Before You Adopt...

This page is devoted to the things you need to consider before you adopt or buy a Siberian husky.  Most huskies end up in rescue or euthanised in pounds and shelters because their owners did not research the breed characteristics and so were unprepared for the changes their husky would bring to their lives.

Bringing a new dog or puppy home to your family can be a wonderful and exciting thing.  Many people love huskies for their stunning looks, but a husky is more than showpiece, they are a working dog bred specifically to have energy, endurance, intelligence, spirit and cunning, and so need training, discipline and loads of mental and physical stimulation every day.  Without this they can become unruly, destructive and even antisocial, and this is when their owners find they need to give them up.

Any experienced pound or rescue volunteer will tell you a husky needs an owner dedicated to socialising, training and exercising their dog, someone who is aware of and is willing to work with the common husky traits of running, jumping, digging and even disobedience - due to their intelligence and strong will, and is also aware of the need for sturdy six foot fences and understands their dog will shed mountains of fur twice a year, has boundless energy and needs companionship and constant stimulation to stave off boredom that can otherwise lead to destruction, howling and chronic escaping.

Please research the characteristics of the Siberian husky

breed before you decide that a husky is right for you.

Huskies are beautiful and loving by nature although sometimes somewhat aloof, and have an enthusiasm for life that is extraordinary and to be admired.  They bring a new dimension to life and will be a happy, loving and - with the right training - obedient family member for fourteen years to those owners who are prepared for their nature.  For those who are unprepared however, they can become a burden, and even a nightmare.

Please read about the facts, the cautions and the experiences of others, and also take the time to talk to husky owners and actually meet as many huskies as you can in person before you decide to adopt or buy one of your own.

Below is the story of an owner who found themselves unprepared for life with a husky, told in their own words.  We are grateful for their willingness to share their experience, and the text below is reproduced with their permission.

