If you’re thinking of buying a Siberian Husky then you need to think long and hard about what exactly you’re getting in to. The Husky is unlike the majority of dog breeds and you would be setting yourself up for failure if you don’t have the facts before hand. This is not a breed for an owner who doesn’t know what they are doing and if owning dogs was a computer game, the Siberian Husky level would be ‘advanced’!
There are many positives however to living with a Husky and most you wouldn’t have thought of so sit back and enjoy the following, definitive list of the best reasons to own a Siberian Husky!
1) The Husky is Very Playful
Don’t think that their playful nature will end as soon as they stop being a puppy. Actually, I don’t think they ever stop being a puppy, at least mentally! The Siberian Husky has a lot of energy and there’s simply no way you will be able to use that up during your daily walks.
The only way for you to achieve that would be to practically live outside and let them pull you around on a sled all day! As most of us need to go to work to pay for boring things like houses and education, unfortunately, we have to do the next best thing – which is to play with them inside.
This isn’t a hardship of course and it’s debatable who will get more fun out of this, you or them! One thing is for sure though, you’ll get tired of it long before them! It’s all about the toys these days and you can spend a fortune on buying something that just isn’t right for them. I’ve been through all this and if you just want a simple list of the 3 best toys for the Siberian Husky, then click on the link (opens in a new window). These are the ones I use and as you can see from the links (they are all on Amazon) – you don’t have to spend a lot of money keeping them entertained!
Another great thing about playing with your Husky is that it reduces stress, not only in your Husky but in yourself. You can have all the therapy sessions you want but spend half an hour playing (for free) and I would argue it does more good than any of those so-called professional sessions with a therapist!
2) The Husky Loves Exercise and Being Outside
The outside world is the Siberian Husky’s natural habitat and they are at their happiest when running around outside. The Husky needs a lot of exercise and unless you are in a position to be able to provide this then they probably aren’t the breed of dog for you! They will need to be exercised at least twice a day and for a good hour of solid exercise each time. Without enough exercise, your Husky could become anxious which can lead to a destructive personality, and you won’t want that!
So, I mentioned above that they also love to play inside so if you can’t get out of the house to give them that exercise (life just gets in the way sometimes) then there are other things you can do. Apart from making sure they have loads of toys to play with, have you thought about a doggy treadmill? No, neither had I but these things are now very popular and the Siberian Husky is absolutely ideal for this!
When life gets on top of you and you just don’t have time to get out, pop them on the treadmill for a bit. They’ll love it (eventually) and they will also be getting the right amount of exercise from the comfort of your home.
3) The Siberian Husky Loves Visitors
Maybe I should re-phrase this, the Siberian Husky loves pretty much anyone who shows them any attention. They can be the most good-natured animals on the planet, most of the time. But when it comes to someone knocking on your dog or ringing your door-bell, there is just one thing going through their head. It’s not, ‘Intruder, must defend property!’ – it’s ‘Oooh, a visitor and a new best friend!’.
It’s a two-way thing though. The Husky is obviously a stunning dog to look at and so, therefore, it gets a lot more attention than other dogs. The Husky, who happens to love this attention, laps it all up and will give back as much as they get. In fact, there have been many an owner who becomes quite jealous when seeing this. You spend all your life making sure they’re okay and giving them food and exercise and love, only for the postman to get more attention back than you!
4) The Husky Can Be Great With Children
Indeed, the Siberian Husky can be a great pet for families with children. Not with other pets necessarily but with children, for sure. I mentioned above how much the Husky loves attention and of course, kids love to pet a cute looking animal and the Siberian Husky falls very much into that category. If you ever pick up your child from school whilst you have the Husky you will end up with 20 children gathered all around you, all of them wanting to stroke it and ask you questions about this mysterious looking beast.
Of course, we still need to be sensible and no child should place their face too close to the Husky’s mouth but generally speaking, this is a very gentle breed of dog. It might actually hurt a fly, it might indeed hurt a rabbit or a cat, but it will love a child and they will grow up together, creating the most amazing memories.
5) The Husky Is Very Affectionate
Many owners are surprised with how affectionate the Siberian Husky actually is. The Husky will want to spend all of its time in your company. Well, let me re-phrase that. Whilst you’re inside they will want to spend all of their time in your company. When you venture outside they will try and escape whatever restrictions they are being put under and run away. However, that’s another subject.
