Siberian Husky Puppies are irresistably cute. The adults are also stunningly beautiful with their thick coats, blue, brown or multi-coloured eyes, and facial masks.
As my friend and husky expert Dorothy from the Five Sibes Blog says “To look into a husky’s eyes is to fall in love”.
They are currently very popular because of Game of Thrones (they look a bit like the dire wolf dogs but are NOT) and other media. However we believe it is important to encourage people to do their research before getting a pet and not just look at the appearance.
We have been hearing about a huge increase in the number of Siberian Huskies ending up in shelters and rescues or being rehomed online recently.
As the recent educational post and educational campaign on Five Sibes quotes, according to PETA, the number of huskies abandoned to shelters and rescues just in the UK has gone up over 400% since Game of Thrones started airing. The numbers are probably even higher in the US.
Find out more below, to see if huskies could be the right dog breed for you before you get one.
We thought it would be a good idea to review the pros and cons of owning a Siberian Husky with our expert friend Jess from the gorgeous celebrity Huskies at Gone to the Snow Dogs (plus get some other cool behind the scenes info) at Canadian Pet Expo.
Interview with Gone to The Snow Dogs
As research and responsible pet care education can not start too early, I asked Ashley, one of the stars of Kids’ Pet Club, to interview Jess and Memphis the Husky at Canadian Pet Expo. Ashley has always wanted a husky and is a big fan of Gone to the Snow Dogs.
You can find Gone to the Snow Dogs on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Jess recently warned people in a post : “Siberian Huskies are amazing dogs for the right people BUT…… Siberian Huskies are NOT the dog for everyone. They are NOT an “easy” breed to own. So if you are considering getting a husky, STOP AND THINK! Maybe adopt an older one. Maybe try FOSTERING one or volunteering with a rescue before you commit. There are SO many right now that people are just giving up on, and it’s NOT FAIR to the breed.”
Postive Siberian Husky Breed Traits
Loving and Loyal
Siberian Huskies usually love their humans and can be very affectionate and loyal. They enjoy attention and can be very playful and loving.
They often get along well with other dogs, especially huskies, as long as socialized well early. They like to be part of the family.
If you have the time, energy, budget and lifestyle to commit to loving, training and caring for them plus an appropriate space to keep them, they can be incredible pets. They can be great with older kids and even make wonderful therapy dogs like our friends Icy and Cathy – see their story here.
Extremely smart
Huskies can be very smart and learn behaviours with practise, positive reinforcement and good motivation (food, attention, toys). Find out in the video how Jess trains and which are Memphis and Shelby’s favorite treats.
High energy fun
Huskies are a great breed if you are active and love going for long walks and/or runs and getting outside. Jess takes her dogs camping, hiking, sledding and on all sorts of adventures.
Hard working
Huskies were often bred to pull sleds and love a job.
Beautiful and Clean
Huskies are very beautiful and also keep themselves and their area clean (although they do enjoy playing outside in snow and water and they do shed).
Possible Challenges of Owning a Siberian Husky
Stubborn
They are extremely smart but not necessarily easy to train. Like all dogs, they require early good socialization and consistent positive reinforcement training. They are STUBBORN, so when you think you have them figured out, they are really just testing you, and will STILL find a way to drive you crazy. Jess recommends working with an experienced professional dog trainer if you get a husky puppy.
NEED Mental and Physical Exercise
They NEED Exercise, they NEED mental stimulation, they NEED to work! They are not a couch potato breed that can just sit and do nothing. They love hiking and running so they need people with an active lifestyle. A bored Husky with pent-up energy may turn to destructive or problem behaviors. Jess takes her dogs out to exercise every single day.
NEED Companionship
They also NEED companionship. Most of them do better if you have another HUSKY or dog in the house. You need to have time to spend with them too.
They Dig – A Lot
Jess told us that her newest family member, adorable little puppy Kira, has already started to dig. She has some good teachers with Memphis and Shelby.
Escape Artists
They are frequently nicknamed “Houdini dogs” as they seem to have a desire to escape, explore and run. They should not be left unsupervised or off leash where they can possibly run away. A smart, athletic Husky can jump over a six-foot fence. If they can’t go over, they may look for other ways to get out and roam.
They Shed- A Lot.
I thought Kilo the Pug shed a lot until I saw posts of the Snow Dogs “blowing” their coats. Yikes!
