About Siberian Huskies - The Good and The Bad
84I currently share my life with two Siberian Huskies - puppy Lara (7 months old) and Shania (3.5 years old). Both of them are very silly, and very energetic. They love to play, explore, and hunt for earth critters.
Siberian Huskies are beautiful dogs who love people and love life. They can make a great family dog if properly trained. However, because of their high energy and high prey drive, they require a lot of daily exercise and are not to be trusted off leash. When bored, a Siberian Husky may chew, dig, and escape to look for adventure elsewhere.
Before getting a Siberian Husky puppy, find out all you can about the wonderful nature of Siberian Huskies - the good, the bad, and the quirky.
Siberian Huskies - The Good
1. Siberian Huskies are love bugs.
Siberian Huskies are very affectionate dogs. They are especially friendly with people, even strangers.
Husky Shania has very many friends in our neighborhood and she enjoys going to say hello to them every day. Her most favorite friend in the world is the Awesome Cookie Guy. Whenever we pass his house, Shania always stops and waits. When her Cookie friend spots her and comes out, he comes bearing gifts - a yummy low-fat cookie for Shania!
Shania also comes to me when I am sad or upset. She will lie down next to me or lay her head on my lap and give me licks.
The people trusting nature of Siberian Huskies make it easy to find caretakers for them when I get busy, or when I need to leave on emergencies or vacations.
2. Siberian Huskies are athletic and have a strong zest for life.
Siberian Huskies live life to the fullest.
Lara and Shania are frequently on the go. They enjoy re-landscaping our backyard, attacking bushes, pulling down trees, running, jumping, and digging. They both enjoy playing chasing games and are always ready to go out for a walk and explore. They get very excited whenever anybody comes to visit and enjoy spending play-time and rest-time with their pack.
As part of their zesty life program, Siberian Huskies also love to eat.
Both Lara and Shania will eat and eat and continue to eat more if they can. To keep my Siberian Huskies healthy and slim, I set up a fixed eating schedule and only give them their allotted amount of food. If I give them treats, then I reduce their regular meals a bit so that they keep a fairly constant caloric intake.
Siberian Huskies are not shy about stealing food or begging for food. Both Lara and Shania will steal each other's food if they can. They will also steal from my other dog, Shiba Inu Sephy.
I always supervise them closely during meal-times. Food stealing can encourage food aggression, so I train my dogs not to steal and teach them that if there is any stealing, I will handle the situation.
Siberian Huskies can also get impatient about food and may get slightly overzealous when taking food out of your hand. Bite inhibition training is a must.
Reward Obedience Training
 | Amazon Price: $7.61 List Price: $16.00 |
 | Amazon Price: $7.47 List Price: $10.25 |
 | Amazon Price: $6.78 List Price: $17.95 |
 | Amazon Price: $4.99 List Price: $14.99 |
3. Siberian Huskies are clever and independent.
Siberian Huskies are smart and will quickly learn new commands and figure out interactive toy puzzles; especially when food is on the line.
Lara learned how to Sit on command as soon as we got her home (8 weeks old). In fact, if we use positive reinforcement techniques, we can start obedience training puppies as early as 6 weeks old. However, puppies should not be removed from the litter until they are at least 8 weeks old.
With clever and independent dogs like the Siberian Husky, it is most effective to use reward training techniques. I teach my Huskies that the best way to get what they want is to do what I want first.
- If they want to go play in the backyard, they must first do a simple Sit next to the door.
- If they want their food toy, they must first do a Handshake.
- If they dig where they are not supposed to in the backyard then they lose their backyard privileges.
Since we control all of our dog's resources, we can encourage good behaviors and discourage bad behaviors by tying those behaviors to our dog's most desired resources.
With reward training my Sibes are always motivated to work. They are never hand-shy and love being with people. Siberian Huskies have a wonderful independent spirit, so we should not choke them, shock them, or physically dominate them into submission.
 | Amazon Price: $13.17 List Price: $59.95 |
Siberian Huskies - The Bad
1. Siberian Huskies shed a whole lot.
Siberian Huskies blow their coat about twice a year. During this time they will shed most of their undercoat and replace it with new fur. Frequent brushing will help to control some of this shedding and keep a Siberian Husky comfortable and clean.
Even though they may only blow their coat twice a year, Sibes actually shed all year round. There is Sibe fur everywhere in our house, including carpets, tile floor, counters, tables, chairs, blankets, and beds. Hair can also get onto kitchen utensils, food, and drinks.
If you or members of your family are allergic to dog fur, it is best not to get a Siberian Husky.
Because they shed so much, try to make brushing and handling fun for your Siberian Husky. I always pair brushing sessions with food so that it becomes a fun and rewarding experience. I start with a soft brush and slowly switch over to using the Furminator which is awesome at getting out a dog's undercoat.
2. Siberian Huskies are awful guard dogs.
Siberian Huskies look wild, like wolves. For this reason, many people think that they make fierce guard dogs.
In truth, however, a Siberian Husky is more likely to invite strangers into your home with open paws and give them many licks.
Siberian Huskies are happy, goofy, and naturally trust all the people that they see.
My Siberians may sometimes make a fuss when people are at the door, but it is out of excitement rather than a warning cry.
Also, my Siberians will happily follow anyone home as long as they have some yummy pieces of food.
Siberian Husky
 | Amazon Price: $77.36 List Price: $24.95 |
 | Amazon Price: $5.85 List Price: $12.95 |
 | Amazon Price: $4.49 List Price: $8.99 |
 | Amazon Price: $6.00 List Price: $19.00 |
3. Siberian Huskies have very high prey drive.
Husky Shania is a very accomplished huntress.
When we first got our backyard landscaped, we had a big Earth Critter Attack. There are a fair number of rodents including gophers, voles, and mice that live in our area and they decided to throw a big party on our newly planted grass. Holes were appearing everywhere and the organic scent-based pest control we used did not seem to have much of an effect.
We were worried that our yard would not even last the year but then huntress Shania went into action. After a few days of hunting and marking, we noticed that the Rodent Gang had moved their party location somewhere else!
However, this high prey drive also makes it extremely risky to let a Siberian Husky go off-leash in a non-enclosed space. If a Siberian Husky spots a deer or squirrel, she will be gone and away before you can shout Stop. Siberian Huskies are very athletic and can cover large distances in a fairly short amount of time.
