Siberian Huskies are beautiful dogs. They look like wolves, and have thick, soft coats, that make them infinitely cuddly. They have piercing eyes, and wonderful masks, that give them a roguish and unique look.
Siberians can make very good family pets. If properly trained, they can be very good with people, children, and other dogs. Indeed, Sibes are commonly known for their friendliness toward people.
Although they may look like fierce wolves, they have the heart of Casanova. All my Huskies want to do, is greet everyone and give them licks.
However, many people have trouble with this breed, and many Sibes get surrendered every year.
Consider these Siberian Husky facts, before going out and getting a puppy. The Siberian Husky is a very special and lovable breed, but they may not be the right breed for everyone.
1. Siberian Huskies Shed a Lot!
Be ready to have dog hair all over the house – floors, carpets, clothing, furniture, everywhere.
If we are allergic to dog hair, or like our home to be very clean, then the Siberian Husky is not for us.
When I was looking for a Sibe, I talked to a few breeders in my area. The first thing they all said was, “Siberians shed a lot”. I mentioned that my other dog, a Shiba Inu, also has a double coat, and also sheds a fair amount. However, they all said, “Siberians shed a lot more”.
And they do! A whole lot more.
Therefore, it is very important to train our Husky puppy to enjoy the grooming experience.
- I start with a soft brush, and lightly comb my dog’s body for a short period of time.
- I do this often, and pair it with food rewards.
- Once my puppy is comfortable with the brushing process, I very slowly extend the length of our grooming session.
- Finally, I repeat the process with a more solid brush, such as the Furminator.
Frequent brushing is a good idea to keep our Husky clean, and clear out loose hair. The more hair on the Furminator, the less hair on the floor.
About twice a year, my Sibes blow their coat. During this time, there will be more fur than ever. To keep things under control, I try to brush every day. Remember to always keep brushing sessions fun, rewarding, and not overly long.
2. Siberian Huskies Make Awful Watch Dogs
Because Huskies look like wolves, many people assume that they are fierce dogs. Some people may even think that they are wolf hybrids.
However, a Sibe is more of a lover and less of a fighter.
When confronted with a stranger, my Husky will usually run up to him, give licks, and beg for food. As a result, Sibes do not make very good watch dogs. They will not only welcome everyone into your house, but will also give them the royal lick treatment.
If we want a dog that is only loyal to us and our family, then the Siberian Husky is not for us.
My Huskies are naturally happy and trusting dogs, who like to be with everyone. That is one of the things that I love most about them.
The Siberian Husky is not a watch dog, although those ignorant of his true nature may be frightened by his appearance. If you want a dog with aggressive guard-dog instincts . . . don’t buy a Siberian.
~~[SHCA]Leave your home in the care of a “guard” Siberian and he will most likely welcome an intruder with open arms, fetch (for the first time in his life) your valuables and show him the best route of escape–after all, Siberians are great escape artists.
~~[Siberian Rescue Site]
Note – This does not mean that Huskies will never be aggressive toward people. A dog’s behavior is determined both by genetics (breeding), as well as by training, socialization, context, and past experiences. A dog may become aggressive as a result of improper training, bad social experiences, insufficient socialization, and more.
For reasons of safety, it is important to ensure that our companion dogs are not people aggressive. Most companion dogs today guard us, by sounding an alert when unknown or strange people come close to our house. These dogs are not people aggressive. They do not bark, lunge, or growl at passers-by during walks. They are not aggressive toward guests and unknown visitors, who may need to work in or around our house. Their job is simply to alert us, when unusual events occur close to home. Anything more would quickly become dangerous and risky.
Highly trained guard dogs, such as those employed by law-enforcement, may be trained to attack or restrain an intruder. However, they are always under the control of their handler, are extremely well managed, and will only attack on-command or when they think their handler is in clear danger (as defined during training). They also do not bark or growl at pedestrians.
3. Siberian Huskies Have High Energy
They are intelligent, athletic, and were bred to pull sleds for extremely long distances, in the freezing cold. Therefore, be prepared to provide a Husky with a lot of mental and physical exercise.
A young Husky needs activity almost all day round. At around one-year old, my Sibe puppy sleeps for perhaps 3-4 hours during the day, and about 10 hours during the night. That leaves about 10 hours during the day where she is on the go.
She drains her energy most by playing with my other dog, a Shiba Inu. However, even my Shiba cannot fully keep up with her.
In addition to the playing, she works for all of her food, has long walks in the park several times a week, has structured dog play sessions, dog obedience training sessions, and still has energy left over to explore and dig in our backyard.
If bored, a Husky can become unhappy. He will likely escape, or use our house and belongings as chew toys. Unless our backyard is extremely secure, he can easily jump over or dig under a fence, in order to find adventure elsewhere.
If we are away at work for most of the day, then the Siberian Husky is probably not for us.
Siberians like having company and activity all day long. It is possible that a Husky can keep himself occupied if we have other dogs, but he may also lead our entire pack into mischief!
Sibes do best when there is frequent human supervision, throughout the day.
Siberians are a gregarious lot and need the company of other dogs or of people at all times.
~~[SHCA]The Husky needs lots of exercise and entertainment. They love to run and play, but must be allowed to do so safely.
~~[Hillside SPCA]
4. Siberian Huskies Are Independent Thinkers
They have a very independent mind and spirit, and will only perform, if we make it worth their while.
If we want an obedient dog that only lives to please us, then the Siberian Husky is not for us.
A Sibe is not a “yes sir, no sir“, kind of dog. To live well with him, we need to be fair, but firm. We need to consistently enforce our house rules, or he will take over the house.
The best way to train a Husky, is through the control of resources. Teach him that the best way to get what he wants, is to first do what we want. I use reward obedience training, and follow the Nothing in Life is Free program. Harsher techniques can make a Siberian distrustful, and ruin the natural free spirit of the breed.
Huskies are independent hunters. Their original breeders, the Chukchi of Northeastern Asia, would let their dogs free during the summer months to hunt for food on their own.
This has two very important consequences for living with a Husky today –
- A Siberian is not to be trusted with cats or other small animals. He can be trained to live with cats, but his instinct is to hunt them;
- A Siberian is not to be trusted off-leash. If he sees a small animal, he will likely bolt after it, and forget about cars, commands, and everything else. By the time he comes to his senses, he may be lost and far from home.
I have gotten a few comments about cats lately, so let me be clear …
Sibes can be trained to live with household cats. However, they usually have high prey drive, and will likely want to hunt and chase small animals, including squirrels, mice, and cats. Just because a Siberian gets along with our house cats, does not mean he will treat other neighborhood cats in the same way.
Huskies are bred to run and pull. This makes them more difficult to leash train than many other breeds. To train a Husky to walk on a leash, we need to have an immense amount of patience. Always be firm and consistent with the no-pulling rule, and reward good behavior.
If we do not have a large backyard, bring our Sibe to an enclosed park or soccer field, so that he can have some nice off-leash time to run, run, run.
5. Siberian Huskies Are Not the Easiest Dogs to Potty Train
Certain dogs, like the Shiba Inu, are naturally clean and absolutely do not like soiling their living space. Because of their natural cleanliness, they are extremely easy to house train.
Sibes do not have that natural sense of cleanliness. In fact, they do not mind playing, and running around in their own waste products. Therefore, we must make it worth their while to potty outside.
Supervise our Husky puppy at all times, until he is fully house trained. Reward him well for pottying outside with high priority dog treats, play, and praise. If we are consistent with our puppy potty training, he will learn quickly, and be happy to go outside after a few weeks.
In addition, as Gigi points out, potty training difficulty is very dependent on what the dog or puppy is used to, in his previous environment. Puppy mill and pet store puppies are caged, most of the time. As a result, they will be harder to house train, because they are accustomed to going in their crates.
Where to Get a Siberian Husky Puppy
If we still want a Husky, then visit the Siberian Husky Club of America for a breeder list. Also consider adopting one from a local Husky rescue.
It really makes a BIG difference to get a puppy from an accredited breeder.
Please do not buy a puppy from online puppy sites or pet stores. Most of their puppies come from backyard breeders or puppy mills. Buying from them, will only help support and continue the dog cruelty of these unscrupulous puppy breeders.
If we are concerned about the initial cost of a puppy, consider that backyard breeders and puppy mills frequently produce unhealthy and unbalanced puppies. They will end up costing us a lot more, in terms of vet bills, dog training bills, and property destruction.
Siberian Huskies Are Wonderful Dogs
I love my Sibes. However, just because I think Huskies are wonderful dogs, does not mean that everyone else will think so as well; nor does it mean that they will fit into someone else’s lifestyle.
