Can a Siberian Husky live in the Tropics? Yes it can.
We have just acquired a new puppy aged six weeks old. It was the naturalist Gerald Durrell who said
that if na animal is ‘happy’ it will breed.
‘Happy’ may be anthropomophic and therefore not entirely the right word to
use, but you get my drift.
As for domestic species (Durrell was speaking in the context
of wildlife), there is something called acclimatisation. This is where a domestic species adapts to a
new climate. Acclimation is the process
of adapting to a new environment.
Huskies have done both.
What should you teach your new puppy, husly or otherwise, and
how? Begin by teaching it its name. Do that by repeating the name to the animal.
I then decided to teach my puppy to sit. I am using clicker training and positive
reinforcement. A clicker can be bought
on-line or at a good pet shop. It works by
shaping the behaviour you want from your pet.
Each time it demonstrates a desired behaviour you click your
clicker. When the dog produces the
desired outcome, you give the reward.
This can be lavish praise or a food reward.
One of the problems your puppy may encounter is
diarrhoeia. This is apt to occur due to
a change of diet. If you got your pup
from a source other than a recognised breeder, then the diet the pup was used to may
not be the best. Here in Cuiabá I have learned that there are three categories
of pet food. These are poor-quality, adequate
and overpriced. Even being bilingual and
a Veterinary Medicine graduate, at the point of sale I still have to look
carefully at the ingredients to find the food that is right for my pet. Over
the past few days I have begun the process of changing diets. Today my husky, Bela, ate three types of
food: the low-quality one from the previous breeder, the better-quality one
that I am switching her to, plus a few titbits of reward beef during her
training session. 20 minutes later she
defaecated diarrhoeia on the lawn. I view this as inevitable, and trust she will
be well again soon.
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