Siberian Huskies are beautiful dogs. They look like wolves, and have thick, soft coats, that make them infinitely cuddly. They have piercing eyes, and wonderful masks, that give them a roguish and unique look.
Siberians can make very good family pets. If properly trained, they can be very good with people, children, and other dogs. Indeed, Sibes are commonly known for their friendliness toward people.
Although they may look like fierce wolves, they have the heart of Casanova. All my Huskies want to do, is greet everyone and give them licks.
However, many people have trouble with this breed, and many Sibes get surrendered every year.
Consider these Siberian Husky facts, before going out and getting a puppy. The Siberian Husky is a very special and lovable breed, but they may not be the right breed for everyone.
1. Siberian Huskies Shed a Lot!
Be ready to have dog hair all over the house – floors, carpets, clothing, furniture, everywhere.
If we are allergic to dog hair, or like our home to be very clean, then the Siberian Husky is not for us.
When I was looking for a Sibe, I talked to a few breeders in my area. The first thing they all said was, “Siberians shed a lot”. I mentioned that my other dog, a Shiba Inu, also has a double coat, and also sheds a fair amount. However, they all said, “Siberians shed a lot more”.
And they do! A whole lot more.
Therefore, it is very important to train our Husky puppy to enjoy the grooming experience.
- I start with a soft brush, and lightly comb my dog’s body for a short period of time.
- I do this often, and pair it with food rewards.
- Once my puppy is comfortable with the brushing process, I very slowly extend the length of our grooming session.
- Finally, I repeat the process with a more solid brush, such as the Furminator.
Frequent brushing is a good idea to keep our Husky clean, and clear out loose hair. The more hair on the Furminator, the less hair on the floor.
About twice a year, my Sibes blow their coat. During this time, there will be more fur than ever. To keep things under control, I try to brush every day. Remember to always keep brushing sessions fun, rewarding, and not overly long.
2. Siberian Huskies Make Awful Watch Dogs
Because Huskies look like wolves, many people assume that they are fierce dogs. Some people may even think that they are wolf hybrids.
However, a Sibe is more of a lover and less of a fighter.
When confronted with a stranger, my Husky will usually run up to him, give licks, and beg for food. As a result, Sibes do not make very good watch dogs. They will not only welcome everyone into your house, but will also give them the royal lick treatment.
If we want a dog that is only loyal to us and our family, then the Siberian Husky is not for us.
My Huskies are naturally happy and trusting dogs, who like to be with everyone. That is one of the things that I love most about them.
The Siberian Husky is not a watch dog, although those ignorant of his true nature may be frightened by his appearance. If you want a dog with aggressive guard-dog instincts . . . don’t buy a Siberian.
~~[SHCA]Leave your home in the care of a “guard” Siberian and he will most likely welcome an intruder with open arms, fetch (for the first time in his life) your valuables and show him the best route of escape–after all, Siberians are great escape artists.
~~[Siberian Rescue Site]
Note – This does not mean that Huskies will never be aggressive toward people. A dog’s behavior is determined both by genetics (breeding), as well as by training, socialization, context, and past experiences. A dog may become aggressive as a result of improper training, bad social experiences, insufficient socialization, and more.
For reasons of safety, it is important to ensure that our companion dogs are not people aggressive. Most companion dogs today guard us, by sounding an alert when unknown or strange people come close to our house. These dogs are not people aggressive. They do not bark, lunge, or growl at passers-by during walks. They are not aggressive toward guests and unknown visitors, who may need to work in or around our house. Their job is simply to alert us, when unusual events occur close to home. Anything more would quickly become dangerous and risky.
Highly trained guard dogs, such as those employed by law-enforcement, may be trained to attack or restrain an intruder. However, they are always under the control of their handler, are extremely well managed, and will only attack on-command or when they think their handler is in clear danger (as defined during training). They also do not bark or growl at pedestrians.
3. Siberian Huskies Have High Energy
They are intelligent, athletic, and were bred to pull sleds for extremely long distances, in the freezing cold. Therefore, be prepared to provide a Husky with a lot of mental and physical exercise.
