— Breed of the Month —

Siberian Husky

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Breed Traits and Characteristics

According to the American Kennel Club, here are some breed characteristic you can find in Siberian Huskies. 

 

  • Height

    21-23.5 inches (male), 20-22 inches (female)

  • Weight

    45-60 pounds (male), 35-50 pounds (female)

  • Life Expectancy

    12-14 years

  • Coat Type/Length

    Double/Medium

  • 100 Affectionate with Family
  • 100 Good with Young Children
  • 100 Good with Other Dogs
  • 60 Trainability Level
  • 100 Energy Level
  • 100 Barking Level
  • 80 Shedding Level
  • 20 Drooling Level

History

Siberian Husky were used by the Chukchi Eskimos of Northeastern Asia to haul long distance loads over rough terrain. The Chukchis lived inland and needed to get to the sea to hunt and be able to haul back a sled full of walrus meat. Huskies were ideal sled dogs. They were also known for herding reindeer.

They arrived in the United States and Canada in 1909 via Alaska during the Nome Gold Rush to help with transportation and compete in races. Originally named the Alaskan Husky, their name was changed to the Siberian Husky as a salute to their originating country -- Siberia, Russia.

Some historians believe the breed could be 27,000 years old, as suggested by DNA from the ancient bones of an Arctic Wolf.

The Husky is now ranked #12 in the American Kennel Club’s list of most popular breeds.

The Siberian Husky

A true hero of dog breeds, the Husky used to race across the rugged tundras of Alaska delivering life-saving medicine to remote areas. Today, this breed still glides gracefully across ice, and loves the cold!

The graceful, medium-sized Siberian Husky’s almond-shaped eyes can be either brown or blue—and sometimes one of each—and convey a keen but amiable and even mischievous expression. Quick and nimble-footed, Siberians are known for their powerful but seemingly effortless gait. Tipping the scales at no more than 60 pounds, they are noticeably smaller and lighter than their burly cousin, the Alaskan Malamute.

As born pack dogs, they enjoy family life and get on well with other dogs. The Sibe’s innate friendliness render them indifferent watch-dogs. These are energetic dogs who can’t resist chasing small animals, so secure running room is a must. An attractive feature of the breed: Sibes are naturally clean, with little doggy odor.”

Siberian Husky Personality & Temperament

If you are looking for a guard dog, a Husky would not be a good choice as they love people too much! They might tell you a stranger is lurking about, but they have no concept of protecting you. In fact, they may lick a burglar to death. Nor are they one-person dogs. However, if you want a dog that looks stunning, is outgoing, sensitive, mischievous, and great with children, the Husky is your breed!

Although Huskies can look intimidating and their Arctic temperament makes them determined and self-sufficient, they are extremely sensitive. They are the original Houdini dog and can dig under a fence faster than you can fill the holes, and over the fence quicker than you can catch them. In fact, the average fence won’t even stop them. They can leap over gates and escape from leashes and collars if not trained properly. Because of their wanderlust, they should be microchipped and identified with a tag at all times.

Huskies are highly intelligent but not needy. They are territorial but not aggressive. Be careful of cats and smaller pets because the prey instinct is ingrained in a Husky. They can be trained as great therapy dogs, as they are sensitive to a drop in blood sugar or the beginning of a seizure.

Socialization

Think of the “energizer bunny” and that’s a Husky! This breed wants to be by your side at all times. Huskies don’t like to be left alone, so pet parents need to be wary of separation anxiety. Huskies are not content to snooze by your side on the couch and want to be out and about among other people and dogs. If you’re thinking of leaving them outdoors by themselves for hours at a time, expect to come home with a crater in your yard!

They will get along well with other dogs but early socialization is important. Why? So your dog gets used to new people, things and places and doesn’t develop any fears that turn into phobias. Also, so they develop pleasant associations, such as going to the park is fun! It’s even important to take them to the vet early on so they aren’t frightened by the experience.

Siberian Husky Breed Facts

Physical Characteristics

The Siberian Husky, often called a Husky or Sibe, is a medium-size dog. They are less burly than their cousin the Alaskan Malamute and easier to train. The Husky has a wild, wolf-like appearance with a muscular body. You may often see a white and black or red and white pattern on its head. The ears are shaped like triangles and eyes can be either a gorgeous blue and brown or a combination of each. Their small ears are designed to maintain body heat, unlike the large ears of the Chihuahua, which are designed for cooling.

