Five Things You Should Know Before Adopting a Siberian Husky
93Six months ago I fell in love with a beautiful girl. She was sweet and shy. She had the most beautiful blue eyes I've ever seen and a tongue that was as soft as velvet. She was a 3 year old Siberian Husky. I was at an animal adoption event for PAWS Chicago www.pawschicago.org. a no-kill animal shelter where I had been volunteering for the past few years. Her name was Meika and she and I bonded during that 4-hour event. I petted her, brushed her coat and took her outside for walks. She followed me and seemed upset when one of the other volunteers took her leash from me. I was very tempted to adopt her that day but I lived in an apartment that did not allow dogs. My husband and I had decided that we would be moving in a couple months to a house where we would be able to keep a dog. It was just a case of bad timing. One of the other volunteers said that he would be willing to keep Meika at his place for the 6 weeks or so until I could take her to our new home. I declined, thinking that this just wasn't the right time. I went home without a dog, not really sure if I had made the right decision.
Meika
One week later, I went again to a PAWS adoption event and there she was. Meika recognized me immediately and greeted me wagging her beautiful fluffy Husky tail. In addition, the same guy who had volunteered to foster her was there. Noticing the bond that had developed between Meika and me, he again offered to keep her for me until we had our house. This time, I agreed.
We already had 3 cats at home, and I was a little concerned about introducing Meika to them, but she showed no interest in the cats that were at the adoption event, so I thought she and the cats would work things out on their own. I have never owned a Husky before so I had a few things to learn. The introduction did not go well. Now, six months later, she and the cats are still kept separated.
I really was surprised about how little I knew about Huskies when I got Meika. If you or someone you know is considering adopting a Husky, you might want to read on. Here are the top five things I wish someone had told me before I got a Siberian Husky
- 1. Huskies are bred to run and run and run and run. They cannot be trusted off-leash. This drive to run is so strong, many of them become escape artists, jumping over fences or digging under them. So far Meika has gotten out of the yard twice. Both times it took a lot of time and effort (and some ham) .to capture her. Huskies do not come when called if they are loose. Or they will come until they are just out of your reach and stop, knowing you can't catch them. As soon as you move toward them, they run again. They will then look back at you with that mocking Husky smile - they know they can outrun anyone. It's all a fun game to them.
- 2. Huskies have a strong prey drive and love to chase small animals including squirrels, birds, and CATS. It was after Meika came home that I started doing some real research on the breed (I admit that I should have done that first). I found a lot of sources that confirmed that Huskies rarely live peacefully with cats. I got a message from one Husky owner who said that her Husky lived with her cat for 7 years. Then she came home one day and the dog had killed the cat. Yikes! This led to a major lifestyle change. We have quite a complex routine at our house involving rotating the animals. During the day the cats are confined while the dog is loose, at night it's the reverse. It's not how I thought things would be when I got a dog, but it's worth it to keep the peace (and keep the cats alive and healthy).
- 3. Huskies are "Independent Thinkers." That's the phrase that the trainer used when I took Meika for basic obedience training. Huskies don't generally do very well in obedience training or competitions. I definitely don't think it's because they aren't smart enough. I believe that Huskies are actually so smart they don't blindly obey commands in anticipation of a Liv-a-Snap. They think about it and decide if it's worth it for them to obey. Sometimes they decide it's not. See above re: Huskies not coming when called if they are loose. When this was pointed out to me, I suddenly realized that I've never seen a Husky acting as a service dog for the handicapped, or a police dog, or even participating in agility competitions that I see on Animal Planet. Now I understood why.
- 4. Huskies do not make good guard dogs. I wasn't interested in getting a guard dog, but I guess I did expect my dog to bark when the doorbell rings. Meika doesn't even wake up when we come home or someone that she doesn't know comes over. She greets everyone as if they are her best friend (maybe the bond I thought we had when I first met her was her Husky friendliness).
- 5. Siberian Huskies shed a LOT. Of course I knew that Huskies shed. They have those thick fur coats that protect them while they run through the Tundra. It's not until you own a Husky while it "blows out its coat," that you realize how much fur they have and how much of it comes out at one time.
- 6. O.K. - I know I said there were five things but I had to add one more. Huskies are sweet, happy, comical and friendly dogs that are fun to be with and even more fun to share your life with. They might not be "robot dogs" who do everything you say or one of those low-maintenance dogs who don't leave piles of fur on your floor, but I wouldn't trade mine for any cat loving, perfectly obedient, non-shedding, doorbell barking, off leash walking dog in the world!
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I agree. Sometimes we can see Meika doing her own "cost-benefit analysis" in her head before decidong if she wants to do what we ask.
My sweet Sierra is the best thing that has ever walked into my house, after my fiance of course!! She definitely doesn't do what she doesn't want to do, and unfortunately that includes the kennel!
