So You Want One

If you think you want a Siberian Husky, you need to know exactly what you are in for. A Siberian is a beautiful, friendly, great family dog with a few unpleasant habits. We don't want to discourage you but they are not a dog for a first time dog owner. We love them dearly and will always have one around the house.

The Siberian Husky was bred to pull sleds all day, and over great distances. They love to run and will prove it every chance they get. Open a door just slightly and they will immediately take the opportunity to prove it to you. No matter how loudly you call them, they are all deaf at this point. They also have no concept of traffic or danger. The bottom line is that you have to chase them, which they think is great fun. If you think the solution is to leave them alone and they will come back when they get hungry, think again. The last you see of your dog will be their fuzzy little butt going over the hill. It's not uncommon for them to travel 10 miles overnight. Don't forget that in harness and behind a sled they will cover 100 miles a day. We don't recommend Siberians to people that have several small children because they go in and out of the house all day long and provide lots of opportunities for their escape.

Well, it's easy enough to contain them, we'll just put them in the back yard! Yes, that can be done. We recommend a 6 foot high chain link fence made from 9 gage wire. Most chain link is 11 gage or lighter. That is easily chewed through. It's also a good idea to bury a couple of feet of chain link to keep them from going under the fence. That should be in addition to the 6 foot high fence since a Siberian Husky can easily go over a 4 foot fence. We have run an electric wire around the base of our fence to keep them from digging under. Fortunately they have not tried to climb over the fence or we would have to run a wire around the top of it as well. We do have one dog that climbs over the top of a 6 foot high kennel run but we have put another dog with him and that seems to make him happy enough to stay inside. A wooden fence is no contest at all. If they don't go over it or under it, they will eat it. While we're on the subject of digging and eating, did we mention that ours dug up a buried phone line in our back yard and made lunch of it. Siberians dig everywhere and in a short time make your back yard look like a battle field from WWII.

OK, so they are an indoor dog for homes with few or older children (at least old enough to chase them down). These primitive northern dogs like to feel secure inside their own den. If you don't have a ready made den a good airline crate will do. It gives them a secure home and makes it easier to house train. Of course, if you are one of those people that know better and just can't stand the idea of your dog being confined in a crate then read on. A Siberian Husky is a fun loving dog and doesn't require much to entertain itself. They love to chew and are prone to chew on anything handy. In our own experience that has included several shoes, a banister going down to the basement, an end table in the living room, kitchen table legs, and many other items too numerous to mention. I know of a Siberian chewing up a bathroom vanity as well as through the wall to get into another room. Steel doors are also recommended. An airline approved crate is better than a wire crate because the wire ones tend to be eaten enough to escape from.

Siberians look like wolves and are scary enough to be a good guard dog. Right? Did I mention that Siberian Huskies are family dogs. They love their owners and their children. They also love everyone else as well. That includes the burglars that break into your home while you are away. No they won't bark to alert anyone. In fact Siberian Huskies bark very little. that doesn't mean that they don't howl for no apparent reason and at any time of the day or night. In short, if you need a burglar alarm, call a commercial alarm company.

If you like dogs and spend anytime around Obedience Trials or Agility Trials then we are willing to wager that you didn't see a Siberian Husky there. That's not by accident. A Siberian is a very independent breed of dog. That means that they have a mind of their own. They are more than willing to obey any command you give them, as long as they are in the mood. If you tell them to lie down they will do as asked, if they are tired. If you call them to come they will run to do so, as long as you are holding a food bowl. Their independent nature goes back to the breeds original purpose. The Siberian Husky is very smart and a good one will not run over a cliff in the middle of a snow storm even though you tell them to. They will not run out onto an unsafe ice flow no matter how loud you scream at them.

Did we mention that a Siberian Husky is not for first time dog owners? If you aren't discouraged by this point then perhaps a Siberian puppy is for you. But don't just take our word for it. The internet if full of horror stories from Siberian Husky owners that just didn't understand. We have never owned more than 23 of the little beasts and recommend that you start with one. Take heed though, like potato chips, you can't have just one.

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Updated October 31, 2008