A young Husky needs activity almost all day round. At around one-year old, my Sibe puppy sleeps for perhaps 3-4 hours during the day, and about 10 hours during the night. That leaves about 10 hours during the day where she is on the go.
She drains her energy most by playing with my other dog, a Shiba Inu. However, even my Shiba cannot fully keep up with her.
In addition to the playing, she works for all of her food, has long walks in the park several times a week, has structured dog play sessions, dog obedience training sessions, and still has energy left over to explore and dig in our backyard.
If bored, a Husky can become unhappy. He will likely escape, or use our house and belongings as chew toys. Unless our backyard is extremely secure, he can easily jump over or dig under a fence, in order to find adventure elsewhere.
If we are away at work for most of the day, then the Siberian Husky is probably not for us.
Siberians like having company and activity all day long. It is possible that a Husky can keep himself occupied if we have other dogs, but he may also lead our entire pack into mischief!
Sibes do best when there is frequent human supervision, throughout the day.
Siberians are a gregarious lot and need the company of other dogs or of people at all times.
~~[SHCA]The Husky needs lots of exercise and entertainment. They love to run and play, but must be allowed to do so safely.
~~[Hillside SPCA]
4. Siberian Huskies Are Independent Thinkers
They have a very independent mind and spirit, and will only perform, if we make it worth their while.
If we want an obedient dog that only lives to please us, then the Siberian Husky is not for us.
A Sibe is not a “yes sir, no sir“, kind of dog. To live well with him, we need to be fair, but firm. We need to consistently enforce our house rules, or he will take over the house.
The best way to train a Husky, is through the control of resources. Teach him that the best way to get what he wants, is to first do what we want. I use reward obedience training, and follow the Nothing in Life is Free program. Harsher techniques can make a Siberian distrustful, and ruin the natural free spirit of the breed.
Huskies are independent hunters. Their original breeders, the Chukchi of Northeastern Asia, would let their dogs free during the summer months to hunt for food on their own.
This has two very important consequences for living with a Husky today –
- A Siberian is not to be trusted with cats or other small animals. He can be trained to live with cats, but his instinct is to hunt them;
- A Siberian is not to be trusted off-leash. If he sees a small animal, he will likely bolt after it, and forget about cars, commands, and everything else. By the time he comes to his senses, he may be lost and far from home.
I have gotten a few comments about cats lately, so let me be clear …
Sibes can be trained to live with household cats. However, they usually have high prey drive, and will likely want to hunt and chase small animals, including squirrels, mice, and cats. Just because a Siberian gets along with our house cats, does not mean he will treat other neighborhood cats in the same way.
Huskies are bred to run and pull. This makes them more difficult to leash train than many other breeds. To train a Husky to walk on a leash, we need to have an immense amount of patience. Always be firm and consistent with the no-pulling rule, and reward good behavior.
If we do not have a large backyard, bring our Sibe to an enclosed park or soccer field, so that he can have some nice off-leash time to run, run, run.
5. Siberian Huskies Are Not the Easiest Dogs to Potty Train
Certain dogs, like the Shiba Inu, are naturally clean and absolutely do not like soiling their living space. Because of their natural cleanliness, they are extremely easy to house train.
Sibes do not have that natural sense of cleanliness. In fact, they do not mind playing, and running around in their own waste products. Therefore, we must make it worth their while to potty outside.
Supervise our Husky puppy at all times, until he is fully house trained. Reward him well for pottying outside with high priority dog treats, play, and praise. If we are consistent with our puppy potty training, he will learn quickly, and be happy to go outside after a few weeks.
In addition, as Gigi points out, potty training difficulty is very dependent on what the dog or puppy is used to, in his previous environment. Puppy mill and pet store puppies are caged, most of the time. As a result, they will be harder to house train, because they are accustomed to going in their crates.
Where to Get a Siberian Husky Puppy
If we still want a Husky, then visit the Siberian Husky Club of America for a breeder list. Also consider adopting one from a local Husky rescue.
It really makes a BIG difference to get a puppy from an accredited breeder.
Please do not buy a puppy from online puppy sites or pet stores. Most of their puppies come from backyard breeders or puppy mills. Buying from them, will only help support and continue the dog cruelty of these unscrupulous puppy breeders.
