8 Secrets of Siberian Husky Good Behavior

As we say in our country, "You knew what you were getting into." Siberian huskies are absolutely amazing dogs that can completely captivate you when you fall in love with their nature. When you appreciate the purpose for which this breed was developed.

Let’s take a closer look at the causes of the aforementioned husky issues. Because knowing the root of the problem, we can easily find the answers on how to solve them. Or at least understand how to approach them.

And therein lie the secrets to good Siberian husky behavior.

This occurs if they are not getting enough exercise during the day. Additionally, it happens if we fail to make them understand that they are truly members of our family.

Siberians require regular walks, calming home games for self-stabilization, group socialization sessions, moderate physical exercise twice a week, and the development of trust in the owner and his decisions. You should also spend some time on joint activities between you and your Siberian husky, and, of course, respond to the requests that your dog sends you in various situations, whether it is unsure, seeking protection, or asking for help (e.g., if it is unwell). Sharing food and place of rest is also essential. By doing this, we ensure good exercise, mental exhaustion, and establish family bonds for the Siberian husky.

They do this to escape and satisfy their needs. For instance, there might be chickens and other small animals in the neighboring yard. If your Husky only walks in the yard, is not taken out for walks beyond the fence, does not participate in any activities, and does not run in a harness, she will get bored and restless in the yard. Out of boredom and an excess of intelligence, they feel the urge to do something and occupy themselves, or to fulfill their needs if their owner does not meet them.

Huskies are always curious, especially about what’s going on with the neighbors, beyond the fence, or on the next street. We should always remember this and walk it in different areas of our city, in the forest, in fields, or in parks on the other side of town. It’s even better to add some training sessions for concentration, following hand games, learning commands like "wait," "stop," "come," and self-stabilization trainings. This not only involves joint activities with the Siberian husky but also provides mental fatigue and physical exercise.

Generally, siberian huskies tend to howl more often than to bark. This is a characteristic trait of theirs; they almost never bark, unlike Beagles or German Shepherds, for instance.

In the wild, howling serves as a call, a gathering signal, a summons. So, if a Husky howls when no one is home, it means she is calling for you, she feels sad and bored, and she doesn’t understand why she has been left behind. In her eyes, it looks like this: her entire family has gone "hunting" (but in reality, you went to the store, work, or even on vacation), and it was not taken along. She wants to be needed; she wants to participate in the hunt, or perhaps she simply doesn’t want to be alone because she doesn’t understand if you are coming back or have abandoned her. Howling means calling out. But the reason behind the call is always individual. Therefore, there is no universal solution for everyone

The third secret lies in not losing your Husky’s trust in you as a leader, and maintaining her trust in your decisions while simultaneously training her for solitude. Always leave engaging toys for her while you're away. But first, you need to teach her how to use these engaging toys.

Whether in an apartment or a house, this behavior is not specific exceptionally to Siberian husky. Chewing and destructive behavior are common to dogs of all known breeds, absolutely to all, including mixes, hybrids. The underlying cause is the psycho-physiological state your dog is in. A dog experiencing chronic stress may express the consequences of that stress through destructive behavior.

For example, a siberian husly might not know how to stay alone at home when the owners are away, or she may not be able to handle being home alone for too long. She may be overly emotionally excited and unable to cope with this state, which manifests itself through chewing and destruction. Or perhaps there is some constantly recurring situation that causes her stress, and she can't deal with it, leading to destructive behavior as a result.

Never punish or hit your dog for chewing on "something" or for being destructive after the fact. She didn't do it out of spite. She did it because she was extremely nervous and didn't know how to handle her emotions. She found a way to cope, which she learned as a puppy – chewing on something or destroying whatever was lying around. When you punish her later, after you come home and see the mess, she won’t connect the two events – the mess and your anger. Instead, you will damage her trust in you and lose a bit of her confidence. Over time, this can lead to a complete loss of trust. Since Huskies belong to the group of primitive breeds, their trust is lost much more quickly compared to other breeds like hunting or decorative dogs.

Teach her to stay alone at home, in the car, or in a crate. Value your Husky’s trust in you, or rebuild it if it’s been lost. Teach her to play calming games (like scent games), use engaging toys for self-soothing (such as licking or chewing toys).