Clearly, each dog is an individual and will differ in terms of prey drive, energy level, obedience, and more. However, general breed characteristics and information from reputable sources, will give us a better idea of what to expect.
Often, there is conflicting information on the web. Therefore, one good place to start is with the AKC-recognized national breed club – The Siberian Husky Club of America.
Captivating in their beauty, grace and childlike demeanor, Siberians catch the eye of adults and children alike. They can be wonderful dogs for the well-informed or experienced Husky owner. However, they are NOT the breed for everyone and definitely not for first time dog owners. Too many wind up lost, in shelters, killed on the highway, abandoned or abused because the owner didn’t understand the breed and it’s challenging traits.
~~[Hillside SPCA]
Hi i have two huskies. Storm is 14 months and nala is 16 weeks! They are great loving family pets but as you all know they take up alot of the day. They are playfull and very loyal and enjoy playing with my two young children(2 & 4 years). The only thing i will say to anyone thinking of getting a husky is be ready for there rough play. Both mine love to run at each other and jump high in the air. They play together using there teeth a lot and to people who are not used to there kind of play it does look and sound a little scary. But we love ours and wouldnt change them for the world.
I love happy Husky stories! Big hugs to Storm and Nala. 😀
i have a Siberian Husky. she is great, but she is so hard to potty train!!! she will walk out side for fun and she is so energetic OMG..and we will be out for hours..and she wont go to the bathroom.she did 1 time….but for the most part she waits until we get home and tries to go on the news paper. i want to break that habit so bad. and she eats my sisters Cat’s food and wont eat her own dog food.its so annoying. and i think she is going through terrible 2 bc she is biting. and chewing on everything.
https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/c0.0.300.300/p403x403/625518_559309197420787_280337393_n.jpg
thats my dog
Here are some things I did to potty train my Husky puppies.
Here are some things that helped while training my Huskies. I also follow the Nothing in Life is Free program. It teaches my dogs to work for their food, redirects their energy into positive activities, and helps me maintain pack leadership through the control of resources.
I have two husky girls, Hailey who is almost 7 years and Starr who is a little over 5 months. They light up my life! My little girl is having a hard time with potty training but I know it just takes time. They love to play together, my 7 year old plays like she’s 7 months lol. They love long walks but unfortunately I live in the north east so our winters can be a little brutal, at least for me anyway. Every word you said about this breed is true but even the challenges are worth it because once you are loved by a husky it’s hard to imagine life without that!
Thank you for your post, being informed may help to keep some huskies out of shelters.
Big hugs to Hailey and Starr! A happy Husky story always brightens up my day. Thank you.
Your husky is 13 uears old now?
Thank you for putting this up. I know now that it is to early for me to get a husky right now. I am still young and only starting high school next year. I used to have a big dog. Anyways.. I wanted a husky because i had had fallen in love with them since i was very young. Now I know to wait until I’m older and have enough money for a big home for my Husky. Again Thank you for putting this site up ^ ^
Yeah, I have always loved Huskies as well. The eyes, big ears, and cool masks are a deadly combo. 😀
i have 2 days with my 3 month old husk I had a question I was given a potty spot bottle which suppose to make his sense of potty trigger and also works as a spot is this good for the dog ?
I haven’t used anything like this before so I am not sure how effective it is.
Here is more on how I potty trained my Husky puppies.
Hi, thanks for your site! Im a dog walker & pet care provider in Connecticut. I care for two Siberian Huskies quite often, & I adore them, and while looking for something else, wandered onto your site. Everything you said here was absolutely true in my eyes (especially regarding the cats & squirrels).
Loved the pictures as well. Thanks so much for sharing your love & tips on raising a healthy & happy husky.
Christine
What a great comment to get on a weekend! Thank you very much. 😀
Big hugs to your furry clients!
Hi,
My family and I rescued Rex from a shelter two weeks ago. He’s a pretty good dog and I’ve been using your site to help train and understand him better. But my husband and I have encountered the same problem lately. When out on walks he’ll jump up and start biting. He did this when we first met and slowly stopped and now he’s doing it again but sometimes harder and “be a tree” isn’t working. I know he means to play but he does it more aggressively around the kids and I’m not sure what to do. He resists his leash and I get scared he’ll get hit by a car but at the same time accidentally bite my kids. Please any advice? I really don’t want to give him back because I know for sure that he wasn’t being treated well at the shelter.
I forgot to mention that he’s at least 1 yr. old. And was walking pretty decently on his leash until recently. He gives my husband a hard time because he cares for all the kids but the babies are home so he has to care for them all the time but not sure why he’s become more aggressive the past few days.
Hello Annie,
I had a similar issue with my Shiba (Sephy) when he was young. He would get excited or frustrated and start biting on the leash. Then, he started jumping on me and biting on my jacket.
Here are some of my experiences with leash biting-
http://shibashake.com/dog/train-your-dog-to-stop-biting-on-the-leash
The key with getting Sephy to stop his leash biting behavior is to –
1. Effectively prevent him from continuing with it during our walks.
2. Show him that the behavior results in an undesirable consequence.
With Sephy, what finally worked is to quickly march him home. When Sephy starts to bite the leash-
– I no-mark the behavior to let him know that it is undesirable.
– Then, I hold the leash close to his collar so that I have good control and can stop his jumping/biting behavior.
– Finally, I just march him home at a quick pace. We do not make any stops, he does not get to explore, and the fun walk ends.
In this way, he cannot continue with biting on the leash because he has to focus on marching home. At the same time, he has a place to redirect his excited energy, i.e. into the march home. Most importantly, he also learns that biting on the leash or on me, means that the fun, leisurely walk ends right away, and he has to go home.
Some other things that helped with Sephy-
1. I increased the frequency of our walks (so that we would have more practice) but reduced their duration (so we would only walk close to home). This makes it easier and quicker to end walks if necessary.
2. We practiced proper leash walking in the house first, as well as proper door manners, before going out. This gets Sephy into the habit of walking properly and following walk rules before even leaving the house.
3. I try to stay as calm as possible, and just focus on implementing my plan. Sephy gets even more excitable or stressed when he senses that I am not calm. He also picks up on the energy of people who are nearby, so if I am walking with others, I make sure that everyone is calm.
4. In the beginning, I made things as simple as possible and only walked him by myself, and in more quiet areas of the neighborhood. In this way, there are fewer excitement triggers, and we are more likely to have a successful walk. In this way, both of us gain confidence, and then, we can slowly increase the environmental challenge.
http://shibashake.com/dog/pack-leader-to-an-aggressive-dog
Each dog is different though, and there may be a different trigger/source for the behavior. I tried many things before finding something that worked with Sephy.
Hugs to Rex. Let us know how it goes.
Thanks for the advice! Rex has actually gotten much better! He was even congratulated by a stranger on the street when we were walking yesterday. I felt like a proud parent! I’m very impressed at how quickly he has learned from us and wonder do huskies respond so quickly? I’m just happy to say that he’s a keeper. The time we’ve spent with him has been truly rewarding.
That is so good to hear! Go Team Rex!
Yeah, Huskies are a very amazing breed. Both Lara and Shania learn things very quickly as well – they also learn and observe things that I wish they would not learn. 😉
Thanks for giving us an update on Rex. I am so happy that things turned out so well.
Hi! Firstly I would like to say that your site is very helpful and I’m thoroughly enjoying reading everyone’s posts!
My husband and I have contemplated having a husky for many of months, we have done the research and we are fully aware of what we are letting ourselves in for! Nalah is now 5 weeks old and yet to leave her mother, but we have been in constant contact with the breeder, and we visit her on a weekly basis until we get to bring her home when she’s 8 weeks old.
One thing that really upsets me is that majority of our friends & family puts a negative spin on our decision of having a husky, saying that this type of breed is vicious, not good with children, will damage property and overall iniciating that we are not making a good decision. Now instead of enjoying the experience of having a dog I feel that we have to prove some sort of point, which are not our intentions! And I’m a bit wary that once Nalah’s here people will be too scared to visit us! Has anyone else had this experience with friends & relatives? Any information would be greatly appreciated! Thanks
Don’t worry about what the friends and relatives say, huskies aren’t what everyone believes. In my expierence around huskies, they’ve always been a loving and sweet dog breed. I’m sure you won’t have trouble with visitors, they’ll learn to except your decision!
Hello 🙂 firstly I would like to thank you for the useful guide provided as I am sure it will help in the near future.
I have just purchased a husky and I am slightly concerned about toilet training because we live in a apartment without a garden. We have two large parks nearby an we live right on the coast for plenty of walks and exersise but any help in regards to toilet training in our circumstance would be much appreciated.
Many thanks liam.