In the evenings, when you’re curled up on the sofa watching something on television they will be curled up next to you, or even on you. Basically, they will want to be as close to you as possible. If you’re feeling sad, they will notice that something isn’t quite right and give you that extra bit of attention you need at that time. If you were lonely before you had a Husky, you won’t be lonely again. In fact, it’s not possible to be lonely when you have one of these, your life will change forever – and for the better!
6) They Can Handle VERY Cold Temperatures
Kind of predictable this one, considering they are called the Siberian Husky, right? In fact, this breed of dog was designed specifically for cold environments. They come from a land where temperatures regularly fell below −50 °C (−76 °F) – however, this wasn’t a problem for the Husky.
They have a two-layered coat – the underlayer is dense and this falls out (in typical climates) twice a year. Once before summer (where it will grow back thinner) and once before winter (where it will grow back thicker). The overcoat (called the primary coat) consists of guard hairs which help to provide another layer of insulation. It has a secondary benefit though. It helps protect them from insects and stops associated infections from insect bites etc.
There is another question as to whether the Siberian Husky can survive in a hot climate. As the popularity of this breed increases, more and more people are becoming owners and some from climates that are the total opposite of Siberia (like India for example). If you’re interested in knowing more about this and whether it’s actually a problem, then do check this article out (opens in a new window).
7) They Have an Interesting History
The Siberian Husky has a fascinating history. They were originally developed by the Chukchi people who lived in the Siberian peninsula. We’re not talking about just a couple of decades though, no – this breed was part of their culture for hundreds or maybe even thousands of years. This is an extreme environment and as I mentioned above, temperatures can get down to what most of us would consider ridiculous.
However, they would be in their element as they would be running around all day pulling sleds and these dogs were absolutely relied on by the Chukchi – without them, it is unlikely the people would have been able to have survived and thrived as well as they did.
8) If They Are Good Enough For The Army…
During the Second World War, the Siberian Husky was used by the U.S. Army to help downed pilots. Crews in planes that had crashed or been shot down in the Arctic could easily succumb to the conditions in little time. Once they had been spotted by a search plane a dog team would be dispatched via a transport plane which would land as close as it could to the area of the crash. Because of the conditions, life expectancy after a disaster was certainly not counted in days, more hours or minutes so every second was crucial. The Huskies assisted greatly in getting help to the injured in as quick a time as possible.
9) They Will Amaze You With Their Escape Acts
You see, the Siberian Husky doesn’t like to be trapped. Actually, that’s not 100% true as when they are inside, curled up with you on the sofa they would rather be in no other place on Earth. It is when they are outside that strange things happen. It is as if a switch is flicked. The Husky is a dog that really needs to be kept on a lead at all times. If you don’t then maybe, for a few months or even years, everything will be fine.
However, if it gets a little sniff of a rabbit or even a cat, it will be off. It will run after that little mammal at speeds you have not seen it run before. It will think of nothing else but victory. By the time it secures that victory or gives up, it may be 5 miles away. So, always keep you Husky on the lead 🙂
If you think your Husky will be secure in your garden, you might want to think again. They have been known to get our of gardens that were protected by 9-foot fences! They have remarkable climbing abilities so you may want to add an extra foot to that, just to be safe.
Also, they better have good foundations. The Siberian Husky loves to dig and will make a hole, dig under that fence and be out the other side in less than five minutes. They really are rather impressive.
10) The Husky is a Clean Animal
The Siberian Husky will like to keep its coat nice and clean, most of the time. It really should think about this more when it’s outside jumping into puddles and then rolling around in horse poo! However, when they get home they do like to sit down and try and clean themselves off with their tongue. The same tongue that they will then lick you with later!
This doesn’t mean they like baths. In fact, you should not bathe your Siberian Husky that often and only if you feel it’s really required. Bathing can actually cause more problems than the benefit you gain from it. It can dry their skin and cause problems with their coats, they were never designed for shampoo!
11) You Can Join Sled Races!
If you like the idea of sled racing then why not let your Husky do the job it was intended for – pulling sleds! The Siberian Husky Club of America offers a Sled Dog degree for those that are really keen. This will allow your Husky to work in a pack of dogs where they can compete in races and earn awards. It really does seem like good fun so if you’re interested in giving your Husky a new direction then why not consider this?