High prey drive also means that Siberian Huskies will have a strong instinct to chase and hunt cats and possibly also small dogs.
4. Siberian Huskies love to pull, pull, pull.
Siberian Huskies were bred to pull sleds, and today, they still love to PULL!
One of the biggest challenges with a Siberian Husky is teaching her how to walk without pulling and/or to only pull on command.
The easiest way to leash train a Siberian Husky is to start when they are young and still small. I have tried a variety of techniques with my dogs and what has worked best are the red-light,green-light technique and the 180-turn-around technique.
I started leash training puppy Lara almost as soon as we got her. First I trained her in our backyard. After she was fully vaccinated, I started leash training her around our neighborhood.
While leash training a Siberian Husky, it is very important to be totally consistent. I stop as soon as puppy Lara starts to pull and if she pulls too much, I turn around and walk in the opposite direction. This teaches her that the fastest way to get to where she wants to go is to walk along with me at a measured pace.
5. Siberian Huskies love to sing.
Siberian Huskies have a great singing voice. However, neighbors may not particularly enjoy it when Siberians decide to sing or howl to the moon.
Husky Lara is a very vocal dog. She barks when excited, frustrated, scared, and sometimes when other dogs are barking. I have to spend more time and effort training her to stay quiet because her natural instinct is to vocalize.
Husky Shania is a more quiet dog. She almost never barks and the only time she vocalizes is when she is playing with my other dogs. She also sings beautifully when she hears a squeaky toy.
My Siberian Husky breeder tells me that there are some Sibe bloodlines that are more noisy than others. Lara's mother, for example, comes from a more vocal bloodline.
6. Siberian Huskies are a big time commitment.
Siberian huskies are very energetic and affectionate. They like being with people and they also need something to do. Otherwise, they will get bored and get into at least 10 kinds of trouble.
All my dogs work for all of their food, either through obedience exercises, grooming sessions, play sessions, or through interactive toys. In addition, they also go for 1.5 hour daily walks and wrestle with each other several times a day. Sometimes, I join in on the fun and play flirt pole or the water hose game with them.
When bored or lonely, a Siberian Husky will figure out her own activities, which may lead to property damage or escape expeditions.
Do not get a dog, especially a Siberian Husky, unless you have a lot of free time to spend with her. If you must work long hours, consider dog daycare or hiring a dog walker. Siberian Huskies do best when there are many interesting activities throughout the day and frequent human supervision.
Siberian Husky Movies
 | Amazon Price: $5.38 List Price: $14.99 |
 | Amazon Price: $19.95 |
 | Amazon Price: $4.94 List Price: $14.99 |
I Love Siberian Huskies
Siberian Huskies are awesome dogs. They are always ready of adventure, and they will be there to give you licks and support when you need it, or even when you don't.
I got my Siberian Huskies through the breeder list from the Siberian Husky Club of America. I also considered adopting from my local Siberian Husky rescue, but did not find one that fit well with my Shiba Inu.
It is best to avoid backyard breeders, pet stores, and online pet stores. Such establishments almost always sell unhealthy puppies with poor temperaments.
Join HubPages and share your Siberian Husky stories and opinions with us.
Do you own or are planning to get a Siberian Husky?
See results without votingvote upvote downshareprintflag
- Useful (21)
- Funny (4)
- Awesome (8)
- Beautiful (7)
- Interesting (9)
CommentsLoading...
My sib (Marlee) is now 10 weeks old. Ive only had him for 2 weeks and he is already showing signs of being a very smart dog. For those wondering about house training what worked for me was stringing a ball from the door knob and tapping it with his foot every time I took him outside. Marlee knew what to do in less than a DAY. At the moment I am wondering about him having worms, but I may just be paranoid, he was bloated for a short time a few nights ago and has shown an increase in appetite but I'm still not sure if he has worms and I dont want to treat him for something he doesnt have.
At ten weeks Marlee is already showing signs of being a very large dog and I always get excited thinking about how big and beautiful hes going to become. Thank you for sharing your story and goodluck to all the rest. ;)
Hello thg,
I think the key area where the on-leash requirement becomes most noticeable is during nature walks in the hills, woods, or off-leash parks.
We have nice hill trails around where we live so I take my Sibes there very often. They are on-leash, but they still have a lot of fun digging, smelling, and exploring. I go off-trail with them, and we climb hills together. They are great at pulling me up hills. :D
I will admit that I sometimes look with longing at the Collies or Shepherds that run around off-leash but are still under great control of their owners. There are also goat herders that come to the hills during winter, and they have two Border Collies shepherding their goats. They are simply amazing.
Nevertheless, I think Shania and Lara enjoy their on-leash hill walks very much, and I really like how we do many things together. I clear away brush for them when they are digging, I try to walk softly while they are stalking prey, and we play Find-It games. Since I am right there, I can keep them away from foxtails, spot ticks, prevent them from rolling in dead stuff, and stop them from eating whatever the goats left behind. :D
In the end it depends on what type of activities we envision sharing with our dogs. If someone is very much set on having off-leash excursions, it may be better to consider another breed. Otherwise, there may be regrets later on.
Hi Shibashake
I have been considering a husky for sometime now and have researched and prepared myself for the more challenging aspects of this wonderful breed. However, whilst it is always stressed that letting them off the lead in an unenclosed space is never a good idea, no one ever mentions whether they find this need for a lead restricting sometimes. A quick canvas of non husky owners were all pretty much of the opinion of yes it would restrict what they could do with their dog. Personally I don't have a problem with it but my partner does have reservations. I would love to hear your thoughts, Thanks.
Hello husky lover,
Thanks for sharing your Sibe's story with us. Huskies really are an awesome breed - so affectionate, curious, and happy.
Big hugs to your little man. Would love to see some pictures. If you have some online, please send us a link.
Shania and Lara send their love and many Husky licks.
We have a Sibe & he's been the perfect dog for 14 years, we brought him home when he was 8 weeks old. Recently he's become ill & we took him to the vet, he had to stay over night. He had a fever of 106 & the vet said he was in great shape for being an old man. He's still on antibiotics & still taking it easy. The vet said his kidneys are shutting down. He's been my little man, my best friend, my everything... I know his time is coming to an end & it breaks my heart. Love them unconditionally & they will do you no wrong.