If we are concerned about the initial cost of a puppy, consider that backyard breeders and puppy mills frequently produce unhealthy and unbalanced puppies. They will end up costing us a lot more, in terms of vet bills, dog training bills, and property destruction.
Siberian Huskies Are Wonderful Dogs
I love my Sibes. However, just because I think Huskies are wonderful dogs, does not mean that everyone else will think so as well; nor does it mean that they will fit into someone else’s lifestyle.
Clearly, each dog is an individual and will differ in terms of prey drive, energy level, obedience, and more. However, general breed characteristics and information from reputable sources, will give us a better idea of what to expect.
Often, there is conflicting information on the web. Therefore, one good place to start is with the AKC-recognized national breed club – The Siberian Husky Club of America.
Captivating in their beauty, grace and childlike demeanor, Siberians catch the eye of adults and children alike. They can be wonderful dogs for the well-informed or experienced Husky owner. However, they are NOT the breed for everyone and definitely not for first time dog owners. Too many wind up lost, in shelters, killed on the highway, abandoned or abused because the owner didn’t understand the breed and it’s challenging traits.
~~[Hillside SPCA]
Hi i have two huskies. Storm is 14 months and nala is 16 weeks! They are great loving family pets but as you all know they take up alot of the day. They are playfull and very loyal and enjoy playing with my two young children(2 & 4 years). The only thing i will say to anyone thinking of getting a husky is be ready for there rough play. Both mine love to run at each other and jump high in the air. They play together using there teeth a lot and to people who are not used to there kind of play it does look and sound a little scary. But we love ours and wouldnt change them for the world.
I love happy Husky stories! Big hugs to Storm and Nala. š
i have a Siberian Husky. she is great, but she is so hard to potty train!!! she will walk out side for fun and she is so energetic OMG..and we will be out for hours..and she wont go to the bathroom.she did 1 time….but for the most part she waits until we get home and tries to go on the news paper. i want to break that habit so bad. and she eats my sisters Cat’s food and wont eat her own dog food.its so annoying. and i think she is going through terrible 2 bc she is biting. and chewing on everything.
https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/c0.0.300.300/p403x403/625518_559309197420787_280337393_n.jpg
thats my dog
Here are some things I did to potty train my Husky puppies.
Here are some things that helped while training my Huskies. I also follow the Nothing in Life is Free program. It teaches my dogs to work for their food, redirects their energy into positive activities, and helps me maintain pack leadership through the control of resources.
I have two husky girls, Hailey who is almost 7 years and Starr who is a little over 5 months. They light up my life! My little girl is having a hard time with potty training but I know it just takes time. They love to play together, my 7 year old plays like she’s 7 months lol. They love long walks but unfortunately I live in the north east so our winters can be a little brutal, at least for me anyway. Every word you said about this breed is true but even the challenges are worth it because once you are loved by a husky it’s hard to imagine life without that!
Thank you for your post, being informed may help to keep some huskies out of shelters.
Big hugs to Hailey and Starr! A happy Husky story always brightens up my day. Thank you.
Your husky is 13 uears old now?
Thank you for putting this up. I know now that it is to early for me to get a husky right now. I am still young and only starting high school next year. I used to have a big dog. Anyways.. I wanted a husky because i had had fallen in love with them since i was very young. Now I know to wait until I’m older and have enough money for a big home for my Husky. Again Thank you for putting this site up ^ ^
Yeah, I have always loved Huskies as well. The eyes, big ears, and cool masks are a deadly combo. š
i have 2 days with my 3 month old husk I had a question I was given a potty spot bottle which suppose to make his sense of potty trigger and also works as a spot is this good for the dog ?
I haven’t used anything like this before so I am not sure how effective it is.
Here is more on how I potty trained my Husky puppies.
Hi, thanks for your site! Im a dog walker & pet care provider in Connecticut. I care for two Siberian Huskies quite often, & I adore them, and while looking for something else, wandered onto your site. Everything you said here was absolutely true in my eyes (especially regarding the cats & squirrels).
