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 just wanted to know of anyones experiences with huskys and cats. we have a 10 year old cat and are thinking of getting a husky puppy but ive heard that huskys have a high prey drive for small animals including cats so abit worried now! If anyone can tell me of there experiences that would be great! thank you 🙂
We have a 10 yr old cat and I was pleasantly surprised with a 7.5 week old Sibe for my birthday on 11/27. Sadie is a beautiful dog and I have heard that if you raise the Sibe with a cat from the puppy stage, the relationship with the cat should be okay. Sadie tries to engage our cat in play (I think), but the cat wants no part of Sadie, constantly jumping to higher spots in the house whenever they are in the same room. Our cat (Chad) is pretty feisty with the puppy, but I do have concerns on how the two will interact as Sadie grows – they are natural predators. We will do our best to keep them compatible in and around our house.
I have a husky 12 months old, a poodle x jack Russell and 3 cats and they get on great together, one of my cats sleeps on the bed with me and the two dogs
I really wanted a senior husky but I have a chihuahua and cat. I took my chihuahua to the shelter to test with some of the huskies and it didn’t go well. I strongly suggest getting a puppy that way they can grow up together and try not to allow the cat to swipe at the husky In case he decides to respond the same. Very few huskies I’ve met in foster care were okay with cats.
I have a 8 month old husky before he was fix he was really hiper he pulled he still does but not as much he jumps on people my kids love him especially the bb he’s 2 yrs old my problem is that he pees a lot I don’t give him much water cause we crate him but even at night when we don’t give him water he pees he’s kennel I don’t kno y oh and he’s poop is sometimes watery I don’t get y it stinks bad to wha can I do or do I have to take him to the vet thank you
What is his daily routine like? How much does he drink? How much does he pee? Does his pee look normal? Does he seem to have problems peeing? How is his energy level? How long is he in the crate? When was his last vet visit?
How long have you had him? Has he always showed this kind of peeing behavior or did it change suddenly? If it changed suddenly, when did it change? Have there been changes in his routine or environment?
If I suspect that my dog has a *physical issue*, I give my vet a call. They have my dog’s health history and can advise me on the best course of action.
in regards to what From another Siberian Owner says said on Nov. 4th about puppies not going on cement.. That isn’t necessarily true. We have had sibs for 15 years and almost all of ours go on cement. Especially Duke our oldest. he has done it since he was a baby. In his defense he walks and poops for fear of not being let in as he might miss something that is going on inside the house. He is a huskie like no other. He gets cold lol and will not stay out when it is chilly out. We live in Wisconsin so our winters get quite cold. His brother on the other hand will stay out all day and night if we were to let him. But Duke is a social butterfly and needs to be where his people are. We have had all of ours since before they were a year old but all were either rescued or given to us by families who couldn’t keep them and we only had to fully potty train 2 of them. We have had 5 all together we lost our oldest just last year. 🙁 and we lost another due to cancer at a young age. and we are down to two now. Ours have always been “lazy” they will sleep all day if we didn’t get them out to exercise. We have yet to have a typical husky seems none of ours like to follow the husky rules..lol but we love them all and wouldn’t trade our time together for anything..
Just bought a sibe. 3 months old. Got her 1 week or so ago.
My question… is it normal for her to sleep 6 to 8 times a Day?
Jumps on couch – falls asleep
Jumps in lap – falls asleep
Car rides – falls asleep
Jumps on bed – falls asleep
Take her outside, runs around a while, then lays down.
She don’t chase or alert to anything either. Birds, cats, dogs, people… she’s just like, ” so what, I see you”
However very affection and loving towards me and my girlfriend.
I’m kind of confused about her actions. Is this normal? How so if yes or no?
Thanks
What is her daily routine? How many hours (total) does she sleep per day? Is she eating and drinking normally? Does she seem energetic while playing? Is her poop and pee normal? What was her background (where did she come from)?
Moving to a new home with new people can be stressful for a dog, so they may be more quiet or cautious in the beginning. This is also known as the Honeymoon period.
However, when I get a new dog, I always take him to the vet as soon as possible for a general check-up. In this way, I can make sure that everything is ok physically and set up a vaccination schedule.
Once I rule out physical issues, then I can focus on other factors that may be causing the behavior.
Diabetes can cause extreme tiredness and mutch more than normal thirst and urination, if this is suspected have the vet test his blood glucose level, I am diabetic for over 30 years so these symtoms seem like high blood glucose. Normal range for humans are 80 to 120 but I do not know the normal range for dogs. High glucose levels in humans causes frequent urination, loss of energy, more apetite and hostility increase. Good luck, just some personal expereances that also affect dogs.