I think your readers would like reading this one too:
http://hubpages.com/hub/Three-things-about-Huskies
Thanks for featuring my hubs!! Husky Owners of Hubpages unite! hehe
I am actually in the process of training Keisha, a siberian husky to become my new guide/service dog. My current guide dog, Sophie is a yellow lab and I am training Keisha to have her ready for when Sophie decides to retire. Keisha will be both my guide dog (I'm blind), and my service dog (I'm also a quadriplegic). I picked a siberian husky because they are "free thinkers" and they need to be able to decide when to do things when it is safe to do them (intelligent disobedience), otherwise your guide dog could walk you out into traffic because it just listened to your command without thinking about it first.
I added my website about Keisha's training to my last comment but it didn't show up. If anyone is interested you can read more here: www.siberianservicedog.wordpress.com
Thanks, Kim! I've never seen a Husky being used as a service dog. I just assumed they were too independent to do it. I'm excited to see that they can be service dogs. I'd love to get updates on how you and Keisha are doing. I also checked out your site. Keisha is beautiful - and so is Sophie!
Very nice list of all the Sibe traits. I have a tripod Sibe so the pull, pull, pull thingy gets to be a bit tricky with her. Other than that she is such a sweetheart. My other dog is a Shiba Inu. I think they are the EXTREME independent thinkers of dogdom. Words cannot really describe how stubborn and strong-willed the Shiba is.
To the don't leave them off the leash in open space I agree 100% mine took off like a rocket (i wanted to teach him to fetch (lmao he is no lab)).... but i remembered something that I had read somewhere and called him, yelled easy by, stop, hoa (scootering calls i had thought him) he didn't stop he stopped looked at me, smiled and continued runnin, i turned the other way and ran as fast as i could, and he began to chase me instead.... i reversed the chase game... and it worked but i wouldn't suggest unlocking the leash in a park
What a wonderful Hub! Me and my Husband are planning on moving to a bigger home soon and we are wanting to purchase our first own family dog. The one dog who is just a part of the family. We have not picked the breed yet however Husky was on the list. I am glad I read this!
so what you are saying is that huskys are NOT a good dog own and dont get one i have always wonted a husky now you have fully put me off getting one i was going to use it for all sorts of things even duck shooting the way i think about it is that a dogwill do anythink for you as long as you train it rite
I have a 3yr old male husky and this is SPOT ON!! If you don't want these traits in a dog, do NOT get a husky. This is why so many end up in shelters - ppl who don't know what they are getting into. A Husky can also be very destructive if it is not getting enough attention or exercise - they are pack animals and do not do well alone for long periods of time. All that said, i wouldn't trade my husky for anything!
We have a Siberian mix we got from a rescue and has many traits you describe. Our previous dog was a Husky/shepherd mix which looked like a Husky but had the size of the German shepherd. I read somewhere that Siberian Huskies were bred for the independent quality. The reason being that if a sled driver did something stupid like want to cross a body of water that is not safe the dog would sense the danger and refuse to go,
dan- I am NOT saying don't get a Husky. I am saying that if you are considering getting a Husky, be prepared for the traits that I described. I absolutely disagree with you that any dog can be trained for anything. Specific breeds were bred for specific characteristics. A Husky would not be a good dog for duck hunting. Get a retriever for that.
They are definately smart enough to train, but I think the earlier you begin the training the better off you are. You really need to start training them when they are puppies if you are looking for a super obedient dog...that way they don't know any different. Your dog wants to make you happy. It is good to inform people. Sometimes people fall in love with the idea of a dog and think they are all the same, but a dog like a child required disapline and attention. If you can't put the time and effort in, than get a lap dog, cats, or goldfish...they require much less.
I know quite a few dog breeds pretty well when it comes to the facts, but surprisingly the Siberian husky just isn't one of those dogs breeds that I know much about, so I definitely just learned a thing or two on this breed of dog.
By the way your dog Meika looks so beautiful, and her eyes are seriously just so stunning.
I love your article. I think it is great that you got to adopt Meika and I hope she is now doing well in your home. My first Siberian Husky I got as a puppy and he grew up with cats. One day I let them both out at the same time and he got ahold of my cat ..only my Sibe came back inside. I never thought that it would happen because he had been around them his whole life. Now I have owned 4 Huskies and I will never own any small animals again. I know you can train a dog not to do something but it's there instinct and I don't want to risk it.
Me an my wife just got a husky mix jan 1. She is 13 weeks old now and I see the traits in her already. I am a little worried about the cats thing. We have two cats but introduced them right away. Hoping Sofie will look at the cats as part of her pack but only time will tell. We always crate sofie when we are not around and the cats are good at hiding if sofie get a little rough, She does want to play with them though. But I love huskies and I agree, research before getting one. I did and knew what I was getting into, but for some reason that really didnt prepare me 100% But so far she is wonderful.