Built for cold climates, huskies have both an undercoat and topcoat. They usually “blow” their coats in the spring and fall. The undercoat sheds as the new topcoat grows in. It lasts for about three weeks and hair gets everywhere as you can see in the video above and on their channel.
Prey Drive
Many huskies have a strong instinctive prey drive. They often like to chase and capture small animals so they may not do well with cats or rabbits and other smaller furry pets. However there are exceptions. See the story of friends @LiloTheHusky and Rosie the Kitten Here
Final Advice from Jess from Gone to the Snow Dogs about getting a Husky.
“BACKYARD BREEDERS and PUPPY MILLS SUCK!! Try Fostering or Adopting from Rescues or go to A GOOD Responsible Reputable breeder. They will take their dogs back if a family they sold a pup to can no longer be cared for. And THEY will do the grunt work of finding them a new home. BUT with Responsible breeders, THIS DOESN’T HAPPEN OFTEN, since they SCREEN all potential puppy buyers, with long contracts and interviews.
So please, if you really think this is the breed for you, go spend time with a few and see if you change your mind. Foster one or Rescue an older one. But please, don’t get one because they “look like wolves” or because you “love Game of Thrones” or for any other stupid reason. Get one because you did the research and you are prepared to commit the next 12 -15 years of your life living with a cute Toddler in their Terrible Twos. . . no joke. . . that’s about what it’s like.”
Thank you Jess for sharing your insights and you can see more of her family and their adventures here youtube.com/Gonetothesnowdogs
For a list of husky rescues from our friends at Five Sibes pop over HERE.
Here is one of the Gone to the Snow Dogs latest videos – Making DIY training treats for Kira the husky puppy.
Don’t forget to subscribe to both our YouTube Channels and say hi on Facebook.
Where to start? My experience has been mostly wonderful owning Siberian Huskies. We live in Arizona so we purchased from registered AKC breeders. There were several here, and we had desert races (with 3 wheeled carts) and snow races (yes, it snows in AZ). We raised 2 litters, and interviewed perspective buyers as though they were about to purchase one of our children. ! My son, now an M.D. actually birthed our first litter at the age of 7! We turned down several buyers, 2 because the puppy-daddy didn’t like them. He was a wonderful dog, loved everyone, so when he growled, we simply refused the sale. The last refusal was to a moron who right out told us he wanted to breed to his ‘wolf’! GIANT NO on that guy. If you know anything, you know that we don’t mix breed, especially to feral animals.!! We had 6 huskies over the years. For those who think they are abused when ‘forced’ to run, have never seen a team all suited up waiting for the signal to take off! They are very high energy animals and have been bred for stamina and speed. They are dogs who need a job! On the minus side,….they are definitely diggers! Our yard was constantly dug up. In the summer they lay down in the holes they dig to stay cool. We had one female, Sheika, who could open any door, ring the doorbell ( until we removed ) when it was dinnertime, and somehow got a gatelock hasp lifted and opened. When they get loose, well, they are clouds of dust. Ours ran for it courtesy of the poolman, and were net seen on a mountain behind our house, then lost for 4 weeks, we got 2 back found 5 miles away, one we never got back. I was partial to the open faces of the Monadnock Siberians. our Sasquatch Sam was from that line. They are unparalleled in my humble opinion. They are simply beautiful animals, and worth any hardship they cause their owners. They are loving, loyal, wonderful with children, and I never heard of one ever attacking anyone, although they do scare away burglars. When I see them in the pet shops, I am heartsick. Our city had a Siberian Husky Club, which was great to exchange problems, ideas and playdates. Other cities may have them too. I will never forget any of them, in our hearts forever. Sorry this was so long, I’;m off my soapbox now.
Thank you so much for sharing. Great to hear about your experiences with your 6 huskies over the years. Sheika sounds like a character. They are such beautiful dogs- I think it is wonderful for people to hear about owning huskies and get reminded they don’t belong in pet shops or with owners not prepared for the energy and digging etc. Thanks again!
