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]
I’ve got one husky male, named Cerberus, who is almost a year old. My partner and I love him to pieces, even sometimes our cat Licorice does too. An important tip for any cat/husky owners is that your kitty has a high spot where he or she can relax, just like a dog should have a bed (my preferred option) or a crate.
I met Cerberus at 5-6 weeks and couldn’t wait until he hit the 8 week mark so I could bring him home. He kind of chose me and I couldn’t leave without calling him mine. I often visited the breeder and played and trained with him. He literally learnt the sit command (by treat training) in 5 minutes. Don’t underestimate their intelligence because a smarter a dog is, the more independent they are, and will be more of a challenge to train. I found treat training, especially when they’re tired, several times a day for about 10 minutes was the quickest and most effective method.
Potty training was hell, especially for my partner because when I’d clean up his messes I’d end up vomiting so my poor partner was stuck with the majority of it. I found that potty training pads at the back door worked well overnight, as well as taking him outside and treating him when he went potty outside. However when we moved houses Cerberus was much better as he now has a bigger backyard.
We will soon be getting another husky puppy as a companion for Cerberus. They really need a lot of company with both other dogs and humans or they can become depressed and/or get up to a lot of mischief. In the mean time we’ve been having puppy play dates with other male dogs including his older brother, whom Cerberus absolutely adores. In the mean time we are puppy proofing the house and backyard because we learnt the hard way – I once had to jump in front of a car to stop Cerberus from being hit or ran over, thankfully no one was hurt and nothing was damaged but I quickly learnt to keep a very close eye on him. Especially while I’m hopping out of the car to quickly run in and grab some food!
Huskies are very cheeky, playful, loving dogs and are definitely part of the family. Cerberus adores children, especially babies and will happily lick them till they’ve got drool falling off them. Many of my friend’s children adore Cerberus and he them. It’s important that other animals and children are introduced correctly to each other to avoid any mishaps.
One major thing I will be doing differently is leash training our new pup much earlier on, even if up and down the hallway or around the backyard, before he becomes stronger than me so he doesn’t end up running me instead of the other way around.
All in all having a husky has been a wonderful, but not an easy, experience. Cerberus is now very well behaved, of course when he wants to be, and knows several commands and tricks. He loves to show off, and he loves attention and treats for rewards. With our new husky puppy I think I’ve definitely learnt a few ways to make it easier, many of which were mentioned in this article. I will definitely be recommending it to any friends of mine who are thinking of getting a husky!
Thanks for sharing Cerberus’ story with us. He is a lucky boy! I would love to see pictures of him as well as his new sidekick ;), so please post us some image links.
I like husky’s they are cute dogs.
With my Husk’s piercing two blue eyes, I rarely can get half a block without someone wanting to stop, ask about his breed, pet him and often spend a few minutes playing with him. In fact, Buddy (my Husky) is the only dog that I’ve ever owned where the mailman actually spends sometimes up to 5 minutes playing with him when dropping off my mail. Is Buddy A TON OF WORK because of his shedding and my home always looking like I’d prefer un-announced guests? Yes! But I would not trade him for the world. He is so loving – he truly is my best friend! If you are willing to take care of a Husky (grooming, vet visits), I’d HIGHLY RECOMMEND A SIBERIAN HUSKY AS A PET!!
I also have a Siberian, He has been the best, I have had other gogs but I think Deeks has been the best so far, He goes almost every where with me, The minute the keys rattle he is on his way to the car, I keep a gallon of water in the car all the time and refresh it almost every day so I know its fairly fresh. I think if anything were to happen to him that would be it. I would never get another pet, thats how good of a mate he has become
I have a one year old huskie called spike. We got him from a rescue centre when he was 7 months old. He is hard work and everything you have said is totally true but he is worth all the effort. He is so lovable, funny and loyal. His best friend is our 2 year old GSD, they are inseparatable. Thank you for all the great advice on your site, especially around training as Spike is one strong minded fella.
Thank you Carolann.
Haha, yeah, I love it when my dogs cuddle up next to each other. Best thing ever. 😀
Big hugs to Spike and his best buddy!