Hello Sarah,
Congratulations on your new Sibe puppy!
They really are wonderful dogs. Two things I like to start early training on -
1. Leash training - They are bred to pull, so it is best to teach them not to when they are young and small. :D
2. Handling exercises - Both my Sibes need a fair amount of brushing, especially when they blow their coat. It helps to get them used to grooming and handling when they are young.
Frozen Kongs are also useful for keeping puppy busy and helping to keep him calm. Other than that, just have fun and take lots of pictures!
Big hugs to puppy!
i am getting a siberian amle huscky in a few days he is 12 weeks old the person who is giving me him is saying that he has all his shots in order and he is aso giving me some toys and all. i was just wondering if there was anything i should know for a first time siberian huscky owner and i have also been told he is also potty trained thank goodness anyways i really enjoed ur little story about them it heelped a lot! :)
Dear Newhusky,
I have found that the best way to train and motivate fearful dogs is to use reward training techniques.
- We want to retrain the dog to reassociate people with positive events.
http://shibashake.hubpages.com/hub/Dog-Anxiety-Fea
- We want to set her up for success so that she gets rewarded well, and gains confidence.
Here is a bit more on bonding with a dog-
http://shibashake.com/dog/build-a-strong-bond-with
One of the problems of using aversive or pain based techniques is that it may cause a dog to just shutdown and lose trust in people. Here is more on aversive techniques and shock collars-
Hmmm, my Shiba Inu was also very picky with his food. One possibility is to try a different kibble. After some experimentation, I found a kibble that is grain free, and has good protein sources. My Shiba liked that a lot more than what he was eating at his breeder's place.
Also, his old kibble had wheat in it and he was allergic to wheat.
Here is a bit more on what to look for while feeding our dogs-
http://shibashake.com/dog/feeding-your-dog-a-healt
Hope this helps. Big hugs to your Sibe puppy!
My puppy loves to run and jump as well. Sibes really are a lot of fun. :D
My family and i just adopted a siberian husky. She is 5 years old and was neglected and left outside all the time by her previous owner, who also was a breeder. So McKenzie (our dog) doesn't do much of anything. She lays around the house all day and sleeps. When i call her name her ear moves but she doesn't look up at me or come to me. She is scared of my boyfriend. Every time he tries to pet her she runs away. When we try to put her leash on to take her outside she runs away and pees in a corner. She doesn't play either. She barely gives anyone notice. We have a 10 year old that tries to get her attention and she doesn't even spare him a glance. I would be afraid to even bring my 5 year old around her because he would get upset that she doesn't do anything. We have had her almost 3 weeks, and I understand it takes "abused" animals a little longer to get used to people considering their backgrounds, but i don't know what to do to get her to be more active. I take her on a run around the neighborhood every morning and my boyfriend walks her every night, but that is as close as we can get to her doing ANYTHING. She eats, no problem, she sleeps (too much), no problem, she uses the bathroom outside, no problem. But that's all. How can i get her to be more active and interact with the family instead of laying around all day doing nothing. We got the shock collar and it works when it comes to telling her to lay down, but she only listens to the command if she is on a leash. So we don't know what else to do. My boyfriend is regreting getting her because she is so lazy. Can anyone help me?
he drinks normally and he likes cold water, he likes going to the bathroom and lying on the wet floor.
for his stool, sometimes it is hard and dry when he eats his usual dogfood (beef pro puppy) and when he eats canned dogfood it is somehow wet and soft (maybe because he is adjusting with it).
he is very energetic, loves to run, jump and play around the house and sleeps a lot.
we already took him to the vet and have asked what alternatives we could give him yet he is still picky for dogfoods we bought for him.
thank you so much :) i love your article about your dogs and our sibe looks like your Lara.
Is he drinking normally? What is the quality of his stool? How is his energy level?
To be on the safe side, it is probably best to take him to the vet as soon as possible.
our siberian husky is already 4 months old. we had him when he was 2 months old. he had lost his appetite for weeks and he has been very picky at his choice of food. he eats in small amounts which is unusual for a husky. back then there was no problem for his eating behavior. we are bothered for his behavior.
In terms of walking, what has worked well for my Sibes are a combination of the red-light-green-light technique and the 180 degree turn around technique. Here is more on both leash training methods-
http://shibashake.com/dog/leash-training-your-dog
In terms of being scared of people, desensitization exercises can work well. It trains a dog to focus on us, and helps her to gain confidence by tying the fearful stimulus with positive and successful outcomes. Here is more on people desensitization exercises-
http://shibashake.hubpages.com/_srec/hub/Dog-Anxie
Here is more how to communicate consistently with our dog and retrain behaviors-
http://shibashake.hubpages.com/_srec/hub/Train-a-P
Congratulations on your new family addition and big hugs to your Husky!
Hi, my boyfriend and I adopted a female husky. and we both think that she was in a puppy mill. we rescued her from a house that she was in and when i first saw her she was all dried up, probably never got a bath for a long time, and she doesn't know any commands at all.
i just have a question about the walking part and introducing her to something. she is very scared of people and also she is 4 years old and i think it would be to late to teach her anything that she needs to learn atleast just basic command.
but anyways, she keeps on pulling us and trying to get her collar off which sometimes work. but im wondering about whats the best ideal way to walk her? or atleast train her. one by one or with someone? and i want to introduce her to some toys. she doesnt know any thing that she is supposed to learn when she was young. but if you can reply that would be awesome. i just dont like the way my bf teach her when were walking. thank you and have a nice
Heh - yeah my Sibe puppy used to do that as well. Usually she starts to fuss when she is bored, but is still too excited to go to sleep.
My older Sibe will sometimes whine when it is too hot. We now have a fan blowing directly into her crate and have also gotten her a more airy, wire-frame crate, rather than the more enclosed plastic travel crates.
Hi, we have 3 half month old sibe called Max at night when we go to bed we do our routine of crating him and have done from when we got some times he cries and tries to howl :-) and most times he does not make a sound could there be a reason? We let him out to toilette him
From an accredited breeder they are about $800-$1k in the US.
Accredited breeders are *always* listed on the country Kennel Club or local club breeder directory. Be careful of puppy mills and backyard breeders who try to present themselves as "legitimate".
http://www.aspca.org/fight-animal-cruelty/puppy-mi
Here is more on getting a puppy-
Hey Shibashake!
