Siberian Husky

siberian husky

Run, chase, play, run, jump, zoomie, dig, climb, run, play…. Huskies are active dogs for active people.

Living with a Siberian Husky is like living with a perpetual teenager, you need the energy, time and discipline to make this young scalliwag shine!

With the right owner a Siberian Husky will be a soul mate full of character; there to celebrate your successes with you and to comfort you when you are sad. A dog with more personality you will not find, but all that character means this dog is no walk in the park.

What to expect from the Siberian Husky

The Siberian Husky is incredibly smart and very independently minded. A Husky knows what it wants and how to achieve it. To live harmoniously you’ll need to develop a bond based on respect, not fear or punishment.

Training is a must for all Huskies. Boundaries need to be put in place and desired behaviours need to be consistently reinforced. Huskies will not respond to ‘wrote learning’ styles of dog training, marching the same patterns around a football field. They will get bored of this menial task, and need to be engaged in a mentally stimulating training plan. Work out what your Husky wants most and use it to your advantage.

A bored husky can become destructive, howl and reveal their Houdini escape-artist side. Once these behaviours become a habit it can require a lot of effort to break them.

Huskies are a very social breed and most will prefer the company of at least one other dog in the home. Many huskies enjoy a larger pack and can often live with other dogs of the same gender. Small dogs can be a no-no for some Huskies as the breed demonstrates a very high prey drive. They will hunt smaller furry and feathered animals like rabbit, cats, possums and birds. For an adult Husky not used to small breed dogs it can be easy to confuse a tiny dog with a small prey animal.

Fast, strong and intelligent, Huskies make great sled dogs, and if you don’t teach them otherwise they’ll take you for a ride every time you go for a walk! Their high prey drive combined with athletic abilities and an independent nature means your Husky will always need to be walked on the lead and exercised off leash only in enclosed areas. If they see something they want they are likely to do a runner, good luck catching them once they’re off! Strong, high fencing is a must for this breed.

The Siberian Husky is a breed that generally like children however due to their bouncy and fast paced nature younger dogs are often not suited to homes with young children. As your husky will also require upwards of 1.5-2 hours of exercise per day and many families with young children may struggle to provide this. A middle aged or older husky who requires less exercise and has already learnt appropriate house behaviours may better suit a young and busy family.

Looking after the Husky

It goes without saying, but that beautiful fluffy coat isn’t going to maintain itself! Through the cooler months weekly brushing will suffice but during the warm months and ‘coat blow’ at change of seasons get ready for daily brushing sessions.

Coats should not be shaved or clipped and washing is recommended only when needed, ideally no more frequently than every 3-6 months.  If you have to wash a Husky, use a mild soap or shampoo, or no soap at all.

An adult Siberian Husky will grow to between 16-27kgs and around 50-60cm tall.