Hope Springs Kennels: Right For You?

Is A Siberian Husky Right For You?

The Siberian Husky is not the breed for everyone and before deciding to welcome one (or more) into your family, there are a few points to be made aware of.

Chewing & Digging

All dogs love to chew things and dig holes in your garden, especially when puppies, and the Siberian Husky is no exception. Being an energetic breed, they do tend to leave a trail of destruction behind them if not kept amused. Chew toys, raw hide chews and other similar products can usually help to reduce the problem, but always be aware of what you leave lying around. (Especially the laundry basket - socks are a favorite.)

Running Away

When not in an enclosed area, the Siberian should never be let off the leash. If you are the type of person who wants a dog to go running with, play frisbee with etc., this is fine as long as the area is properly fenced off - certain parks are also fenced, but otherwise, forget it. This breed loves to run, and can certainly outrun any person, and once off the leash, they're off! No amount of calling, whistling etc, will stop them if that's not what they want to do. This is an independent breed and they'll do something if it’s in their best interest, not just because you ask them to.

Now before I get any e-mails telling me how this or that Siberian Husky walks or runs perfectly well off the leash, I know that there are cases like this. However, this should not be taken for granted as being a characteristic of the breed and once you've acquired this beautiful creature, would you want to take the risk?

Just a note on fences. As I mentioned, the yard or park should be properly fenced off… so what's properly? Huskies have an ability to jump high fences from a standing position - an almost spring-like action. A three to four foot high fence is not going to keep them in. Further, the bottom of the fence should be fairly close to the ground. Siberian Huskies will see gaps as opportunities to dig under and get out. These dogs are amazing escape artists!

Hair, hair & more hair

Or should I say fur? At shedding time (about twice a year), Siberian Husky owners develop a close bond with their vacuum cleaner. This is due to the inordinate amounts of hair lost when the husky is 'blowing their coat'. This fur comes out in handfuls and seems to be never-ending. If you like your clothes/carpets/furniture to be hair-free, the Siberian Husky is not the dog for you. Even keeping your husky outside doesn't eliminate the problem - the hair still seems to find its way inside.

Not A Lap Dog

If you want a dog that lies at your feet, or across your lap while you watch TV, I wouldn't recommend a Siberian Husky. This is not to say that the breed is not affectionate, quite the opposite, your husky is likely to jump all over you and shower you with kisses when you walk in the door. But once their hellos or playing is over, they'll go back to 'their spot', which may be a few feet away, the next room or the other side of the backyard. As I've stated before, this breed is independent!

The Siberian Husky & Other Pets

Like any other dog and probably more so than other breeds, the Siberian Husky is a pack animal. You will usually see a marked difference in personality when going from one Siberian Husky to two. However, do beware with other pets such as birds, cats, mice, rabbits (especially) etc., your Siberian Husky may mistake these smaller animals for food. There is no reason for all your pets to get along though, as long as the animals are properly socialized, the younger, the better. Also, it is recommended that the animals are supervised when together.

Guard Dog? I Don't Think So!

THE SIBERIAN HUSKY IS NOT A GUARD DOG. Their resemblance to the wolf may intimidate some people, but like the wolf, the Siberian Husky is a timid creature, wary of strangers and more likely to run away and hide from an intruder than attack them. When owning more than one Siberian Husky, the attitude towards strangers tends to be more welcoming, showing excitement about a possible new playmate rather than any aggressiveness.

If you're still reading at this point, then the above-mentioned topics must not have turned you off the Siberian Husky and this is a good sign, as there are definite pleasures to owning this wonderful breed.

Beauty and Intelligence in One Package

No one can deny how magnificent the Siberian Husky looks - the body shape, the distinctive face markings and the haunting eyes that seem to look straight into your soul. But beauty is not all that this wonderful breed has to offer, this dog has brains too! Once you have owned a Siberian for a while and get to know their personality, you will marvel at the way the Siberian Husky mind works. They will continually keep you challenged in working out what they will do next.

Temperment

The Siberian Husky is a breed with a wonderful temperament. They must, their original use was in a harness, eight or more dogs together pulling a sled/sledge. Aggressiveness towards the 'musher' or the other dogs could not and would not be tolerated.

The Siberian Husky has a gentle nature but is also active, alert and outgoing. They are wonderful with children, but as with all dogs, new babies should be socialized with the dogs, and it goes without saying that young children should be supervised when around animals.

Note to parents with newborn babies. Any change in attitude towards the dog can cause jealousy. This can be said of any breed of dog, cats and even some parrots, not only the Siberian Husky. If your dog is an inside dog and will be moved outside once the new baby comes, make sure you have moved the dog outside well before 'the new baby' comes along so the dog does not associate the two events as being related, ie new baby = move outside. Again, let me emphasize, that this applies to all breeds of dogs. So much pain and heartache can be avoided if you try to look at the situation from the dog's point of view. They are part of the family and don't want to be left out.

No Barking

Now, depending on your personal preference, this may be a positive or a negative. Some breeds, such as fox terriers were bred with the specific trait of barking in mind - to let their owners know where they were and what they had found/caught. Other breeds, such as the Doberman, were bred to bark to warn their owners of impending danger. Siberian Huskies never had a use for barking and therefore usually don't. This is not to say that they can't. Barking can still be useful for getting your attention sometimes! These wonderful creatures do love to howl however, and making howling noises which us Siberian enthusiasts like to label "talking".