Great post, really helped me understand Husky's :)
I'm wondering how much a Husky costs, at the places you reccomended?
Hello Joy,
Yeah, both my Sibes love to dig as well. Some things that helped with my Sibes-
1. Long walks every day. We have hills around our neighborhood and they get to dig on the off-trail areas. Having an outlet for their digging needs really help.
2. Digging area in the backyard. I allow them to dig at the back-hilly side of my backyard where there is no grass. I was thinking of setting up a dig pit for them at one time. I train them to only dig in certain areas, and having a place where they can dig helps.
3. As you already described, during training, supervision is key. Sometimes, there may also be great temptations, e.g. when there is a mole or mouse tunnel near the surface. That happened in the winter and both Sibes started digging in the grass. As a result, I had to give them a refresher course and supervise them again to not dig in the grass area.
I don't usually stay out. I just watch them from inside the house from time to time, and knock on the window when I catch them going to nose in the tunnel area. I find that once I catch them a few times, they think I am watching them all the time. After a bit, I tapered off on the supervision.
Making them work for all of their food also helps.
http://shibashake.com/dog/best-dog-toys
Big hugs to your Sibes. Let us know how it goes.
Hi, I have 2 sib husk, one I rescued from a shelter the other is the daughter. 2yrs and 7mnths. They r pretty good dogs and I love them to death. We just recently moved across the US due to my husband being military and so we r renting a house. It has a really big back yard that is fenced. The prob I'm having is that they are digging and my landlord said there was to be none of that. I've been standing outside and for the past couple of months they haven't dug. Just recently they started digging again. So now my back yard looks like a crater. I dont know what to do and my landlord is getting pretty mad. I'm afraid I might have to get rid of them and that would break my heart. Ne suggestions of what to do.
Hello Agnes,
My Sibes are very energetic and need a fair amount of attention and activity throughout the day. This is especially true during puppyhood. They are big time diggers, and can easily escape from the backyard.
Several possibilities-
1. Dog daycare.
2. Pet sitter/walker.
3. Getting a neighbor or friend to come over to help look after puppy.
If we are too busy to deal with a puppy currently, we can also consider placing him in a rescue or good home. There is usually a greater demand for puppies than for an adult dog.
Hello, i'm getting a husky puppy (4 month or so). I'm a bit worried. I went to school at about 6 am and i'm planning to walk him at 4 - 5 am. Is that enough?
Also, i have a long duration schooling, and i'm afraid not being able to give him enough affection. Kinda scared what will happen to him though. I can be coming home like 8 PM sometimes, but normally 3 or 5 PM. Still, i'm worried for him. But i can't cancel getting him anyway. And he's coming to my house at sunday! I'm so worried :(
*bad english, sorry
I agree on the Kong as well. It was the only thing that saved my house and you can put treats or peanut butter inside to keep them interested. My Siberian was never able to destroy his after many years! Great for the teething stage too! :)
Hello Fareena,
When I crate train my dogs, I try to make it into a very positive and rewarding experience. I want them to see the crate as a safe place where they can go to rest or eat.
http://shibashake.hubpages.com/hub/Dog-Anxiety-Fea
I also let my dogs work on a frozen Kong while they are in their crates at night.
Here are some of other things that helped with my Sibe puppy-
Hello Gwen,
Thanks for sharing your Husky story and experiences with us.
"It takes great dedication, but comes with a significant reward to be a great pack leader of a Siberian. 14 years wasn't long enough for a love like that!"
I love this passage. It is exactly how I feel about Shania.
My neighbors are always a bit puzzled as to why I spend so much time with my dogs. I am not sure why they do not see that "14 years isn't long enough".
My husky about 9 months every time I crate him at night now he bites us... What should I do
I recently had to say goodbye to my Siberian companion after 14 years of being best friends. I agree with most of the attributes listed here but wanted to add my experience for anyone that is interested. I got my Husky from a local kennel. They had a wolf kenneled on site seperately. After bringing him home he did not want to interact with anyone but me, even when socializing him. He was amazing with other animals, he thought they all wanted to be his buddy. After a few years he was still shy of strangers and it took him a while to warm up to new friends. He was very protective and only accepting of children within our family. We noticed that he would pace the house to check any noises he heard while we were sleeping. He started getting doggie dementia around 12 years and instead of his tail being curled and perky, it would go straight down, even while out on walks. Working with my vet to keep him happy and to make sure I was doing what was best for him, I was informed that he was like the happy old man that had no idea was going on but still had periods of being alert. I had researched endlessly before getting him and discussed some of the things I noticed with my vet. That's when we realized that somewhere in his 'papered' bloodline there probably was wolf in there based on what I shared about his manorisms and temperament. I trained him and spent a lot of time with him which is probably what made him the great dog he was. Nonetheless I don't believe he displayed the typical traits of a Siberian and want to share my experience so you may be a little more informed on the variance that is possible. Breeder, socialization, nurturing, training and love all play a part in a successful partnership. Depending on the quality of the breeder (which ours was shut down to find out later), you may not always get what you are intending. I wouldn't change my situation in any way as my Siberian was my best friend, my companion and a family member. It has taken me almost a year to get over loosing him and I still miss him deeply everyday. It was the greatest bond I have ever had in my life and it has been harder for me than any loss I have experienced. I would recommend Siberians to anyone wanting a great challenge and a richer experience in loving life. An active lifestyle is required or they can get bored and destructive when trying to prove a point. It takes great dedication, but comes with a significant reward to be a great pack leader of a Siberian. 14 years wasn't long enough for a love like that! Good luck, and I hope you find whatever you are looking for in a companion. I found an unparalleled love I will never forget.
Hello Shauna,
Congratulations on your new Sibe puppy! She sounds like a very smart and active girl.
"how am i meant to house train her?"
With my Sibes, I make sure to reward them very well with food, affection, and games when they potty outside. When they potty inside, I no-mark them (Ack-Ack) to let them know that this is not a desirable behavior. Then I interrupt their potty, and take them outside.
It they continue outside, then they get praised and rewarded. This teaches them that -
Going Outside = Food, Attention, Games
Going Inside = Get interrupted and taken outside.