Loved the pictures as well. Thanks so much for sharing your love & tips on raising a healthy & happy husky.
Christine
What a great comment to get on a weekend! Thank you very much. š
Big hugs to your furry clients!
Hi,
My family and I rescued Rex from a shelter two weeks ago. He’s a pretty good dog and I’ve been using your site to help train and understand him better. But my husband and I have encountered the same problem lately. When out on walks he’ll jump up and start biting. He did this when we first met and slowly stopped and now he’s doing it again but sometimes harder and “be a tree” isn’t working. I know he means to play but he does it more aggressively around the kids and I’m not sure what to do. He resists his leash and I get scared he’ll get hit by a car but at the same time accidentally bite my kids. Please any advice? I really don’t want to give him back because I know for sure that he wasn’t being treated well at the shelter.
I forgot to mention that he’s at least 1 yr. old. And was walking pretty decently on his leash until recently. He gives my husband a hard time because he cares for all the kids but the babies are home so he has to care for them all the time but not sure why he’s become more aggressive the past few days.
Hello Annie,
I had a similar issue with my Shiba (Sephy) when he was young. He would get excited or frustrated and start biting on the leash. Then, he started jumping on me and biting on my jacket.
Here are some of my experiences with leash biting-
http://shibashake.com/dog/train-your-dog-to-stop-biting-on-the-leash
The key with getting Sephy to stop his leash biting behavior is to –
1. Effectively prevent him from continuing with it during our walks.
2. Show him that the behavior results in an undesirable consequence.
With Sephy, what finally worked is to quickly march him home. When Sephy starts to bite the leash-
– I no-mark the behavior to let him know that it is undesirable.
– Then, I hold the leash close to his collar so that I have good control and can stop his jumping/biting behavior.
– Finally, I just march him home at a quick pace. We do not make any stops, he does not get to explore, and the fun walk ends.
In this way, he cannot continue with biting on the leash because he has to focus on marching home. At the same time, he has a place to redirect his excited energy, i.e. into the march home. Most importantly, he also learns that biting on the leash or on me, means that the fun, leisurely walk ends right away, and he has to go home.
Some other things that helped with Sephy-
1. I increased the frequency of our walks (so that we would have more practice) but reduced their duration (so we would only walk close to home). This makes it easier and quicker to end walks if necessary.
2. We practiced proper leash walking in the house first, as well as proper door manners, before going out. This gets Sephy into the habit of walking properly and following walk rules before even leaving the house.
3. I try to stay as calm as possible, and just focus on implementing my plan. Sephy gets even more excitable or stressed when he senses that I am not calm. He also picks up on the energy of people who are nearby, so if I am walking with others, I make sure that everyone is calm.
4. In the beginning, I made things as simple as possible and only walked him by myself, and in more quiet areas of the neighborhood. In this way, there are fewer excitement triggers, and we are more likely to have a successful walk. In this way, both of us gain confidence, and then, we can slowly increase the environmental challenge.
http://shibashake.com/dog/pack-leader-to-an-aggressive-dog
Each dog is different though, and there may be a different trigger/source for the behavior. I tried many things before finding something that worked with Sephy.
Hugs to Rex. Let us know how it goes.
Thanks for the advice! Rex has actually gotten much better! He was even congratulated by a stranger on the street when we were walking yesterday. I felt like a proud parent! I’m very impressed at how quickly he has learned from us and wonder do huskies respond so quickly? I’m just happy to say that he’s a keeper. The time we’ve spent with him has been truly rewarding.
That is so good to hear! Go Team Rex!
Yeah, Huskies are a very amazing breed. Both Lara and Shania learn things very quickly as well – they also learn and observe things that I wish they would not learn. š
Thanks for giving us an update on Rex. I am so happy that things turned out so well.
Hi! Firstly I would like to say that your site is very helpful and I’m thoroughly enjoying reading everyone’s posts!
My husband and I have contemplated having a husky for many of months, we have done the research and we are fully aware of what we are letting ourselves in for! Nalah is now 5 weeks old and yet to leave her mother, but we have been in constant contact with the breeder, and we visit her on a weekly basis until we get to bring her home when she’s 8 weeks old.