I forgot to mention something that I found important (I’m the anonymous poster above)! Not only is the care of Buddy important, but I found his protection equally important. I had to put a lock on my gate as in my first two years of owning Buddy (he I’d 4 now), I had 5 (yes FIVE) attempts of people trying to steal Buddy from me. My vet suggested to me that some people see him and his two blue eyes as an item of value and not a pet! He telos me that people steal Huskys for the purpose of breeding them and then selling the litters for literally thousands of dollars. My vet also noted that since Bud has TWO BLUE EYES, that he alone would fetch a nice dollar for someone wishing to sell him. So even though he has one of those implanted chips with my ownership info, PLEASE PROTECT YOUR BABY FROM THE BAD PEOPLE OF THE WORLD!!!
Excellent information re: Huskies. Got my beautiful girl from a shelter–previous owner didn’t do their homework. Please post this information on every relevant website. Thank You!!!
We have a red Sibe and he is a good dog. You have described our pet to a tee.
thank you for talking about my favorite dog but i want to train my poppy could you send me a video of how to training it .. and thank you again 🙂
I was a cat person growing up. My mother had several cats, but we never had a dog. When I moved in with my girlfriend (now wife), she wanted a dog. A bit naively, I suggested a husky because I always thought they seemed very interesting and friendly.
This is where the story gets interesting. We looked into rescuing a dog first and foremost; and used several websites to further this goal. One night while browsing one such site, I offhandedly mentioned “If we get a very young dog, who hasn’t grown too attached to his name… I think “Loki” would be a good name for a husky”. Within a minute, my wife made a squealing noise, to which I naturally looked over to discover that she had found a BEAUTIFUL 2 year old rescued husky who’s rescuer lived a mere 10 minutes from her mother…. the dog’s name? Loki.
We took it as a sign, and within a week, he was living with us. Boy was the responsibility and work involved in owning a husky (and a rescue to boot) unexpected. We didn’t do our research and dove in prematurely. But we grew into the role quickly. Loki is the best decision we ever made. Within 6 months he was the friendliest and most outgoing animal I’ve ever seen. He LOVES his walks, but doesn’t like to be out for too long, and oddly, isn’t too energetic. I fear his abuser may have left him locked in a cage for most of his puppyhood. We got him a crate (not sure of the dimensions, but it’s insanely large, at least 8 feet long) and we never force him to stay in it, we leave the door open and keep his bed and food/water bowls in there. Just so he has a private area to call his own… he uses it often, but more than not, he’s laying in his ‘sad spot’. The side of the couch with an armrest to lay his head on while the wife and I are at work. I only work part time so that I can make sure he’s not alone all day
To anyone thinking of getting a husky; this article is nearly PERFECT. They are not a breed for someone who wants a cute, low maintenance animal running around. They are a lifestyle in the purest sense of the word. Despite never expecting, or indeed, even WANTING this lifestyle initially. I wouldn’t trade it for the world now. He’s the best friend I never knew I wanted and I wouldn’t trade him for the world.
That is a great way to put it! I will have to include it in the article.
Big hugs to Loki! He is a very lucky boy. 😀
It’s funny you say he’s not energetic… I also have a male husky(jake) got him around 6 months old and he is the laziest dog I’ve ever seen!!! My female has all the energy in the world.. I have wondered so much y he’s like tht… But I was told he was in a cage with allll his brothers and sisters from birth to a couple days before I got him… So maybe tht is y.. Thanks for sharing bc it’s bothered me since I’ve had him:(
Also let me add tht I live in Louisiana so when I take him out for a walk/run it may be the heat tht makes him want to go right back inside… But even a night (the time I run them) he doesn’t like to run for very long before he’s wanting back in… I just don’t know … maybe we have the only two non energetic huskies in the world???
First let me thank you for taking the time to read and possibly give me your best input for my current situation. To attempt to keep this short, I am currently active duty military stationed in Texas. I recently purchased a husky and am set to pick her up from her breeder next Friday. This is my first dog on my own and I want to be sure to give it the most loving and nurturing environment I can possibly provide. I know much about husky’s since I grew up around them all my life but that was up in my home state of Ohio. I guess my main concerns are the different climate, the fact that I live in a apartment and that the uniform requires me to be away from home 9 hours at a time with the exception of a hour lunch break in which I spend at home and plan to. I know for the first few months she will be my main priority and will be accompanying me where ever I go as much as possible, but just fear since this is my first time raising a puppy by myself that I will not know everything that I should or should do to acclimate to it’s needs… Again thank you for the your time and any advice is appreciated.
Forgot to mention that she will be 6 weeks old this up and coming Wednesday as well. Have already set up and appointment with a vet to start her vaccinations the following Saturday as well 🙂 thanks again!