Huskies like to dig! A Husky’s feet often function as snow shoes and the hair between their toes keep their paws toasty. Their claws make it easier to dig through ice and snow and burrow themselves into a hole to stay warm. Huskies can curl up in the snow to sleep and still survive.

The Husky tail points downward when they are relaxed and curls up when they are on the move. Their whiskers are especially sensitive which come in handy when they are hunting at night.

  • Average Height: 21 to 23.5 inches (male); 20 to 22 inches (female)
  • Average Weight: 45 to 60 pounds (male); 35 to 50 pounds (female)
  • Average Life Expectancy: 12 years

Unique Breed Traits

Less known as sled dogs today, Huskies are great family pets and companions. With a great sense of humor, the Husky will keep you laughing with his antics. At the same time, their energy requires these dogs to be well exercised daily or there is a strong potential for digging and destructive behavior.

Unique Traits:

  • Intelligent, affectionate, mischievous
  • Great with kids
  • Great with other dogs
  • Happy-go-lucky and even-tempered
  • Always on the go
  • Innate desire to work
  • Adapts easily to new environments
  • Stubborn

Fun Facts

  • The Disney movie “Eight Below” is based on the true story of the 1957 Japanese expedition to the South Pole and stars six Huskies.
  • A statue of the Husky named Balto stands in Central Park, NY
  • The color of a Husky’s nose reflects the color of his coat. If the dog is black, brown and gray, his nose is black. White dogs have a flesh-colored nose and copper dogs have a liver-colored nose.
  • Huskies in colder climates shed less than Huskies in warmer climates.
  • Husky howls can be heard up to 10 miles away – pet parents will swear they can “talk”.
  • The indigenous Chukchi people used Huskies versus nannies to watch their children.
  • Huskies have a “snow nose” which appears is winter and goes away in the summer.
  • When they sleep their tails touch their noses – known as “the Swirl.”
  • Many universities – such as the University of Washington and Northeastern University have the Husky as a mascot.
  • In the story of The Husky, there will be no appendix, as this bred doesn’t have one!
  • Huskies have been banned from Antarctica since 1994 due to fears they could bring canine distemper to the seal population.

Siberian Husky Common Behavioral Issues

A Husky may not be the best choice for a first-time pet parent. The phrase “obedient Siberian Husky” is something of an oxymoron. Too many Huskies end up in shelters because pet parents choose them for their classic looks and aren’t ready for their challenging nature. Sometimes referred to as “canine divas,” Huskies will often ignore your commands unless you learn to speak their language.

The Husky typically doesn’t respond well to punishment or treats. Instead, you must establish yourself as the “Top Dog” and communicate using voice tones and body language. This is how Bark Busters produces such awesome training results – we “speak dog.” Bark Busters trainers love working with Huskies as they are highly intelligent and loving, if you understand their needs.

One of the behavioral issues we encounter with this breed is ‘escaping’ - they won’t stick around if they see an opportunity to bolt. This stems from their need to belong to a strong pack. As a pet parent, if you don’t provide leadership, they might look elsewhere.

Also, Huskies can have barking and howling issues, although they howl more than bark thanks to inherited wolf howling behavior. It’s not enough to know that a dog barks or howls, it’s important to know why!

Huskies are not as people pleasing as some other breeds and can be known for the following mis-behaviors:

  • Escaping
  • Chewing, mouthing, and digging
  • Destroying when bored
  • Howling
  • Difficulty house training, requiring consistency and patience

Adult Huskies can be rambunctious and their puppies are even more high maintenance. Huskies need the equivalent of three to five miles of exercise four to five times a week. Exercise will help your husky maintain strong and healthy bones, a healthy heart, and proper growth. Don’t forget that the best exercise of all is ‘mental exercise’ so find ways to stretch your Huskies intellect daily - simple training exercises can do the trick!

Connect with Us!

Need help training your Siberian Husky? Call 1-877-500-BARK (2275)or enter your zip code.

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Bark Busters Trainer Jeff Drier on the Siberian Husky

Siberian Huskies are fascinating dogs on many levels. Although dogs have been domesticated for thousands of years, they do retain some of their wild ancestors’ characteristics and Huskies probably more than most. They have even retained very wolf-like looks although their gentle eyes will give them away.

Like wolves, Huskies have a very strong pack drive and many of the Husky owners we’ve worked with have multiple Huskies. This pack drive makes them have a strong need to be included in activities. It also means that the people they live with need to understand and practice pack leadership because if they don’t, their dogs will take over and run things their way, which rarely aligns with human thinking. Luckily understanding and practicing leadership is not a physical endeavor but involves understanding canine psychology and communication.

