Introduction
Do you love huskies but wonder if they are too high maintenance? These beautiful dogs with icy blue eyes and thick fur coats require more work than many breeds. In this article, we’ll examine what makes Siberian huskies so high maintenance to help you determine if one would be the right pet for you.
Grooming Needs
The Siberian Husky has a thick double coat that sheds heavily twice a year during seasonal changes. Huskies will “blow” their undercoats, meaning large amounts of fur will shed out very rapidly. According to Siberian Husky grooming, bathing and care, Huskies should be brushed at least weekly year round, and daily during the shedding seasons to control loose fur. Frequent bathing, such as every 2-4 weeks, and thorough brushing helps facilitate the shedding process.
Owners need to be prepared to invest time daily in brushing, combing and bathing during the shedding season. Daily brushing sessions with an undercoat rake can significantly reduce the amount of loose fur floating around the house. Baths can help loosen the dead undercoat so it is easier to brush out. According to advice on Reddit, most Husky owners only bathe their dogs a few times a year, but more frequent baths may be needed during peak shedding.
Exercise Requirements
Siberian Huskies were originally bred to run long distances while pulling sleds across snowy terrain. According to PitPat, they have high exercise needs and require at least 30-60 minutes of activity per day. Without adequate exercise, Huskies are prone to destructive behavior such as digging, chewing, and howling.
As working dogs, Huskies need intense exercise to expend their energy and engage their minds. Simple walks around the block won’t cut it for this energetic breed. Huskies thrive on activities like hiking, jogging, swimming, agility training, and canicross races. High intensity exercise that allows them to run freely is ideal. Owners need to be prepared to provide their Husky with vigorous daily workouts.
If a Husky’s exercise needs aren’t met, they can become frustrated and develop anxiety. This may lead to excessive barking, hyperactivity, and destructive tendencies. According to the PDSA, Huskies have “heaps of energy” and their high exercise requirements are something prospective owners must seriously consider before getting one of these dogs.
Training Difficulties
Due to their independent and strong-willed nature, huskies can be challenging to train in terms of recall and basic obedience commands. As working dogs bred to pull sleds over long distances, huskies like to be on the move and can be stubborn about listening to their owners[1]. They require an experienced owner with lots of patience and persistence.
Huskies are free-thinkers that like to do things their own way, which can make training difficult. Their independent nature means they are less eager to please their owners than other breeds. Huskies will often blow off commands or actively ignore their owners if not sufficiently motivated[2]. Without proper socialization and training from an early age, huskies may never develop reliable recall or obedience.
While huskies are highly intelligent, they use their intelligence to test boundaries and find creative ways to get into trouble. Their mischievous nature means owners must stay one step ahead with consistent rules and structure. Huskies need extensive repetition to learn commands, needing up to 300-500 repetitions whereas other dogs may only require 30-40[1]. Even with extensive training, a husky’s natural instincts may kick in and cause selective hearing when a tempting distraction comes along.
With lots of early socialization, positive reinforcement training, and lifelong persistence, huskies can become well-behaved companions. But their independent nature presents inherent training difficulties not found in other breeds. Prospective owners should make sure they are prepared for the unique challenges of training a husky.
[1] https://spiritdogtraining.com/are-huskies-smart/
[2] https://www.reddit.com/r/dogs/comments/1suwvu/are_siberian_huskies_really_that_hard_to_train/
Prey Drive
Huskies have a strong prey drive toward small animals like cats, birds, rabbits and other household pets due to their ancestral history of hunting and pulling sleds. This means they may instinctively want to chase after anything smaller than themselves that runs. According to The Snowdog Guru, the husky’s predation sequence involves orienting, eyeing, stalking, chasing, grabbing, killing, and consuming prey when in hunting mode. Without proper training and supervision, their high prey drive can be potentially dangerous for small pets in the home.
Huskies need consistent training from an early age to control their instincts and learn to coexist peacefully with smaller animals. With positive reinforcement and setting clear boundaries, owners can teach them to ignore their prey drive triggers. Leashing, crating, or separating them when unsupervised can also prevent accidents. Socialization and slow supervised introductions to other pets can help curb chasing tendencies. But their high prey drive toward small animals means diligent management and training is an ongoing requirement of owning a husky.