Consistency is key. Once I was consistent about supervising them, and bringing them outside, they quickly learned to do the right thing.
Here is more on my potty training experiences-
http://shibashake.com/dog/puppy-potty-training-fac
In terms of breeding, it is not something I have much experience in. I will ask my Sibe breeder and see what she says.
Hello Tracy,
Thanks for sharing your Husky's story with us. He sounds like a very happy and lucky boy!
"Huskies like all dogs are a big commitment but they are fantastic pets if you are prepared to put in the positive reinforcement training they need."
Very well said! Couldn't agree more.
Hello,I have recently got my loving husky pup (Diesel) I live on a farm and have another collie dog called (Roxy) roxy is a house dog and because of Dies's high prey she isnt allowed to stay inside either. However Diesel stays around the farm which includes, Sheep, lamas, cows,horses and chickens..The only thing i have ever seen her kill is piegons. She enjoys digging and mostly going on adventures in the car/lorry/tractor/digger..anywhere you go she wants to. Diesel is currently off the leach during the day and is free to run around an open area. She is 20weeks old. The only problem i have with her is, i cant get her to do things on command apart from coming over when called. She wont sit (even for food) instead she will jump about. She has sort of trained her self outside like she only uses the toliet outside, in the near further i want to bring her into the household (im building my own house as we speek) so how am i meant to house train her? I also want to bred her as she has gogerous markings but I not sure that even if i wait for a couple of years (until she 3years old) that she will still be a good mother. how do i help encourage this?
Loved reading all the comments. I have a two year old husky whom I've had since three months old. I have taken him to dog training classes from the time I bought him and he is in the advanced class now. I let him off lead during walks and he loves to run, mostly he will come back when called but ignores me if he sees another dog! He gets on well with my 8yr old springer and the 12yr old yorkie keeps him in place! He is great with my 3yr old grandchild and has an excellent temperment. He had a very sensitive tummy and after talking to another husky owner we now give him dried food and two raw chicken wings a day. Must say it has worked wonders! He loves to play, digs, chews shoes and loves interactive toys. He is very food orientated. Huskies like all dogs are a big commitment but they are fantastic pets if you are prepared to put in the positive reinforcement training they need.
Desensitization exercises can help with fear and various anxieties.
I adopted a 3 year old female sibe from our local humane society. She doesn't really fit the breed behaviors. She was aggressive with our chocolate lab. She attacked the lab and ripped her side. She seems afraid of people and growls at children. She also isn't very vocal. Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can help her feel more secure and how I can help her around children.
My dogs will sometimes try to groom each other. I find though, if I keep them well brushed especially when they blow their undercoat, that they feel less of a need to do it themselves. Swallowing too much fur can also lead to coughing and discomfort.
Over-grooming can sometimes also be a displacement behavior. Exercise, games, making them work for their food, and obedience exercises can help to keep them occupied.
**HELP PLEASE**: We have two 2 year old Siberian Huskies and have found now two winter's in a row that the more dominant of the two (Max) has pulled off a good portion of the other one (Gemma's)coat. She now only has ~25% of her outer coat on her back. Neither of them are agressive and Max leaves her coat alone in the summer. He tends to do it when they are alone, we very rarely catch him doing it. We have tried sour apray and even cayenne pepper but it hs not stopped him. We are thinking of getting her a dog jacket to cover her back up but deep down we know they will just chew it up. Has anyone else had this experience or heard of it??? Please leave any thoughts - we live in northern NH and she really needs her coat, now it gets matted with snow and she gets cold.
Congratulations on your new husky puppy!
"How can I teach her to be gentle with smaller dogs?"
Yeah both my Sibes also like to play rough. When I first got puppy Lara, I kept her on a leash (only with flat collar) while she was playing with my other dogs. This helps to keep excitement under control, and it also allowed me to stop her from playing too rough with my tripod dog Shania.
Every time she is too rough, I non-mark her (Ack-ack) and stop play. Then she has to do some obedience commands before play continues.
I still supervise my dogs during play and have lots of small breaks in-between so that things don't get too energetic. Here is more on my experiences with introducing a new dog to my other dogs-
http://shibashake.com/dog/second-dog-introducing-a
As for recall training, what seems to work with my Sibes is to start small and then reward them really well when they come to me. I make sure they know I have some good food, then I just move one step away, call to them, make a bunch of noise, and move a lot. This will usually get puppy excited and want to move toward me. When she does, I make a big deal of it, and treat her very well. Sometimes I also play a fun game with her.
A common mistake that people make with recall training, is that they will call their dog to them and then punish him, or forcibly put him in his crate. This teaches a dog to stay away rather than come to us.
To get my dogs to come, I try to make sure that the recall command is ~always~ associated with something very positive, fun, and rewarding.
Hugs to Jade!
I recently got a husky pup she is now nine weeks old, she loves to play and run around and she is really smart already knowing how to sit lay down and come up on command, she even plays fetch already. I find it kind of difficult to keep her from being rough with my moms dog who is full grown and smaller than Jade. How can I teach her to be gentle with smaller dogs? also, I'm trying to teach her to come when I call, any suggestions?
i have an 10 week old husky it only takes someone to walk past him and he bites you really hard even when we play with him he seems to want to bite us instead of biting his bone or his toy how can i stop him biting
Hello Melissa,
1. Biting - What has helped with my Sibe puppies is bite inhibition training. Puppies usually start learning this from their mom and siblings. This is one of the reasons why breeders generally keep puppies together until they are about 8 weeks old.
http://shibashake.com/dog/bite-inhibition
At the same time, I also teach them not to bite on people. Here is what I do -
http://shibashake.hubpages.com/_srec/hub/Train-a-P
2. Potty training
A big part of potty training depends on what the puppy is used to at the breeders house. Some breeders potty train their puppies, some let puppies go on puppy pads, and sometimes, puppies are just left with their business without clean-up. The last group will take more effort to potty train.
With my Sibe puppy Lara, supervision was really very important. I had to supervise her all the time when she is roaming around the house. If I don't have time to supervise, I tether her in the kitchen. As soon as it looks like she is about to go, I take her outside. If she starts to go, I interrupt her and take her outside for her to finish. Then I praise her a lot, treat her, and play a really fun game with her.