Hello Liam,
Congratulations on your new Husky puppy!
With my Husky puppies, I trained them on both puppy pads and going outside. If possible, I try to always take them out. However, if that is not possible, then I train them to go on their puppy pads.
Initially, they wanted to bite-on and shred the pads, so some training is necessary to get them to “Leave-It”. But after that, having the puppy pads as a backup facility was quite useful.
Here is a bit more on my Husky potty training experiences.
Hugs to puppy! They grow up quickly, so take lots of pictures. 😀
Hello,
Thanks for your help your site has been most informative.
I got a new puppy around a week ago now, she is 3 months old. I Live in Dubai myself and have followed the various tips on here religiously.
I Did a lot of research and decided to try a combinations of Click/Treat Reward based system, which to my comfort has been a great success. She responds well to the understanding that the clicking noise is a positive and often is followed by one treat.
I Had a little trouble potty training for the first few days but i noticed how she had a massive likeing for this specific (Beef Jerky) Style treat. So i decided to make this a potty time specific treat and that has worked out for me brilliantly!
I Have to questions i was wondering if you could help me with. I Have dismissed this as maybe excitement peeing but im not too sure.
Usually i will leave her in her room whilst i sleep (A fairly sized storage room/really small bedroom) the problem i am having is she often urinates after i just open the door before i can even attach her lease and take her for a walk.
Is this normal? I thinking it is either down to lack of control or excitement at seeing me in the morning.
Also i do basic obedience training with her i.e. sit and stay which have worked well but i find she has a lack of focus sometimes. Is this just an age issue also? was wondering if it would get easier after she is 6 months old.
Thanks a lot for the tips they are amazing!
Congratulations on your new furry family member!
My guess it that it is partly out of excitement and partly out of having a full bladder. When my Sibes were young, they couldn’t hold it in for the entire night, and often needed to go an extra time very early in the morning.
In terms of excitement urination, this article from UCDavis may provide some tips-
http://behavior.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/local-assets/pdfs/Submissive_and_Excitement_Urination_in_Dogs.pdf
Yeah, I think so. When Lara was a pup, she was very easily distracted. Everything was new, shiny, and interesting to her, so any motion or little noise and she would want to go explore. 😀
Obedience training and structure can help to increase a dog’s focus and maturity will help as well. I start small though, and only very slowly build up the duration of focus commands. That way, she always enjoys her training sessions, and is always ready to do more.
Hugs to your girl! Would love to see some pictures, so please post us a link when you have the time.
After a click should always be a treat:) the clicker marks the behaviour and tells the dog that click=treat. So the moment he/she hears the click, she/he’ll know that the behavior that makes you click, is correct. So clicker is just a easy soulution for perfect timing for rewards. A dog who’s familiar to the clicker and knows what the click really means, wont be confused if the treat is given moments after clicking because (here comes my favorite) you already marked the behavior with the click. So you wont be failing or mistaken if you have to run into the kitchen after clicking and fetching a treat 🙂
This helped me for a writing about dogs i wrote all of them down except where to get Siberian Huskies. but these guys are so cute and so adorable I want one so bad right now!
Hello..
I just have a question about Siberian Husky puppy. My neighbor brought a Siberian Husky puppy and they leave her outside day and night tide up short and at night it gets below 30 degree. I am just really worry about the puppy she looks like about 2-3months old puppy. I am just so curious about is Siberian Husky pups can sleep outside in cold weather without the doghouse. My neighbor don’t even have a doghouse for the puppy to sleep in. If you can answer me asap I will appreciate it.
Thanks,
Jin
I don’t really know the answer to that for sure. It is not something that I would want to test out.
Here is a thread that discusses this question-
http://www.dogster.com/forums/siberian_husky/thread/692797
The general consensus seems to be that Sibes can *tolerate* extremely low temperatures, but there are several caveats. In particular, they may have to build a tolerance for it, and they may not do well when there are constant large changes in temperature; for example from their time inside the house vs. outside. Puppies generally have a shorter coat compared to adult Huskies, and may not be able to withstand the cold as much as an adult dog.
Finally, being able to tolerate extreme cold also does not mean that they enjoy or are comfortable being in extreme cold or being exposed to biting winds.
Here are a couple of articles on chaining or tethering-
What You Can Do to Help Chained Dogs (Humane Society)
Chaining and Tethering (ASPCA)
Good article. While reading your article I was smiling and all because I can truly relate to every description, issues, and/or guidelines of having a Siberian husky. They are really intelligent, our own sibe, Maxi (Maximilian, 1 year old) could already open our gate when he was just 6 months old or younger, I think – eventually had accomplish a soundless escap , fortunately our mixed-breed dog was with him and he (Max) didn’t total wander off. He can understand commands and reprimands (when he’s misbehaves) but he is just stubborn. I think you’re article is a great help to new owners or who want to have their own Sibe. More powers to you and do continue to help other people who wants to adopt or have their own Sibe and I hope you’ll have another article on other breeds too.
Upon reading to some comments…
When Max was younger we let him off leash, we’re in a tropical country btw, and when it’s raining we just let him be in the rain for a few hours/minutes (we can’t let him do such stuffs now because he’s a lot larger than when he’s still a pup, it would just bring a huge mess inside the house after being in the rain and he’s a threat to stray cats passing by our house) because we’ve research that they can withstand -58’C and somehow it’s a “treat” for him to be in the cold since we’re in tropical area but our mum makes a petty fuss over it stating he might catch cold. Upon observing him, I think huskies even pups would likely to know discomfort over tolerance because there are times even it’s raining (and he likes it) he prefers to stay indoor. But we don’t put him outdoors when it’s raining when we’re about to go to sleep, he sleeps indoors actually 🙂
Hey,
I am currently considering getting a siberian husky, i have always loved this breed of dog. Your guide has been very helpful, thank you.
I have 1 question though, i work 8am-5:30pm with an hour lunch monday-friday. Would a 30-45 min walk/jog before work and around an hour walk after work be enough exercise for it daily?
i would be able to go home for lunch as i live close to my work place and interact a little with him/her a little.
Hello Chris,
My young Sibe, Lara, needs a lot of exercise. We walk around 1.5 hours daily, she plays mornings and evenings with our other two dogs, and she still does zoomies around the house and backyard. She also likes digging, so we put concrete blocks all the way around our fence line so that she can’t dig out while chasing after earth critters.
Lara is currently almost 2 years old. She does well when there is supervision and structured activity during the day.
Shania is 5 years old, and she does not do as much zoomies. However, she really likes her walks, and we are also out for at least 1.5 hours daily. She is a three legged dog, so we stop more often and smell the roses. 😀
Hey, i have a question,
I want to get a husky over the next 2 months. (Hopfully during the March Break when I will be home for a week.) But before I make the commitment I want to get all of my information right and make sure I will be raising my husky in a safe comfortable environment.
1 I life in a 1 story house with an okay size backyard and a deck about 4 ft high. I life with my father. my brother, my grandparents and my aunt. They have agreed to have the husky but on conditions that when it grows up and gets bigger that it stays in the dog house when I am at school. (school is about 6 hours.)
Keep in mind, the ‘dog house’ will be my deck in the backyard. My dad and I are craftsmen and are going to turn the whole underneath of my deck into a dog house (pretty big dog house) So it wont have to worry about being in a small creat, the dog house will be heated in the winter (I live in Canada and it gets -40 sometimes) and in the summer we will put fans and air conditioning. The floor will probobly be tile and the house will be big enough for it to have his food and water as well as his bed. I plan on spending lots of time with it when I get home from school, and maybe some nights, bring a mattres in the house and sleeping beside it.
Though there are lots of people in my house, they have made it clear that the husky will by mostly my responsibility so I will be the one giving it walks and running and biking with it as much as I can.
A question is, is this okay? It wont be in the house to much when it’s older so the dog house is big enough to keep it safe wile I’m away but not crampt up. I was even thinking of tying a 50 ft leash to it so it can roam the rest of the backyard (though not wile I’m at school or away for long hours) Does this sound alright?
Like I said I want to make sure it’s going to be comfortable and I know they are high energy dogs and since I wont always be there I want to make sure that it will keep active with the space available.
The dimantions of the dog house are about 15 ft wide and 8 ft long and 4 ft high
My backyard is about 30-40 ft long and 50 ft wide. Fences are 6 ft high
I’m really hoping anyone can get back to me on this!
Thank you
That sounds like a really nice backyard. Is it possible for the dog to stay in the backyard without a tether? My Sibes enjoy running and roaming around in the backyard. They also love the sun and like smelling the wind.