Vocal Tendencies
Huskies are well known for being extremely vocal dogs. They frequently howl, “talk”, and “sing”, which is due to their close relationship with their wolf ancestors. Huskies like to communicate with their pack, whether it’s with other dogs or their human family (AKC). It’s in their nature to be vocal as it helped their survival in the wild (AskVet).
A Husky’s vocal tendencies can become annoying for neighbors if they are not properly trained. Their frequent howling and “talking” can be disruptive, especially in tight neighborhoods. Proper training and stimulation is required from an early age to curb excessive vocalization. But it will be an uphill challenge, as their vocal nature is deeply ingrained.
Escaping Skills
One of the biggest challenges with owning a husky is their ability to escape yards and boundaries with ease. Huskies were originally bred as sled dogs meant to traverse long distances in the arctic, so they have an innate drive to roam and explore. This makes them skilled escape artists that can be difficult to contain in a typical household yard.
Huskies can dig under, climb over, or squeeze through small gaps in fencing. Their high energy and intelligence also leads them to figure out latches and weak spots. According to The Malamute Mom, huskies will often try to escape out of boredom, so providing adequate physical and mental stimulation is important.
To prevent escapes, husky owners need to invest in very secure fencing at least 6 feet tall, with concrete footings that go deep into the ground. Heavy gauge wire fencing and hot wire additions can also help deter diggers and climbers. When a husky is outside unsupervised, they should be in an escape-proof run or kennel.
Financial Costs
Owning a husky can be quite expensive due to their size and grooming needs. According to this source, the average annual cost of owning a husky is $1,000 to $1,500. Food costs will be higher for a large breed dog like a husky, with estimates ranging from $310 to $575 per year to feed an adult husky a high-quality dog food. Supplies like leashes, collars, beds and toys will also add up over time.
One of the biggest expenses for husky owners is professional grooming. As the source explains, huskies shed heavily year-round and require frequent brushing and bathing. Most owners will need to bring their husky to a professional groomer every 4-6 weeks, with each visit costing $50 or more. Over the course of a year, grooming costs can total $600-$1,000.
Veterinary bills are another consideration, with annual check-ups, vaccinations, preventatives and any illness or injury care quickly adding up. On average, most owners will spend $430 to $630 per year at the vet for a healthy husky.
The initial purchase price of a husky puppy from a reputable breeder ranges from $600 to $1,500. Adoption fees for an adult husky rescued from a shelter are usually lower, from $50 to $400.
Overall, prospective owners should be prepared for husky costs averaging $2,000 to $3,000 per year when food, supplies, grooming, vet care and initial purchase expenses are totaled up.
Time Commitment
Siberian huskies require a significant time investment in training, exercising, and grooming. They are not well-suited for frequently absent owners or those unable to devote substantial time.
According to The Siberian Husky | Breed information and care guide, Siberian huskies are a 12 to 14 year commitment requiring more time and energy than the average dog breed. Huskies need at minimum 60 minutes of vigorous exercise per day. This does not include the additional time needed for training, grooming, and general care.
Huskies are highly intelligent working dogs that become bored and destructive without proper stimulation and activity. Owners must commit to providing daily mental and physical exercise. First-time owners may underestimate the husky’s exercise requirements. As pack animals, huskies thrive on human interaction and companionship. Leaving them alone for long periods can lead to problematic behaviors.
In summary, Siberian huskies are high maintenance dogs requiring substantial time investment on a daily basis. Their need for frequent activity and attention makes them unsuitable for frequently absent owners.
Conclusion
In summary, Siberian huskies do have high grooming, exercise, training, prey drive, vocal, escape artist, and financial needs that require an experienced owner willing to invest significant time and money. Their thick double coats require daily brushing and seasonal blowouts to prevent matting and overheating. They were bred to run long distances and need plenty of intense activity daily. Their strong instincts make them more challenging to train and inclined to chase smaller animals. Their talkative nature involves frequent howling and chatting. Their athleticism and intelligence equips them to jump fences and open doors, requiring secure containment. The costs of food, supplies, veterinary care, training classes, boarding, etc. adds up over time. While huskies are extremely loving and loyal, only those fully prepared for an intense commitment should take on these free-spirited dogs.
For inexperienced owners or those unable to dedicate ample time, exercise, training, and supervision, an easier companion breed is recommended. Huskies thrive with owners able to provide strong leadership, activity, structure, and patience. When needs are met, they make wonderfully affectionate and entertaining dogs. But their challenging traits should not be minimized, lest owners end up overwhelmed and dogs unwittingly neglected.