we have got that covered for you as well. The veterinarians usually recommend a combination of 80% dry and 20% wet food for miniature husky.
7- Exercise
The behavioral changes in huskies are mainly due to a lack of exercise. Huskies are highly energetic dogs that require daily routine, but not as much as the greyhound and the border collie because they are breed-dependent. Huskies need at least an hour of exercise per day to use their energy. The activity is either a walk or play. You can explore other methods of exercise in this article.
The followings are the best ways to spot a lack of exercise.
- Excessive chewing of any item
- Over-excited and hyperactive even at night
- Extreme barking and howling to grab attention
- Digging garden
- Rough play with you and other dogs
- Knocking the items
- Jumping on people
8- Lifespan
The life tenure of the pet is of significant significance among pet lovers, especially dogs. When you get attached to your pet, their life and health are a major consideration because you are emotionally linked, which may affect you if one day you find your pet is no more. So, a healthy and balanced diet with pragmatic care helps keep miniature huskies happy and healthy, which is why their life expectancy is about 12 to 15 years like their forefathers.
9- Common Health Problems
9.1-Follicular dysplasia
It is the skin threat that may occur in this breed. The checking of the scaly infected skin or hair loss is vital. This breed has the tendency of allergies beneath its fur, too. To curtail skin issues, regular brushing of their coats aids in diagnosing diseases that may lead to serious health problems.
9.2-Hypothyroidism
Lethargy, exercise, and cold intolerance are the common symptoms of Hypothyroidism, which can be avoided if tested every two years.
9.3-Eye infection:
The eyes that are the most attractive part of huskies may also have diseases like glaucoma, cataracts, and progressive retinal atrophy. Cloudy eyes or secretions are the symptoms. If you find anything extraordinary in your pet’s eyes, consult the vet before it is noxious.
10-Drawbacks of having a miniature husky as a pet
This breed has one drawback, which is escaping. If you give room to go unnoticed, there might be a greater chance of their escape. They are escape artists, so fences, leashes, and proper invigilation are the best means to prevent them from running and exploring the world alone.
If you are a pet parent and looking for some cool dog names, we can help you with that too. I hope you have obtained useful information from this article and it will help you take better care of your dog.
Thank you for reading!