The other thing with Sibes is that they can howl and be pretty noisy. One of my Sibes, Lara, can be pretty loud. She also loves the company of people, so if there is activity and people in the house, she will usually want to come in and join in on the fun. She may sometimes vocalize to come in. In these situations, someone will have to be there to supervise and train her on what to do.
In my experience, it is generally best when everybody in the house participates in the upbringing and training of the dog. I find that consistency is very important while training my dogs. Otherwise, they may get confused about rules, and may not bond with certain members of the household. This may in turn result in guarding behavior (e.g. space, objects, food, people), anxiety, and other issues.
My sieb loves the frozen Kongs they can’t get enough of them
Hey first off I would like to say I love your site. We recently just adopted a 6 month old beautiful SIberian Husky/Samoyed mix puppy. I have had huskies growing up so I know the breed very well. We had a 25 acre farm in Ocala,FL and with a non-alligator lake in the middle and they loved to run free like you mentioned they are super independent. Just goes to show you though I grew up with 3 huskies and I am still requesting help. Bella seems to be a little too aggressive when playing. The only thing I don’t like is that she bites my golden retriever’s neck really hard and twists as if she is trying to pull off meat like a wolf. I know she is only a genetic bond away from being a wolf. The three huskies I grew up with never did this and they were full bread huskies. Any advice on how I can stop her from doing this. Like you mentioned she may have been removed from her siblings too soon.I don’t know b/c I rescued her. I looked into the samoyed’s and it doesn’t seem to be a samoyed problem which I figured it would be more likely to be a husky problem. Thank You..
My Sibes get the most rough during play when they are over-excited. One thing that helps with them is to manage their excitement level.
When they are playing, I throw in a lot of play-breaks. During a play-break I call one of them over to me, and we do some obedience exercises. I reward them very well for doing this, so when I call, they are usually very happy to come. These breaks help them to refocus on something else (me), and helps them to calm down. After a short break, they go back to playing.
I also have certain play-rules. Two important ones are no-humping and no kill moves. A kill move is when one of them grabs onto another’s fur, and then pulls hard back and forth, as if shaking prey. If I see any of them starting any of these moves, I no-mark, interrupt them, and stop play briefly. During break, they do commands for me, I refocus them, and get them to calm down. Once they are calm, they may go back to playing.
If a dog keeps going back to the same behavior, escalates the behavior, or redirects aggression onto me, then he goes to timeout.
Here is a bit more on how I keep the peace at home with my dogs.
I do not fully agree about potty training. I have never had any problem with this with my siberian. She is also very careful where to go in the garden when she is doing her business.
heyy, i am getting one, is it okay if we leave it for about 5 hrs alone. a day, but that happenes at least twice a week is it okayy, and is it hard to potty train.
In the beginning, I make sure that there is someone available to supervise puppy, most of the time. Puppies, especially Sibe puppies have a lot of energy, and are full of endless curiosity. They can get into lots of trouble without proper supervision and management. Supervision is also very important for potty training.
Once puppy Lara was potty trained and had some house rules under her belt, I started training her to be relaxed when I am not around. First, I just go into another room and then come back. Then, I slowly lengthen the duration that I am away, as she gains more confidence.
Hi,
We are getting a Husky pup in the coming days (just waiting until hes 8 weeks old) and very excited. Ive researched the breed and feel we can definitely handle a Sibe. Just a couple things I’m concerned about…
1. We went and visited the pup at the breeders home a week after picking him out (5-6 weeks old), we knew he was a little quieter than the other pups but when we saw him again he seemed almost dis-interested in us compared to the other pups who were jumping all over us, he just stayed in his corner for 5 minutes before moving around. So just wondering is this anything to worry about later or will he come out of his shell after we bring him home and give him some attention?
2. Also we have a medium sized, secure and walled garden say 20 meters X 20 meters…ish but have great parks and other areas close by to walk him to as he gets older, including a beach. So im just wondering is it ok to keep him in the back garden as a pup to play or should i take him for long walks aswell?
Thanks
Congratulations on your new Sibe puppy!
1. Quiet Puppy
Lara was also more shy and quiet compared to the rest of her litter. But it turns out that she is the most affectionate of our three dogs. Shania loves everyone so she will rush to say hi to all the people that give her any little bit of attention. Lara is still friendly and likes to meet people, but she is not as gung-ho as Shania, which I think is a feature.
I actually like the more quiet pups. They tend to be more calm and are better to snuggle with. 😀 Also, puppy will also change as he matures.
2. Walking
I didn’t walk puppy Lara outside until she had all of her shots. I did start leash training her in the backyard though, so we would be all prepared when she is ready for outside walks.
I start with short but more frequent walks. In the beginning, she pulled a lot so short walks worked better for us. As she started to improve, I slowly lengthened our walks. I also started in more quiet areas. That way, we had more successful sessions and can slowly build up to more challenging environments.
Sibe puppies are a lot of fun and are big energy balls. We used up a lot of frozen Kongs. 😀
Happy Holidays and big hugs to puppy when you get him.
Another thing that I forgot to mention is that Lara was more cautious about new things. We just did more socialization exercises with her, she became more confident, and things worked out pretty well.
Hi, i have a 9 month old female siberian husky. I got her at 5 1/2 weeks and She has alwas been very attached to me but like all huskies it was more playful in nature. However she recently (for lack of a better term) hit puberty and for the last 2 weeks she has acted more affectionate. She will rest her head in my lap for long periods of time, she stares into my eyes and she follows me closely, not running ahead but staying right at my side. Its almost as if she is sick and im getting concerned. This is the first female dog ive owned, is this normal?
Hello Travis,
Your Sibe sounds wonderful. Both Shania and Lara are very affectionate and like being with people.
How is her energy level? Is she eating normally? Is her poop normal? Are there other physical signs that indicate she might be sick?
Yes, everything seems as usual and she doesn’t show any other sighns of sickness. Its just an extreme change from always wanting to play to suddenly being mellow and calm. It happened almost overnight and she has been like this for over a week. im not complaining as long as this is normal and healthy.
Hmmm, being suddenly mellow and calm does seem a bit strange for a Sibe puppy.
Is she spayed?
Have there been any other changes in her routine? Is she getting more exercise elsewhere? Is she energetic during walks? Does she still have energetic play sessions but just less often, or is she not interested in play at all?
What kinds of activities does she do during the day?
With my Sibes, if there is a big change in energy level then there is usually a reason for it. For example, they get less energetic during warm weather. They also may get less energetic if they have a fever, an upset tummy, or some other physical discomfort.
Hi.
i have 2 beautifull and wonderfull pure bread siberian huskys they are brother and sister. we only planned to adopt 1 but ended up with 2. my first question is they are both the same age but my boy is much bigger than my girl, we adopted her because we felt soory for her as she was under feed the owner had 5 dogs and feed them all out of the same bowl and they had to fight for food. she is so loving and a happy go lucky dog but i am concerned about her size she is a lot smaller and lighter than he is she is 6 months old and weighs 6 kg the vet said she would put on weight and she has a bit but not much so i would like to no if there is anything i can do to help this. and number 2. i was wondering if the moon has n e thing to do with there behaviour. as i have noticed when the moon is just over half my kids (huskys) like to play all night long no matter how much we run them and play they will stay up all night and wont settle but they only do it when the moon is just over half full ?
thank you
shannon
1. Weight
At 6 months they are still growing, so if the vet says that everything is well, I wouldn’t worry too much. My Sibes didn’t put on a lot of bulk until they got older (around 2 or more). They are so active when young, they just burn everything off.
How is her appetite? What type of food is she currently eating?
2. Activity
I have read that dogs are crepuscular – they are most active during dawn and dusk. From observing my dogs, that seems to be the case with them. They have the most active play sessions when they wake up and after work.
I haven’t noticed any increase in activity level when the moon is half full. However, my Sibes have very high prey drive. If there is a lot of small animal activity, they will be a lot more excited and will do a lot of hunting and pouncing. Perhaps the increase in activity is related to more stuff happening in the environment.
Hello ShibaShake,
Have some news. Akima finally arrived Home this morning. We take her to the vet, and he says she’s ok. But he says he is sure that she is not a Husky. He says she’s a Malamute. I really don’t know about that, so I don’t know to who should I believe.
Anyway we’re happy to have her in Home.
Let me know if you want the photos and how can I send them to you!
Say hello to your beautiful dogs!
Renata
Congratulations on your new puppy and big hugs to her!
I will send you an email so that you can send me her pictures. 😀 Or if you are on Facebook, we can hook up there as well.
