# siberian husky advice



## samdouglas (Jan 16, 2009)

Im looking to get a siberian husky but have found that most info regarding house training these dogs says to use crates and not allow the dog to sleep with you on the bed. i have had dogs in the past and have had no problems with them sleeping with me on the bed but bieng a more difficult breed in general than i have previously owned i was wondering what the best way to house train a siberian husky is, and how can do this whilst letting it sleep on my bed. 
i have never used a crate to train a dog and have usually kept the dog in the kitchen overnight until it has bieng housetrained and then let it free to sleep where it wants including my bed, would i be able to use this method again with a husky or possibly use a crate to house train it and then let it free

any help would be apreciated

cheers Sam


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## Amyk (Dec 23, 2008)

i dont know much about how training but i do know that huskies are very pack orientated and you really have to make sure that your the boss, sometimes when their let on the bed at night or even in the sofas they can get possesive over it and you and can either end up defending your bed from you or actually defending you whilst sitting/laying on it and they can prevent people from getting anywhere near you so just abit of warning to make sure your the boss. personally i wouldnt let my dog on the bed at night because in the dog world the alpha dog tends to take the higher up places like the bed or furniture, if that makes sense. it kinda like "im the king of the castle". hope this helps a little bit, good luck


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## noushka05 (Mar 28, 2008)

i started my huskies in crates at night until they were clean & trustworthy enough not to wreck the house, they now have their own settees to sleep on! Some of my friends do have them on the bed or maybe you could put the crate in your bedroom as huskies do need company either human or canine.


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## lucana (Dec 30, 2008)

They are the most gorgeous dogs ever! When I got my laser apsho from a rescue centre, they also had twin husky pups but I worked full time so didn't have the time to spend on them. My Buster is quite happy with one walk a day, if it's raining he refuses to go out!


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## odette (Mar 25, 2009)

Hi
I have 5 huskies and 1 samoyed ranging from 2yrs-12yrs i start all my pups in cages especially when your out,i have the cages in my bedroom.
I do this until they are fairly trust worthy as husky can and will chew all there lives sometimes they go for mths without then have a chewing fest,
Once there toilet train and are behaving i start letting them out at night this is normally at 6mths then they eventually sleep on my bed.
When i walk them ,go out etc i put the younger ones in there cages as they dig carpets and chew etc but my older 3 are shut in a room as they are well behaved.
I think that you will know your husky pup as they are all different i have matzi the 3 yr old and she has never chewed so each one is different just be carefull as they chew everything from pants,socks-electrical cables and recently in my house out of the blue a hoover,
Hope you have loads of fun make sure there are plenty of toys in there cages,
Hope to see pics


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## odette (Mar 25, 2009)

Hi
I have got 5 huskies and 1 samoyed there ages are 2yrs,3yrs,5yrs,2x11yrs and a 12yr old
I started all pups in cages at night and when im out,in the bath etc more for there safty than anything as they get up to mischief in seconds and chew things you wouldnt believe.
I always keep the cage in the bedroom so they are with me and if they need a wee in the night im there to let them out,at around 6mths depending how good they are i let them sleep out of there cage you will find they sleep most the night and if you shut the door and have there toys about when they wake up they can play safely.
I still cage my youngsters when i go out as they chew and dig up carpets up because theyve been left i also have to cage them when im walking the others.
I have all my dogs loose at night know but the only doors in the house that are open r the bedroom and kitchen so they are nlimited as they have destoyed a OLDleather sette by eating the leather and ripping the stuffing out,:lol:
Have fun with your baby hoping to see pics xx


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## Nicholeamanda93 (Apr 15, 2012)

hi my name is nikki and I need advice too. My husband and I recently went to the pound and got a dog personally, I didn't want a husky because I knew how hard they are going to we but we ended upwith a husky and I'm stuck training it. Lucky for us she is house broken and knows sit but that's it. My advice I'm asking for is how to get her to not jump up on us or our family. Andhow to make her sleep in her crate at night with out whimpering al l night long.she is,1 YEAR OLD AND the guy at the pound said he tried to catch her for 6 months before he finally caught her. We have a dog we got when he was 4weeks old he is now 7 MONTHSand that was my husbands first dog. being newly weds of 5 months I don't want the dog in my bed at night and any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.


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## PennyGC (Sep 24, 2011)

I don't have a problem with dogs sleeping on the bed, I don't believe in pack dominance because they do either  pack animals would normally sleep together in a heap and the dominant one just has pick of the space - to force a pack member to sleep outside of this is to ostracize so we have to be careful.

