Photos of Shin, the rescued Siberian Husky, taking a breather after quite a length of a walk. Had a last minute urge some evenings ago to walk the boy and although I hadn't seen him often enough, he knows when I visit, it means treat and a walk in the park.
After J's effort to bring along ice-cold water for Junior & Ginne on one of their excursions after vet consultation, I've been mindful that in our local tropical climate it is best to bring along water for the dogs however hardy they seem to be. Especially for Shin.
So towards the end of our traipsing the length of the park and back, I poured water over his coat to reduce heating in case his body was overheated beneath the thickness of coat. At least he didn't seem to mind. Water for quenching thirst, for hydration and for reducing body heat.
I've been, mostly, a mongrel person when it comes to dogs. Would you have any tip in caring for or walking an Arctic breed in Singapore (although I'm not exactly supportive of the idea of the presence of such breed in this country) ?
Beautiful walk with Shin.
6 comments:
Bless your heart kz, for giving Shin the long walk. They are after all working dogs to start with, and I think the long walk would have been good for him. You'd probably already know this.For such breeds, best to walk after sun down. If want to walk in the morning,I'd recommend best before 7am, as the morning sun does come up way too fast. For huskies, I always a bottle of water with me, and i'd hydrate them halfway through the walk.
Jt
Gd idea! It was sort of humid even after the PM rain that day and I was just thinking, if I were to run around with a leash to my neck and having literally a thick fur coat on me, how hot would that be?
I did the ice-water thing which I think helped even if a bit.
yep:) give in little portions. Sometimes it gets just too hot for them, and so understandale they'd just want to gulped and gulped down the cold water. Let them rest a bit, then continue the walk, coz some dogs may throw up if too intensive:)
jt
thanks jt. next time when I walk shin, or any huskies or malamutes for that matter, I'll bear in mind! =)
Don't worry, Siberian huskies did not originate from the south pole. They can survive in the cold, but that's not their natural climate. However, huskies got famous, when they did a sled run to transport medical supplies. That's when the breed gained popularity.
The husky is just a double coated dog just like many others, ie retrievers and almost all other dogs. Just like the other dogs can survive in singapore, so can huskies. The 2 layers of fur act as an insulator, trapping air between the 2 coats so that they do not overheat or freeze, despite the weather. It does not simply keep the dog warm.
I give my husky shade, a fan (for air circulation) and water. Giving these dogs air conditioning will cause them more harm than good. Once you bring them out, the huge difference in temperature will more likely induce a heatstroke, than if you were to treat it normally like a dog. (All dogs need shelter and water)
So, don't worry. Dogs are pretty hardy no matter how pretty they look. I dont know if drinking cold water is bad for health. But, just imagine sprinkling cold water on a hot engine. Bringing water along should be sufficient. I walk 5km with my dog daily and she still does fine when she reaches home. Gulp down some water and sometimes still can run to and fro. I wouldn't say its a necessity.
J
I agree with J.
And please do not make the same mistake I did and shave ANY huskies/ malamute down.
(well, unless its for a medical reason)
Their coat/fur actually keeps them warm when it's cold, and cool when it's warm.
The reason why Huskies can survive in Siberia and freezing cold environments is not because they are only made to suit winter, but because of their fur, they can withstand very extreme temperatures.
So it would be wrong to say they should be banned in warm climates like Singapore.
Just treat them the same as other breeds, provide shelter and water as what J have said and they'll be fine. :D
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