Hello I have a beautiful 15 month old Siberian Husky, she loves to play all the time, shes a rescue, i rescued her from a lady who had another husky (pure white huge), she was very tiny and her bones stuck out, ive had her since 08/2012 and since shes put on alot of weight. I never knew how active she was in general till i got her, and being in a apartment she doesnt get as much excersie. Now shes been very good excellent with other dogs that are in my apartment or she knows. My issues are 1. she doesnt stop eatting tissue, 2. she barks,snarls at strange dogs, 3. shes very greedy when it comes too food ( which i could understand from a starvation perspective) 4. She gets along with our other dog who is small but she tends to over power him and i would love to know how to stop that. 5. She whines even if i leave her in the room for 2 mins going to the washroom and back.6. She has this fear of water so i cant bathe her, 7. She has this drinking issue where she starts drink really fast and than starts coughing in away, what is the cause of that cause it scares me every time she does it. 8. Also when i got her i was told she was 11 months but how can you tell their real age without going to the vet?
1. Tissues
My younger Sibe, Lara, likes eating paper and cardboard. I think she starts by having fun playing with it and ripping it apart, then she just eats it. I make sure she can’t get to any of these things. One of the house rules is no-jumping on counters and tables, so I just make sure that the floor is clear.
Lara really likes to play and chew, so when she gets into that mood, I play with her using chew-approved toys. In that way, she gets used to chewing on those and associates them with positive attention and play. If she does get to some paper, I usually redirect her onto something else which is better, e.g. chew toy with extra food in it. She is very happy to make the exchange. The key is we want to redirect in a positive way without inadvertently encouraging resource guarding issues.
2. Dog to dog reactivity.
3. Both my Sibes love food. This is actually a good thing because then I can easily motivate them to follow house rules. I do this by making them work for all of their food and following the Nothing in Life is Free program.
4. This is what I do to keep the peace at home with my dogs.
5. Desensitization exercises may help with this.
http://shibashake.com/dog/separation-anxiety-dog-why-how-reduce-dog-stress#desensitize
6. With my Shiba, I make bathing into a fun game, and that helps.
7. Not sure. My Sibes will sometimes drink really fast and start coughing because it went down the wrong way; but it may not be the same thing. I would talk to the vet about this.
8. People commonly look at a dog’s teeth to estimate age. But it is only an estimate, and may be not very accurate.
I defiantly see why you stress the ” do not trust them with cats” part, but i must say, My husky loves her little friend Rocky my all black cat. Tho from time to time…or every time they play I do see Her trying to drag the cat around by its head, but before i can get up or even ask her to stop the cat breaks free and lunges at the dogs face lol, they are awesome together and i don’t think i could separate them at this point. she is very protective of the cat. In-fact the person who gave us the kitten let her go to early…the cat grew up thinking Shadow was her mother….and Shadow grew up thinking Rocky was her baby. Breast feeding, cleaning each other, the whole 9 yards.
My cat even goes to the bathroom outside now, I found that odd. Every now and then I even catch the cat digging along side Shadow. its adorable
Hello, i have adopted a 17 month husky/malamute. I am collecting her this thursday and am seeking advice with bringing her into my home with my 4 year dalmatian dog . What advice can you give me as my dalmatian will be very happy and excited to meet her ? Thank you gail
Congratulations on your new Husky puppy.
Here are some of my experiences when I got my new Sibe puppy Lara-
http://shibashake.com/dog/a-new-puppy-first-10-days-of-hell
Here is a bit more on what I do to introduce a new puppy to my other dogs.
I was curious to know if Huskies are ok to be outside dogs?
I think it depends on the location. My Sibes really do not like hot weather, so they like being inside during the hot summer months, with a fan and lots of water.
Sibes also need a lot of structured activity and people-time.
Hi
Im getting a 10 and a half month old husky called shadow , my concerns are that 1 i have a 1 year old male german shepard who is a live wire bringing shadow home for the 1st time would that make for a bad situation as my dog (tyi) would think it was his birthday and christmas all rolled into one , 2nd concern is i know i have to be pack leader but im scared that if i try and show shadow that im boss he may not like that since not being with me from a younger age .
Yeah, I know what you mean. When my dogs get overly excited, they can start playing too rough, and play may sometimes get out of hand. What has worked out well is for me to supervise them during play-time and manage their excitement level.
1. I throw in many play breaks. After a short play session, I will get my dogs to refocus on me and do a short obedience session. They get rewarded well for it, so they are happy to take a short break. Afterwards, they get to play again, but they are more calm.
2. I have play-rules for my dogs. For example, there is no humping and no stealing. If someone does something they shouldn’t, I no-mark (Ack-ack) and stop play briefly. I calm them down with an obedience break, then we try again. If a dog keeps going back to the same undesirable behavior, then play stops and he goes for a short timeout.
Here are more of the things that I did when introducing a new dog.
As for being pack leader, I find that it is most effective to achieve leadership through the control of resources. I do this by following the NILIF program.
Hi again 🙂
Thank you for your time in writting back to me , Shadow is now home and BFFs with tyi they never leave each others side , i put tyi in the kitchen let shadow check out his new home they both smelled each other threw a little gap in the door and hey presto . Your advice works a treat shadow trys to do the dirty on tyi and steals his toys/bones so i do what you suggested and all is well , thank you again 🙂
Great to hear that everything went so well. Happy Thanksgiving to you all!
Hello Shibashake,
First of all, I love your page, it has been so useful for me.
Since I was younger I was looking forward to adopt a Husky. Two years ago I almost did, but unexpectedly I had to move to Italy, and my planes changed.
Happily I’m back home now, and I just adopted a Husky, she have 4 weeks now so she’s not still at home, but I’m waiting for her impatiently.
Every time I have some free time I read your page, I want to be ready in every sense when she arrives. I already started buying all the things that she’s going to need. So your site has been of much help for me because all the tips you give about kibble, toys, and all the supplies.
Some days ago I found a very good offer in Amazon for the Furminator, so I already buy it. But I was wondering as you said up in the article that is better to start with a soft brush, I was wondering which one would you recommend?
Thank you very much for the amazing site, keep the great work!
Renata
Congratulations on your new Husky puppy!
In terms of soft brushes, I just got a regular one at the pet store. I didn’t use it all that much, more as a training tool to get puppy used to having an object touching her skin. Initially, I made sure to just do soft touches, then once puppy is more used to that, I apply a bit more pressure.
Would love to see your Husky puppy when you get her. Please post some pictures for us when you can. 😀
Thank you very much for the answer.
Of course I’ll send you some pictures as soon as I got her!
Greetings for you and your lovely dogs!
i love this post and pics. thanks for this informative article.
Hi we have had Bruna our rescue Siberian Husky for over a year now and when she came to us I would say she was about 6-10 months old. We literally bought her from a neighborhood girl that had lost her way that was literally in the streets and although she initially wanted $100 for her we ended up giving her $60 the girl was strung out on drugs very bad. Since we already had two male dogs and are hands full with Casper a golden retriever now 12 yrs old which we have had for 9 yrs now and Oliver a mix Corgi with what looks like a golden 2 yes old we rescued him a 3 mos. The idea was to find her a home immediately but just get her out of this young girls hands because she would sell her for $20 if need be for a quick fix. Long story short she’s still here but her and I do not get along at all. There is no socializing between us but she loves my husband and our 3 boys that no longer live at home in their 20″s. Perhaps I am not used to having a female at home perhaps she is not. use to having to share attention I am not sure but even if I want to play her with if we are alone she will and she is friendly but any of the boys or my husband come home she acts as if I have beaten her not as if we have just been playing with the other two dogs. Very strange; to say the least this negative behavior which has never existed in our home before is causing an uproar and a dog I was trying to protect will have to go if things don’t change, Is this normal??Don’t know what to do?
Hmmm, the first thing that comes to mind is that perhaps the Sibe puppy is fearful of women. She probably had a very difficult relationship with her last “caregiver”, and there was probably a fair amount of inconsistency and erratic behavior involved. I cannot imagine how difficult it must have been for a puppy to grow up in such circumstances. It is a good thing that you and your family found her and rescued her.
Dogs are also very good at sensing emotions from the people around them. When I first got my Shiba Inu, Sephy, I had a very difficult time with him. I did not know the breed very well then, and was totally blindsided by many of their difficult “quirks”. I spent most of my time taking care of him, walking him, and feeding him, but when my partner got home, Sephy would act as if I didn’t even exist. If I tried to go give him affection, he would get up and move away.
This really made me feel hurt, frustrated, and angry. I was definitely not happy with the situation and felt like I was around only to take care of the bad stuff, while my partner enjoyed all the rewards. Sephy likely sensed many of my conflicting emotions, and shied away from them and me. It became a self feeding cycle because he would sense my negative feelings, start behaving badly, I would have more negative feelings, and it went downhill from there. It was not a good situation.
