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]
We have a deposit on a husky pup in a future litter, have hallways wanted a husky and my husky mix at home is getting older now so decided it was time to add a new dog. In researching the breed several sites have suggested that this is a dog that needs a job to be truly happy, and may need excessive amounts of excercize. Now while I’m not aquireing an Iditarod champion, actually a pup from a line of smaller dogs, I’m couriouse of how much excercize I need to be prepaired to provide on a dayly basis. Dog will go everywhere with me, even to work for most of the year but should I expect to have to add a mile run along side the bike every morning to start the day(once pup gets older) or will long walks and tons of play in the afternoons (evenings when the weather is too warm) going to be enough?
With Lara (3 years old) we walk her for about 1.5 hours daily, and she usually has two short but high energy (supervised) play sessions with my other dogs. She also works for all of her food through good behavior during walks, play-sessions, grooming, and whatever is left over we put in interactive food toys.
Shania (over 6 years old) is a three legged dog, so I walk her a shorter distance, although I am usually out with her for longer because we take long breaks in our walks.
Both my Huskies love being outside, especially in cooler weather. Lara, especially, needs to go on a good-sized walk every day. When it is hot during the summer, they have a lot less energy and tire more quickly, so we go on shorter walks and bring water with us. I try to observe them closely and adjust our walks and other activities accordingly.
My boys get 4-6miles a day hooked up to a mountain bike in any weather, if you dont they will kill your house big time, i have the short and tall siberians my oldest are 8 and 9 years old the shorter husky isnt as strong, cant run as fast and eats more than the larger type ( thats what ive seen anyway) and cannot keep up no matter what, in the U.K most of the huskies are the small and inbred when they see a real racing stock husky, oh the hatred, you couldnt believe. If you feed them dog food you will be plagued with a shorter life time of bad health like yourselves with all that GM food etc, fish from the loch, and organic meat from the store is the way to go. My organic huskies never go to the vet no bad breath or skin probs. ive known people to have had two dogs in the time ive had one for 9 years and they still make jokes that i spend more than they earn just on non GM foods and Non GM Organic meat, yes GM meat look in to it. ( you should see what they feed the human kids) Have fun they will never let you down. save up for new knees and hips too.
hi,
i have a 2 yr old male Husky called Locky, for some reason he has suddenly decided he’s going to mark certain areas in the house, nothing has changed in his routine or environment so i cant understand this behavior when he has never done it before.
Some people have recommended neutering him to tackle this problem as well as the fact he goes mental and pulls on the leash trying to get to the next scent in his path while out for walks (ive tried numerous training techniques to stop this but his entire attention is focused on scent when he’s out for walks, and ive tried everything to distract him so his attention is on me but to no avail)
So i have been wondering if neutering him will help, but then ive also had people tell me that neutering him could turn him vicious, my grandfather experienced this and his dog had to be put down after he became so bad that he was a danger to everyone, it was a shock to see this bouncy, happy and loving dog completely change and as you can imagine, i don’t want this happening to my bubbly, goofy and playful boy, what do you think?
your advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks
My male Shiba Inu is neutered and my two Husky girls are spayed. I did this early on, as soon as it was safe to do so. I did *not* notice any of my dogs becoming more vicious after the neuter or spay surgery. However, I made sure to lower their activity after the surgery, and made sure that everything healed properly. Just like people, pain and other physical issues, can cause stress to a dog and change behavior.
I would consult a vet about your concerns and about after care instructions.
Here is an excerpt from an ASPCA article on spaying and neutering –
My huskies name is Jax(jumping jax, he greets people by jumping up on them and licking them). He’ll be 4yrs next month. He is more of a calm dog. He has no interest whatsoever in toys, but loves to run and he is fast. He is the escape artist. He also loves to go for a car ride and is a very picky eater. He is very loyal to me only. He follows me all around the house and goes crazy if I don’t pay him any attention. He will sit and stare at me til I look at him or say something to him, and he will only listen to me. And when he sheds his winter coat, wow I could stuff several pillows!
All your facts are true! Every now and then I do catch him trying to hike his leg inside. He sees a squirrel while we’re out walking and he goes deaf and his blinders go up. He is a wonderful companion dog.
Hello Shawna,
Thanks for sharing Jax’s story with us. I love hearing about happy Huskies! My Sibes also love to lick and they love being with people. Big hugs to your awesome boy!
Thank you so much for putting this information out there. One of our babies got loose and was caught in a snare trap overnight, He made his way home and after 2 weeks of care had his hind leg amputated Monday. Any suggestions
on how to reintroduce his brother to him, they are used to rough play and Abrams is the dominant one, they will be one year on the 11 so still crazy puppy stage.
Yeah, I am a lot more careful with Shania (my tripod Husky). She can get overwhelmed during over-rough play and can get accidentally hurt. With three legs, if she even just sprains one of her other legs, it becomes really difficult for her to get around. For example, I do not allow my other dogs to chase Shania. Shania can do the chasing, but not the other way around.
I supervise all play sessions with her, manage excitement levels, and make sure that my other dogs are not over-excited.
http://shibashake.com/dog/second-dog-introducing-a-second-dog#play-time
Ok… Please can someone help. My mom boight a huksy from someone for 80 bicls and i have no clue what age he is.. Hes really small and had him for about two yeats now… I dont know if its tje food im givong him or hes not getting enough exercise i will show pictures if you know ablut huskies to give you a better look for him.
Husky is commonly used to describe a certain class of dogs – which can come from a variety of breeds. The Malamute for example, is much larger than the Siberian Husky. Even within the same breed, there are variances in size.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Husky_dogs
Has he been in to see the vet? What does the vet say about his general physical health?