Hi I have a female Siberian she is a year old now I am wondering I feed her twice a day she regularly wormed and has all we vaccinations I am wondering why she is not putting on any weight, ever since her winter coat has started to come off she looks to thin, what can I do to fatten her up abit??
And also we have tries to train her not to jump on people what can we do there to stop this as we have two young children
http://shibashake.com/dog/stop-your-dog-from-jumping-on-people
More on how I trained my Husky puppy.
My Husky Lara is also very slim. I think she was born with a slim build. She has shorter fur, long legs, and is very energetic, so she burns a lot of calories. I feed her a lot more than my other Husky and she weighs more, but she still looks much slimmer. I think the fur really adds a lot of bulk, so her short fur makes her look more thin and her long legs further accentuate the effect. My vet says that Lara is very healthy, so I am happy with keeping things as they are.
Here is a picture of Lara at 1 year plus-
http://images.shibashake.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/7/files/2012/10/P1000181.jpg
Don’t worry mines a year old male. Hasn’t grown much recently. I know a lady down the road that’s got a four year old that weighs twice as much. They keep putting on weight until they’re three so just wait. They don’t usually put them in a team until they’re three is what I read. I give mine more food than they say on the packet because he’s highly active. Don’t know but most people I’ve met just fill the bowl when it’s empty. Mine isn’t greedy and will only eat when he’s hungry. If you want them to put on weight you can buy weight harnesses for walking or I have a friend who attaches a tire to his down the park and the dog loves it. Mines just over 20 kg but I’m not bothered. I know he’ll grow.
Wish you all the joy I’ve had with mine.
Brynn .
Hey my name is anissa huskey is very nice to kids
My boyfriend and I just got an 8 month old Sibe. We were told that she was potty trained and crate trained. We can’t get her to go potty outside at all though. We go on multiple walks a day that are a mile at minimum, nothing. So we will stay outside in the yard for another 40 minutes or so, she’ll sniff, nothing. Then as soon as we go inside she’ll go on the floor. You can tell she was trained because she’ll let you know when she needs out, goes to the door, and as soon as she goes on the floor she knows she is in trouble. I’ve read stuff about Sibes throwing fits like that when they are rehomed but I would like to know what could help her become more comfortable. She has the same food and treats as before, she has plenty of toys, and gets lots of exercise and attention. We absolutely adore her but it’s definitely starting to test our patience. Does anybody have any tips or ideas for us? It would be very appreciated! Thank you
Also she does play and cuddle with us. She loves giving us kisses too. She seems comfortable with us but obviously something is wrong
Changing homes and changing owners is a very stressful process for dogs. Dogs may urinate because of stress, which is also known as stress incontinence or submissive urination.
Dogs may also urinate because of physical issues, anxiety, and more.
http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/dog-behavior/submissive-urination
What was her background like? Has she been to the vet for a checkup? What type of training methods are you currently using?
She was in a home with a couple and a 3 month old baby. They crate trained her. The reason they rehomed her is because the woman was working a lot plus with the baby she realized she wasn’t spending enough time with Jade (the Sibe). She has had all of her shots and been dewormed. The couple we got her from said that they had no problem with her going potty outside.
I do think it is because of the stress of moving homes. The first 2 1/2 days we had her she refused to go potty outside. We would take her on 2-3 long walks (a mile or more) a day plus taking her outside to go potty constantly. We always go out with her and have a leash on her. We are still using the crate training. Plus when we go to take her out we say “Jade, go outside”, “go potty outside”, “outside” in a happy voice so she wants to go outside. She will sniff but not go potty. We will even stay outside for an hour trying to get her to go. When she doesn’t go potty outside we will keep her leash on her inside of the house to try and make sure she doesn’t go potty. She went potty 3 times outside Saturday night. Congratulated her and have her a treat. Now nothing
We have had her for about a week now and She is doing a lot better as she gets more comfortable with us. She has been going potty outside, besides having a few accidents in the house. She is playing with us more and sleeps with us most of the time now. I’m really glad because I was really getting worried. Now she is showing us how well she was trained (: Thank you!
I am glad that she is adjusting so well. 😀
Big hugs to your girl!
This is for Erin – We got ours at 3 months and it took about 1.5 months to fully train. Ours did not do her business in the crate, but she always had accidents as we were not fast enough to take her outside and that is NORMAL. What you need to do is run her until she stops and wants to go. Puppies will not go on cement, or dirt – they need grass, and maybe that is not what you are providing to your puppy, i.e. a grassy area to go on?