I knew things could not continue down the same road, but I realized that I loved Sephy even then, and I really wanted to keep him. 😀
After that, I just focused on reading all that I could on dog behavior and then applying what I read to improve our communication and training. I observed his body language carefully, and tried to see things from Sephy’s perspective. I no longer went to him, to give him affection, but instead let him come to me in his own time. I also started following the Nothing in Life is Free program, which really was a great help. NILIF taught Sephy that the best way to get what *he* wants is to first do what *I* want. It also taught him that I am the source of all his resources, and he has to work for what he wants.
Once I got organized, I started feeling a lot better about things. I redirected my energy into creating a training plan and providing consistency and structure for Sephy. We both gained confidence and became more sure of what to expect from each other, and things started to turn around.
Sephy has many quirks, and it is part of his nature to be somewhat aloof, but we get along quite well now.
Big hugs to your Husky girl and all your other furry companions. Let us know how it goes with Bruna.
I have wanted a husky so long, and have found a 10 month old one for adoption. He is pure bred. At first I was all about it then I started thinking 2 times a week he would be left alone all day in the crate then starting at the end of January he would be in the crate 5 days a week due to school schedule. I know I would give him a lot of attention when I am home but the fact that he would be left alone for long periods at a time I am on the fence. I really don’t know what to do not to mention I don’t have a fenced in yard so our exercise would all be on a lease. Any advice?
Hello Matt,
I am sorry for the late reply. I have been busy with lots of site changes and updates.
Yeah, Sibes are very active and they are very good at escaping if not properly supervised. I walk Shania and Lara every day, they have fun play sessions, and they are still Energizer Bunnies. There was this one day where we took Shania and Sephy to the vet for their yearly checkup, so we skipped walking Lara. While we were having an early dinner, she dug a hole while chasing a gopher and got into my neighbor’s yard. Luckily we were home to get her back. 😀
Like you, I also love Sibes, but I didn’t get Shania until much later. I am glad I waited. I think it would have been very difficult for me and Shania otherwise. Sibes also have a wide range of vocal stylings, and can become quite vocal when bored or not properly redirected.
A smaller, low energy dog, may do better with a busy schedule and just on-leash exercise.
Some things that went through my head before getting Shania-
I want a dog, should I get one?
Difficult dog breeds.
i like your dog
Hi everyone,
I have been looking to get a puppy, specifically a Sibe. I am trying to do as much research as possible so I can prepare to bring him to a home he will love. Id like some pointers if you have any. I live in a house with 5 friends (all eagerly want this puppy and all have agreed to take care of it while i am at work. My concern is I Live in Boston MA. I am an active person and plan to take him on runs etc. But what would some of the more experience dog owners recommend for me?
Regards,
Heh Sibe puppy-hood is fun and also hectic. A Sibe puppy is going to be a big big ball of energy. Some things that come to mind-
1. Potty Training – Sibe puppies will need to be potty trained. During potty training, supervision is key to prevent mistakes and reward successes. Get ready to have some days with little sleep.
2. Consistency – Consistency in training and rules are important for all of my dogs. I make sure everyone in the family follows the same rules and training with puppy. This can often be difficult because it is tough to say “no” to a Sibe puppy.
3. Walking – Both my Sibes like to pull so I started leash training early. I first train in my backyard. *After* they get all their vaccination shots, we start doing outside training.
4. Socialization – Group puppy classes can also be useful for socialization purposes. Some of the daycare centers near where I live also offer puppy play sessions during weekends. In addition, I try to slowly socialize my pups to people, strange objects, loud noises, etc (in a positive way) – so they build confidence and are not fearful of unfamiliar things.
5. Take lots of pictures and have fun! They grow up really fast!
Bite inhibition training and NILIF are also helpful with my Sibes. Let us know how it goes and share some picture links with us. 😀
Hi,
Thank you for your response! I appreciate all the pointers. Do you have/know of any signs I should look out for regarding the health of the Sibe? I am sure Ill learn to pick up on certain things but I know with puppies you need to be extra careful so Id like to know of signs of early stage problems so i can take action sooner rather than later.
I was told by a friend that “Cage training” is recommended usually, it might be a good idea according to her I am in no way saying lock him up (I would never!). What i mean is to buy him a nice roomy area for him to sleep and at first shut the cage so he knows its his little “home” i guess you can call it. Is this something I should consider? I personally am skeptical of that because I want him to feel free but at same time show him how to respect the house rules.
Again any assistance is greatly appreciated and I will definitely upload some photos of Lennon (future name) when he arrives!
Regards,
Both my Sibes are energetic and love to eat. When there are changes in their food excitement level or activity excitement level, then I know that something is not right. Changes in poop quality can also reflect quality of health.
They are both sensitive to heat though, so during the summer they are a lot less energetic. However, their love for food remains undiminished!
When I first get a puppy I usually take her to the vet, just to make sure that everything is ok and to set up a vaccination schedule.
As for crate training, I usually go slowly and pair it with rewards. This helps puppy to associate her crate with calmness, safety, and positive events. Two of my dogs – Husky Shania and Shiba Sephy sleep in their crates all night in the bedroom. Lara, the youngest one, likes to roam about, so she spends most of the night downstairs. At night, we give each of the dogs a safe chicken-stuffed toy to work on in their crate. We let Lara out when she wants to go downstairs. However, during the potty-training period, we have to take them outside a lot more often. I don’t use the crate for punishment.
Here is a bit more of what I do with crate training-
http://shibashake.com/dog/how-to-calm-a-fearful-reactive-dog#crate
The crate can be a useful management tool when we are unable to supervise our puppy. We may also need to transport our dog, or keep him in a daycare center, for which crate training would be very useful. I crate train all of my dogs so that when they need to stay in a crate, they are comfortable with it and don’t get stressed out.
Good luck with your Sibe puppy! When does he arrive?
Hey, maybe you can help. I have a four month old husky, and she’s perfect for the most part, except for little potty training issues here and there. but the part that makes me nervous is when we are sitting outside and a person is walking their dog and the dog comes close all of a sudden Arctic (my dog) jumps onto my lap and does this howl growl bark sort of thing till the dog is a quite a good distance away. How do I show her other dogs aren’t all mean or going to hurt her.
With Sephy I did dog-to-dog desensitization exercises. It helped Sephy to re-associate other dogs with calmness and positive outcomes. It is also a good confidence building exercise.
More general article on dog desensitization.
i want one so bad but i cant find one can some one help me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
When I was looking for a Sibe I started with PetFinder. Two other useful sites-
1. Siberian Husky Rescue Site.
2. SHCA breeder list.
Thursday night I recieved a 20 week old male Siberian Husky. The person I got him from gave me enough food for Friday morning and told me he was feeding him Blue Buffalo so I went and got the puppy formula and fed him that Friday evening. Unforutantly Friday night he got a severe upset tummy. I talked to the previous owner and found that he was feeding him the adult food. Sunday I switched him back to his food and the upset tummy just got worse and he started vomiting. This morning (Monday) I took him to the vet and they said it was probably the food and anxiety since he has not played at all since being at our home. They gave him a shot and but him on prescription dog food for the next week. After the vet visit he is no longer vomiting but still will not play. How long does it take for them to settle down with a new family at 20 weeks and start playing and acting like the active breed he is?
Hmmm, that seems unusual for a young Sibe. How did the puppy act with his previous owner? Why is he giving up the puppy? What was puppy’s previous routine and training like?
I got my Sibes as puppies at around 8 weeks old. They were a bit anxious in the beginning, when I got them home, but they very quickly got over that and were playing soon after (on the same day). It is strange that a young Sibe puppy should be so anxious.
Where did the previous owner get the puppy from? Did he buy it from a pet store? Has puppy had all his shots?
How did puppy act when you first went to visit him? Was he shy then? Was he also shy with his previous owner? What does puppy currently do all day? How is his energy level? Does he have a healthy appetite? How is his stool?
Hello. We have a 14 month old Sibe, that we’ve had since he was 8 weeks old. He’s a great dog. We did have problems with him digging giant holes in the backyard, but that has since stopped. Now he has been chewing up my patio furniture cushions. Lately he has also been growling and snapping at my kids, and not in a playful manner. He doesn’t like strangers at all. What concerns me is the growling and snapping, because I’ve been told that once a dog turns on his owners you have to get rid of it. He has nearly bit another child too. What can we do to stop this type of behavior?
Hello Christina,
When does he show the growling and snapping behavior? Is it when there is a lot of activity around him? Is it when he is resting? Does he play with the kids? How do they play? There is usually a reason why dogs growl in warning – sometimes it is out of fear, or they got startled awake, or they are guarding something, etc. If we can identify the source of the behavior, then it becomes more predictable and we can train our dogs to use alternate behaviors to deal with his stress or fear.
