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Frequently Asked Questions |
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Why should I choose you as my breeder over another?
That, in all honesty, is a personal decision. Once you have done your research and seriously considered all your options & you have spoken to the breeder either by extensive emails, phone conversations or in person, you should have a really great feeling with the breeder you choose. You should also have a very close personal relationship with the breeder of your choice for the LIFETIME of your new family member. We are NOT going to say “choose us BECAUSE...yada, yada, yada”, we will NOT boast our many champions, We will NOT say our program is better than anyone else! we will NOT say we are the best of the best…..it’s just not our style!
We WILL say we have made so many great friends over the years! We CAN tell you every name of every person that has ever acquired one of our pups, the name of the Sibe they got from us and what’s going on in that Sibes life right now. We talk to most all of our new owners very regularly not to just talk about Sibes…...but our families & just what’s happening in general. It’s very important to us that you keep in touch with us regarding our ‘Grandbabies’. Once you make a commitment to one of our babies, you become a part of our pack & the PhiChas family! If after reading thru our pages, you are not happy with what you read, by all means find what you are looking for….Actively Search & Research & Search some more! With so many breeders out there - We are always proud that any family or individual would choose us as their breeder of choice! You can also email us for a list of TRUST WORTHY breeders that may have pups available!
A friend of mine bought a pup from a local breeder, his vet bills where enormous trying to get rid of worms because the puppy was just full of them. How do I know, if I acquire a puppy from PhiChas Siberians, that my puppy will NOT have these same problems? Intestinal worms are a VERY common problem in ALL dogs beginning before birth & can have some nasty effects on a dog's health if left untreated. In puppies in particular these effects can be fatal. Intestinal worms can be prevented by a simple undertaking of a regular worming program from the time the pups are 2 weeks of age. This is not an option!! IT MUST BE DONE! Our Dams are wormed 2 weeks prior to whelping (giving birth) as well as wormed on the same schedule as the pups….beginning at 2 weeks of age, then weekly there after until the 5th week of age (with Nemex II). They are then given Albon 5% on a 5 day treatment the following week….. PanacurTM 3 day treatment is then given 5 days prior to the 7th week of age. The most common types of worms are: Round Worms: Roundworms are the most common and is present in most (if not ALL) puppies even before they are born because it is transferred from their mother through the placenta. Signs such as diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain & poor growth indicate that your puppy has roundworms. ALL puppies should be treated from 2 weeks of age. Roundworms can also be acquired from ingesting roundworm eggs from the environment or eating other hosts such as mice, moles, gofers or birds. Intestinal worming should be continued for the life of your dog. Hookworms: The Hookworm is a nasty parasite common in dogs. It can affect dogs of all ages but especially puppies. Bloody diarrhea is a common sign (bloody stools can also indicate Parvo….so be cautious). Puppies can also develop anemia because of the amount of blood lost and in severe cases they can die. Whipworms: Whipworms are one of the most common causes of diarrhea in adult dogs. Whipworm eggs can live in the environment for up to five years. So it is a difficult worm to get rid of permanently. Tapeworms: There are different types of tapeworms, the most common being the flea tapeworm. It is carried by fleas and can be easily seen in the dogs feces. They are relatively harmless but can cause irritation, causing your dog to "scoot" along the ground on his rear-end. The dogs most at risk are those allowed to roam and allowed to scavenge (mostly seen in homeless ‘street’ dogs), they can also be present in animals that eat common household trash or in areas where there is a high infestation of fleas & ticks. ***Note: Almost ALL worms’ common to dogs can cause a number of conditions in humans. From annoying itchy dermatitis to more serious problems like diarrhea, abdominal pain and in rare cases internal cysts and permanent eye damage. We take every preventative measure to assure that your puppy is not only parasite free, but also VERY Healthy, Happy & Sound! Be sure to follow your veterinarians advice on when and how to continue a worming regimen.
What is ‘Neurological Stimulation’, and how will it benefit my puppy? This information can be found on our website on the “Puppy Information” page. Everything about Neurological stimulation is explained there. Not all Breeders do Neurological Stimulation……..BUT THEY SHOULD!
Why do some breeders say they have ‘Rare Coat/Eye colors’? The truth is there is no such thing as a ‘Rare Coat or Eye Color’ in a Siberian Husky. According to the official AKC website all color coats with all variations are quite normal. Those people that charge more for coat color & markings are basically ‘soaking’ you for more money. (which is the first sign of a back-yard breeder) The same can be said with eye color. Brown, Amber, Blue, Green, Grey or any combination (Bi-eyes, Parti-eyes) is very normal in the Siberian Husky. If you pay or have paid more for Blue eyes over Brown, Bi, or Parti-eyes you nave just been taken, or soon will be. *Most, if not all, ‘SHOW’ Siberian Huskies have Brown or Bi-eyes. Sled/Race Siberians will have mostly Brown eyes also…. Sibes with Brown eyes are chosen over Sibes with Blue eyes due to the fact that a Siberian Husky with Double Blue eyes can ‘White Out’ (Blue eyed Siberians can be blinded in the snow leading them to stop and just sit down). Most Iditarod Siberian Huskies have Double Brown eyes because of this situation. The question should be…..will you be able to love a Sibe the way NATURE intended him/her to be?