As others have said huskies are pack animals and need company - but they're also great chewers and can easily wreck your home. Crates are really useful tools to get a pup to be clean and also to avoid bad behaviour (so they don't learn them and they don't get told off too much). Huskies can be a challenge so best to know for certain that they're the dog for you before you get one.

with taking on an older dog, particularly one who'd slept rough you'll need to go right back to basics and treat like a youngster - be understanding and patient and keep encouraging the good behaviour, ignore the bad and slowly you'll succeed!


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Nicholeamanda93 said:


> hi my name is nikki and I need advice too. My husband and I recently went to the pound and got a dog personally, I didn't want a husky because I knew how hard they are going to we but we ended upwith a husky and I'm stuck training it. Lucky for us she is house broken and knows sit but that's it. My advice I'm asking for is how to get her to not jump up on us or our family. Andhow to make her sleep in her crate at night with out whimpering al l night long.she is,1 YEAR OLD AND the guy at the pound said he tried to catch her for 6 months before he finally caught her. We have a dog we got when he was 4weeks old he is now 7 MONTHSand that was my husbands first dog. being newly weds of 5 months I don't want the dog in my bed at night and any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.


If she was running free for 6mths from 6mths old to year, then its understandable if she is a bit over exciteable. If will take any dog quite awhile to settle in and get used to your routine but more so her.

As far as jumping up on you, dont reward it by talking to her, pushing her down and anything like this. Its likely attention seeking and talking to her and especially pushing her down is just going to be seen as joining in the rough games they love to play. Instead fold your arms, turn your back and as you are turning say OFF, keep turned away from her and just stand still, totally ignore her until she has stopped and calmed down, when she has and stayed that way, then ask her to sit and then reward and praise her. Instead of just turning and standing still you can also just walk away and ignore her if thats easier and when she has stopped and calmed down and stayed that way, then call her get her to sit and then praise and treat. Keep repeating it if you have too.

If she is really bad anytime just pop her out in another room and leave her to calm down, when she has let her out but totally ignore her dont speak to her at first even, then if she comes out and stays calm and doesnt jump up call her, ask her to sit and then praise and treat. Again if she starts again just reapeat it and keep repeating it. Some get it quick some it may take lots of repetitions.

You need to also get her to sit for absolutely anything and everthing before she gets it. If shes sitting she wont be jumping and eventually it should be an automatic thing when she wants something from you rather then jumping at you for attention and things.

Everyone has to do this though or else it wont work.

Exercise is important too with a Husky, if adequately exercised and once got rid of excess energy they are usually happy to rest. Longer walks are better then short ones. Before leaving her anytime try to ensure she is adequately exercised. Huskys are pack dogs and do best with an owner who spends lots of time with them and or a canine companion as well.

If she has never been in a crate or seen one and especially after her life style, then you need to introduce it and make it a place of safety and rest,
you cant just put them in and close the door. Done wrongly a dog will never accept a crate.

You need to get her a supply of Kongs, these you can stuff with all manner of food goodies for variety and keep them interesting. See link and section who to Kong for fillings Dog & Cat Toys & Dog Treats - Pet Toys, Dog Chew Toys | KONG Company
Treat Balls and toys are good too you fill them with kibble and set them to distribute pieces of kibble here and there. Things like safe chews and stag bars are good too Pure Dog | Stagbar antler dog chews | natural dog treats | organic dog snacks | hypoallergenic dog chews | long-lasting dog chews | teeth cleaning dog chews | low fat dog treats Make sure whenever she goes in the crate she has somthing. You need to feed all her meals in there too as its another positive association. Putting a T-shirt or jumper you have worn in there on her bed can help as the smell can settle and re-assure her. Providing that she isnt the sort to rip up and eat fabric some Huskies are.
Adaptil dog appeassing pheronmone diffusers can calm and soothe them too
Adaptil - The secret to happy dogs - Adaptil

I would initially set her crate up and just leave it with the door open, throw in treats and toys at random so she chases in and out of it so its a game. Also hide strong smelling treats in the corners and under the bedding so again it makes her go in and another interesting positive association with the crate.
See if she will then settle in there with a kong/chew/whatever. When she does you can then try just pushing the door too, leave it for a short while but open it again before she gets stressed or bothered. When you close it walk up no fuss, when you open it same thing. When shes happy with it pushed too then lock it and do the same thing, unlock it before she gets stressed at first. Sometimes it helps if the crate is in the communal area while you are doing all these stages so she gets used to it as a chill out and rest place with you in the vaccinity, then when she is happy and secure and relaxed in there you can leave her alone, or with your other dog close by only,
with him for company it should be OK.Leaving a radio on a talking station can help rather then silence. If you leave a bright light on, try darkness, bright lights can stimulate them at night, if shes in darkness and doesnt seem happy try a baby night light some rescue dogs at first dont like complete darkness.