You may have heard a Husky pet parent state that their dog can “talk.” They will readily “voice” their opinions on everything with loud yips and howls. But they are not typically nuisance barkers. They are also not typically very good “watch dogs.” Their social nature can make them friendly to everyone, yet they feel very territorial if they perceive a threat. It’s that pack mentality again coming into play. 

Like wolves, Huskies are athletes. If you are a marathoner, you won’t go wrong if you get a Husky to run with, although some of these dogs will think the marathon is just the warm-up! These dogs can run all day while pulling many times their own weight. As with human athletes, they need more than physical exercise – they need mental exercise as well. They also love to pull, so teaching them to walk with you and not drag you can be a challenge. Remember they are “mushers” at heart. 

Huskies are smart dogs and love learning but once they learn something, unless they view you as the pack leader, they may not do what you ask them to do. They can be stubborn and frustrating in that regard, so patience and determination will be required. Be creative in finding things that hold their interest, other than just running, which is their first love. Speaking of running, if there are young children around who leave the doors open, a Husky will escape and take off sprinting. Did I mention that Huskies love to run? 

Huskies are definitely not the breed for people with allergies, because no matter how much you brush them, dust bunnies will fly about. You will also need a bucket or towel by the door.

Huskies, like wolves, burrow. They will dig holes, mainly to curl up in. Their relatives in cold climates do that to maintain their warmth and even in Florida, they will dig holes when left outside without supervision. Expect worn paths where they run in the yard and holes where they curl up to rest. If you are an avid gardener, expect help from your Husky although it might not be the kind of help you want. 

We are often consulted by Siberian Husky Rescue in Florida regarding helping some of the more troublesome dogs in their wonderful care. Their close relation to their wild cousins can make them challenging to make part of your family. Often these troublemakers are really seeking leadership. If they don’t find it in the humans they live with, they do try to take that role on themselves.

Understanding the dynamics of the pack is crucial to having calm, happy Huskies. They are wonderful dogs, but they are not for everyone. Bark Busters’ trainers can help you understand these wonderful dogs and teach you how to become the leader of your pack without drama. It is well worth the effort.

Games to Play with Your Husky

Running at speeds of up to 28 mph, it’s hard to get a Husky to slow down. In fact, if you love to bike or jog, a Husky would make a great sidekick especially for going long distances.

Since most of us don’t live in the tundra, many Huskies still enjoy “urban sledding.” Urban sledding is a form of mushing and may involve one or more dogs. Activities include carting, sled dog racing, scootering, biking, canicross, pulka, freighting, weight pulling, and other activities. Originally developed to keep sled dogs in shape during the off season, dryland sledding is growing in popularity.

Walking Your Husky Correctly

As we said earlier, Huskies have been bred to be sled dogs and “pull” things. This does not work out so well for pet parents on a walk. Huskies love to roam, so it is best to always walk yours on a leash or you’ll tune your head and they’ll be chasing a squirrel or rabbit.

Siberian Husky Grooming

Huskies are double-coated with a top coat that is straight and a bottom coat that is thick. They shed year-round so they need to be brushed weekly. In Spring and Fall, their undercoat sheds known as “blowing their coat.” A lint brush, coat rake, and vacuum are must-haves if you own a Husky! Fastidiously clean and with little body odor, their coat can keep them warm in temperatures as low as negative 50 degrees. Yikes!

Huskies have great teeth, so if you brush them twice a week your Husky will have pearly whites.

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Hear from Bark Busters Clients Who Have a Siberian Husky

