Myths About Siberian Husky: Debunking the Fears

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The internet is full of horror stories about Siberians. They howl, escape, tear the house apart, badly obedient, and aren’t a good dogs for apartment living. If you believe everything you read, it seems that Siberian huskies aren’t dogs at all, but uncontrollable monsters. Most of these “facts” stem from the negative experiences of unprepared husky owners or those who wanted a husky solely because of its appearance.
We live with Siberians every day and know this breed inside out, and we have something to tell you

Common myths:

Siberian husky is a bad dog for apartment living

MYTH: “You can’t keep a Siberian husky in an apartment”

THE REALITY: In reality, it makes no difference whether you live with a Husky in an apartment or a private standalone house with fenced yard. In either case, you’ll need to care for her in the same way—taking her for walks and socializing her. It doesn’t matter how many square meters your home is or what type it is. What matters is how well you spend time with your siberian and meet its needs. Many people think that having a large fenced yard will help meet a husky needs. But in practice, this only lulls the owner into a false sense of security and creates additional problems. A husky in a house with a large fenced yard but no family contact will be unhappier than a husky in a two-bedroom apartment with a loving owner.

There’s a simple rule: when at home a husky has a nap time, rests, and eats; outside, it goes for walks, plays, trains, explores the world, reads scent marks, leaves its own, and broadens its horizons.

All Huskies are escape artists. it's just what they do

MYTH: “Huskies are escape artists. Get one and it will run away from you”

THE REALITY: Husky loves to explore the world. But the husky isn’t the one who escapes it’s the dog that doesn’t trust its owner or his decisions. If you don’t make it clear to a siberian husky that she is part of the family, lock her in the hardly fenced yard, and deny her any physical or mental stimulation thus depriving her of the chance to explore the world, she will start making her own decisions about how to get out of this situation and meet her needs. And that’s moment when it ‘s going to escape, and most likely won’t come back on its own. But a husky that has grown up in a trusting environment knows that you and she are part of the same family; it is well-socialized, well trained on recall, has a good bond with you, and you satisfy its natural curiosity about the world, then the husky has no need to escape or make independent decisions.

Husky howls too much

MYTH: “Husky howls 24/7 and your neighbors will hate you”

FACT: Siberian husky are indeed a “vocal” breed; they prefer to howl more than to bark, they are “talking” this way, they growl, and produce a whole range of sounds. But howling all day long is not a breed trait. It’s a sign of a problem. In the wild nature, “howling” is a call. They call out a family for some reasons. That’s why it’s not just about Siberian huksy that howls, but all dogs. You should feel the difference between a Siberian husky howling when it’s alone at home for a long time (which is a socialization issue) and when it howls (talks) with you, telling you everything it’s thinking.

Husky will destroy your house and chews on everything

MYTH: “Get a husky, and you can say goodbye to your furniture, shoes, and wallpaper. Husky destroys the whole house”

THE REALITY: Puppies of all breeds engage in destructive behavior. This usually happens due to a lack of training and an understanding of what the puppy is going through, as well as mistakes made by the breeder and owner. Chewing, in and of itself, is the way nervous system is finding an outlet in response to any stimuli. For example, if a puppy is left alone, it may become anxious or emotionally overexcited. This is shaped through proper socialization and training, along with clear set of boundaries. At our kennel, we follow principles of training and socializing puppies in a way that eliminates the need to chew on objects or property.

husky is untrainable

MYTH: “Husky is dumb and stubborn. You can’t teach them anything”

THE REALITY: Siberian husky is very intelligent dog. The thing is, their intelligence shouldn’t be seen as a desire to be trained, but rather as the ability to make the right decisions on their own when necessary. A husky will obey your command once, but the second time it will start to wonder, “what is the reason?”
They are intellectuals. That’s why drill and discipline don’t work with Siberians. But logic and partnership really do. When you build a relationship based on trust, a Siberian husky will do what you ask for. If you try to control a Siberian huksy through fear, it will definitely not trust you, and that’s a surefire way to make it escape and run away from you for searching a new real family.

Husky can only live in cold climates

MYTH: “Siberian Husky is a northern breed. They don’t do well in hot climates”

FACT: A double coat of husky serves a thermoregulatory function; it protects them not only from the cold but also from overheating. That is why you should never shave a Siberian husky; doing so disrupts this protective barrier. Husky easily lives in Israel, Spain, Italy, Texas, and Australia, India, Phillipines and thrive there.
There’s a simple rule: walk them during cooler times of the day, provide shade and water, avoid strenuous exercise during the hottest part of the day, don’t walk them in direct sunlight, don’t walk them on hot asphalt, and have air conditioning at home or in kennels.
Geography doesn’t matter here; the main thing is to understand the process.

Husky needs insane amounts of exercise and to run 30 km a day

MYTH: “They need 5 hours of walking or to run 30 km a day”

FACT: Siberina husky is really a good endurance performer; they are capable of running long distances for lond periods of time if properly trained, but they do not need to run a marathon every day as part of their daily routine. For a person to run marathons, they need to train physically on a regular basis. The same applies to Siberian husky.

If you’re planning to compete in the Iditarod, then yes. You’ll need to create a training schedule, put together a team, and work your siberians.

Usually, socialization sessions, handling exercises, walks in the woods or park, and at-home self-soothing games help the husky burn off some energy, and she’s happy to just lie on her back on your couch at home when its needed.
The point is that Siberian husky is a very manageable breed when it comes to physical activity. And the “carriage won’t turn into a pumpkin” unless the Siberian husky runs 30 km every day.

Should I get a Husky?

You should get a Husky if you’ve researched the breed’s characteristics and they haven’t put you off or scared you, but rather inspired you even more. You’re on the right track if you’ve started wondering where to find a responsible Siberian Husky breeder. A breeder is an important part of the journey to finding the Siberian husky of your dreams.
These dogs are a serious breed. It shouldn’t be bought as a gift or as a companion for a child.

A Siberian husky is a major commitment for 12–15 years. When you get a Husky, you’re choosing a certain lifestyle. And you have to be committed to it and ready for it. People who choose Siberians are distinguished by their strength of character; they are deep individuals, original in their thinking, who love beauty, love independence and the spirit of freedom, love winter sports, love to travel, and love to learn new things. They don’t stand still; it’s hard for them to stay home for long. They are hardworking and extremely determined people, people with big hearts who deeply value family.