Great post! I actually already watched your video because it came up on my recommended list on Youtube! How funny. I’m sure it’s because I’m also a regular watcher of Jess and her huskies. I’m a Game of Thrones fan and hate that the show is causing an increase of abandoned huskies! I’ve always loved the breed, but have never been in a position to adopt one myself. I actually do have an Alaskan Klee Kai, though. He looks like a very tiny husky, but they are a totally different breed. Although I feel like owning him helps me relate on some levels to husky owners, as my AKK also sheds like crazy and, small as he may be, is VERY high maintenance. My husky knowledge is mostly secondhand as I’ve never owned one myself, but I know that Alaskan Klee Kai are not a breed I would recommend for most people. Luckily they’ve seemed to escape the “dire wolf” craze, for the most part, although we are sadly seeing a bit of an increase in the number of them turning up in shelters too.
Wow that is good news that it showed up in your feed. Hopefully the message will get out and people will enjoy the interview- Jess is so nice and her dogs are gorgeous! I love Alaskan Klee Kais – they are so cute- at first I thought they were miniature huskies or a mix so we did a feature on them- I should add some info pics and links from you. Pugs are high maintenance emotionally and time-wise and shed like bandits too LOL.
They are such beautiful animals and their eyes are mesmerizing. I have been reading about the increase of Huskies in the shelters here in California because of Game of Thrones, have been sharing the newspaper articles plus of course cross posting where possible. It is so sad what is happening as people just want but do not think of the long term commitment 🙁
Great post
I think, as any other breed, they can make great companions if treated right.
Cute huskies! I know huskies sure can shed. Very informative post. I hate to say that my stepson was a backyard breeder for huskies, but at least he stopped after two litters (probably due to Game of Thrones demand for huskies). I know his two dogs can be a pain sometimes. He said one sometimes harasses the neighbor’s chickens. He doesn’t exercise them. I know I would never get a dog and not exercise them. Please keep educating people on this adorable breed!
Huskies are gorgeous! I really appreciate them when I see them out and about in my neighborhood. That being said, I’m not sure that they would be a great fit for me and my low-key lifestyle. My kitties are about the right speed for me. Awesome interview with Jess! 🙂
People need to know what they’re getting into when they get any pet. Huskies are beautiful but not for people with a laid back lifestyle it seems.
Huskies are so gorgeous! Any pet is a big commitment, and people should choose the right one based on their lifestyle, not only on how beautiful they are. Great interview!
Any pet is right. My rescue cat Nala lived with us nearly 20 years and was quite demanding.
I admit that having read your post I just know that I could not cope with a husky dog. They look wonderful, they are faithful and gorgeous but I can see, from your post, that they are a real and long term responsibility that you cannot walk away from.
I thought I had trouble getting cat sitters, a husky sitter would be top of my ‘How on Earth Do I do THAT’ list!
A tremendous post and, I hope it does a lot to help promote Huskies to the right people and make those who are not sure thing hard about the commitment.
FANTASTIC post, Susan! Ashley did a phenomenal job of interviewing Jess, who is another great Husky resource! And Cathy’s Icy is a wonderful therapy dog! It is so wonderful we can all come together to help promote breed education and helping Huskies and all pets in need! I am THRILLED you collaborated with us on this very important topic! Here’s hoping our #BreedEducate2Relate campaign joins us all together in a joint effort as a community to help folks become educated on the needs and traits of Siberian Huskies as well as all breeds and species to be sure the pet is the right one for them and their family so their home becomes a forever loving home!
https://fivesibes.blogspot.com/2019/06/fivesibes-breededucate2relate-Huskies.html
Thanks so much. I am very proud of Ashley and Jess was so nice and easy to talk to! I too am thrilled to collaborate with you on this and will share both our posts and your campaign #BreedEducate2Relate XS
Thanks so much for sharing this post. I love Game of Thrones, but I wish they had found a pack of mixed breed pups instead of Direwolves. Huskies are beautiful, but they aren’t for everyone, thanks for sharing a realistic look at them.
I think Huskies are beautiful! I tend to gravitate towards the working breeds of dogs, but don’t have one now because I don’t have the property for them to exercise and the lifestyle to help keep them entertained. It’s so important for anyone who wants a specific breed of dog or cat to research the breed.
I loved huskies to until one killed my much loved Lhasa Apso without warning. This husky had never done anything like this before, was well trained and socialuzed. It was the most terrifying moment of my life. There was no warning or any of the signs that breeders and trainers write about. Huskies will see dogs up to half their size as prey, and if you dig around it isnt hard to find forums where husky owners are looking for answers why their dog has killed another in the household without any buildup. All dogs can bite – not all dogs can kill and I and its owner are devastated by what his dog did.