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]
Hello, I just bought a husky 9 weeks old from the store. She’s a girl and I noticed while she running she cant keep her balance and also she sneeze all the time. What should I do?
Congratulations on your new puppy.
I always take a new puppy to the vet for a check-up, to make sure that everything is ok, and see what the vet recommends in terms of vaccinations, Heartgard, etc. In general, I do not buy pet store puppies as they are usually from puppy mills, and may come with health and temperament issues.
More on pet store puppies and puppy mills.
ive just brought home a 3 months old Siberian husky named Bowie. She’s a girl. First everthing fine, i follow the feeding instructions giving by the owner of Bowie , 3 times a day with two scoops soaked with the water. I put him into the cage and i let her out for poop n playing times about 30 minutes up to 5 times a day.
Now my trouble comes.. i noticed her so hard to rise her body us8ng her rear leg, it seem like stiff..
and now just started today, she look unhappy and not like to play.. i already started the supplement food glucosamine last week but not getting better but its getting worst today. do you have any idea of her rear leg problem? is she get in the cage to long time so cause her leg problem? can you help?
I would take her to the vet ASAP.
Hiya.
I’ve been doing some research as me and my boyfriend are looking into getting a husky. I’m very experienced with dogs on general but I’m worried about pack leader training. I understand that you have to work a being the alpha, however, I don’t really understand how I would do that? Also, I’d be greatfull if you could recommend some recall techniques as I feel this is very important.
Thankyou for your time
Some things that help with my dogs-
1. I set up a fixed routine, a consistent way of communication, and a consistent set of rules. I slowly start teaching those rules to my puppy right away. More on routine and consistency.
2. I follow the Nothing in Life is Free program with all of my dogs.
3. I always start small and set my dog up for success. The more success my dog has, the more I get to reinforce good behavior, and the more my dog learns that following rules and commands is very rewarding.
4. I control my energy and try to be calm and decisive while interacting with my dog.
5. I try to listen to my dog, try to understand his needs, and try to see where he is coming from. The more I understand my dog, the better I can motivate him, redirect him, and help him become happy and balanced.
More on how I deal with bad dog behavior.
More on dominance and bad behavior.
As for recall training, this article from the ASPCA has a good list of techniques.
My gf bought me a husky puppy about a month back and this page has helped with so much thank you Niah. I only have one concern my dog is my companion and i take her everywhere i go if i can i travel alot and stay with friends all the time and they all love her shes as sweet as can be but when we get back or while at friends house i have to make sure i wake up eirlyier then everyone to clean up where she went at and she will never go in front of me only when noone is looking how do i stop this?
How old is your Husky puppy? Is she fully potty trained at home? Is she crate trained?
How I potty trained my Husky puppy.
However, a dog, especially a puppy, may not generalize potty training rules across multiple different locations; especially if the new location has animal scents. For example, my dogs are fully potty trained for my house, but when we go to the pet store, they may try to pee, so I watch them very closely. They may also do this in training class, and other places that smell like dog or cat.
I just want to say according to the statement of huskies not being easily potty trained, all dogs can be potty trained depending on how well you keep up with their schedule. I have 5 month old siberian husky and she took about 2-3 weeks to fully understand potty rules in the house when I first got her at 2.5 months old. It would take longer for any dog if you do not follow a schedule. Siberian huskies actually HATES soiling their own sleeping area. They can learn to hate it or not mind it at all. It all depends on how well you keep track of their timing. If they are constantly taken outside at a timely schedule then they will learn to hold it until let outside. My husky would bolt to the door and make me run after her to open it so she can go potty outside in our yard. Afterwards she just walks back to me because I often praise her with a treat then she sits for me to calmly put her leash on. All dogs personality are different disregarding their breeds. They will have SIMILAR personality but that doesn’t mean they all have exactly the SAME personality. I’m just sharing my experience or at least what I believe. Still a great page of information regarding huskies.
I have 2 Huskies, both from the same litter and 10 months old. (They are both fixed since they are Brother and Sister we didn’t want any accidents). We found out very quickly on that they loved staying in cool/dark locations to sleep in, and would never sleep apart from each other. So, my Husband and I decided to crate train. This was a huge win for the overall house training goal and by the time that Maru (the male) was four months old, he would sit by the back door and whine when he needed to go. The key to crate training is to remember that place (the crate) is their haven. You never force them into the crate, and you never reach in and grab them out.
