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 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.