Tamaskan — Choosing the Breed of Dog That’s Right for You

Getting a dog can change your life. If you get a dog that is compatible with your lifestyle, it can be a very rewarding experience, but all dogs require love, attention, care and training, so before you make that decision, ask yourself these questions:

Do I have time to give a dog the attention it requires?
Do I have the ability to provide proper grooming, exercise and training for a dog?
Can I afford the expenses that come with a dog?
Do I have what it takes to be a strong pack leader?
Do I want to buy a dog from a breeder or adopt a dog from a shelter or rescue?

If, after answering the above questions, you decide to move forward with getting a dog, it would be wise to learn about the different breeds and their characteristics, personality/temperament, possible health conditions and exercise and grooming requirements in order to make an informed decision.

This article is a basic overview of one particular breed — a Tamaskan.  Read on to decide if this breed of dog is compatible with your particular lifestyle. 

History/Background: The Tamaskan, meaning “Mighty Wolf” in North American Indian language, is said to have originated in Finland, although that is uncertain.  Five husky-type dogs were imported into the UK from the USA in the early 1980s and were then bred to Alaskan Malamute, Siberian Husky and German Shepherd crosses, attempting to create a dog that resembled a wolf but with high intelligence, a good temperament and good working ability.  Breeding continued down through the years to improve the bloodlines and the bloodlines were finally closed in 2006.  The Tamaskan was first imported into the USA in 2005 and has since grown in popularity.  The Tamaskan Dog Register was formed in February 2006. Although it looks like a wolf, it has no wolf content. 

Physical Characteristics: The Tamaskan is large and athletic, slightly taller than German Shepherds.  It has a wolf-like appearance with small ears, a straight bushy tail and coarse,thick coat in three main colors, red gray, black gray and wolf gray, with black overlay and characteristic wolf mask.  Eyes are yellow through amber and brown, with light colored eyes being very rare. Adults typically measure 24 to 28 inches tall at the shoulder and weigh up to 95 pounds.  

Personality/Temperament: This breed is highly intelligent and excels in agility, sled racing and obedience training but can be stubborn and requires pack leadership.  It is highly sociable, friendly, affectionate, eager to please and makes an ideal family dog and loyal companion.  It is tolerant toward other dogs and gentle with children.  It prefers the company of people or other dogs and, if left alone for long periods of time, may become destructive or try to escape.  It responds well off leash and, with a small amount of training, will return when called.  It makes an excellent working dog.  A Tamaskan is not a good guard dog because of its friendliness toward strangers.  Some Tamaskans, like other arctic breeds, will howl.

Possible Health Conditions:  No known health issues have yet arisen.  The average life expectancy is 14 to 15 years. 

Exercise/Grooming: The Tamaskan is very active and needs a great deal of exercise such as a daily long walk or brisk jog.  It requires free running and, if trained, will return when called.  Because it is highly intelligent, it needs mental exercise, as well.  Grooming is fairly easy and includes a good brushing once a week, more during times of molting. 

Living Conditions:  The Tamaskan is not recommended for apartment life and may become destructive or attempt to escape if left alone for long periods of time.  It needs a large place for free running every day.  

Summary:  The Tamaskan is a large dog that resembles a wolf but is highly sociable and affectionate and makes an ideal family dog.  It requires little grooming and has no known health issues so far but does require a great deal of physical and mental exercise and may display destructive behavior if left alone for long periods of time.  So, now that you’ve learned a little about this breed of dog, one question remains — Is a Tamaskan the right breed for you?

Tamaskan — Choosing the Breed of Dog That’s Right for You

Getting a dog can change your life. If you get a dog that is compatible with your lifestyle, it can be a very rewarding experience, but all dogs require love, attention, care and training, so before you make that decision, ask yourself these questions:

Do I have time to give a dog the attention it requires?
Do I have the ability to provide proper grooming, exercise and training for a dog?
Can I afford the expenses that come with a dog?
Do I have what it takes to be a strong pack leader?
Do I want to buy a dog from a breeder or adopt a dog from a shelter or rescue?

If, after answering the above questions, you decide to move forward with getting a dog, it would be wise to learn about the different breeds and their characteristics, personality/temperament, possible health conditions and exercise and grooming requirements in order to make an informed decision.

This article is a basic overview of one particular breed — a Tamaskan.  Read on to decide if this breed of dog is compatible with your particular lifestyle. 