Congratulations on your upcoming puppy!
A few puppy things-
1. Puppies learn useful social skills and boundaries from their mother and siblings when they are young. For this reason, it may be an advantage to leave puppy with her siblings until about 8 weeks old. A bit more on why.
2. In the beginning, my Husky puppy needed to go potty pretty often. She is still pretty small and can’t hold in much liquid. I needed to be around a lot to supervise and potty train her. Here is a bit more on potty training.
3. Puppy Lara was also a bit afraid of being alone. A new home and suddenly being away from her siblings was a big change, so she needed a lot of people time at the start. When alone, she would get stressed and start to cry/vocalize. I slowly desensitized her to alone time, but that took some training. Getting a friend/neighbor/relative to help pet-sit in the beginning can be very helpful.
4. My Huskies can’t really take the heat. During the summer, they prefer to be indoors on some cool spot. We have a fan blowing on their favorite rest spot/s. They are also a lot less energetic when it is hot outside. When we go on walks, I make sure to bring a lot of water and have rest stops in the shade as necessary.
5. Take lots of pictures. They grow up very quickly. 😀
Here is a bit more on how I trained my Husky puppy.
Hey Colin if you are at good fellow I have a husky who needs a playtime buddy he is ten but still enjoys chase so please let me know I’d be up for a play date
Bad breeder, bad breed choice for you!
Siberians require a human contact presence in their environment MOST of their day. They are extremely human social, bonded, and pack oriented. They MUST have companionship, they MUST have exercise. Therefore, they are like Lays potato chips…you cannot have just one. Another dog keeps your dog company, but also may become a partner in crime! We have 8 here at home…I rescue them from shelters after people learn the hard way how difficult they can be. Please reconsider your choice and choose a GSD, ACD, or Labrador for active lifestyle dog that can adapt to apt living, long human absences, alone. Otherwise, if you must have a Siberian, I recommend choosing a trained, senior…about 7-8 years old. They are plenty active, but calmer, and more patient, and ready for more napping, extended separation. DO NOT GET A PUPPY!!! Disaster for you just waiting to happen. Period.
I have a friend who has a male husky and a female husky and said they would give me one of their puppies once they give birth. My problem is that I have a female cat who will be 2 years old in July. I’ve heard that huskies have a high prey drive and I’m worried for my cat. Can anyone give me some advice on this.
Here is an ASPCA article with some useful 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
I own a husky and its such a wonderful dog it gets along with everyone in the family and they are great with kids and It also gets along great with my cat
Hi there!
I’m currently fostering a sibe mix 2 yr old female (I suspect there’s a little German shepherd in there too). She is the sweetest girl, although she does have a mind of her own – typical sibe!
She came into the rescue I foster for already pregnant, and tonight it’s time…her temp has dropped and she’s nesting up a storm!
The suspected sire is a purebred Sibe and rumour has it there was only 1 actual mating snuck in. I think she’s got at least four in there, possibly five (I guess I’m about to find out, lol). Is this a standard litter size for these lovelies? And is this breed prone to easy deliveries? I’m actually a English Springer gal myself, so this is a learning experience, lol. I love her sweet attitude…will her temperament change drastically post-whelp do you think?
One more thing…is there anything in particular I should look for in a prospective adopter for her? It appears I need to keep an eye out for an experienced dog owner, and not one who’s at work all the time…but is there anything else I should be on the lookout for so that when the time comes to put her up for adoption?
Thanks so much…your info here is well thought out and extremely helpful & insightful. Thank you for this site and also thanks in advance for any answers!
Kind regards,
Wendy & “big momma-to-be”, Ebony
Hello Wendy, How did things go? How is your mommy girl doing? What size litter did she have? My breeder had a litter of 3 and 7 last two times. She said 7 was on the high side. 😀
I am not a breeder, so I am afraid my experience is limited in this area.
In terms of prospective adopters, one important thing is to make sure that the backyard is secure. My Sibes love to dig, and they have high prey drive. One of them dug under the fence once and escaped into my neighbor’s yard while going after some earth critter. We now have concrete blocks all along our fence line to prevent dig escapes, and a 6 foot fence to prevent jump escapes.
Another thing my breeder emphasized was the need for a Husky to be on-leash (when not in an enclosed space) because of high prey drive. Since your girl has some Shepherd in her, I am not sure which side will be more dominant, but it is something to look out for.
Big hugs to your girl! Would love to see pictures of her puppies if you have some online.