With puppy Lara, I found that she really needs to pee after short amounts of play-time. I usually take them out after about 10-15 minutes of play. I also take her out when she wakes up. When she has been outside for a while and wants to come in, I usually take her to her potty spot first, and remind her to potty, just in case she needs to. Then she comes in.
Here is more on my potty training experiences-
http://shibashake.com/dog/puppy-potty-training-fac
3. Food Aggression
It is important to train a puppy not to be food aggressive. My Sibes are very food focused so I did a fair amount of food exercises with them when they were puppies.
http://shibashake.com/dog/stop-food-aggression-sto
Here are a few extra things that helped me a lot while bringing up a puppy-
we recently got a Husky puppy. She was six weeks when we got her and we have had her for just over 4 weeks. I have several concerns.
1: I have 3 kids. They are 12, 3, and 6 months. Our puppy Kovey is extremely aggressive with them and us. She constantly bites and to be honest she has drawn blood, even on our 6 month old. I have told her "no" sternly, but she just doesn't stop. My 3 year old is to the point that he is scared of her and I am getting extremely frustrated. We can't even pet her with out her growling and lunging for our faces and hands.
2. She will not get house broken. I understand that we've only had her for a short time and that its not going to happen over night but what I don't understand is, she will be outside playing for a half hour and the minute she comes in she makes a mess. Also, she will go 4 or 5 times in a very short amount of time. She does not attempt to let us know that she has to go and only whines after its done. Once again, I tell her thats naughty and I usually put her back outside but sometimes I put her in her kennel for a few minutes. She does not like to be by herself and I was hoping that she would put the two together.
3: When she is eating, if my kids even go by her, she starts to growl.
I guess what im asking is if I need to worry about my children? I realized that I should've researched Husky dogs but I went off of the word of the person I bought her from. What do we do to stop the biting and how do we get her house trained? Are they normally house trained by 10 weeks? I have no idea what we're doing wrong. When she does go outside I make sure I reward and tell her she what a good dog she is. Also,Im concerned that the bigger she gets the more aggressive she is going to be and the harder she is going to bite. Obviously my kids are my first priority and I need to make sure they are going to be safe. My husband tells she is just being a puppy and she will grow out of it, but im not so sure. Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks so much!
"how to teach a Siberian to give paw? what gestures should I do and when should I reward?"
With puppy Lara I first got her to do a Sit. Then, I just said "Paw" and then lifted her paw. Then I praise and treat. I repeat this a few times.
Then I say "Paw" and just put my hand there next to her paw, but I don't lift it. If she lifts the paw on her own, I make a really really big deal out of it, and give her a big bonus reward. Then I repeat a few more times and do something else before she gets bored.
If she does not lift the paw after a certain duration, then I go back to lifting the paw and reinforcing the behavior with rewards. I make sure to stop before she gets bored so that she is always interested in working and doing commands.
Add: In terms of the nippiness, what has worked with my Sibes is bite inhibition training.
Hello Nadia,
Congratulations on your new Sibe puppy!
In terms of the eating, what seems to work well with all my dogs is to make them work for all of their food. I use their regular kibble rations for obedience training, grooming, play, and socialization. If there is food left over, I put them in interactive toys so they have to work for that too.
Interactive toys are great because it not only exercises a dog mentally, but it also controls the speed at which they can eat the food.
Here are some of my experiences with interactive food toys-
http://shibashake.com/dog/best-dog-toys
Frozen Kongs are good, and I also like the Premier Busy Buddy toys. Always be careful to supervise and make sure the toy is safe and not a choking hazard.
Hello Jennifer,
"As in, do they need constant supervision while at home? Or can you off and do your own thing for a bit?"
With Shania and Lara, I can definitely do my own thing. As long as they get a nice walk every day (I am currently walking them for about 1.5 hours), they are pretty good about keeping themselves occupied for most of the day. During puppy-hood though, I had to keep a much closer eye on them.
http://shibashake.com/dog/a-new-puppy-first-10-day
I have a section in the backyard that is not landscaped, and they dig there for earth critters. They also play chasing games with each other, and sometimes I throw some kibble for them and they have fun searching for it in bushes, etc. They also have chew toys outside, and they will also pull down branches from trees and bushes to chew on.
I am usually home, so I look in on them from time to time. Sometimes they catch a mouse or bird, and I don't really want them eating it. Otherwise, I have left them home alone for about 2-3 hours at a time. I did not do this until puppy Lara got a bit older, bigger, and a bit calmer.
I am probably more on the "helicopter-parent" side though. :D Part of this is because Shania is a three legged dog so I want to make sure the other two dogs do not overwhelm her.
how to teach a Siberian to give paw? what gestures should I do and when should I reward?
I currently got a 7 week old Siberian. She is about 9 weeks now and you are very correct about commands she learned them in the first 5 tries with reward and now she does them without reward. I have a concern with eating. I have a weimeraner and I use to have another one and he ate too fast and his stomach flipped and he passed away, because of how energetic he was. Also he would growl at us if we came near him while eating. When I got my second one we played in her food when she was a puppy while eating and now she is very relaxed and calm about us in and near her food. My concern is with my Siberian. I try to play in her food but she gets nippy. and if I'm in her food or not she eats incredibly fast and then wants to play after. From bad expierence this scares me, I can control playing after but how do I control the eating so aggressively? I also have cats and if they did that we just put large rocks in the food bowl that couldnt be swallowed and that worked.. is there any technique to help with a dog though?
My family is interested in getting a husky and I was wondering, how long can Sibes unsupervised? As in, do they need constant supervision while at home? Or can you off and do your own thing for a bit? And I was also wondering what the maximum time frame would be to keep one unsupervised, as well as some ideas to help keep him busy when unaccompanied?
"next purchase: cross-training shoes"
LOL. Yeah Sibes are great dogs and an awesome way to get in-shape. :D
Congratulations on your new Sibe.
I'll be trading some motorcycle gears for a 3-year old sibe, I dunno how that will turn out, but our family has had dogs almost as long as we owned houses...good thing I found this site...really helped a lot. next purchase: cross-training shoes
Hello Pinky12,
Here are some of my experiences on how to stop puppy biting-
Hello Niviam,
Both breeds have their pros and cons. Here are some of my observations of my Shiba and Siberians.
my sibe's is 3months old and she bites a little bit crazy for what so ever reason. how can i get read for her crazy bite on me???
