The Siberian Husky originates from the lands of Siberia. It was kept by the Chukchi people, and is designed to withstand extreme cold temperatures. The dog itself is incredibly outgoing and energetic, and its ancestors would spend their days roaming the Chukchi region to hunt for food.

That is one of the main reasons why this dog breed is so energetic and likes to jump around the house. Keeping a Siberian Husky in your house is by no means an easy feat. You will need to make sure that you learn to respect and give attention to the animal, because it definitely demands it. But, when does a Siberian Husky reach full size? It takes around 12 months for the Siberian Husky to reach its full size, but there are several stages to understand. Let’s discuss them in detail.

Development up to 2 Weeks

When the Siberian Husky is born, you will notice that its eyes are closed. This is normal for almost all kinds of cats and dogs, and it’s not something that you should be worried about. Many animals are generally born with their eyes tightly closed. The mother is responsible for caring for the helpless pups and giving them their food.

The internal organs of the pup are also still being developed, along with the senses that are critical for the dog’s survival. Because the eyes don’t develop immediately after birth, they remain firmly closed. The eyelids usually open after the two-week period has elapsed, though it can take around four weeks in some cases.

This is the time when the pup needs to be very close to its mother at all times. In breeding situations, the Siberian Husky’s mother will be fed enough so that she can feed her pups. A warm and temperature-controlled environment should be provided to the puppies so that they remain comfortable.

Development up to 4 Weeks Old

This is the time around which the Siberian Husky is going to open its eyes, though their eyesight isn’t what you would call normal by any means. Siberian Huskies do not understand differences in brightness, and they are unable to see greens or reds properly, which limits their spectrum.

Instead, what they see are different shades of yellow. These dogs also have a relatively short sight, so anything that’s beyond the 20-meter mark is going to seem blurry to the animal. However, that does not serve as an impediment to the animal. You should know that the nose of the canine is one of its most powerful sensory organs.

They are able to smell things a considerable distance away, which is why you won’t have to worry about your dog causing any disruptions. However, during this period, the dog is generally learning how to move around and use its legs, so you will find them stumbling around the house and bumping into things. It’s a fun phase that will be over quickly, so enjoy it!

Development From 4 to 8 Weeks Old

By this time, the Siberian Husky is going to gain more confidence in its feet and will begin to walk more assuredly. More importantly, by this stage, your Husky will start playing with other animals too, like its brothers and sisters. You will find the Husky play-fighting with its siblings, and they will also begin to show interest in different toys too.

The Husky will still have floppy ears by this stage, and you will need to wait for a while before they get fully erect. The animal will be in its curiosity phase right now, so you will find it running and poking its nose into everything that it can. Huskies are incredibly energetic dogs, and this begins to show from an early age.

You need to understand that these dogs have a very high prey drive, and it’s going to be very difficult for you to iron this out. Therefore, you should let the animals run around and have fun. You will need to provide them with a backyard so that they can run around freely. Huskies, as you might know, will not do well in an apartment.

Development from 6 to 12 Months

The Siberian Husky will continue teething and its rate of growth is going to increase as well. However, by the time the animal reaches 10 months, its rate of growth is going to decrease as well, and the animal will reach its maximum size. But, you should know that the Husky will still continue to put on weight during this time period.

You should know that the animal will need considerable amounts of exercise throughout the course of the day and it’s important that you facilitate the animal. While you are socializing the dog, you should take it on runs. The training part is going to be quite tough, and you will need to exercise a great deal of patience.

18 Months Old

By the time the animal reaches 18 months of age, their weight will become relatively static. You might notice a bit of gradual growth but that’s not going to be much. You will notice gradual growth until the animal reaches up to three months of age. Remember, your dog doesn’t just grow in size during this time, it also becomes much more mature.

Caring for the Siberian Husky

One of the most important things that you should know about these animals is that they need to socialize. The Siberian Husky is an incredibly active dog that will turn destructive if you don’t take it out and about. As a result of that, you have to make sure that the dog is socialized from an early age so that it doesn’t tug at its leash all the time and just run off.

To do this, it is important for you to make sure that you take the dog out and get it to meet other animals in the park. You need to understand that this dog has a very high prey drive, and it doesn’t matter how hard you try to quash it out, there is always a risk that the animal will return to its basic instincts and attack.

If you have a cat or a bird in the house, you might want to take precautions. In most cases, the animals will exist in complete harmony, but there is always a chance that the Husky may start hunting. When that happens, it is likely to cause extensive damage to your property, and may end up killing the cat too.

Important Things to Know

The Siberian Husky is one of the most commonly found dog breeds in the world. But, you should know that this animal was designed to withstand the cold, so if you live in an area where the temperature remains high, you might want to consider not getting this breed. If you do, you will have to keep the air conditioner running all the time.

These are just a few things that you should know about the Siberian Husky and its development, and more importantly, how to care for one.