Husky difficulties

[Wellfuckmeinbothears]

Hi all,

We have a 8 month old pure breed husky, he’s lovely and we love him but my god he is hard work. We walk him for an hour twice a day but he’s relentless! His pulling on the lead means I can no longer walk him as he pulls me over. He constantly whines and follows me from room to room. He’s mostly toilet trained but if he needs to go in between his walks he would rather go inside despite having free rein of a large garden. He’s also started snapping at us if we try to stop him from doing something (chewing cables, get off the bed etc) and we cannot leave him loose in the house, he has to be in the cage if we go out or he destroys the house. We are really, really trying with him. We’ve been to puppy classes etc and nothing’s helping. I’m in despair! He’s not been “done” yet so try’s to shag everything (kids included) and bites us when we stop him. Will getting him neutered help?

Any advice or just support would be so appreciated. I love my dog but he’s just so badly behaved.

You shouldn't have got him in the first place. Rehoming is horrible for the dog, but probably necessary in this case. Yet another example of people buying a completely unsuitable breed for their circumstances.

I think things are stacked against you. I don't know a lot about the breed other than they were put into my bucket of specialist and difficult so I would not even consider one. You are having behaviourally issues which isn't a surprise at that age and with that breed. And finally you have a baby on the way which is ultimately going to make eveything much much harder.

If you want to continue make sure you get a specialist that knows huskies 100% and tell them to be honest with you about what the challenges are and whether you are in a position to deal with them. I love my dog and the thought of rehoming would break my heart so I would only consider it if I heard it from an expert in RL that had seen me and the dog.

You don’t need a 1-1 husky specialist (whatever the hell that is?!?) you need an APBC or ASAB accredited behaviourist - go to the apbc website and you can search by region to find a reputable behaviourist near you.

Also do NOT neuter until you have sought specialist behavioural advice, neutering does not affect behaviour unless that behaviour is driven by sex hormones - it’s not a magical behaviour-change surgery and can actually make some types of aggression worse especially those driven by anxiety - as your dog mostly shows aggression when you’re trying to force him to do something he’s scared of (like forcing him into a crate so that you can leave him alone) it’s very likely that neutering will exacerbate his anxiety.

I think your rather rude answer to mama is unjustified, although she may have been a little sharp.
Huskies are designed to work hard, running for many hours in harsh conditions. They are not suitable quiet family pets designed to live in flats. This is not the right dog for you, despite the fact you may love him very much. But, what to do now?
You are expecting a baby and you have a large adolescent dog that bites and you can't control. You will have to think very hard about your priorities here. Don't get defensive and give me a rude answer. I think you should consider rehoming the dog, but sadly, so many people have bought this breed for the wrong reason, and I see many of them up for rehoming, and around the same age as yours. You cannot give this dog the lifestyle it needs, it would appear. You have some hard decisions to make.

Cornflake's advice is brilliant.

"I show him things he’s destroyed and tell him off he hangs his head and seems to know I’m upset"

Please, please stop this. Knowing you are upset and knowing why are 2 very different things. I can guarantee this dog does not link your disapproval to him chewing and so all this will be to him is a random period of upset or anger from you and will damage the relationship you have with him. Leaving him in a crate when out is no problem at this age and - being a husky - might mean it has to continue the rest of his life.

He is chewing because he is distressed at being left alone and chewing/digging is both an attempt to get back to you and something that soothes him. The fact that he follows you everywhere is not helping this so you need to start stopping this.

Give him something tasty and slow to eat (bone, kong, chew) and walk out the room. Come back after 30 seconds and don't make a fuss. Do this enough times that he doesn't both if you leave the room then up it to 1 min. Repeat and up the time out the room until he can do 15 mins or so by himself.

As others have said, you will probably never be able to let him off the lead unless you are somewhere very secure. However, you do need to exercise him. Brain games help tire him out somewhat but this is a dog that needs LOTS of walking/running (think 2 hours a day good solid exercise, at least).

Others have suggested a double ended training lead which may help. First you need to find a harness that the dog cannot get off. Watch for how to desensitise a dog to a harness. Yours will take a lot more tries than the one in the video, but the principle's the same.

Toilet training (in all breeds) can go wonky again at about the 6-8 month mark. Keep the training consistent: lots of praise/treats when he does it right, lots of very frequent garden trips to give him the chance to do so (every 30 mins), don't react when he gets it wrong and clean up indoor mess VERY carefully using an enzyme cleaner to get rid of any lingering scent.