History/Background: The Tamaskan, meaning “Mighty Wolf” in North American Indian language, is said to have originated in Finland, although that is uncertain.  Five husky-type dogs were imported into the UK from the USA in the early 1980s and were then bred to Alaskan Malamute, Siberian Husky and German Shepherd crosses, attempting to create a dog that resembled a wolf but with high intelligence, a good temperament and good working ability.  Breeding continued down through the years to improve the bloodlines and the bloodlines were finally closed in 2006.  The Tamaskan was first imported into the USA in 2005 and has since grown in popularity.  The Tamaskan Dog Register was formed in February 2006. Although it looks like a wolf, it has no wolf content. 

Physical Characteristics: The Tamaskan is large and athletic, slightly taller than German Shepherds.  It has a wolf-like appearance with small ears, a straight bushy tail and coarse,thick coat in three main colors, red gray, black gray and wolf gray, with black overlay and characteristic wolf mask.  Eyes are yellow through amber and brown, with light colored eyes being very rare. Adults typically measure 24 to 28 inches tall at the shoulder and weigh up to 95 pounds.  

Personality/Temperament: This breed is highly intelligent and excels in agility, sled racing and obedience training but can be stubborn and requires pack leadership.  It is highly sociable, friendly, affectionate, eager to please and makes an ideal family dog and loyal companion.  It is tolerant toward other dogs and gentle with children.  It prefers the company of people or other dogs and, if left alone for long periods of time, may become destructive or try to escape.  It responds well off leash and, with a small amount of training, will return when called.  It makes an excellent working dog.  A Tamaskan is not a good guard dog because of its friendliness toward strangers.  Some Tamaskans, like other arctic breeds, will howl.

Possible Health Conditions:  No known health issues have yet arisen.  The average life expectancy is 14 to 15 years. 

Exercise/Grooming: The Tamaskan is very active and needs a great deal of exercise such as a daily long walk or brisk jog.  It requires free running and, if trained, will return when called.  Because it is highly intelligent, it needs mental exercise, as well.  Grooming is fairly easy and includes a good brushing once a week, more during times of molting. 

Living Conditions:  The Tamaskan is not recommended for apartment life and may become destructive or attempt to escape if left alone for long periods of time.  It needs a large place for free running every day.  

Summary:  The Tamaskan is a large dog that resembles a wolf but is highly sociable and affectionate and makes an ideal family dog.  It requires little grooming and has no known health issues so far but does require a great deal of physical and mental exercise and may display destructive behavior if left alone for long periods of time.  So, now that you’ve learned a little about this breed of dog, one question remains — Is a Tamaskan the right breed for you?

Is Siberian husky Puppy a Right Choice for You?

They are square dogs, built to efficiently keep in body heat. Their double-layered coats shed out completely once or twice a year. They come in almost all colors of the canine rainbow (Harlequin is about the only color not seen – yet).

They look strong and ready to run. By nature they are gentle and liveliness. Huskies are independent, stubborn, energetic, pack animals that require specific care and training to maintain their happiness and health. Siberian Huskies, like wolves, have a pack mentality and are unhappy and bored without constant interaction with either humans or other dogs.

To train Siberian Husky Puppies is somewhat difficult as you cannot force them to obey you due to their strong will and independent thinking. Also Siberian husky puppies are easily bored with repetitive tasks. They will be happy to obey you as long as there isn’t something more interesting to distract them. To train them properly, you will require a lot of persistence and patience. Their ability to think for themselves and for the pack (or team) is a bigger drive than many to wander and explore. They can be persistent at stealing food and should never be left in the kitchen unsupervised. You must be the undisputed pack leader with this breed!

Simple skills such as toilet training, not damaging furniture and social skills with outsiders are a must for your Siberian husky puppy. Siberian husky puppies are very enthusiastic when they meet new people. This lively and mild-tempered dog simply makes a great family pet.

Regular, scheduled checkups are necessary for the healthy development of Siberian husky puppies. Husky puppies also require a healthy, well-balanced diet. Overfeeding and corresponding lack of exercise is often the cause of obesity amongst husky puppies. Instead, choose a well-balanced diet which should ideally consist of fish and white meat. Husky puppies also need fish oil in their diet in order to develop a healthy coat of fur and nails.

Make sure you bring your Siberian husky puppy for regular exercise. Exercise is not only necessary to keep your dog in good shape and preventing obesity, it is also important in familiarizing your husky puppy with its living environment. Health problems often develop in dogs that lack exercise. Introduce your Siberian husky puppy to your neighbors. This allows it to develop greater people skills which are necessary for its growth in time to come. Under ordinary circumstances this is a high energy active dog that can live a long time without problems.

Raising Siberian husky puppies require a great deal of time, effort and commitment. It is important to make the effort to provide your husky puppies with the necessary care. Ability to do so will guarantee healthy growth of your husky puppy in time to come as well as many years of satisfaction in the future.

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