Huskys in the main are not the greatest achievers with really high advanced obdience perforances, but given short interesting training sessions mixed with a little play they do well with the basics.

You should find with adequate exercise some human and canine company and once a routine is established and shes gotten into it, then she will be happy to have her chews and lay around inbetween. Its usually an under exercised bored lovely husky that causes trouble and gets into allsorts of mischief.


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## Chizzlewit (Jan 7, 2012)

I managed to house train my husky cross without a crate, and know others with pure bred huskies who've done the same. However, I don't want to say that using a crate is wrong because I've seen no evidence for such a claim when the crate is used correctly, and the only way I managed without a crate was because I had loads of time on my hands (something that the other husky owners also had).

Still, just to say it is possible, but you have to find the best way for you and the dog (which, I concede, may be a crate - certainly, given it's proper use as a tool to help your dog adapt to living in a human environment, I would not call it barbaric).

As for the bed issue, I didn't originally let mine on the bed. Now, when we go upstairs, even if I put her on the bed, she goes automatically down on the floor to her bed, and only comes onto the bed in the morning if I over sleep - and even then she doesn't try and wake me but rather lies at my feet. It's a very odd behaviour that I've not encountered before TBH. I think the fact that from an early age she has been use to sleeping on the floor has made her not at all terretorial about my bed.

My way of house training mine without a crate involved sleeping in the same space as her, making sure she had a toilet walk before going to bed, and waking up every 3-4 hours tops to take her out again until she reached around 3 months. Puppies have very small bladders and little control over them, so even when they get the hang of the toilet being outside the house, and of getting your attention to let them out, they don't have the luxury of waiting for you to get ready before they have a wee or whatever. As they grow, so does their bladder and their control over it, but it will be a good month of being alert - even though they don't take very long to get the idea of house training (mine learnt after a week, but as I say it didn't mean I could leave her and sleep for 8 hours and not expect her to have an 'accident' - and the crucial thing here is that it was an accident. She didn't want to just go then and there, but her body gave her little choice).

The biggest thing to remember about Huskies is that, although they can often be incredibly ditsy, they are amazingly loyal and crave your approval and attention. If you can remember that in everything you do with them, then you can't go too far wrong. I truly believe that someone who's happy to put the time and effort and love into it will find a husky one of the greatest companions ever imaginable.


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## Nicholeamanda93 (Apr 15, 2012)

Also does anyone know how much they shoud weight? All of her fur is shaved the top coat is and she weighs 50 pound and I have read online she is a normal weight but I feel shr i.s is too skinny I got her from the pound weighimg 46 pounds so she has gaimed some weight but I can see a couple of her bones is that normal with huskies and hpw can I get her to,gain weight cuz the omes I see online look a good size and mine seems too skinny.


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## noushka05 (Mar 28, 2008)

Nicholeamanda93 said:


> Also does anyone know how much they shoud weight? All of her fur is shaved the top coat is and she weighs 50 pound and I have read online she is a normal weight but I feel shr i.s is too skinny I got her from the pound weighimg 46 pounds so she has gaimed some weight but I can see a couple of her bones is that normal with huskies and hpw can I get her to,gain weight cuz the omes I see online look a good size and mine seems too skinny.


bitches should weigh between 16-23kg, depending on the height & build of the dog, you should be able to feel her ribs but not see them....just to add,so if shes an oversized bitch she should weigh more.

can i ask why shes been shaved?

.


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## Born to Boogie (Oct 1, 2010)

noushka05 said:


> can i ask why shes been shaved?
> 
> .


Probably because she was matted and stinking when she came into the pound  We see it all the time with rescue Samis 
It's a kindness to give them a fresh start in their new homes, where they can learn the joy of being groomed


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## AngelEyes92 (Jan 30, 2012)

50lbs is 22kgs, so about right for her breed,but if you can see her ribs, then you need to put her on some good quality food. You should be able to feel them, but they shouldn't be sticking out. What are you feeding her on?


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