Siberian huskies are stunning dogs and a favorite pet for lots of people.
They feature a friendly wolf-like face and are playful; hence it’s a great choice if you want to adopt one.
However, many potential dog owners wonder if getting a Siberian Husky with previous experience with dogs is right.
So, Are Siberian Huskies Good for First Time Dog Owners?
No! While the dog breed is very intelligent, they are similarly stubborn and need special care. Huskies are best with experienced, confident dog owners who set rules and consistently follow them. The dogs also have special dietary needs to keep their body shape and healthy due to their origin history as working dogs.
Generally, you should ensure you do proper research to select your first dog pet.
This is a vital decision, and a wrong one might make your life terrible.
Why Are Huskies Not an Ideal Option for First-Time Dog Owners?
1. Special Eating Requirements
You need to ensure that you dogs always has quality food three times a day.
You should visit your vet regularly to ensure your husky gets sufficient nutrition.
This much attention can be too much for first timers.
2. Requires Quality time
Huskies are emotional dogs.
They like playing with humans, and they don’t get tired due to their unlimited energy.
They can start showing unusual behaviors if you don’t spend sufficient time with them.
Huskies are attention seekers and can do everything to get your attention.
They can even begin spoiling things, making noise, or biting to get attention.
It is hence difficult for first-time owners to handle this breed.
3. Dominant trait
The dominant behavior can be a nightmare for first-time dog owners.
This is because the dog stops obeying your commands and tries surpassing you.
This might cause severe trouble because you won’t control your dogs.
Siberian huskies have dominant traits.
They love leaving as a pack, each led by a leader that others follow.
The leader should be confident and admirable, and in case there are signs of low confidence, others might challenge it for the leadership position.
Similarly, the modern-day huskies consider you to be the pack leader, and if they sense any signs of inferiority, they will start to disobey you. therefore, as a first-time owner, the huskies will quickly feel your fears and begin to ignore your commands
4. High Training requirements
The first dog you own should not need much training.
If you get a dog that you require to train everything, it can be challenging.
Siberian huskies are challenging to train.
They are full of energy and very stubborn, making it difficult to instill good behavior in them.
The dog breed needs some playtime daily to release their unlimited energies.
Therefore, if you can dedicate some time daily, you can go for this dog breed; otherwise, you should consider going for a less demanding dog.
5. Shedding And Grooming
Siberian Huskies are a breed that shed hair throughout the year.
The dogs have a velvety coat that keeps them warm through the winter season and constantly renews themselves.
Therefore, you are required to brush your huskies on a regular basis.
The dogs will shed their hair during summer, so your house might be covered with shed hair.
This might be a lot of headaches for beginners.
Huskies will also require regular grooming, including; nail trimming, bathing, paw maintenance, and ear cleaning.
Owning A Siberian Husky as A First Dog
Having a Siberian husky needs a lot of attention and responsibility.
While it’s not advisable, it is not impossible or irresponsible to adopt a Siberian husky as a first-time dog owner.
You can adopt a Siberian husky as the first dog by considering some factors.
First, you should ensure you have plenty of time to play, hang out and stimulate the mind of your Siberian husky.
As earlier stated, huskies have unlimited energy and require exercise to expel the energy.
Also, ensure to consider their natural habitat.
The dogs are best adapted for cold climates around 65°F.
More so, you should figure out how to engage the dog in mental stimulation through interactive puzzles or Kong toys and be a dominant alpha owner to train them.
Do Siberian Huskies Become Attached to Their Owners?
Although the Huskies have a reputation of being wild and strong dogs, they are also warm to humans and constantly enjoy and treasure the company of their owners.
Therefore, Siberian huskies often get attached to their owners and require quality time with their owners for at least three days a week.
However, all huskies are not the same.
Some will display affection by just sitting close to you but are generally loyal and protective.
Are Huskies Good with Children?
According to animal experts, some dogs are suitable for older children, while some are not good for younger kids.
However, adults are required to ensure the safety of any kids and should never leave the dogs and children unattended.
The Siberian huskies breed is excellent for kids. Most of them enjoy the company of kids, but it’s your responsibility to make sure your kids are also treating the dog well.
How Long Does a Husky Take to train?
Siberian huskies are considered a gentle and lovable breed.
Nevertheless, the dog can be stubborn when it comes to training, so you need to display your leadership skills, offer rewards for good behavior, establish rules, develop strong communication with the dog, and give it discipline in a friendly way.
You can start training your husky when it is around eight months old.
For success during the training and avoiding distractions, it is essential to keep the activities interesting.
It is best to establish a routine for your husky to help prevent accidents and make your dog line a happy and long life.
Bottom Line
Ultimately, Siberian Huskies aren’t for novice dog owners, since they require lots of attention, a specialized diet, training and exercise.
Also, of they sense you lack confidence, they can stop obeying you.
Thus, you require total control over them, which is difficult for first-time dog owners.