12) They Are Not Aggressive
This is exactly the reason why the Siberian Husky does NOT make a good guard dog! This is no bad thing. If you want a guard dog then there are plenty to choose from but don’t go and pick the Husky. Not unless you want the intruders to be licked to death.
The Husky makes for an excellent companion to children and is the reason why us adults feel so safe. The Husky doesn’t give off any aggressive signs and actually enjoys the company of children a lot. The only time you might see an aggressive streak is when they are outside hunting prey, which can be any small mammal basically. They do have a naturally high prey-drive and you will not be able to train it out -it is what it is, as they say.
13) They Have Amazing Eyes
It is almost a daily occurrence. When you’re out with the Husky and someone stops you to take a look at this astonishingly stunning example of a dog, what’s one of the first things they say? Usually, there’s a gasp, followed by, ‘Wow, what amazing eyes it has!’ – well, it’s true. The eyes on the Siberian Husky are stunning.
The eyes on the Husky will come in either brown or blue, one of each color or eyes that are only partly colored or in one of many shades of these colors. They are typically born with blue eyes and sometimes this color will stay with them for the rest of their lives but there’s no guarantee. Sometimes, after one or two months the eye color will change to grey before settling on their final color of brown.
14) Your Vacuuming Skills Will Go Through the Roof
If you don’t have a Siberian Husky and are getting one then you need to prepare yourself. You may think you know what you’re getting yourself into, but I doubt it. You will not believe how much fur can come from such a small thing. It gets absolutely everywhere. My recommendation is to vacuum every day to try and keep on top of it.
If this is what you’re going to do then I would suggest you get a cordless vacuum cleaner, one that doesn’t have a power chord. If you have to plug it in every time it’s soon going to get boring and you’ll end up just leaving it. With a cordless, you can just pick it up, do a quick vacuum and put it back again, just to keep on top of it.
15) The Siberian Husky Doesn’t Need You
There’s no questioning that they will adore you for the whole of your life. However, don’t for one second think that they actually need you. They don’t. If us humans just disappeared off the face of the Earth I’m not even sure they’d give us a second thought! They’d be straight outside to hunt and fend for themselves. The Siberian Husky is unquestionably an independent breed of dog. Stubborn? Absolutely. This is why it is a good idea to try and socialize and train them whilst they are still young. As soon as they get older they will have their own agenda and if that conflicts with your agenda, you will have a problem.
16) The Husky Will Howl More Than They Bark
The Siberian Husky is actually quite a quiet breed of dog, mostly. When they are in the right mood though they will chat away for you for ages. What they are saying is anyone’s guess but it is most likely on the lines of their disappointment with how often you take them out and how often you play with them, something like that 🙂
As the title says though, you do tend to find your Husky will howl a lot more than bark. It is a form of communication of course – try and respond in some way until you can figure out what they are going on about!
17) The Husky Won’t Constantly Pester You for Food
Despite the amount of exercise they require, feeding time for the Husky isn’t as high on the agenda as most other breeds of dog. This could be partly down to their ancestors. Their lives consisted mostly of working all day with the occasional break for food and water and you certainly couldn’t say that they were spoilt in any way. These days it is quite normal for a dog to eat whenever food is available, regardless of whether they are hungry or not.
You rarely get an overweight Siberian Husky and this is down to a combination of their exercise routine and their controlled intake of food. You shouldn’t try and change this. Yes, they should have the occasional treat as a reward (it really does work) but never over do it.
18) They Love the Snow More than Children
This is saying something considering how much they love kids! But it’s true. I think something triggers in their brain when they are out in the snow. Takes them back to what they were naturally created for, to run and work in the snow.
What usually happens is this. You will all go out with the kids to have some fun on a snowy day, particularly if it’s not that common in your location. You’ll play for an hour or so and you’ll get cold with wet hands and soggy feet. Time to come in for a nice hot cup of tea or coffee. Your Husky looks around as if you’re crazy. “What the hell do you think you’re doing going back inside?”, they will think. They may take some convincing that this is a good idea. If you’re all going out as a family to have some fun in the snow, plan for half a day, not just an hour 🙂
19) The Husky Doesn’t Mind Water
Well, hardly surprising considering the unusual habits of this breed I guess. Actually, though, there are many dogs that like water. There are some that can swim and some that can’t. The poor French Bulldog (for example) would probably love a swim but its physical properties mean it’s impossible. Take your Husky down to the beach one day and keep them on a long, extendable leash. There’s only one direction they will head in and they will head there fast!