From Laughter to Tears in Five Months   I had finally given in to my four sons' requests to have a dog, and at ages 10, 12, 14 and 17 they were at a point where they could take an active part in caring for it.   We decided that we would rescue a dog from the pound, so one Sunday in February we made the trip to the local animal shelter, opening hours were 8am – 9am and we arrived about 8.45am. We were only going to have a look as we had no idea what would be available, or what the process was to adopt.   We went from one cage to another and all the while the poor dogs were barking as if to say “take me!” It was an emotional experience as the boys wanted to take them all. I spotted Skye, a Siberian husky.  Her blue eyes were amazing with a touch of sadness, she was not making any noise, just watching. We enquired about one puppy we saw but decided against it as it was crossed with Great Dane (too big). On our next walk around the cages, there was Skye still just quietly watching and we decided to ask some questions about her.   We were told that she had been in the pound for 18 days and her time was running out, her owners had been contacted but did not want to claim her. The lady we were talking to suggested bringing her out to see how she would react with the boys. The moment she came out they wanted to take her home. She was so gentle and comfortable straight away.   We were told we could take her home with us straight away as soon as the paper work was done. The lady asked if we had secure fencing, we thought we did. At this stage we were not aware that she was a pure bred Siberian husky, it was only when we took her to the vet for a health check that we found out.   The boys lavished their new dog with so much attention and love that during the first days that later while they were at school and I was at work she must have missed the company. Skye’s first escape was after about 3 weeks, then again a week later, then a third time (each time we had a kind person call us). Someone suggested she may need another dog for company as she was getting lonely. So I looked on the internet rescue sites and found Sheba another Siberian husky we thought would be great company. I explained our situation and was told that Sheba needed to go to a home where she would have the company of another dog. Because we already had a husky I think it was assumed we knew what we were in for.   This arrangement worked fine for a few months, we would take the two dogs for long walks in the evening often ending up at the local dog park where would take them off the leash and they absolutely loved the freedom this gave them. When we were ready to go we would whistle, show the leashes and they would happily obey and return to us. We loved them and enjoyed them as part of our family, and thought we would have them for their lifetime. We had a couple more escapes where the dogs got out as a duo but each time we found the point of escape and fixed it. In the meantime I had done a lot of research on the internet and only through doing this did I become aware how different a husky is from other dogs.   My backyard started to look like a scene from the movie Holes. We gave the dogs an old mattress to lay on when the weather became cold as they had little interest in the kennel we bought them. In a short time the mattress was destroyed and only the springs remained, they had fun destroying any bedding we gave them. They were family now though so we watched with amusement at what they would be up to next.   They were wonderfully social dogs and got on well with all the other dogs at the dog park (one escape was to the dog park).   May and June became very wet often with heavy rain and cold all day and we could not walk the girls for days on end and I think they became restless. In June we had four escapes in a week (2 in 1 day). Again we found where they had exited and fixed it, but on the last escape I was called by the pound and told they had been picked up by an inspector and impounded. With the escapes I was told they would have a nuisance order against them, so I would be facing costly fines.   I left work to check the fences and this time we could not see where they had escaped from. By this time the boy’s were upset as I knew we were going to be faced with some hard decisions. I could not afford to pay for the fines, the girls obviously had jumped the fence so bringing them home at this stage was not an option as they would be straight back out through some unknown escape route now they had done it once. If I couldn’t afford to pay the fines I certainly wasn’t able to afford higher fencing. The boys were willing to sell their bikes to raise money, but facing the harsh reality it just wasn’t going to work.   I had to make the heartbreaking decision that we could not offer the girls the safety they deserved, so after talking to inspector and pound officials and also with Husky Rescue I had to surrender them to the pound. Thanks to Husky Rescue I was put in touch the right people and after 2 weeks of being impounded, Skye has gone to a home of people experienced with huskies and Sheba went back to the foster family we got her from. That our heartbreaking experience.   There are some things I want anyone thinking of a husky to know: 1. The pound staff should make a prospective owner aware that the Siberian Husky is a unique breed with unique needs. HIGH Fencing, that they are Houdini’s when it comes to escape, that by nature they are survivors and working dogs, needing regular daily exercise (long walks regardless of weather) and are destructive when bored.   I was told there was no available history on Skye, later to be told by the last pound that she had already had a nuisance order on her in the past. The pound staff needs to inform the prospective owner of the history of the dog so that they can make an informed choice.   The staff could recommend the prospective owner talk to some involved in Husky Rescue to gain some insight.   2. The most difficult aspects I found to owning a Husky was keeping the contained in the yard and the fact we got Skye at 14 months and Sheba at 8 months and had some discipline issues especially walking on a leash, only my older teenage boys were able to walk them, however they were improving. They were full of energy but so are my four boys.   3. The worst problems we faced were the escaping and having to surrender them was heartbreaking.   4. If I were interviewing a prospective owner of a husky I would ask:   a.      What do you know about the Siberian husky? Have you previously owned or thoroughly researched this breed or owned any dog before - as they are a handful for a first timer.   b.      Why do you want this particular breed? The council inspector said it perfectly: “their biggest curse is their beauty”.   c.       Will this breed fit into your lifestyle? They require lots of exercise they are a working dog, and not being left alone for long periods of time as the may become very vocal. They are intelligent dogs that need a lot of stimulation and would benefit from formal training.   d.      How high is your fencing?  Could a dog dig under the fencing, and are there any objects in the yard they could climb to escape?   e.      Are there any other small furry members of the family other than a dog? Huskies have an instinct to chase and do not get on with small furry animals.   f.       Are you aware never to let them off leash in an open unfenced area as they run, and keep running and will come back only if THEY want to.   g.      Are you prepared to have your yard look like a lunar landscape, as the dogs love digging.   h.      Seek and destroy is a pastime for the dogs if they get bored.  Can you live with this?   A dog of any kind is not an accessory, it is creature God has created and deserves to live its life loved, protected, nurtured and not discarded like yesterdays garbage. Taking on a dog is a real commitment and should not be taken lightly. I have gained great respect for the Siberian husky breed and am glad that our two girls have now been given another chance.  This is not always the outcome.   Due to the combined efforts of everyone in rescue, and also the new owners, Skye was rescued only in the nick of time - on a Sunday and her deadline at the pound was Monday.