Huskies are a popular breed among Indians, especially Mumbaikars, because of their blue eyes and thick fur, which make them look better than other breeds. Huskies are super friendly animals and can adapt to temperatures below 75 degrees Fahrenheit. This is the most versatile quality of this breed. But just because your dog can adapt to any climate doesn’t mean that you’ll force him to adapt to the hot climate of regions like Mumbai in India or other tropical regions. Huskies are animals for cold weather regions like Siberia and other northern regions as they have thick fur. Even if humans cannot tolerate such a hot climate, how can we expect our pet, originally built for cold weather, to live without problems in a tropical region like India? You can adopt a huskie as your pet even if you live in a tropical region, but only when you are ready to take utmost care of them, or else they can face various climate issues in Mumbai. It can be life-threatening for your pet.
Because huskies are naturally meant for cold climates, owners from tropical regions or regions with hot climates always have to check dehydration, overheating, and overexertion symptoms.
Climate issues in Mumbai
As Mumbai is a place with extreme humidity because of pollution and other factors, breeds like huskies can face various climate issues in Mumbai. Some of the problems they face are discussed below.
Dehydration
A hot climate can cause a lot of problems dehydration is one of them. Symptoms such as low appetite, decreased energy level, panting, sunken, lethargy, dry eyes, dry nose or gums, and reduced skin elasticity can be seen when the dog is suffering from dehydration. Dehydration can be caused because of rising temperatures or not getting enough water.
How can you identify if your pet is dehydrated? Check the nose of your huskies if it is dry, or look at the gums. Just touch on the gums; if they remain white for a long time, it means, yes, your pet is dehydrated. Another way is to pinch your pet’s skin; remember not too harshly; if they are dehydrated, it will take a long time for the skin to fall back to normal. This happens because the skin loses its elasticity during dehydration.
Overheating/Overexertion
Overheating is similar to dehydration but with some more problems and symptoms. Both of these conditions frequently overlap each other. If your dog is dehydrated, there are high chances of overheating too. And if the dog is overheated, then they are even dehydrated.
Symptoms of overheating are panting, higher body temperature, vomiting, increased pulses, unconsciousness, weakness, feeling extremely thirsty, and bright color of tongue or gums. Huskies usually face climatic issues in summers as they have a double coat of fur to withhold heat in cold regions. Thus they often suffer from conditions like dehydration and overheating compared to any other breed of dog with fur. In this situation, you should take your pet to a shady place or near cool water as soon as possible and follow up with the vet if needed.
Is it possible for huskies to live in the climate of Mumbai?
As discussed above, huskies are not for hot regions; thus, they may face many climate issues in Mumbai. They may live with you in a small apartment with a hot atmosphere, but they must be just surviving to be alive even if you provide 24 hours A.C to them. They won’t be as happy as they were in their comfort zone.
Breeds like husky need exercise to maintain their temperature or become lazy; cool weather, temperature from -10 to 10C. The husky can’t tolerate it if the temperature goes beyond 10C. Keeping all these needs in mind, you should not adopt a breed like a husky if you live in Mumbai city. You may buy a great house and take him to the playground daily to provide A.C. 24 hours, but you still can’t change the region’s environment for your pet. They will live with you but also suffer from different health problems like breathing problems; as I told you, their appetite goes down in the summer, which may lead to nutritional deficiency.
All this happens because this breed is not meant for the hot/tropical climate we have in India.
In the end, I’ll say that adopt a pet and the breed of pet you love; just before adopting them, check about the necessary climate and things they need to live their life happily with your family. Please don’t force them to adjust to the climate, diet, and other natural factors.