I can not decide ... :-( Shiba Inu or Husky? XD
"in his words dont trust the pretty face"
LOL! I'm a sucker for pretty faces, especially the furry kind. :D
shiba inu's are beautiful dogs, my neighbor has one and hes says the same as you. in his words dont trust the pretty face lol.
"he hate being brushed and i couldnt find it and sure enough the little jerk face hid it on me."
LOL! Gotta love dogs.
If you really want an extremely sneaky dog that is stubborn beyond belief, check out the Shiba Inu.
My Sibes are pretty stubborn, but they usually give up the ghost when they see that it is not getting them anywhere. Shiba knows no surrender and will fight till the bitter end! :D
Hello KINZAN91,
Thanks for sharing your Sibe stories with us.
"When I need to calm him down for whatever reason, I just pick him up (all 60 lbs) and he just settles down in my arms for a minute."
That just sounds adorable. Definitely take a picture and share it with us! :D
Hugs to Dosha. He sounds like a very awesome dog.
i wish i knew all of this before i got eddie lol and i got him from the worst place i got him from a pet store i know i know but i felt like i saved him because he was in a tiny little cage and he was 4 months old, but hes been great and the love that he gives us its as he if knows. but in the beginning the first time i left him alone (i dont believe in cages, so he roamed about)he tore my couch apart, but hes come a long way from that. i feel like huskies are so smart but they are so stobborn that we sometimes dont notice. they are sneeks too i cant tell you what i found under his blanket lol he hate being brushed and i couldnt find it and sure enough the little jerk face hid it on me.
Hello Shibashake, I am on my 4th Siberian. My 1st two were brothers, six months apart. The 1st (Kinzan) died at 12 yrs old of spleenic sarcoma. My second, Sasha, died in my arms at 15 1/2 - It was his time. I was trying to take him to the vet and I didn't make it. My 3rd, Layla (my only female), I had to put down at about 10-11 years old in Feb 2010. I think she had a stroke over Xmas 2009. The vet wanted to put her down right away and I held off for two months. Layla's blue eyes were gorgeous. Very sweet temperment. I've had Dosha since Labor Day 2010 - he might have some mix in him, but he's almost all white with 1 blue and 1 brown eye. I rescued him from someone who had to move into an apt. I really liked the fact that she had a 4 year old boy. So Dosha (now 3 yrs old) has grown up with kids, which I wanted. Loves people, I call him my doorbell. Tells me every night between 9 pm and Midnight that it's walk time. When I need to calm him down for whatever reason, I just pick him up (all 60 lbs) and he just settles down in my arms for a minute. Whenever anyone comes over (and since I work from home, I get a lot), he's there to greet everyone. I just need to get him from jumping up on everyone and saying hi.
To anyone considering a Siberian - great family dog, relatively clean (except for the shedding - Hi my name is Shedding Dog); best antidepressant I could ever come up with - be aware of the negative - needs exercise, large backyard, lousy guard dog, hates cats - but their zest for life holds no bounds; you won't go wrong.
Hello Haley,
"is one walk every day or every other day enough?"
I take my Sibes out every day for at least 1.5 hours. At home, they play with each other, play with me, and get some nice digging action in the backyard.
They get more active in colder weather and are more lazy in the summer. However, they really want/need to go out every day.
Hello Richard,
A good way to get a pure-bred Siberian Husky is to go to a registered AKC breeder.
http://thedoginc.com/siberian-husky-puppies
Here is the Siberian Husky breeder referral list from the Siberian Husky Club of America -
my parents are thinking about getting a husky, we have a big backyard that it can play in but is one walk every day or every other day enough?
Hey I am planing on getting a husky but how do I know if they are full breed puppy's thanks
Hello Roldan,
The amount I feed my Sibe is based on the type of food, age, and also on weight. Usually, I use the amount it says on the kibble/food packaging as a general guideline.
As for frequency of feeding, I distribute my Sibe puppy's food throughout the day for obedience exercises, grooming, playing, etc. What is left over I make into frozen Kongs - which are very useful for getting my Sibe puppy to calm down before taking a nap.
From talking to my breeder, she recommends feeding puppies at least 3 times a day. Once puppy grows up, this can be reduced to 2 times a day - which is what I do with my adult dogs.
how many times do i have to feed her??? 2 times a day or 3.? and how many grams do i have to give to my sibes every meal time??? thank you...
Thanks for the advice.. my sibes has already a complete vaccine.. and what is the proper feeding for a 3 months sibes???? up to 1yr old???? thanks again by the way im from the philippines...
Hello Cian,
It sounds good to me. With my Sibes, as long as they get regular walks and play time they are pretty happy. I take them out for about 1.5-2 hours daily.
Be aware though that puppies are susceptible to diseases that may be passed through dog poop, other animal poop, contaminated water, etc. I only started walking my puppy Lara around the neighborhood after she was fully vaccinated. Before that I did leash training with her in the backyard and also in puppy class.
Also, both my Sibes really love to dig, so if you have prize plants or prize roses in the backyard, they may need to be fenced up. :)
Where are you planning to get your Husky from?
hi. im 15 and we are 95% getting a husky in january (after the busy christmas period) we havnt the biggest garden, its not small but im worried do huskys need a lot of space ? we live in a very safe neighbourhood and we would bring the dog for at the least two long walks a day, will this be enough for the husky? me my brother and sister would walk her at every chance we get.
Hello CShea,
"do sibes do well indoors? Are they happy/comfortable inside?"
It depends to some degree on age of the Sibe, individual temperament, temperature, as well as type and length of activity.
My Sibes are not as active in the summer time, and like being in the house when it is hot outside. During the winter, they enjoy being outside more of the time.
Also, Sibe puppies are a lot more active and will require more activity, play time, and off-lead time in an enclosed space.
With my current Sibe puppy Lara, she usually comes in the house to play with my other dogs. She will also sleep in the house for a few hours after our daily walk. At night, she sleeps in the house for about 8 hours. Other than that, she likes being outside prowling around, digging, etc.
My adult Sibe (over 4 years old) stays in the house for much longer periods of time. After our morning walk, she is happy to rest and relax in the house until afternoon time.
