Read This Before You Get a Husky.
The husky is a striking breed and much admired by dog lovers the world over. However, here in the UK and in the United States, the numbers of abandoned huskies have been rising at an alarming rate. While Huskies look soft and cuddly, they are quite a demanding breed. Many people are unaware of just exactly how much commitment they require. With the right environment and up-bringing huskies make excellent pets. However, Holidays4Dogs offers a few things to think about before rushing out to purchase a husky puppy. Read on to find out whether huskies make good pets.
Unfortunately, television shows such as ‘Game of Thrones’ have popularised the husky.
As a result, many more people have been encouraged to own one. In April this year, the Blue Cross reported that the number of abandoned huskies had been steadily rising over the past few years.
Sadly, people buy husky puppies without realising the commitment required in owning one. Huskies are strikingly beautiful animals, but as pets, they can also be challenging; particularly for first time dog owners.
All dogs need daily exercise, but huskies are bred to pull sleds over long distances. As such, their energy levels can be through the roof!
As sled dogs, they are capable of running hundreds of miles over rough terrain. So a half hour walk around the block might not cut it!
Once fully grown, an adult husky requires at least two hours of exercise Without this, owners may very well find they have a bored and frustrated dog on their hands. This can lead to undesirable behaviours such as barking, howling, destructiveness within the home and general exuberance.
Northern Inuit breeds, like huskies, thrive on the company of other dogs. They have been bred to work in packs and they can be miserable, (and destructive), if left alone for long periods. They need a lot of socialisation and an active life to thrive. If your time is limited, a husky may not be the right choice for you.
Huskies have a very strong predatory drive and, therefore, can be unpredictable off the lead. Many huskies have to stay on the lead for most, if not all, of the time. Their innate desire to run and a high prey-drive means many owners are not confident allowing their dogs off-lead. There are always exceptions to the rule, but generally speaking allow for much more training and more time on lead.
However, huskies make excellent companions for biking, (bikejoring) or, cani-cross and all of these activities can be done with the dog on the lead. if you are athletic 
yourself and already enjoy these activities, a husky would be an ideal companion.
Huskies are also excellent escape artists and need a secure garden with suitably high fencing. They can climb and dig with ease. If fencing is not secure enough and they spot the neighbours cat, they could be away in the blink of an eye. If they have also not had enough exercise, this could become a persistent problem.
Lastly, while huskies look cute and fluffy they shed like there is no tomorrow! They need daily attention with regards to grooming. You may need to invest in a super dooper vacuum cleaner too – see our other Holidays4Dogs article for recommendations! The only upside is some owners say the thick arctic fur of the husky carries less of a doggy odour than other breeds.
Conclusion.
If you have oodles of time, patience and a very active lifestyle – a husky could be just the ticket. However, it’s important to be honest about this; otherwise, you may just regret buying a husky pup who turns into a non-stop running, hair shedding, howling, machine!