I own three Siberian Huskies, I also volunteer for a local husky rescue and I can tell your article was spot on. Although a husky is most likely one of the most "human" like dogs you can find, with that comes the fact that they are very head strong and independent. I like to say that a husky is much like a toddler on steroids. Great work keep it up.
I also have a hub your readers might enjoy http://hubpages.com/hub/How-to-train-a-husky-to-li as an added note the pretty little girl in the picture is our newest adoption.
Absolutely spot on depiction of a Husky! We have a Siberian Husky crossed with a Norwegian Elkhound. She is the SMARTEST little monkey in the world, but thankfully she gets on really well with my cats & isn't an escape artist. We are lucky in those respects :)
after writing my hub i found yours... good to see we're on the same page. :)
Great hub and those are definitely things prospective huskies owners should know. Those wanting a dog, especially, one of a particular breed needs to do some research before getting one. Lack of research leads many dog or many breeds to end up in shelters, changing homes over and over again, sometimes this can even cost a dog its life.
We have a 9 month old husky we got from a re-home when he was 6 months. We also have cats. Now Kuma my husky is fairly good with the cats but I NEVER fully trust him. He is not an off lead dog since my yard is not fenced so his is never nor will he ever be off lead around the cats.
I have had two husky's, one died last christmas, and she was probably the best dog anyone could ever ask for, she was very much a guard dog but only when other dogs came into the yard, she was a very good listener when she was on the leash, and me and my parents just adopted an 8 week old puppy cute as can be, her and her brother and sisters where left for death on the side of the highway, and a girl and her husband took all 7 of them in and cared and loved them for 6 weeks , they really are miracle puppies, she is very fast and hyper puppies with losts of energy she gets along with other dogs very well. I am so very happy that we got her shes an amazing puppy and cant wait to see her grow up and she will be seeing her brothers and sisters all the time , (:
Hi- I have a husky he is only 14 months, but he is amazing. He has been the smartest dog I have ever seen, any trick I would teach him he learned in 5 minutes. He is very protective over me, he doesn't like anyone near me that he isn't confortable with. He is also an escape artist! Can't keep him anywhere! He can open the doors in our house!! :) He is amazingly awesome with children. There is one thing that we can't seem to understand. He will only let female dogs eat from his bowl. He is very territorial. I guess he is the alpha male. But I will def be getting a girl soon!! :) They are very smart!! :)
It's hard for me to read this and not say something. My Husky just turned 6yrs old this past December and because of "consistent" training he is the best pet ever. I can go jogging with him without a leash and he stays with me, he may start to run off but with a strong command he is right back on my side. My home has a wooded area and a farm behind my house and I let my husky run wild almost everyday on his own and he always comes back. Most of the time he just hangs out on the front porch watching the cars go by. What I've learned is that huskies are pack dogs and must have a family presence. Ever since I got Kaden as a puppy I've treated him as my child(within reason). If you get a husky and leave him outside all the time or locked up, don't expect him to respect you as an owner which is probably why most people have poor experiences with their husky. My point is if you plan to have a husky he should be a part of your family not just something you buy food for and take on an occasional walk. Treat him with respect and he will without question be your most loyal friend.
It sounds like u need to train her.....i have a 5yr old husky that I starting training at a year in a half and he never runs away and comes when I call off leash everytime
We have a 1 year old Husky and she's an amazing dog. She doesn't bark at anything except intruders (found out the hard way) and people who are smoking. She comes when she's called 95% of the time. If we're reprimanding her though she will look around, which makes it hard to stay mad because its so funny. We run with her off leash at our house and she's off her leash at small parks/playgrounds but if we're going to a large park we leash her because there are geese and so many people she wants to chase and play with.
I think its so nice of you to share your story and experience with us, I'm considering getting a husky but want to be fully prepared before hand. I'm a beginner so I've never owned a dog before but has always wanted a husky. I have been doing an incredible amount of research; reading a lot about the breed, how to potty train and leach train before hand so I can nip down on it strait away after getting it. I've read alot of information and comments on various sites so I have a pretty good idea about the Siberian Husky. They are definately a handful but along with the difficulties comes a great companion. I can't wait to get my Siberian Husky and plan to get it from when it's still a smalll pup. I am also aware that at those stages, they can be a little more difficult than later stages but can't wait to start an interesting, hard but a lot of fun, well comitted journey with my dog :)
pgrundy 4 years ago
Great hub. We have a Malamute, and I agree about the intelligence thing. Malamutes also don't do well in obedience training and have a reputation for being hard-headed, but I think it's just that they are very independent. They care what you want but sometimes what they want is more important, even if it invokes your wrath.