Nuthatch Kennels - Breeders of Siberian Huskies and German Shorthaired Pointers

Nuthatch Siberians

Nuthatch kennels began with Siberian huskies and, although we no longer breed them, we remain involved in the breed. We still occasionally show our dogs in conformation and are also involved in recreational sledding.

Siberians can make excellent family pets provided their homes understand some basic rules to living with a husky. Siberians are not off-the-leash dogs. Given the opportunity they can travel far and fast and have selective hearing when you're running down the road after them!

Siberians are excellent with children and their outgoing friendliness makes them great for therapy work in senior citizens homes and hospitals. Smart, affectionate and beautiful, they are a joy to live with and can be the perfect family pet.

On the down side, they are very independent dogs and free-thinkers. In many ways having a Siberian is more like having a roommate with specific likes and dislikes than like having a dog. Obedience training at a young age can go a long way to making your Siberian a more enjoyable companion to share your home with. They are extremely smart but not necessarily easy to train because of the combination of stubbornness and independence.

Although their coats can easily protect them from most weather conditions,we find that Siberians kept in the house are, on the whole, happier. You tend to want to spend less time out in weather extremes and therefore an outdoor dog does not get as much of your attention as an indoor dog. It is a myth that they find it too hot indoors.

In terms of health issues, the most commonly mentioned one is juvenile cataracts. This ocular disease can, although won't necessarily, lead to blindness in Siberians. Cataracts can be ruled out by an opthalmic exam performed by a Board certified canine opthalmologist. Should you decide to add a Siberian to your family, it is extremely important that you make sure the parents of your puppy's eyes were certified clear no more than one year prior to the breeding taking place. Siberians that are used in breeding programs should have their eyes CERF cleared annually. The breeder should be able to produce the certificate and/or the exam sheet stating that the dog's eyes were clear. This exam only rules out disease, it can not identify an unaffected carrier of cataracts. However, having the parents CERF cleared is a step in the right direction in reducing the chances that your puppy may develop a problem later in life.

Other health problems to be aware of include PRA (Progressive Retinal Atrophy) which leads to blindness - this isn't overly common but you should be aware of it; hip dysplasia- again, not overly common in Siberians - the parents of your puppy should have had their hips certified clear by one of the following medical bodies: OVC (Ontario Veterinary College), OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) or PENNHip (U. of Pennsylvania's Hip Evaluation program). Again, your breeder should be able to provide you with a certificate of proof from the evaluating group stating that the dog is clear of hip dysplasia. The final one on our list is unfortunately becoming increasingly common. Epilepsy is a very serious problem in Siberians and there is no test to show that a dog is clear of seizures. Please follow some of the health links on our LINKS page for more information on these and other canine health issues.

No pet should be purchased without doing some research, please take the time to follow some of the links on our web page. They list a number of great sources for information on Siberians including health issues, temperament, grooming, and more.

Email us at nuthatch@aztec-net.com

Click on the dog you would like to see:

Michael - Ch. Bain's Northern Riverdance

Maverick - Ch. Kristari's CodeSign Maverick

Nuthatch Dogs Competing With Their Owners

Padme - Ch Nuthatch's Jed's Jewel

Kage - Ch Nuthatch's Kage It Is

Retired

Aerie - Ch Katric's Heir To The Throne

Keisha - Janmor Carrieglenn's Da Brat

Kaiya - Timberridge's Silver Mistral

Teva - Nuthatch's You Had Me At Hello