Some things that I do with my Sibes-
1. People desensitization exercises.
I teach them to associate people with positive experiences and outcomes. In this way, they always look forward to meeting people. More on people desensitization exercises.
2. Structured and supervised activities.
Sibes are very energetic so I try to set up a fixed routine with lots of structured activities (e.g. long daily walks, play sessions with me, play sessions with other dogs, obedience training, grooming, etc.). This gives them a positive outlet to drain their energy and they are less likely to come up with their own Sibey activities which are likely not very furniture friendly.
http://shibashake.com/dog/hyperactive-dogs-how-to-calm-a-hyper-dog-or-hyper-puppy
3. Rules while meeting and greeting people.
I also teach them clear rules while meeting and greeting people. Similarly, I ask people to be calm while meeting my dogs, and not to grab any sensitive areas which may cause pain. Dogs have very different greeting rituals than we do, and may view certain actions, e.g. hugging, as a threat. I have similar interaction rules at home during play with people and play with other dogs.
How to meet a dog.
Hugging a dog.
Here is a bit more on my experiences with bad dog behavior.
Hi I adopted a beautiful dark blonde and off white Sibe with wicked green eyes. He sleeps with me every night. His decision not mine. lol When I received him he was seriously skinny and still is. He was really nervous around other people until he settled in at the house.
I have changed his diet to include veggies, pasta and some rice to see if this would put some meat on his bones. I also checked his stool to see if there were any worms or eggs visible, nothing? He is 19 months old, active, healthy eating, seems happy enough though he will pee on the floor when I leave him. Any suggestions on his eating and the peeing on the floor oh and the couch 🙁 ?
Congratulations on your new Sibe! He sounds like a very sweet guy.
In terms of feeding, I try to stay away from anything that has wheat, corn, and soy. They are more difficult to digest and my dogs also have allergies to certain grains. My Shiba Inu is allergic to wheat and my Husky Shania is allergic to oats. I am currently feeding all my dogs a grain-free high protein kibble (Innova EVO). Here is more on different dog diets.
As for worms, both my Sibes have gotten tape worms before. They both like hunting for rodents, and that is one common way that they get worms. When they had tape worms, I noticed that their stool had become softer than usual, but they were still active and eating normally. Then a few days later I noticed the worm segments in their stool.
To confirm, I took a stool sample in to my vet for tests. However, I found out that the worms do not always show up in their stool; they only shed sometimes. Therefore, the lab test came back negative, even though my dog had tape worms. Worms and other intestinal parasites are always a pain because the vet tests may not always catch them.
As for body weight, my Sibe Lara is also very slim. She is very very active so I think she burns away a lot of her calories.
In terms of peeing on the floor, here are some of my potty training experiences with my Sibes.
Big hugs to puppy!
hi, our family is thinking about re home a 1-2 year old Siberian husky female (white) from dogs trust, it says in the description that she is well trained and will enjoy her walks and not escape from the leash, but is that true? We have wanted a dog for quite a while now but there’s one member of the family that isn’t too keen about it, we are trying to persuade her to see if she will come around. All this information has been very useful and may push her further forward into getting one. Thank you!x
Good luck! Hope it works out. Let us know how the visit goes.
hi i have a 2 1/2 yr old female all white siberian husky.. she is very bad sometimes! i constantly work with her but she doesnt seem to understand. i have 3 yr oldmale who is sweet as can be and doesnt give me any problems except he nips when in play mode. can you give me advice on settling my females behavior down? she jumps on furnature when being scolded in a play stants. before we got her she was abused and had 2 homes!
thank you!
When my dogs jump up on furniture, I give a no-mark (Ack-ack) to let them know that it is an undesirable behavior. Then I tell them what to do instead, e.g. “Off”, and lure them off with a treat in hand. If they get off, then I reward them with the treat and a fun game.
Sometimes, in-training puppies may not yet understand what I am asking them to do. In this case, I gently lead them down using their drag-lead and reward them when they get down.
It usually takes a while for new dogs to learn the lay of the land and my house-rules. A dog with a difficult past will likely take even more time and patience. Once my dog learns the rules and knows what “Off” means, then I am more strict with him. If he keeps getting onto furniture and ignoring my warnings, then I stop play or put him on a brief timeout.
But I only do this for more experienced dogs who should know better, and not for dogs that are still in-training.
Sometimes, Shiba Sephy will jump onto furniture during play because he is too excited. To discourage this, I introduce many obedience breaks into their play session. I just call them over to do some simple obedience exercises with me. They get rewarded well, so they usually don’t mind taking a small break from their play. Play breaks help to calm things down, and prevent any of them from getting overly excited.
Here is a bit more on calming hyper energy.
I Have just rescued the atypical Siberian Husky. 10 days ago I got a call from the local P.D., dog picked up and they were calling Animal Control who would euthanize in 2 days. I would have to bring him back if anyone called, but I rushed to get the “puppy” so the call wouldn’t be made to the A.C. Puppy looks to be about 7 months old??Looks to have baby teeth still. Extremely well trained, walks on the leash like a gentleman, sleeps next to my bed, no accidents in the house. Gives my outdoor kitties nose sugars, they aren’t thrilled.Is not as energetic as I feared, is actually the most laid back dog for a Siberian I’ve ever seen. He’s red and white with blue eyes,too skinny, maybe growth spurt?Leggy But pure Husky, people followed us all thru Petsmart admiring the red wolf!But SO mellow!? Napping now.
What an awesome story!
At the moment, he must be very happy to be getting regular meals and some TLC. He may show more of his Sibe puppy-ness after he gets used to his new digs. 😀
I am so glad that he found a good home.
what is the cost of a Siberian husky pup ?
also I was wondering how much would it cost for food and insurance every week as I love this dog breed but financially I don’t know how much he/she will cost.
They ranged from about $600 to $1k when I was first looking for a Sibe.
Cost of food will vary widely depending on food type. My dogs are allergic to various grains, so I only give them grain free, high protein kibble. Those cost a bit more. They need regular Heartgard medication and I also apply flea and tick prevention medication. Then there are various incidentals including bully sticks, boiled chicken, toothpaste, Greenies, etc. They also go for yearly vaccination shots and teeth cleaning which can range from about $100 to several hundred (when teeth cleaning is needed).
I don’t get insurance for my dogs, so I don’t know what the payment and coverage structures are like.
Unexpected vet bills can be quite high when accidents happen. One of my Sibes got bit by a rattlesnake recently, and the total cost was about $2k. She had to stay over at the emergency hospital for over 2 days so that was pretty expensive. Some dogs have recurring allergy issues, others may get hurt while playing, etc. As they age, there will likely be more unexpected vet bills. We try to keep up an emergency dog fund for such occurrences.
Finally there is also the cost of training, which can be quite high. Hiring help for dog walking and dog daycare can also be expensive.
i have a siberian husky pup, she is 14 weeks old, bother eyes are very light blue, she is pure breed and absolute wonderful to be around. i have been reading on loads of sites that they are hard to train, everything training wise seems to be so easy to do so far, exept toilet train seems to be slightly difficult although she is getting there. at 14 weeks she can, sit, paw, high 5, roll over, wait, stay and crawl, also walks great on the lead and sits and waits at the side of the road till i tell her to cross. great nature with my kids as i have a 1yr old, 4yr old and a 6yr old.
Congratulations on your new Sibe puppy! She sounds like a very wonderful girl.
I think Sibes do well when they are actively engaged in positive activities. They are full of energy and always ready for action.
Big hugs to your puppy! Take lots of pictures and share some with us. 😀
I have a siberian husky mixed with german shepard and she is 16 weeks old. her eyes are very cute one is blue and the other is brown. She is so active and playful but she fears small dogs. Yet she likes playing with big dogs. Her name is oreo.
That is awesome! Shania has a blue and a brown as well. It is a very good look. 😀
Big hugs to Oreo! She sounds like a very happy and beautiful puppy. Please share some pictures of Oreo with us when you have the time.
Hi again, thank you for your reply!
I am also planning on getting his first shots on the 8th week. I would really love to know how many shots is usually administered. How many days or weeks for the following shots? And how about anti-rabies?
I appreciate your reply and really helps me a lot to be prepared when I get him home. I get as much info as I can around and evaluate what’s best.
Thanks again!
Best regards,
Ray
And by the way, is deworming also given on the first shot or earlier?
Thank you!