One thing that really upsets me is that majority of our friends & family puts a negative spin on our decision of having a husky, saying that this type of breed is vicious, not good with children, will damage property and overall iniciating that we are not making a good decision. Now instead of enjoying the experience of having a dog I feel that we have to prove some sort of point, which are not our intentions! And I’m a bit wary that once Nalah’s here people will be too scared to visit us! Has anyone else had this experience with friends & relatives? Any information would be greatly appreciated! Thanks
Don’t worry about what the friends and relatives say, huskies aren’t what everyone believes. In my expierence around huskies, they’ve always been a loving and sweet dog breed. I’m sure you won’t have trouble with visitors, they’ll learn to except your decision!
Hello š firstly I would like to thank you for the useful guide provided as I am sure it will help in the near future.
I have just purchased a husky and I am slightly concerned about toilet training because we live in a apartment without a garden. We have two large parks nearby an we live right on the coast for plenty of walks and exersise but any help in regards to toilet training in our circumstance would be much appreciated.
Many thanks liam.
Hello Liam,
Congratulations on your new Husky puppy!
With my Husky puppies, I trained them on both puppy pads and going outside. If possible, I try to always take them out. However, if that is not possible, then I train them to go on their puppy pads.
Initially, they wanted to bite-on and shred the pads, so some training is necessary to get them to “Leave-It”. But after that, having the puppy pads as a backup facility was quite useful.
Here is a bit more on my Husky potty training experiences.
Hugs to puppy! They grow up quickly, so take lots of pictures. š
Hello,
Thanks for your help your site has been most informative.
I got a new puppy around a week ago now, she is 3 months old. I Live in Dubai myself and have followed the various tips on here religiously.
I Did a lot of research and decided to try a combinations of Click/Treat Reward based system, which to my comfort has been a great success. She responds well to the understanding that the clicking noise is a positive and often is followed by one treat.
I Had a little trouble potty training for the first few days but i noticed how she had a massive likeing for this specific (Beef Jerky) Style treat. So i decided to make this a potty time specific treat and that has worked out for me brilliantly!
I Have to questions i was wondering if you could help me with. I Have dismissed this as maybe excitement peeing but im not too sure.
Usually i will leave her in her room whilst i sleep (A fairly sized storage room/really small bedroom) the problem i am having is she often urinates after i just open the door before i can even attach her lease and take her for a walk.
Is this normal? I thinking it is either down to lack of control or excitement at seeing me in the morning.
Also i do basic obedience training with her i.e. sit and stay which have worked well but i find she has a lack of focus sometimes. Is this just an age issue also? was wondering if it would get easier after she is 6 months old.
Thanks a lot for the tips they are amazing!
Congratulations on your new furry family member!
My guess it that it is partly out of excitement and partly out of having a full bladder. When my Sibes were young, they couldn’t hold it in for the entire night, and often needed to go an extra time very early in the morning.
In terms of excitement urination, this article from UCDavis may provide some tips-
http://behavior.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/local-assets/pdfs/Submissive_and_Excitement_Urination_in_Dogs.pdf
Yeah, I think so. When Lara was a pup, she was very easily distracted. Everything was new, shiny, and interesting to her, so any motion or little noise and she would want to go explore. š
Obedience training and structure can help to increase a dog’s focus and maturity will help as well. I start small though, and only very slowly build up the duration of focus commands. That way, she always enjoys her training sessions, and is always ready to do more.
Hugs to your girl! Would love to see some pictures, so please post us a link when you have the time.
After a click should always be a treat:) the clicker marks the behaviour and tells the dog that click=treat. So the moment he/she hears the click, she/he’ll know that the behavior that makes you click, is correct. So clicker is just a easy soulution for perfect timing for rewards. A dog who’s familiar to the clicker and knows what the click really means, wont be confused if the treat is given moments after clicking because (here comes my favorite) you already marked the behavior with the click. So you wont be failing or mistaken if you have to run into the kitchen after clicking and fetching a treat š
This helped me for a writing about dogs i wrote all of them down except where to get Siberian Huskies. but these guys are so cute and so adorable I want one so bad right now!