Do you walk her where there are other dogs. I’m only an amateur but sometimes if my dog sees another doing it they think it’s the norm. Makes it harder training then not to do things but interaction is a learning process for everyone. However I would give it time. When I went on holiday and got the dog back he pooed for the second time on my floor. First time was when I got him, first thing he did was go on the stairs. My huskies very sensitive to the mood so if we’re stressed sometimes he shows the same symptoms. (Restlessness after long walks, bringing bile up, picking up things that aren’t his.) I’m not in anyway judging you but with the level of care you’ve show then I’m sure the dog will be more than comfortable eventually. They can be persistent little buggers so we have to be too.
Hi, I just bought a 4 month old husky few days ago, this is my first time of owning a dog. I had read lots of articles regarding Husky, but is there anything I should be taking more attention? I have a question,my husky cant stay alone when sleeping and needs my company all the time. What is the best way that I can do to make him stay calm when I am going out?
I have a cross siberian husky, border collie, very hyper! She’s 7 month and when we first got her (5 month) she didn’t like being left in herself atall but we started her off by leaving her in for say 5 minutes herself, then a few days later 10 minutes, and slowly build up the amount of time you leave them in down over do it or you could create huge axiety problems for the dog. Hope this helps!
Congratulations on your Husky puppy!
In terms of alone time, I slowly desensitized my Husky to it (similar so what Samantha describes). Here is more on what I did to get my Husky comfortable with alone time.
A fixed routine and structured exercise also helps my Husky puppy to be more relaxed. Initially I do activities inside the house and in the backyard. I *do not* take my puppy for outside walks until he is fully vaccinated.
For socialization, we did puppy classes and puppy socials at a nearby daycare. I checked both places out first, to make sure they are responsible, knowledgeable, and trustworthy. They both checked all participating puppies for vaccination records.
Here is more on what I did to train my Husky puppy.
Here is a bit more on socialization.
Big hugs to puppy!
Sams comment is really good. I leave the radio on when I’m there and when I’m not so he has an atmosphere he’s used to. Filmed him before and he was fine for at least 4 hours whereas before he was honking quite a lot. You can also buy doggy electrical devices you attach to the wall that do all kinds of things like give out treats and play music. I wouldn’t bother though as a radio was a lot cheaper and I can manipulate his musical taste. He likes rock.
Hi try giving him something to amuse him a ‘kong’ toy is good they are a little pricey as dog toys go (though notably cheaper on amazon) but they are great toys for intelligent dogs like huskies. Find something yummy to put inside it because they’ve got very sensitive stomachs I recommend something fish based my husky goes nuts for anything fish! And it’s good with his tum too. 🙂
Hi, I have a question. My husky puppy is only 6 weeks old. I don’t know how much to feed her and how many times a day should I feed her. Yesterday she throw up and her had loosed bowel. Could you give me some suggestion? Thank you!
6 weeks is really young for a puppy. Most breeders I know do not recommend separating a puppy from his mother and litter-mates until he/she is at least 8 weeks old. Here is why.
When I get a new puppy, I usually take him to the vet as soon as possible. In this way, I can make sure that my puppy is healthy and also get him started on their recommended vaccination schedule.
As for food, I usually get some food from the breeder so that I can slowly move my puppy over to her new food. I start with 3/4 of the old food and 1/4 of the new food for a few days (3-4 days). If things look good, I move on to 1/2 old 1/2 new and so on. Here is more on how I pick my dog’s food. I use puppy formula in the beginning and switch over to adult after my dog is about 1 year old.
In the beginning, I feed my puppy many times throughout the day. My breeder recommended at least three times, but I ended up feeding Lara more often than that. Food is also very useful as a training tool, for grooming, interactive toys, and more.
Different types of food have different nutritional value, so how much we feed will depend a lot on the types of food that we are using. I would consult with the vet.
My huskie had very poor bowel movents and was vomiting a lot and that was with Origen huskie food. I then changed to Arden grange hypo-allergenic. It’s half the price and really crunchy bigger bites. He still brings up bile occassionally but that is because he has a tight throat. His poo is solid and there’s no food vomiting now plus he loves it. The most expensive food isn’t always the best for our dog.
I have a 6 week old husky and he’s currently on Pedigree puppy food but as he is growing I’m trying to figure out how much he should eat. He’s healthy and a little over 4lbs.
Also he is in the stage of wanting to bite on everything and he barely uses toys rather use people or anything else he think he can chew. Suggestions?
Here are some things that I looked at while picking kibble for my Huskies.
Some of my experiences with puppy biting-
http://shibashake.com/dog/puppy-biting-tips-solutions
http://shibashake.com/dog/how-i-trained-my-husky-puppy#bite-training
Hi i have a problem. I have a husky her name is shieba she’s 8 and a half months old. Around 1month ago she had stoped from her piriod and just now she had bleeded 2 dark red spots blood :/ do you know what it could be ? Can it be something of piriod?
Both my Huskies are spayed so I don’t have experience with this. It is probably best to ask her vet.