The key thing is that Siberians do love to run. With my Sibes, as long as they get enough running time in an enclosed space, as well as their on-leash daily walk, they are happy to be inside the house.
Hello Roldan,
"he poops inside our house and when i want to walk with her she's not going after me"
Here are some of my potty training experiences-
http://shibashake.com/dog/dog-potty-training-facts
I would also consider taking her to the vet for her vaccination shots and a quick exam to make sure she is physically healthy.
It may take a while before puppy understands the routine in the house and what is expected of her. After some reward training and good quality time spent together, she will soon be following you around. :)
Congratulations on your new Siberian Husky puppy!
After good training and a plenty of monitored time outside, do sibes do well indoors? Are they happy/comfortable inside?
im a new owner of sibes she's just 3 months old. and im having problem with her because he poops inside our house and when i want to walk with her she's not going after me is that a sign of lazy or what help me plss...
and by the way this site helps a lot for a new owner of sibes like me thnx to you. you give a lot of information about sibes.....
Thank you so much:) I love her so much she is so loving and a ton of fun so it's great but the biting needs to stop. It's great to get advice from another sibe owner. Much appreciated, take care
Hello Stephanie,
In general, when my puppy bites, I try to stay calm and not move around too much. Motion is very exciting to a puppy, so fast hand movement will likely get puppy even more hyper.
With my puppy Lara, I first started with bite inhibition training. This trains a dog to control the force of her bites which is a very useful skill.
http://shibashake.com/dog/bite-inhibition
Then, after Lara has good bite inhibition, I train her stop biting. When she bites, I non-mark her (No or Ack, ack) and get her to do something else (e.g. bite on a toy or do some other command).
If she ignores me and continues, then I withdraw my attention by standing by, folding my arms, and turning away from her.
If she stops biting, then I reward her by giving her attention again. If she does not stop, and keeps jumping and biting at my clothes, then I say timeout and take her to a quiet timeout area for a short amount of time.
Here are a couple of articles on my puppy biting experiences-
http://shibashake.com/dog/puppy-biting-how-to-stop
http://shibashake.hubpages.com/_srec/hub/How-to-st
Congratulations on your new Sibe puppy! Both my Sibes also love to lick faces and do chin nibbling. :D
I meant lick not kick haha
My 14 week old Siberian husky is so sweet, she loves to play, but she will jump up on me and kick me like crazy and starts biting, I dont think she means any harm but it can hurt when she goes too far. How do I get ger to stop biting? I've tried yelling "ow!!" and pulling hands away etc. But it doesn't work, I've tried sternly saying "no!!" still nothing.. Please help
It could be.
My Sibes dig even though we don't have snow here. They usually dig a hole and then sit in it.
Most often though, they dig to hunt for earth critters.
My Shiba Inu even digs on the carpet when he wants to find a sleeping spot. It is probably a den instinct/behavior.
Hugs to Schanook. Gotta love huskies!
Hey, i have a 2 year old sibe husky named Schanook, and well, he suddenly started digging, im guessing its because its winter here in germany, so getting ready for the snow?
Hello Steven,
Yeah, they can be trained to only dig in certain areas. For example, my backyard has a portion that is landscaped with nice grass, and then a back portion that is wild. Both my Huskies are trained not to dig in the nice grass area.
However, the training does require a fair amount of supervision, especially initially. In general, I would stay outside with my Sibe puppy *every time* she goes out. If she tries to dig, I non-mark her and get her to do something else. If she ignores me and tries to dig anyway, she loses her backyard privileges (she has to come back in the house.)
Consistency is key and it takes a fair amount of time and effort because we must "catch them in the act". If we are not there when they are doing the digging, then scolding them afterward will not do anything because they will not know which behavior they are being scolded for.
can you control how much digging they do? i want a husky so bad but my parents have a pretty good amount of flowers and i dont want to mess it up for them.
As I understand it, a Husky's markings are based on the dog's parents (it is based on genetics). Some breeders may breed for specific types of markings, but the Siberian Husky conformation standard does not require a particular marking pattern (i.e., all markings are acceptable).
In terms of function, I am not sure if there is any. A wolf's coat helps with camouflage, so our domestic dogs have inherited some of that.
"Domestic dogs often display the remnants of countershading, a common natural camouflage pattern."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coat_(dog)
In terms of health, coloring and markings do not play a big role, if any.
"Color breeding while fascinating and exasperating, is the least important factor in the production of high quality animals. "
Why huskies have diffirrent markings.
Hello Jad,
Yeah my Sibe also wants to chase small dogs especially if the small dog is moving a lot and running.
One thing that helped when I got a new puppy was that I put the small dog on a leash when she was together with my Sibe. That way I can keep the small dog with me and when my Sibe comes over I can teach her to be gentle and not overwhelm puppy.
Here are some of the other things that I do to help my dogs get along at home -
http://shibashake.com/dog/second-dog-introducing-a
I also visited several professional trainers when I first got my dogs. A trainer can observe the dogs and see what is triggering particular behaviors - whether the bite is in play or something else.
In terms of my Husky's coat, I don't do too much. I just brush it regularly with a Furminator, and that is enough to remove undercoat and keep it clean. Flaxseed oil or fish oil can also help improve dry or dull coat, but I would do some research on it first and consult with a vet before adding anything to a dog's diet.
I am 12 years old and I have a husky and a beagle.My husky "Chichi" had a prey drive with my beagle "Chookzy" when they are in a run Chichi bit Chookzy and her eyes swollen. I want to ask a question about how to prevent this again.
I bring them out sometimes after school for maybe 30 min. is that OK for a husky?And my last question, How can you make a husky fur very beautiful?
shibashake Hub Author 6 days ago
Yeah, my younger Sibe Lara got tapeworms end of last year. We treated it and it went away for a while. Then she got reinfected again. Likely it is from hunting mice and other rodents.
This time the vet gave her Drontal and she reacted badly to the medication. She vomited a couple of times, and became lethargic. Luckily it passed pretty quickly.
I did some research into the FDA experiments on the drug and found that those were not uncommon side effects. Nevertheless, I am going to look at other treatment options. The vet techs sometimes gloss over possible side effects, so this has taught me to do as much research as I can, and then always push them for more serious answers.
Big hugs to Marlee! Smarts and good looks are always a killer combination. :D
Love the ball-tap potty training idea.