Hello Ray,
In terms of vaccination schedule, I just went with my vet’s recommendation. Here is the vaccination schedule from the AVMA-
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+1648&aid=950
Take lots of puppy pictures! 😀
I am 14 and I really want a Siberian husky any tips I should need to know? 🙂
Yeah, Sibes are pretty awesome dogs. They are affectionate and a whole lot of fun, but they also have an independent spirit and a lot of energy. My Sibes do well when they have consistent rules and a consistent routine. They do well with the NILIF program and reward based training.
They really love going on their long daily walks, and love meeting new people. Lara, who is now over 1 year old is still full of puppy energy so she loves to play, jump around, wrestle with the other dogs, run all over the place, and then jump around some more. She is more than a handful, and requires a lot of attention and time, but it is fun to spend time with her. 😀
I am a mother of three girls the youngest 4 yrs old. My mother could not care for her husky for personal reasons so I now have him. He is 7 yrs old a male. I have been looking up what i need to do with a husky since i have never had one and have found that she has not done anything even close to what she should have. He is house broken, and i think the reason he chewed alot of her things is because he was bored and she never exercised him. Not to mention he was alone alot. I have a stay at home mom, at his age what can i do, to make him fit into my home and make him happier. I have him for at least six months. Its been 4 yrs years of just him and her. He is friendly however he seems nervous around my youngest. They are the same height. Which makes me nervous. I love animals i have a 6yr old akita. I would like to welcome him totally into my family but there has been a lot of changes. What is the best why to help him with this adjustment.
I am a stay at home mom. so i have time to work with him . but where do i start. sorry for the typo. Its a big change for everyone .
Hello Katrina,
Some things that help my dogs adjust in the beginning-
1. Interaction Rules
When there is a new dog, there is uncertainty about the rules of interaction – how do the people interact with the new dog, how do the existing dogs interact with the new dog, and how does the new dog interact with his new family.
I find it helpful to be clear about interaction rules with everybody. I come up with a set of consistent rules, and teach both people and dogs what those rules are. That way, everybody knows what to do, there is consistency and a clear routine, which reduces stress for everyone.
2. Go Slow
I try not to force anything. My Shiba Inu does not give his trust easily, so it takes him a while to warm up to new dogs. I make sure that the new dog does not pester him (one of the interaction rules), and I let Shiba come to the new dog in his own time.
3. Supervision, Management, and Positive Experiences
I try to set everyone up for success. In the beginning, I find that it is important to supervise a lot because everyone is learning the new rules of interaction. Some people let their dogs “work things out for themselves”. I do not. I believe that it is better that I step in and resolve issues so that they do not need to use aggression to resolve it themselves.
I only expose the new dog to situations that he can handle and where I know everyone will be successful with. In this way, I try to create many positive experiences, which will help to establish trust.
This is more of what I do when introducing a new dog to my existing dogs-
http://shibashake.com/dog/second-dog-introducing-a-second-dog
Bigs hugs to your pack!
Hi again, thanks for the response I really appreciate it!
How about showering them? Is it OK for a 6 week to be showered already?
Thanks again!
Hmmm, I am not sure. All my dogs I got at 8 weeks or older.
I don’t bathe my dogs very often. I find that regular brushing is sufficient to keep their coats clean and healthy.
http://shibashake.com/dog/dog-bathing-how-to-bathe-a-dog-with-a-fun-game
Hi!
I am about to have one siberian pup which is 6 week old on July 19th. I just want to ask if it is OK for a 6week old siberian pup to have his first bath/shower? My other question is when should a siberian pup have its first vaccine and deworming?
As a first timer I want to get as much info as I could to be able to raise the dog well and to make both of us have a happier days together. Thank you very much for the added helpful infos!
Hello Ray,
Congratulations on your upcoming new puppy!
My vet usually starts with the first shots at 8 weeks old. Some people start earlier, but my vet is pretty strict with the 8 week thing. It is my understanding that vaccinations that are given “too early” are not effective because the maternal antibodies are still present.
Most breeders do not place their puppies until they are at least 8 weeks old. During that time, puppies learn a lot of social skills from their mother and siblings – they learn not to bite too hard, they learn play rules, they learn communication skills, etc. Here is an interesting thread discussing this issue-
http://www.lab-retriever.net/board/puppy-health-care/7391849-6-week-old-puppy-too-early.html
Hi there, I have a 3 month old Sib named Jack. I live in a nice trailer park, but I do not have a fenced yard with no trees and I am not allowed to keep Jack inside the home I am renting. If I keep him outside, what will I need to make him comfortable since he is a special breed? A run line, a cage, a pool to keep him cool, a tarp over the cage for shade? Forgive me but I am new to this breed and any advice is greatly appreciated. : ~ )
During walks, my Sibes like to hang out under shady trees. I make sure to keep them well-watered and to keep their water bowls very clean.
They like to be in the open where they can enjoy the breeze. When it is hot and there is no breeze, I make sure to put the fan on. I have several stand fans that I can use anywhere.
Both my Sibes have high prey drive though, so they would chase squirrels and birds while in the backyard. Sibes often escape while chasing after prey, so it is important to make sure that they are well secured, but comfortable.
Here are some things that I do to keep my Sibes cool in the summer-
http://shibashake.com/dog/cool-dog-keep-your-dog-cool-in-the-summer
Hi!
I’ve been wanting a Husky since I was a kid but my father always tell me that it’s a pain in the pocket. My first dog is a mix of a dalmatian and a street dog which I didn’t mind because I loved him the time I saw him, my step mom gave him to me. He has a black patch-like fur on his left eye and he stands like a macho dog and I named him Zorro. We can only feed him leftover foods, but that is because of our status before. But nonetheless the whole family and relatives loved him.
Back then we are not used to (not sure what words to use) “tie” the dogs on our backyards(currently we have 2 street dogs, we are using dog chains) and we are fine with our dogs going anywhere they want. But then one day he just didn’t came back home and those times the city dog pound is actually catching dogs roaming on the streets, but sadly we never found him.
Now I really want one especially now that I am earning my own money and I just got off from a long distance relationship recently… so I thought I need someone to be there, who might want my responsibilities.. and yes someone that could accompany me and maybe someone who might need a friend and not just to fill in what I recently had.
So, I want to know what age is good for a Husky to be taken in? And I’m planning to have an active lifestyle so if I will take my friend for a walk or jog around, when is the right time to like give my friend a drink? Is it OK to walk him 5km to and another 5km getting home? Also how many times a day should my friend get to be fed? Since I’ll be having my friend his own backyard and house to live in how many days in a week should he be showered/groomed?
I’m really excited!
Thanks again for your helpful post!
It depends on what you are looking for. A puppy will need to be potty trained and obedience trained. A Husky puppy is also very energetic and will need interesting activities to keep him occupied most of the day. Shania was an Energizer Bunny when she was young. She mellowed some at around 3 and then a bit more now that she is almost 5.
That depends a lot on the weather, pace of the walk, the dog, etc. When I take my Sibes out on a walk I make sure our route has many shady spots. They let me know when they want to stop, and I water them then. I make sure to take extra water with me during hot days. Sibes have thick coats and get hot quickly when it is warm outside.
I don’t walk them as far during hot days and have many rest stops.
http://shibashake.com/dog/cool-dog-keep-your-dog-cool-in-the-summer
During puppyhood I feed puppy about 5 times a day. Usually, people recommend feeding a puppy at least 3 times a day. I feed my adult dogs twice a day – mornings and evenings.
Sibes blow their coat once or twice per year. During that time I brush them more often to get rid of the loose fur. In general, I brush them when they need it. I make sure to always check them for grass seeds, ticks, and other bad stuff that stick to their coats.
In general, both of them have very clean coats so I do not bathe them very often. I find that a wipe down is frequently sufficient. If they get skunked, then a bath is necessary.
http://shibashake.com/dog/dog-bathing-how-to-bathe-a-dog-with-a-fun-game
Good luck! Congratulations on your soon to be new family member!
Hello!!
I have a Siberian Husky puppy named Zoey and a Pomeranian named Harley!
Latley Zoey has been bitting Harley like she would if she is attacking her! what should i do?? and when we first got her she was fine and they would play together but now its like she wants to play but she is getting way to ruff!! How do i get her to stop bitting her??
Some things that help with my dogs-
1. I supervise them very closely during play and have many play breaks so that nobody gets over-excited. During play breaks, they all do obedience commands for me and get rewarded well.
2. I teach all my dogs play rules – e.g. no humping, no bullying etc. If they hump, I no mark and stop them. Then I do a play break. If the same dog humps again, then he goes to timeout.
3. I follow the NILIF program with all of my dogs.
Here are more things that I do to keep the peace at home-
http://shibashake.com/dog/second-dog-introducing-a-second-dog