20) You Will Want To Watch Them All The Time
The Siberian Husky can keep you amused for hours. Whether it’s lying upside down on your lap or running around in circles for no apparent reason, they will provide you with more entertainment than your average tv sitcom. It’s not always what they do when you’re around though, it’s what they get up to when you’re NOT that’s really entertaining! So, what people do is have home webcams set-up at home that can be monitored remotely, when you’re out. If you’re in the market for a doggy camera then there’s really only one I recommend and it isn’t expensive at all – it’s on Amazon and if you want to check out the price, take a look here (opens in a new window).
Sometimes, they just want your attention and will feel like they have to do something to get it. The less attention you give them, the more outrageous their behavior may have to be!
21) Need a Hole? You Won’t Need a Spade
The Siberian Husky loves to dig. Whether it’s underneath a fence that you’ve spent ages in constructing to keep them secure or just a massive hole in the middle of your recently mowed lawn, it’s a very difficult habit to stop. The problem is that it is in their nature to dig holes. It is a natural instinct of theirs when in the wild to dig a hole and bury their food for later. Alternatively, they could be just digging to find prey or making a shelter for themselves. I’m not sure you’ll be that interested in exactly why they are doing it if the behavior is causing your garden to look like a builders site!
There are things you can do to stop this behavior but it won’t happen overnight. For instance, giving them more exercise, more toys to play with or even a dedicated area where they can dig may help you out.
22) The Siberian Husky Can Be Trained
Despite the Siberian Husky being known for some serious stubborn behavior, it is still possible to train them. However, it helps if you can stack the cards in your favor. How do you do this? Don’t put the training off. Ideally, you will get some formal training when they are still a puppy – the earlier the better of course. This isn’t always possible though. Let’s say you obtain a Husky that’s a rescue dog that hasn’t been trained? Well, it is undoubtedly going to be more difficult, sure – but not impossible. Patience and perseverance is the key here.
23) You Will Get LOTS of People Speaking to You
If you don’t have much self-confidence then that will all change after a few months with a Siberian Husky. You see, whenever you go out everything takes a lot more time. You will be stopped whenever you go out so it does help if you’re a sociable character – if you’re not, then you might be after a short amount of time! You will get the same questions over and over again and the people asking them will think it is the first time you have been asked them 🙂 Be relaxed, be polite and enjoy the popularity you now have – it’s part of the whole Siberian Husky package.
24) Your Stress Levels Will No Longer Be High
Interacting with your Siberian Husky will reduce your stress levels. You will find it difficult to be sad in their presence. If you’ve had a bad day at work then I defy anyone to still be depressed after spending 30 minutes with your furry friend. Your Husky doesn’t care about your job, they just care about you and the happiness you will see in them when they see you, will immediately turn that frown upside-down. I can’t believe anyone could be miserable when they are in the company of a Husky.
25) The Siberian Husky Is Intelligent
I sometimes wonder if they are too intelligent. They seem to know what is going on around them and if they don’t want to do something then you’ll have a hell of a time trying to make them. They will understand commands relatively quickly, will know what times you usually go out and come back and what time it is for their regular exercise. Sometimes, they just seem to stare at you and you will wonder what’s going on in their minds. I suspect mischief. Always mischief.
26) You Won’t Want Another Dog After a Husky
If you’re the right person for the Siberian Husky then they are the right dog for you. Once you fall for this beautiful breed of dog it will be unlikely that you will be interested in any other types of dog. You see, the Husky will give you everything you want in a dog. Companionship, fun, and a whole heap of love for the length of its life. You will not find any other dog quite like it.
27) Your Social Media Profile Will Sky-Rocket!
This is a funny one but totally true. You will never have so many likes on your social media pages, whether it’s Facebook or Instagram, you’ll be overloaded with ‘likes’ and comments whenever you post a new, particularly cute photo of your Siberian Husky. They are very photogenic, you see. But you know this already.
Finally – if you would like to know more about the Siberian Husky – check out my Complete Guide here.