I have a Sibe who just turned 2 in August. We got him for an inside dog but he got sick and as my now 9 yr old son said “hes pooping chocolate milk” gross i know but the best way to describe it. Ok so hes been outside ever since. Hes very loving and sweet. He loves people.he knows and loves jumping on them to give sugar. He will not jump on my 3year old son for any reason. Idk if he sencese that he has a blood disorder(hemophilia) or what for what ever reason is good. He is very protective over me.and my sons and somewhat over my husband. He also doesnt like strangers or strange dogs. We have 2 small dogs and he loves them. Also he pays no mind to cats and squirrels. Hed rather he doggie treats out of our hands and chase us or roll around on the ground and he loves his leash as long as one of my kids are walking him. Anyways my question is. Is he to old to house train. Id love for.him.to be inside. But we have carpet in most of our house. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
He sounds adorable. In terms of potty training, has he fully recovered from his diarrhea? If he still has it, it is probably best to deal with all physical related issues first.
For potty training my dog, this is what I do. Adult dogs have better control of their bladder, so they usually do not need to go as often as a puppy. However, I still need to supervise my dog very closely during the potty training period so that I can catch the behavior, and teach him where to go.
Also, during training, there will usually be some mistakes. I kept close supervision, but sometimes, I am not fast enough, so I make sure to have pet safe carpet cleaners around. I make sure to stay calm, be consistent, and keep close supervision.
I went to get a Siberian Husky for my mom for Christmas. My mom already had a dog, 11 months old, the Sibe was a little over 3 years old… well they didn’t get along at all. The Sibe hated my mom’s dog, and I understand why too, my mom’s dog is very in your face, very wired with energy. The Sibe did NOT like this, which ended in a couple scuffles. In short my mom decided the Sibe was not for her. Now in the time the Sibe was here he bonded with me. He thought I was awesome, and I thought he was awesome too. Now here’s where I run into a problem. I returned him to the breeder I got him from but I’ve been weighing going back to get him. The thing is my wife has 3 cats, and we have a miniature Dachshund. Now I want to try to bring him home, but the issue is, if prey drive kicks in, scuffles would go deadly real quick with the cats, and maybe even the Dachshund. How should I introduce him to the pets already here. Should I even risk it? Can he be trained to get along with the dogs already here or am I better leaving him be.
I don’t have any house cats so this is not something that I have much experience with. I think it depends a lot on the Husky and his level of prey drive. Has the Husky lived with cats before? What does the breeder say in terms of his prey drive and cat response?
This article from the ASPCA has some good information on introducing a cat to a new dog-
http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/cat-behavior/introducing-your-cat-new-dog
According to the breeder he used to live with a family that had cats and when I was first introduced to him we were brushing him out so he wouldn’t shed all over the inside of my car. I didn’t mind if he did but the breeder wanted to brush him out anyway. Well while we were brushing him out there was a feral cat wandering around outside and he wanted to go check the cat out so he’d pull a little but pull back and he’d sit back down. So I think it was more of a “what’s that? I wanna check that out.” response as opposed to an “OMG I have to chase that down and kill it” Still all things considered I’d have a kennel for him at night until he’s used to the cats and they’re used to him just so we don’t wake up to something out of a horror movie. I’m just a little nervous about bringing him home cause I want to give him a home really badly but like I mentioned before my wife is nervous about the cats & even the Dachshund to some extent cause they’re so little and the Sibe isn’t. Biggest cat is 12 lbs. Dachshund is about 7 lbs, she won’t get over 10 lbs. since she is a miniature. The Sibe at the moment is 80 lbs. cause he’s got a little bit of a weight problem and he’s a wooley so he’s a LOT of hair.
I have my boy kobi who is1 year husky x malamute and havw a male cat too, they are not best of friends but they tolorate eachother, I had kobi from ten weeks my cat is 3 he does try to paw him sometimes but hes never aggrseive towards him, a few people I no have huskys and cats onw friend of mine has a malamute and twi cats and they sleep tigather, and mist husky get on with all dogs they love everyone good luck 🙂
I have a 3 month old husky, I brought her home when she was 8 weeks old and I have 2 house cats (12 and 13 years old), the husky is very playful and does chase the cats quite a bit, but what we have learnt is to lock the puppy outside and show affection to the cats and then let the dog in supervised. We now trust the puppy with the cats as she likes to play and if the cat hisses the dog will back off. We also feed the cats first and make the dog wait to show that the cats are ahead of the dog in the pack and it has been working well so far.
I recently got a husky puppy hes only about 5 months. I want to keep him inside the house with me and in my room. But my parents are against this totally. They think that this wouldnt be healthy for me? Im trying to see if you had any thing to say about this. What are your thoughts on this.
When I was growing up, we also had a family dog that was an outside dog. I really wanted the dog inside the house, but it was my mom’s house, so her rules applied.
My mom is a no-nonsense type of person, so discussion was out of the question. If I had a more open/communicative relationship with her, I would have talked to her about it, try to understand her reasons, and perhaps get her to try and understand my point of view. Unfortunately, that was not an option in my case. So it depends.
Now I have my own place, and my dogs can be inside or outside as they choose.
I have a 10 week old husky . Her name is saydee she lives and sleeps in my room with me. But I do let her run in my huge back yard during the day to burn her energy off. I love her huskies are a special kindd of dog and they need alot of love but also have alot to give. I have lived with dogs all my life as long as your not allergic it will not hurt your health it will do the opposite its always healthy to have a good companion. Be tolerant with potty training you will get there
I love my huskies. We rescued a very young kitten about three weeks old and Thor our Huskey loves her so much. They sleep together and she follows him everywhere. She even waits for him when he is outside.
Any online pictures? Would love to see the pair of them together. 😀
Are they good with other dogs. Like black labs
Whether a dog is good with other dogs depends on many things including socialization, training, temperament, past experiences and more.