In terms of chewing this he shouldn't: remove them before he tries. I appreciate you probably cannot remove ALL cables but as many as possible need putting away. Ditto new boots which should never be left out. Give him lots of things he CAN chew and instead of just telling him off when he chews something naughty, keep calm, tell him NO and give him something he CAN chew as a replacement. Be consistent every. single. time.

I will add just in case anyone's reading this who is thinking of getting a husky: Huskies are dogs that, when race fit, can run for 14 hour a day and burn almost 10,000 calories. They are independent, smart and not easily trainable. To get ahead of them you are going to have to be smarter than then dog and prepared to put in the time.

They are extremely specialist dogs and whilst some make nice pets, many, many do not (at least not in the hands of someone inexperienced with them). I know a tonne of people who have had dogs all their life, work with dogs etc and many would not take on a husky pet. Their looks are lovely and it attracts many people but they are not easy dogs to take on at all.

OP, that's all not aimed at you because you already have a love the dog but if I can dissuade one unsuitable person from getting a husky because they want a pet dog and like the way huskies look then my mini-rant will be worth it. Everything you have described is typical husky. You don't have an especially difficult one, many are like yours. Anyone thinking of getting one should carefully consider what they can handle.

Its all very well saying ‘rehome’ but how many homes do posters think there are for young huskies with potentially aggressive behaviours.

Dog shelters are stacked with huskies exactly because of the kind of decision-making the OP has demonstrated. If he gets ‘rehomed’ it’s likely only to end one way

The OP has said she's willing to invest time and money in him - at the moment that’s his best bet

Thank you all x

I gave up on my beloved adopted Huskies and happily sent them to the very cold climate they belonged in after I'd had them for a year in the worst place on earth for them to be.

I thought I could give them everything they needed but I couldn't and the last picture I saw of them just before they set off on an all day hike with their outdoor loving new owner filled my heart with joy.

It was 5k well spent.

Huskies are like no other dog one earth.

I think you need to rehome OP. I know you love your dog, but with the best will in the world, and regardless of how much 'specialist' training you pay for, you ultimately can't offer what that breed of dog needs - space, ridiculous amounts of physical exercise etc. When your baby is tiny, you're knackered and your dp is at work, will you still be able to ensure it gets the exercise it needs? Is there enough space to zone the flat so when you nip to the loo/answer the door/any other reason you need to put the baby down, leave it unattended for a moment, safely separate from the dog? I know it's hard for you but you need to think about the dogs needs, not what you want the dog to do for you.

Normally Veterinari I find your advice spot on but I have to disagree here - rationally the OP has a baby on the way in 7 months, and is already unable to walk the dog and it is left to her DH. Money, maybe, but the time and effort isn't there. If they hang on to the dog until the last minute, that's another 6/7 months of his behaviour deteriorating.

Well it's his best bet at the moment. If he bites the baby (which he's going to do with the way things are) then he's going to be dead.

Sorry it's all gone wrong for you OP. I think eight months is a difficult age. My whippet is eight months old and has suddenly started chewing things he hasn't touched before.

I agree you really need to find places to let your dog off lead. Whippets and huskies are very different but the one thing they have in common is the need to exercise and really go for proper runs. My whippet gets to stretch his legs at least three times a week. Sometimes it's a bit of a drive but it's worth it to see him run full pelt.

He also goes to doggy day care that has a big field where he can run. Sadly, your dog may not be able to do daycare as they probably wouldn't accept a dog that bites.

Im going to go against the grain and say don't rehome.

This dog has bitten with intent more than once. He should be put down. You might not want to hear it but this is a dangerous dog in a completely unsuitable home. People aren't going to be queing up to rehome him. If you do manage to find him a home, who is to say where this dog will end up if they can't cope with him either? No bloody way would i let this dog anywhere near a baby. How could you trust him? One snap in the wrong direction with the baby in the firing line? Doesn't bear thinking about.

He doesn't need to be put down, he needs an appropriate home. There are unfortunately SO many charities dedicated to rehabilitating and rehoming Huskies and Malamutes, because people struggle with them, they're beautiful to look at but difficult to train and care for properly. I think he might need more than you can offer him, but please do make sure he goes to experienced owners, my Malamute boy was passed from pillar to post before he ended up with us and it breaks my heart to think of how difficult that must have been for him.

That’s a fair point Fenella but the options for this dog in rehoming are going to be extremely limited as well. If the OP get proper behavioural advice, it’s possibly salvageable, but I think that realistically the outlook for this dogis poor either way.