As for leash training, as much as both my Husband and I never thought to use them at first due to the stigma surrounding them, we used training collars and it worked wonders.
I have a Siberian Husky, Skylar, who just turned 7. We have had her for 5 years now and I am finding she is starting to do some strange things that she has never done before. She refused to be outside all summer long and winter too but now, starting about 2 weeks ago, all she wants to do is be outside, but not loose, she will only stay out if she is tied to a lead. Also, when we walk her, well I don’t anymore since I landed on my face when she took off after a rabbit, she pulls pulls pulls. We had her trained to walk nicely with a bit of pulling but now she pulls from the time we leave the house until we get back. It is getting very annoying. And, she now will attack any dog that comes near her and there are a lot of people in the neighborhood who let their dogs roam free (they are there too) and the dogs come running up to her and she attacks. She has never done that before so I don’t understand why she is doing it now. My son and his wife have always brought their dog over whenever they visited and they always played together and we would take them for a walk together. Also, my husband and I want to quit smoking so to start we decided only to smoke outdoors, so we could cut back. Problem is if we don’t take her out with us every single time we go out, she will pee on the floor, almost as if to spite us. She is constantly licking the floors in every single room. We do not give her “people food”, only dog food which she seems to love and the occasional treat when she is particularly good. I am at my wits end with her. I suffer from chronic pain and I am finding it very hard to deal with her for about the past 6 months. The stress of her attacking other dogs, peeing on the floor and constantly licking the floors is causing my pain to get worse. We have had 5 wonderful years with her but now I really regret getting her. We have had dogs before including German Shepherds and Collies etc and I found that having a Husky is a lot more work but I found it very rewarding till recently. Is there anything I can do to change some of this behavior?
Those sound like like stress/anxiety responses. Does this always happen when she is alone in the house?
More on dog anxiety.
Did anything unusual happen around the time when she suddenly refused to go out? Did the peeing and floor licking start at around the same time, or did that develop later? When was the last time she visited the vet? What was her daily routine like before the change in behavior? How did she act previously when other dogs run up to her? What was her body language like – was she stiff or relaxed? What type of training is she used to?
When there are sudden changes in behavior with my dog, I rule out physical issues first. After I do that, I try to identify the source of the behavior change, by carefully considering what events could have contributed to it.
More on how I deal with my dog’s bad behavior.
However, dog behavior is very context dependent, and it sounds like there may be different things going on here ~ stress, separation anxiety, sudden changes in behavior, dog-to-dog reactivity, and more. Reactive behavior can also be triggered by stress and anxiety. Given the complexity of the situation, I would get help from a good professional trainer.
http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/finding-professional-help
ASPCA article on separation anxiety.
How I deal with my dog’s separation anxiety.
How I deal with dog-to-dog reactivity.
Hy ,
I have a 8 month Husky named Skye and I really really need your help . I have two big problems:( . I have let my puppy off the leash in the park since he was 3 4 months and we used to cycle lightly with him and he used to follow us perfectly never went far from us but at the same time we used to let him go to all dogs and socialise which has turned him into such a good and friendly dog . Now when I go with him in the park and he has no leash he always follows me and never goes far but when he sees a dog he just goes so so far at the point where I can t even see him anymore so I have to run after him because he never comes back when I call him at all 🙁 How can I train him to listen to me but also be free to enjoy the park ? Second problem is that he is very very fussy with food … He just gets sick of his dry food and wet food and he can be stubborn and not eat for days. I do not give food from us yet he is not attracted at all to eating it 🙁 I am just worried he doesn t eat properly. He is over 20kg now . What can I do ? I am really sorry for the long message . Really looking forward for your reply. Thank you Iulia Neagoe
This ASPCA article has a good set of recall training techniques-
http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/dog-behavior/teaching-your-dog-come-when-called
However, Siberian Huskies are an independent breed, so on-leash or on-harness exercise is usually recommended. Here is an excerpt from the Siberian Husky Club of America –
In terms of food, my Sibes also have very sensitive stomachs. Therefore I try to limit the type of foods that I give them, and I pick their dry food carefully. I also make sure not to overfeed them.
I am currently using Wellness CORE original for both of my Sibes and they seem to be good with that. I also give them some Trader Joe’s chicken jerky treats, which have limited ingredients and are made in the USA. China made jerky treats have had problems with contaminants and recall.
