This article was written for @Oxford City Dogs on Breed tails published on 4th April 2024.
In my life, I’ve had the opportunity to raise four beautiful dogs. My first dog was Dyzio, the long-haired dachshund; then came Zoey, our adopted street dog; James the labrador retriever and the baby was Jesse the siberian husky. My husband and I loved them all dearly. A question we were often asked was what is it like to look after a husky? How do they differ from other dogs?
My immediate answer was always that siberian huskies are definitely not a dog for an owner new to dogs. They are strong of character and have a mind of their own and to be able to train and take care of them properly, you have to have time to exercise them, be an alpha, and in control. Huskies need their exercise or else they could become destructive and dig up plants, chew things and get themselves into all sorts of trouble. Luckily, our Jesse never caused us one bit of problem. He was the sweetest dog, always happy for a run and a quiet nap afterwards.
On being an alpha and in control, if you are not one, huskies would just do their own thing and ignore you. Their capacity to be able to think for themselves is in part due to their selective breeding over thousands of years by the Chukchi people of North-East Siberia. Bred to be a working dog and pull sleds, they are active and resilient, intelligent enough to follow instructions, yet also “independently minded and analytical enough to be able to ignore such instructions if they are likely to lead the team into danger.” For example, if they were instructed to go straight ahead, but in front is an icy, dangerous patch of thin ice, huskies would have the analytical capacity to decide upon an alternative safer route.
Our Jesse didn’t have to pull any sleds or go on any expeditions with us, but we observed him thinking many times about whether he would follow our instructions or not. If he sensed a hint of weakness in our instruction, he would pause a little before determining what he would do. He was not a stubborn dog but he had character and like any relationship, you learn his peculiarities. Ask any husky owner, and they would tell you how their dog had character and how loved they are.
Huskies are bred to work in teams and are therefore very friendly with other dogs and large families and small children. Our Jesse loved small children and would often go to give a child a kiss on the cheek. Children, especially toddlers, had a special place in his heart.
Siberian huskies are known for their beautiful coat that help them keep cool and warm in the winter. As a result, they shed a lot. They shed their base coat when seasons change, but also shed a little throughout the year. This “little” throughout the year means that you have to groom them constantly, everyday or else your house and all your belongings will have little furs all around.
If you are on social media, you may also have seen countless videos of huskies “speak” or their antics as an escape artist. We were conscious about this bothering the neighbours and so as a puppy, I never trained our Jesse to “speak.” He would make some noises when communicating to us that he was hungry or wanting something, but it was usually short and stopped once he got what he wanted. Our Jesse also did not jump much but then we did have very high fences around our garden and made sure that he was always kept safe inside the fence. If let out, or not properly fenced in, huskies are extremely smart escape artists, can run out and often get lost.
With their high prey drive, they run out chasing birds, squirrels and whatever attracts their curiosity then can find themselves lost without knowing how to get home. That homing instinct is not bred into a husky. They will not know how to get home. Do not let them run off-leash. Advice from any dog association is to always keep huskies on the lead at all times and make sure your home has 6+ foot fencing. Make sure they have plenty of exercise and fed well.
For anyone considering a siberian husky, I recommend really doing your research and if you can commit to the responsibilities of exercise and grooming, you will not be disappointed. Huskies are affectionate, love being in a family environment, friendly with other dogs, and do not drool nor smell.
References:
1. https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/siberian-husky/
2. https://siberianhuskywelfare.co.uk/siberian-husky-history/
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