We were at our wits end with our Husky Jimmy. He would not stop barking and lunging at other dogs on walks. He also had terrible jumping habits when guests would come over. Heather helped so much within the first visit. She showed us how to train him with simple language and no treats. We tried training before, without the results we wanted. We are working with him daily and have seen such an improvement! Bark Buster's methods work and we could not be more grateful. Thank you Heather!!
I have a 4 month old Husky puppy. I honestly thought on my own I have been doing a lot when it comes to training and felt it couldn't hurt to have another opinion and guidance now while she is young. With just 2.5 hours of work with Robert I realized she was training me more than I have been training her. He taught me boundaries, proper leash walking, area and boundary control as well as impulse control in just our first session. I always struggled with crate training because I was never fully for it, but he taught me alternative methods so it becomes a comfortable process for both me and my puppy. I highly recommend Bark Busters- they are on your side and really guide you and give you confidence when it comes to raising your pup!
10 stars! We adopted a 3rd dog. Now we have 3 husky females and a sibling rivalry going on. The first few weeks were chaotic and our family was losing it. Keith came and we saw an immediate difference. We were given techniques to obtain leadership over the pack. Scheduling is easy, Keith is always available to help. We have some time with Keith and our girls inside the house, on walks and in the fenced in yard. We're getting our sleep back and the doggies are progressing and getting along much better.
I don't usually write reviews, but Bark Busters deserves this and so does my trainer! Karina fully exceeded my high expectations. She is a top-shelf professional with impeccable customer service a genuinely caring demeanor. And most importantly, Karina knows her training stuff. After a brief chat she assessed my dog's behaviors and put me to work! We spent the next three hours going over hands' on exercises- which were immediately successful! Karina supplemented me with written and video descriptions of my homework and left me with a snazzy packet and training chart ;) Karina also made wonderful recommendations for better food and toys and remedies to reduce my dog's level three separation anxiety, and all are on their way! Finally, Karina assured me that we would stay in contact and prepare for our follow up visit. Here are a few concrete improvements that I have seen in Chase since starting YESTERDAY: My husky mix is no longer is out of control on walks, no longer attaches to me at every turn, no longer overreacts to a door knock, and can go five full minutes without barking/howling/or hurting my house after I leave. And it will only get better. I am proud to have made The call to Bark Busters after seeing a television program highlighting their approach. Yes, it is expensive, but worth it for anyone who loves their ailing dog and wants to be the alpha dog mom they crave and deserve. Call Bark Busters, you won't be disappointed.
We absolutely love Bark Busters. We own a Siberian Husky, Nova is her name, and it's been hard so far but with Derek's help we have made so much progress. Super grateful for the help it has been so stressful! Thank you!!
I was pleasantly surprised at the progress tonight and I did not expect any changes to happen this quickly.
Today's training session was very informative and helpful. Looking forward to working on my two pups with all that I've learned today.
Our training was very informative.
Benji was very responsive to the training and I noticed changes in his behavior immediately. I want to continue the training and keep up with the practices every day so he can continue to get better.
John is terrific, very informative, and gave me insight to many things.
I learned a lot on how to stop the bad behavior.
Amazing! John is a dog whisperer! He is very knowledgeable and explained everything in detail.
Fabulous service, given what I saw today and the change in Bravo's behavior. His behavioral issues have all improved.
Great communication, great ideas that seem to be working, really like John and his personality.
John was excellent, very helpful with Clyde. Gave us great techniques to further train our dog.
We can only list superlatives for Jason. We called him in to help us with our independent minded Shiba Inu, Bella. She had decided to be the alpha in our family. Thank goodness Jason worked with us and Bella to modify her behavior and she has become a loving loyal and protective member of our family. She now responds appropriately to our commands and life has become wonderful with her.

Jason is a great listener and he was able to learn what we expected from our puppy and how we could achieve it. The methods that Jason used are simple, intuitive and easy to remember and utilize on a daily basis.

Importantly, he has always been there for us even after our training sessions were completed; answering our questions and helping us to work out some issues as they came up.