I recently started giving probiotics to my younger Sibe, who has the most sensitive stomach. I am currently using the Mercola probiotics. It is still too early to say for sure if the powder has had a clear positive effect.
More on how I pick my dog’s food.
Big hugs to Skye! He sounds like a wonderful boy. 😀
My Siberian husky puppy whines ALOT! We just got him and he went into a room and pooped In there, I cant let him in that room because every time I do he will bend down and poop in the room, I try to take him out but it doesn’t work. is it normal for puppies to poop in the house a lot? Im starting to get worried when he whines and I don’t know why. Any tips that might help my problem?
Yeah, a new puppy will not know where it is ok to poop and where it is not. My Husky puppy pooped about 3-5 times daily when I first got her (about 8 weeks old). She ate a lot and pooped a lot. 😀
Here is how I potty trained my Husky puppy.
More on how I trained my Husky puppy.
More on the first ten days with my Husky puppy. It was a lot of work in the beginning but it gets better. 😀
Big hugs to your Husky boy!
Hi. I had the same problem before with my puppy husky. All you have to do is to let him out in the garden as many times as possible during a day.(Every 30 min. in the beginning). Of course still he will do some toilet in the house but less. Every time he does a poo in the house you need to tell him off so he knows this is wrong as well. It worked for me:) Good luck.
So, about a year ago a coworker of mine was moving and wanted to know if I wanted his two dogs – a 3 year Siberian Husky and a 3 year old Lab. Also, I have a 5 year old cat, that had NEVER been around any type of dog, and two hamsters . I didn’t really know what I was getting myself into. Well, first thing I did was take them to the vet. She told me that they were both underweight and the lab had a bb (like from a bb gun) lodged in his hip bone and the bone had healed around it and that it would cause more pain to remove it at that point. Well, before I took them home, I called my coworker and asked if either had been around cats. He said no. Okay, so I took them home to meet Pipa (the cat) and my fiance. Barney (the lab) went first, and it didn’t go well. He growled and barked and she hissed and tried to claw him. So my fiance took him for a walk so I could introduce Naughty (the husky) to Pipa. It was FANTASTIC. Neither one wanted to attack. I was a little cautious when Naughty went to sniffing Pipa, but all was fine. It was very clear that neither one of them had been leash trained, nor were they taught any commands; they also weren’t potty trained. So I took a week off from work and set about the task of training. Every morning, I took each on a 1 hour long walk, we live in the country and have nothing but woods and farmlands around the house, and I also took them on a walk later in the afternoon. Naughty did amazing, by the time our walk was over the first morning, she was no longer pulling nor was she trying to get off the leash. Barney was a little harder, he was only worried about getting the food out of my pocket and not grasping doing good got him the food, but he learned by the third walk. Barney did the best with potty training, but they both had it down by the end of the week. Next came commands, first I started with the basics – sit, stay, lie down, come, and talk. Naughty was AMAZING. It kind of surprised me because I had done some research and mostly Huskies and harder to train than Labs. But not in my case. Naughty had all of them down on the first day. Barney knows them now, but it took about a month for him. By now, Naughty can do all the basics, and she can “stand up, turn around, give hugs, dance with me, and play dead”. They have been together all their lives, and they’re still best friends. They won’t go anywhere unless the others with them. They get along great with Pipa, all three of them sleep at the foot of my bed. And Naughty “mother-hens” her all the time. I haven’t had a problem out of either one of them, nor have I had a problem with Naughty escaping, or trying to “hunt” Pipa or the two hamsters. Naughty tells me when it’s time to brush her hair, because she’ll grab her brush from my bed-side table, come to where ever I’m at, drop the brush and lie down on my lap. When we go to work, I leave Barney and Naughty in the back yard. The front half of it is wooded and the back connects to the farm. I haven’t had any trouble with either one of them getting to the cows; HOWEVER, Naughty does like to hunt. She is always bring dead things back up to the house. She’s brought birds, deer, raccoon, field mice, and she’s even brought us a coyote she killed. It amazes me that she’s such a fierce hunter but is she gentle with our cat and my 2 year old nephew, she’ll lie down in front of him and he’ll get on her back and she’ll walk around with him holding onto her ears. Best investment I’ve ever made.
Oh lord that last part is too damn cute
Please do not allow your nephew to do this to your Husky. Your dog may seem OK with it but then again may be sending out subtle signals that are being missed. No dog should EVER have to put up with any child riding on it and pulling its ears!