How are Siberian Huskies with children? Children, Siberian Huskies, and a family atmosphere all go hand in hand. Having a husky is honestly like having another (perpetual 3-4 year old) child. They are your best friend and your biggest baby at the same time. They get jealous, demand attention, and crave playtime just as a child does! Huskies are not aggressive by nature and do great with children of all ages. Just like any animal they do not like having they're tails or hair pulled or things of that nature, so if you have children that enjoy doing that, then you need to supervise them at all times and PLEASE teach your children to NOT do that! If your Sibe does become aggressive….it is in all likelihood, YOUR fault…..teach, train, take charge & learn the GOOD games versus the BAD games to play with your Sibe while the canine is still a puppy! A Sibe is NEVER to young (or old) to teach or be taught!
How do Siberian Huskies get along with cats? Siberian Huskies and cats generally do not get along. The Siberian Husky has a high prey drive. They will hunt and sometimes stalk something they are interested in. When it comes to cats they usually ignore them until the cat runs from them. When the cat runs, it sets off this prey drive. Immediately the Husky goes into a different frame of mind. The instinct to run down their ‘prey’ takes over. A cat is primarily meeker and less self assured than a Sibe. Most times the cats that have this sort of attitude are not likely to do well with a Siberian Husky. That said, there are proven methods to owning a Sibe & a cat. The first thing to do would be assessing your cat. What attitude does your cat have? How does it react to other dogs? How does it react if it is aggravated? If your cat will stand up for it’s self, not back down, nip back at you when you irritate it….etc, chances are your cat will do fine with a Siberian Husky. Your cat needs a ‘Kiss my fur’ attitude towards a dog. If your cat does not pass the test, we recommend researching other, more cat friendly breeds. You could end up with a major loss on your hands. If your cat does pass the test, that is not all it needs. It takes more than a cat with attitude to live with a Sibe. How much time and effort are you willing to put into training your Sibe to live with the cat? Training any puppy takes time. If you want to accomplish something more time inclusive, you must be the one to stick to your guns; no one else can do it for you. If you are sure the extra aggravation is worth it, then there is one thing you must do. NEVER let the Sibe chase the cat! It sounds simple, but it really isn’t. You must stop it immediately every time it happens. Your dog must be ‘positively’ punished every single time it happens. He/she must know you are angry. He/she must know it’s not allowed. These facts must be ingrained into his/her brain at the core level.
Why does everyone say "NEVER let your husky off a lead"? This is a very important question. Siberian Huskies have been bred for generations to outperform other dogs when it comes to endurance and stamina. No matter how much training and how trustworthy you feel you’re husky is, if he/she is let loose he/she will run. Further and further away from you. Just like the husky has a prey drive they also have a "run drive". Their eyes will get that glazed over look to them and they're off. It is absolutely no fun to chase after and try to find one of these dogs once they get loose. We have had years of experience with this. When some of our Sibes have gotten out, we searched for hours & hours. We have gotten phone calls letting us know they saw our Sibes….but couldn’t catch them. (They are fast). Now let's understand this situation. What if we lived in a suburban neighborhood instead of out of the city? That could have resulted in: 1.) dog is never found, 2.) dog gets hit by a car & killed, 3.) Dog getting picked up and stolen never to be seen again. There are many variations that could be explored but this should give you an idea of the most common. So please, NEVER let your husky loose in an uncontained area, no matter what!!
I'm looking for a Siberian Husky, yet my wife is really concerned about having purebred certificates? What you are referring to, I believe, is a “Registered” Purebred. All purebred registered dogs should come with a pedigree. A pedigree is a dog’s family tree, showing the purebred dogs (of the same breed) in its lineage. Having registration papers is meaningless unless you have gotten the dog from a responsible breeder, and from one that does not use a Puppymill registry. Many Puppymill breeders have their own little registries, which are not recognized by the mainstream registries like the American Kennel Club. (See our page on Canine Registries) So if papers are important, you want to look specifically for breeders that have (if you live in the US) AKC Registration ONLY! They should NOT offer Continental Kennel Club (CKC), APRI, UKCI or ACA or any other variety in addition to AKC. This just means they use AKC and these other ‘so called’ registrations to camouflage what they really are, PUPPYMILLS. That is not to say there are NOT Puppymill breeders who use AKC exclusively, because there are many who do. It’s much more important to find a responsible, ethical and reputable breeder of the breed you are looking for. To find breed standards for the breed you are looking into, visit the official AKC website for more information on what to look for when searching for your new family member.
If you have a question you would like to see answered here or have a suggestion of a question that should be answered here, just email it to us. We are happy to answer ANY and ALL questions!
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