As we said, we only have superlatives for Jason! He is an amazing resource for puppy owners.
Jason was extremely helpful and his main priority was to educate us. I thought I had a pretty well trained dog just from what I knew but man was I amazed to see the difference. Jason made sure everyone understood why Simba was acting out, what to do to correct it, and why it works. I was super against any shock collars or similar items and was relieved to hear Jason start the session off by saying we’re not using any like that. We couldn’t be happier with how much Simba listens to commands and overall just seems to be a happier dog as well!!
Michael has really helped us with our pit lab rescue Orca. She was really reactive and we had no clue what we were doing. From the first session which was about 4 hours, he has helped us understand how dogs think, their needs, and how to effectively communicate. There is homework to do and if you don't do it, you won't see results. Our dog hated her crate, now she just hangs out in it with the door open. After the first week we were amazed. She does better on walks and in the home. We have work to do but having patience. We have had several sessions and we have seen some very good results. Michael has a passionate and loving way with dogs and we will continue to use him to see more progress. We have learned a lot TY Michael!!
We couldn’t be happier with the service we received from our dog trainer, Greg! He was knowledgeable and dedicated to helping our Newfoundland overcome some fears, specifically with unfamiliar flooring and elevators. With his help, we can now take our pup on adventures he otherwise would have been stressed about. Highly recommend to anyone looking for a compassionate and effective dog trainer. Thanks Greg!
Greg is a godsend! My husband and I have lived 11 years without being able to have company over our house and could not bring our dogs around many people or other dogs due to anxiety issues. We are in the process of moving and needed our dog, Callie (other crossed the rainbow bridge) to be able to get along with our in laws’ dog, Lexi, so we can all live in peace during the life changes. We were all honestly on edge and nervous every time we would get the dogs together because Callie would become very protective and territorial over me and my son and would bark and that’s at Lexi. After just ONE session with Greg, he was able to explain to us Callie’s thought process and things we may have been lacking in as far as taking control of situations to make her feel at ease. He provided all of us with his Bark Busters method and the tools to mold our girls into the best they can be, and most importantly, to make them feel calm and safe. Callie responded to his method immediately and only got better and better the weeks after our first session. We had our follow up with Greg this week and even he was blown away by the progress and we were all thrilled to see our hard work pay off and see our two girls side by side and getting along! Greg is a GAME CHANGER. If you are on the fence, get over that fence immediately because we wish we could have found him 11 years ago but so grateful that we finally did. We would recommend Greg to anyone and everyone! Thank you so much Greg for helping us and the girls and improving everyone’s quality of life!
Greg is a godsend! My husband and I have lived 11 years without being able to have company over our house and could not bring our dogs around many people or other dogs due to anxiety issues. We are in the process of moving and needed our dog, Callie (other crossed the rainbow bridge) to be able to get along with our in laws’ dog, Lexi, so we can all live in peace during the life changes. We were all honestly on edge and nervous every time we would get the dogs together because Callie would become very protective and territorial over me and my son and would bark and that’s at Lexi. After just ONE session with Greg, he was able to explain to us Callie’s thought process and things we may have been lacking in as far as taking control of situations to make her feel at ease. He provided all of us with his Bark Busters method and the tools to mold our girls into the best they can be, and most importantly, to make them feel calm and safe. Callie responded to his method immediately and only got better and better the weeks after our first session. We had our follow up with Greg this week and even he was blown away by the progress and we were all thrilled to see our hard work pay off and see our two girls side by side and getting along! Greg is a GAME CHANGER. If you are on the fence, get over that fence immediately because we wish we could have found him 11 years ago but so grateful that we finally did. We would recommend Greg to anyone and everyone! Thank you so much Greg for helping us and the girls and improving everyone’s quality of life!
James is so awesome, he really knows exactly what to do and is so much fun to work with. We are super excited to have his support throughout our puppy’s lifetime!
Heather is amazing. She listens to you and really gets to the heart of the behavior issues. It’s only been 36 hours, but we’re already seeing a HUGE difference. I’ll write another review in a couple months with an update, but so far, I can honestly say that Heather is the best trainer we’ve ever worked with. She gave us some simple tools that have completely changed the dynamics of our relationship with our pups for the better.
When we first started getting help from Heather we had two large dogs who could not be in the same room as each other without fighting. After just 2 sessions with Heather they are now able to be in the same room as each other, as well as even calmly going on walks together. We are so grateful for all Heathers help!
Heather Crawford was so great to work with at Bark Busters! I adopted two rescue puppies at the same time and in just a couple sessions they are so much better behaved!
Great company. Heather has helped me so much and has gotten my pup 9 month newfypoo to walk outside after he was attacked by a loose dog in the neighborhood. She is fantastic!!
Heather is awesome. She's very smart all of her teachings, lessons, methods....have worked so well with our 9 month old Bernese mountain dog. We've been working with Heather for probably four or 5 months now and it has really made a huge difference with Cowboy's obedience. We highly recommend training your fur baby with Bark Buster trainer...
We are so pleased with the results while working with Heather! She prepared for our visit, asked thoughtful questions, and after visit one, we had remarkable results! We learned how to be better parents, and how to best assist our pup. She demonstrated techniques and practiced them with us and she was extremely patient.

She was so kind to us and did not judge our puppy. She adapted things as needed to meet his needs.

She has come back a couple of times at our request because we want to make sure we're doing things right. We want to do our best job with our pup!

Her encouragement and support is so helpful! Our neighbors thought we had a new dog! That's how different his behavior was. He is responding well and it is all very positive. And I expect it will be long lasting. We could not be more pleased!
She was very knowledgeable about our pet and was able to explain it in a way that we can understand and apply. She was very thorough and patient with all the questions we had for her as new dog owners. I would highly recommend her to friends and family.

Need Dog Training Assistance with your Husky? Find Your Local Trainer Now!

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