@Veterinari Quite. Which is why people need to do their research. I think to compound matters it's clearly a backyard breeder or puppy farmer - no responsible breeder is going to sell a husky to people with a tiny flat, or refuse all subsequent help.

Please seek out a behaviourist. My golden retriever (don’t laugh) was a shit bag. A real shit bag. I took him gun dog training and figured out how to communicate with him properly and he is my best friend and 9 years old now. He is still opinionated. He put a dent in DH’s thumb yesterday because he found a sweet DH dropped and DH needed to take it back from him. He’s a bit slow and wasn’t communicating with the dog, but bribery is best and as soon as I ask ‘do you want a treat?’ He lets you have whatever it is. Dogs aren’t like people in that they do live in the moment and it’s not a reward for being bad, it’s a bargaining tool which is always valuable with any animal that has a big pair of teeth. Any dog has the potential to be difficult to work with especially if you’ve had easy ones or none before, please do seem out a behaviourist who believes in positive reinforcement.

@Florence16 But respectfully, a dog that 'puts a dent' in someone's thumb because of a sweet isn't a dog suitable to be around a baby or a toddler either, particularly at close quarters in a small flat whilst also not getting the exercise it needs.

I know it's been said but I don't think you are 'hearing' it OP. A 2 bd flat is NOT the place for a huskie and if you really did research the breed you would know this.
Having owned a huskie, I can't say I'd ever get another. Actually, I know I would not. They are gorgeous but hard work. They don't belong cooped up that's for sure.
I can see you love your dog so I hope it all works out for the best OP.

We have a rescue malamute cross. She needed a lot of exercise - 4 hours a day when she was young! Bike joring was the best way to tire her out. And some advice from a behaviourist helped a lot.

How motivated by food is he? Some huskies/malamutes aren't bothered by food. It took time to find treats she liked, she isn't fussed about lots of commercial treats.

Time and training was what improved her, but her problems were being hyper and separation anxiety. She is also crossed with easier/more trainable breeds!! We also didn't have dds till she was 4 and a lot better. You need to consider do you have enough time to turn this around?

He's a big strong dog that bites in an entirely inappropriate home. And there is soon going to be a baby in the mix. I would start trying to rehome him immediately- making sure that whoever takes him on is fully aware of the issues. But realistically he is very unlikely to be rehomed for the reasons others have given. So I think you shout prepare yourself for having him PTS. Beyond awful for you, but better for him than an uncertain life in a shelter becoming more rehomeable with every passing day.

Extensive research in to Huskies before you got home would have shown you that NO responsible Husky owner ever lets them off the lead, full stop, unless in a secure enclosed area. Their breed make-up is to run, for miles and hours, in a straight line, they do not circle like other dogs. If you are 'lucky' enough for your Sibe not to be run over, it could be in the next county before you blink ...

This will sound harsh, but it is meant kindly, to your family and especially to the dog. I agree with most on this thread, I'm afraid. You are not what this dog needs, and this will only get worse with the arrival of your baby and his increasing maturity - how are you going to walk him 8 miles a day then?

Given that I can't imagine any sensible breeder would have sold a puppy to a home in a flat in the first place, and they don't seem to be giving you any support now either, I'm afraid I would ask breed rescue to help you find him the right home. (Well, that's if they have the capacity to help you - not sure of current status, but they have been over-whelmed with dogs in the past, due to the breed's aesthetic appeal and their extremely specialist nature, which are not a good mix.)

This thread has made me shake my head all the way through.

The fact that your breeder won't take him back says everything I need to know. You got a husky from an irresponsible breeder. I'm going to assume you had no contract or endorsements because good breeders actually write it into their contracts that dogs MUST be returned to them if there are any issues.

I find it extremely hard to believe that you've had three behaviourists in the space of 8 months, all of whom could do nothing with a dog exhibiting extremely typical husky behaviour.

The biting is because you haven't trained him properly.

Huskies are working sled dogs. They are NOT suitable for two bedroom flats. They need a lot more than walking. They are not a usual pet. You'd know this if you'd researched properly.

I'm never one to say this, but please rehome this dog, through sibe rescue (presuming it's KC Reg) and never, ever get another dog, ever.

I'm sorry to add more to the avalanche, but I have just seen this "I honestly don’t know why he destroys stuff, when I show him things he’s destroyed and tell him off he hangs his head and seems to know I’m upset."

Thereis no way that a dog can know you're upset about something he destroyed some time ago. I wonder if you're treating him like a human in other ways? That's really dangerous with a big dominant partly trained dog....