The Siberian Husky is not usually a lazy dog. In fact, just the opposite. Sometimes I wonder where they get all their energy from as they just seem to keep on going. It’s like they have some kind of external power supply that they can switch on whenever they need it. So, for the Husky to not show these levels of ‘get-up-and-go’ may be a sign of a problem. However, it’s not as simple as this so read on and discover the possible reasons.
Why is my Siberian Husky so lazy? Your Siberian Husky may appear lazy for a number of reasons, such as old age, diet, lack of mental stimulation or illness. Read on for more information.
Is the Siberian Husky Usually Lazy?
I think to be able to answer this question properly we should define exactly what we mean when we use the word ‘lazy’. We are not talking about a dog that cuddles up to you on the couch in the evenings or snuggles with his siblings during the day. This behavior does not mean your Husky is lazy!
The Husky, as you know, isn’t the biggest of dog breeds and only has so much energy available to them at any one time. They are also a breed that doesn’t eat (usually) a particularly large amount of food. So, I guess it’s surprising how these dogs are perhaps best known for traveling vast distances at high speeds for a long amount of time!
The ‘normal’ (if anything about these dogs can be described as this) behavior for a Siberian Husky is to be active for a couple of outdoor-sessions a day and during these sessions, they may be extremely active. Assuming they get their required amount of exercise in each day, then outside of these exercise sessions you can expect them to be recuperating.
What we are talking about in this post is when a Husky does not want to have these exercise sessions and is more content with just lounging around all day than going outside. Sounds a bit like my son, but that’s another story.
What Usually Makes a Husky Lazy?
There are three main reasons why your Siberian Husky may be lazy so let’s look at each one individually.
Age
Like us, Husky’s will slow down as they age. They have a relatively long lifespan for a dog (around 15 years) but there is a reason why the very best sled dogs are so young – their performance (and stamina) decreases with age.
The enthusiasm for as much as activity as they had when younger won’t suddenly stop overnight though, or at least it shouldn’t. You will most likely notice a gradual decline in their stamina and potentially the excitement they used to show when you show them the leash and they know it’s time…
It’s part of life that we all do things a little slower as we age. Mentally, we might feel the same and the brain may well give our muscles the same instructions to run, but the muscles won’t be as strong as they used to be.
So, if you’ve noticed your Husky has become slower, gradually over time then it is probably just because they are getting older and they don’t have the same amount of energy that they used to.
Boredom
Yes, dogs can get bored. If your Husky isn’t receiving the same amount of attention and interaction that they used to, it can affect them in different ways. Remember, the Siberian Husky is an incredibly sociable breed of dog and it absolutely needs to have company – and a lot of it.
Maybe you’ve started a job where you’re out of the house longer and your Husky is on their own for longer periods of time. Well, this is not a dog that does well when starved of attention. In fact, in only a very short amount of time (~30 minutes or so) they can show signs of separation anxiety and this can manifest into destructive tendencies. This means you may come back to chewed furniture and general carnage in your once pristine home!
Crating is an option however this shouldn’t be used for more than a couple of hours really or overnight. The simple fact is that if your Husky is being left alone frequently and for extended amounts of time, there are going to be consequences to its mental state. This could include a lack of desire to get off its backside and get outside!
Diet
Animals, including your Husky, can be susceptible to diet changes. There are many of us who do better on certain types of diets and are allergic to certain types of food. Your canine is the same.
If you have changed their diet recently, for any reason and have noticed a change in behavior of your Husky since that time then it’s pretty easy (and obvious) to conclude that it may be related to this. However healthy and whatever good intentions you have for your Husky, the simple fact is the new diet may well not be suited for them.
It seems to be trendy at the moment to provide dogs a totally raw-food diet. Feel free to do separate research about this though and speak to your vet. What you will find is that opinion is pretty much split 50/50. Even some vets will say that it’s a great idea whereas others will recommend you don’t touch it!
Either way, if the Husky’s temperament/behavior has changed recently and this coincides with something they are consuming – change it and see what happens.
If your Husky is not eating as much as you think they should be, do take a look at the article (opens in a new window).
Unwell
There is a chance that your Husky has stopped being so active as it does not feel well, however, there will be other noticeable symptoms other than just not wanting to do exercise, I cover this below.
Is My Husky Not Feeling Great?
The chances are your Husky is not being lazy because they are unwell, but it’s certainly worth considering. You will most likely notice problems in other areas though and not just the fact that they appear to be lazier recently!
The obvious sign of any problem within a dog is that they first go off their food, they are throwing up more often or have diarrhea. Of course, it doesn’t need me to say that if these symptoms persist for more than 24 hours then you must contact your vet.
There could be other reasons though. It could be that your Husky doesn’t want to get out and do some exercise simply because when they do they feel pain. Study them as they walk and ensure they are not limping (an obvious one) and they are moving around without any noticeable problems. They may have a splinter (or some other foreign object) in one of their paws so when grooming them do check them over for any obvious issues.
I think the key thing to take away from this is whether the apparent laziness has come on abruptly or has developed over time. If it has occurred suddenly, then you should seek more professional advice. If it has been a gradual thing, then well – maybe they are just getting on a bit…
Is There Anything I Can Do to Make My Husky More Active?
I have always found that keeping to routines works wonders. Dogs like routines and things happening at the same time every day. Try and keep to these routines. The Siberian Husky also likes (and needs) a lot of attention from us. If your routines have changed in such a way that they have had a knock-on effect to the routines you have with your Husky, then maybe they just need a bit more time to adjust.
Other things to consider are whether you’re keeping them mentally stimulated. As I’ve said before (and in many other articles) the Husky needs a lot of stimulation and thrives on contact with us (and other animals, well – not cats).
Try changing their diet to see if has any positive impact on them and when you’re outside, try and make it a little more interesting for them. Change your route or maybe buy them a few more toys to play with.
If you’re still struggling to find the root cause after reading the above and they have become lazier over a very short period of time, consider contacting your vet for a professional opinion!
Finally, if you’d like to know more about the Siberian Husky then do check out my complete guide – everything you ever wanted to know, including some great pictures, is here!