However, various scenarios can occur beyond what I've described because a Siberian husky is a living being. There is no single solution that fits all situations. But there are fundamental principles that are applicable to everyone.

One of the most intriguing aspects of Siiberian husky problematic behavior is their strong prey drive. This behavior is natural and deeply ingrained in the breed’s genetics. Historically, when northern tribes kept these dogs, they used them as transportation during the winter months. In the summer, the dogs were often allowed to roam freely. They would go wherever they pleased, feeding on whatever they could catch or scavenge, including small game and foraging for food. This explains their keen interest in anything furry, fast-moving, small, or in domestic poultry.

Prey drive can be managed and minimized during the stages when the puppy is still with the breeder and later when it transitions to a new family that understands the "taboo animals" list for the puppy and knows how to properly train the husky puppy to ignore and quickly switch off these impulses.

This involves consistent work in raising the puppy correctly and training it to quickly shift a focus and disregard such temptations. This training needs to be consistent without any lapses until the dog is about three years old, and then periodically reinforced throughout its life to maintain this desired behavior. As you can see, it requires a significant amount of effort, time, and knowledge on your part as the owner.

Sound familiar?

My take and experience with these snow dogs show that huskies are pretty good at sizing up a situation and deciding if a command is worth their time. Some commands, they just think are "dumb." Let's flip the script on husky obedience. What does a well-behaved husky look like to you? Answer that question for yourself.

The holy grail commands when living with a husky are “come here,” “wait,” and “stay.” And if you have kids under 10, the “place” command is crucial. Everything else that makes for a well-behaved husky is about their “mindset,” which you start shaping at the breeder's and then continue to develop in your home.

Missteps by the breeder, the owner, or the family when the husky is a pup can lead to behavioral issues and a lack of trust in the owner’s decisions. This means that the husky sees you not as a leader, but as some random person who feeds and maybe walks them, and who they don’t need to listen to in critical situations. Walks on city streets, parks, forests, fields, and mountains are all seen as “critical situations” because of the external environment’s influence.

If you do it right, huskies will follow the essential commands needed for a harmonious life with humans and effective communication. Sometimes, they’re so intuitive that if there’s genuine interspecies understanding between you, words aren’t even necessary. A glance is enough for them to pick up on your intention, or you can signal with a gesture, body direction, head position, or stance, and they’ll get the message.

And remember! Siberian huskies are a primitive breed. This means that the most important thing is to maintain their trust in you as their leader, to teach commands with the right methodology, and to use them appropriately, not just for fun. You also need to build their stress resilience and provide games and training for self-calming (licking, searching games)

If you’ve got rock-solid core muscles, biceps, and triceps on just one arm, then you’re definitely a husky owner! Just kidding. But really, this is a common issue that can be addressed, though it requires proper training and conditioning starting from the breeder and continuing with the right mindset and behavior from the husky owner during walks.

So, what do walks mean for a husky? It’s a chance to explore new things, sniff all the scents, gather information from all the markers, do a bit of hunting, and then return home. In the wild, hunting is a family activity (just like it is for wolves) and it brings the family together. In other words, it’s a team effort.

So, walks with your husky should be all about engaging with each other actively. Think of it as some sort of teamwork during your stroll, with periodic treats to reward good behavior. This helps build your husky’s trust in you and makes them see the walking area as familiar territory. It means they’ll start to relax and stop choking themselves on the leash, trying to dash off somewhere. They’ll start looking at you now and then, like, "What’s next, boss?" They’ll find hanging out with you way more exciting than sniffing around someone else's spots or chasing after who knows what.

And of course, emotional control is key—both yours and your husky’s. You might be bummed that I’m not recommending choke collars, prong collars, or harnesses, or giving you a step-by-step guide. That’s because each husky owner has their own unique story and relationship with their dog, so what works for one might not work for another. What I want to do is help you understand the reasons behind the behavior and show you the world through your husky’s eyes.

Shedding and Fur Control of Siberian husky: they shed a lot of fur, and it seems to get everywhere. How can you deal with this problem, and is there a way to make a Husky stop shedding?