Are huskies for you?

Are huskies for you?
This is a question everybody should ask themselves.
Not every breed is for every person. 
While the Siberian Husky is a wonderful pet and far beyond loving , they are a not a breed for first time dog owners. 

Pro's of being owned by a husky :

• Extremely lovable
• Always full of energy
• Absolutely stunning appearance
• Eats less then other breeds
• Odorless
• Friendly
• Loyal (if they choose be at that particular moment)
• Highly intelligent 
• Do not bark often

Cons of being owned by a husky :

• Can become destructive when left alone.
• Needs TONS of exercise
• Escape artists!
• They like to dig
• Crazy shedding and twice a year blowout. Due to their thick double coat
• Grooming is a daily chore
• Completely deaf at times, until you bribe them!!!
• If not properly exercised huskies WILL become destructive  
• They like to "talk" (not bark but talk)
• Higher prey drive then some other breeds

Explanation :

Pros : Huskies LOVE people! They love to be around people, they have a NEED to be around people. They do not like being by themselves. They need the company of their humans or other dogs. If you are someone who works full time, or does not have a lot of spare time, a husky may not be for you.

Being full of energy can be a good thing. If you are a runner or a jogger, or a very active person, your husky will keep up with you and even surpass you on that. They love to hike and do anything that involves burning energy.

Huskies are often adopted simply for their incredible wolf like appearance. Huskies are stunning pets indeed, but this is not a reason to adopt one.

Huskies have a different metabolism then other breeds which allows them to eat much less then their fur cousins. Of course that all depends on the "job" of your husky. All huskies need jobs. They thrive on that. Whether it is being a working dog, pulling sleds etc... or just having a job of giving you love, attention and accompanying you on your runs. They need to feel like this is their job. If your husky has a higher work day than others, they will require a different amount and type of food then a husky who spends his days at home "chillin" on the couch with a walk or two a day.

Huskies rarely need baths. They are an odorless breed. The main time to bath them is after a blowout or if they get covered in an unwanted substance (mud, deceased animals etc...) They also have sensitive skin, and bathing too often can dry their skin as well as damage their natural fur oils.

Friendly, always! If you are looking for a dog who will guard you home. A husky is not for you. This breed will more than welcome intruders into your home, in fact, your husky would put a pot of coffee on while allowing the strangers to raid your home, and offer them a tongue bath while their at it!

Loyal when they choose to be. I need to be more specific about that. Huskies are always loyal, however, because of the high intelligence of the Siberian, they will choose when to listen to you, and when not to. PLUS they most likely will not be loyal only to you - anyone who gives them attention will gain their loyalty.
I have never met a breed who has mastered the "selective hearing" as much as huskies. Deaf until the fridge door opens!

Huskies do not bark. Ok, some will have a strange sounding bark, if that's what you choose to call it. However, they mostly talk, howl and make typical husky sounds. When there is a knock at the door, your husky is more likely to jump around and maybe give a howl or two, then actually bark at the door.


Cons : Huskies do not like being left alone. If you leave them alone to have the run of the house for to long, chances are you will come back to a house who's couch has been half eaten, doors chewed, walls scratched etc . . . they are best to be crate trained, providing it is not an all day crating.

Siberian's need exercise. There is just no getting around this one.  A tired sibe is a well behaved sibe. If you plan on leaving for a couple hours, the best thing to do is make sure your sibe has had a walk or a jog before you go. My huskies get their walks twice a day, while they also have tons of yard play, indoor brain stimulating play, and time at their fav off leash dog park.

(photo credit to SouthernSiberian.com)

Huskies will escape almost anything you put in their way!
If you plan on having your husky in your yard while you are indoors, you want to make sure you have a proper fence. A minimum of 6ft high, and it is a good idea to have the fence underground at least 2 ft as well. They will dig under, and they can scale a fence at least 6 ft off the ground. I am always outside with my huskies when they are out, so I do not have to worry about this, but if you are unable to watch them, and your yard is not properly fenced. You will be searching for your husky throughout your neighborhood!

Huskies shed like CRAZY! Grooming is a daily chore. Daily or at a minimum, weekly. Twice a year they go through a blowout. This is when a Siberian will shed their entire undercoat. Due to their double coat, they shed when the season changes - from Fall to Winter, and again from Winter to Spring. When this happens, their fur will come out in clumps and you will literally see "tumbleweeds" blowing across your floor. The amount of fur I have found in my house since being owned by huskies is astronomical!
Grooming them daily will help keep the fur out of your house, but you  can count on never again being able to wear black clothing!

As I mention above, huskies have selective hearing. If they do not feel like listening to you at a particular moment, they will completely ignore you. You would swear they went deaf short term!

Again, as I mentioned above, the way to keep a husky from being destructive is exercise. Also having proper chew toys (stuffed kongs work great, deer antlers etc...)

I personally love hearing my huskies talk. There is such a unique sound that comes out of these beautiful pups it almost gives me goosebumps when I hear them all start to howl at once.

Huskies are known to have a higher prey drive then some other breeds. It has been said that you should not own a husky if you also have cats. I disagree with this theory, as I do have three cats and three huskies. I think this depends on a lot of different things. Proper introduction to each other. Supervision always! If you have to leave the house, it is best to keep your husky and your kitty in separate rooms. I have baby gates all through my house, and my kitties have their own kitty haven on the top floor where my huskies cannot go. Plus when we are not here, they are crated.  If proper attention is brought to owning kitties and huskies together under one roof. It is possible! In my house the cats and dogs have became great furiends and often sleep cuddled up together.

Some people will tell you that if you live in an apartment or have a small yard, that you should not get a husky. This is not true. As long as you have the means to get your husky out EVERY day for lots of exercise, they can do just fine in a smaller space. Exercise is key. 

This post is not to keep people from adopting a Siberian Husky. Simply to educate those who are interested. This is me, doing my part at trying to keep huskies from getting surrendered to shelters due to the fact that someone did not know what they were getting into. 

If anyone has any questions about this breed please feel free to contact me. thanks.