Hi,

My name is Jerica and I got a husky puppy his name is Diesel and if I can't get things to change i'm going to have to get rid of him. I'm looking everywhere for help at the moment. He is 16 weeks old and he is kept in a kennel when we're at work. The problem is he screams not barks not cries he screams its super loud and high pitched almost and ear shattering sound. We've had the cops called to our house over the noise and we can't make him stop and it doesn't just do it for 15 min its for 6 hours at a time and its night and day almost all the time. I haven't been able to sleep and am starting to get ill over the lack of sleep. That and potty training just is not happening his always goes in his kennel. We're building a fence for him but i'm hearing that husky will always got out of that. I just don't know what to do he was expensive dog and I can't just give him away but its starting to go that way. Please help me.

Hi welcome. I have a 16 week old puppy at the moment too, so I understand the exasperation. How much exercise does he get? What kind of crate do you have and how big is it? Have you taken him to any puppy classes? What is your potty training protocol? Where did you get him, and how old was he when you brought him home? How did you introduce him to the kennel, and what is your training protocol there? Where is his kennel? Is he screaming all night also? Have you contacted your breeder and asked for advice?

How often is he left out of his kennel?  Are you exercising/playing with him enough to tire him out?  Are there any toys in his kennel to keep him entertained? How big is his kennel?  With a pup you don't want to give them too much space or they will use part has a toilet and stay away from it.  Have you worked on crate training long?  Sometimes it just takes awhile.Here is video that may help.  Where are you in the US?  

There are a lot of threads that should be helpful on for a few of your issues, separation anxiety, etc.
I would first ask if he's getting walked before you put him in the crate? At 16 weeks you should be able to get a good 20 minute walk with him to tire him out a bit. Also giving him a treat or distraction like a kong might be helpful.
I would start trying to make the crate a positive thing. When you are home put him in with a treat, make it a good space and leave him for 10 minutes at a time, and reward him when he is quiet. You could also try putting a shirt or blanket that has your scent on it to help keep him calm. For the nighttime, try moving his crate into your bedroom, it worked like a charm for us, she cried until she was with us, then immediatly relaxed.
As far as the peeing etc, you have to make sure that you are cleaning with an enzyme cleaner, otherwise the scent will still be there and they associate it with a spot that is OK to pee on.
Working on his training will be really helpful in tiring him out, mental stimulation is exhausting at that age. Work on it right before bed maybe or 5-10 minutes of it after you walk him in the morning just before crating him.
Patience is key here, they are pack animals and want to be with you, so separation is stressful. Again, take a look at some of the threads, people here have a wide variety of experience.

I live in North Dakota I walk him before I go to work and after I get home all evening he's out. He does this all night and all day. He has a Large size kennel but no he doesn't use part as a bathroom he plays in his poop. He came from a pet store so I don't have a breeder to talk to and the pet store just said he'll get over it but I talk to a person where I live that had them and he said in the 6 years he had huskies that never stopped. He was 14 weeks when we got him. We tried his kennel in the house in his dog house no different. We gave him stuff in his kennel but he just tore it up or ruined it or poo plastered it. If we're are around he dont care that he's in his crate.

Okay. The peeing and pooping in the crate is most likely because he is from a pet store, which translates to most likely from a puppy mill. Unfortunately most puppies that come from those situations are very difficult to crate train, because they have always been forced to lay in their own waste so it doesn't bother them in the same way it would a dog from a different situation. Now, just because it's difficult doesn't mean its impossible, but it will just take a lot more work and patience. I have to respectfully disagree with the husky person you spoke with. I have found huskies to be very clean when it comes to waste. My first girl won't even go near poop in the yard, and my second little guy goes out into the street to go vs. on the sidewalk here in the city. I wouldn't put any bedding in his crate, he doesn't need it at this stage and it sounds like its just hindering his progress. For potty training, when you are home, I would take him out every half hour. Praise like crazy, lots of treats and play when he does his business outside. Sometimes by the time they realize they have to go, they can't wait. Also, he has no experience holding his bladder so he won't. I don't normally recommend using pee pads, but it might help since he has the issue of laying in his own waste. That might help him begin to realize that not being covered in waste is actually nicer than laying around in it. You need to clean and disinfect his crate, then clean with an enzyme cleaner to disintegrate the odor every single time he has an accident in there. Does he have accidents around the house too, or just in the crate?

To work on the screaming, I would start by giving him something he loves to chew and start leaving in 1-2 minute intervals with no fanfare, no goodbye. Just put him in and walk out the door like he's a houseplant. So out the door, on the porch for 2 minutes, back in the door. Don't acknowledge him or greet him when you come in or get him hyped up and excited. Let him out when he's quiet, but just open the door and walk away. Don't make it an exciting event and ignore it if he jumps all over you. Do it 5-10 times a day and when he's quiet and relaxed after 2 min you have to build up from there. I'm guessing he was never alone in the pet store (always around people or other animals) so he can't really deal with it. It might seem excruciatingly slow, but it can be overcome.

By the way, no judgement here about the pet store thing. Just trying to help

I can't use puppy pads he just destroys them and kicks poop everywhere. I don't let him lose in my house we got him to be an outside dog and I don't want him in the house ever really. We're gone for 11 hours or so out of the day my mom lets him out at noon cuz I work 70 miles away. Im thinking about getting one of those bark collars and once we get his fence up im afraid hes gonna get threw it. I'm told you can never trust them alone they destroy everything and can get out of anything.

No judgement but it sounds like you don't have the time to train a husky. If properly exercised and simulated, they do not destroy everything. At 16 weeks old the most he can hold his bladder is 3 ~4 hours. If you are gone 11 hours and he gets let out at noon that is way too long for him which could be another reason why he spoils himself. You can trust them but you have to build up to it and they can be escape artists but it also all depends on training.

Yeah, I'm with Erica on this. Being gone for work all day happens, but you have to be willing to work really hard to build the potty training and non-destructive behaviour. A tired husky will not destroy everything in sight. You walk him, but the training at this age will be the most exhausting thing.

If you don't want him inside ever, I dont see how this is going to stop right away nor how the neighbours will stop complaining. They are very pack oriented and they need a lot of stimutlation. If he's out all evening but he doesnt come inside how are you working on his training and bonding with him? Do you stay out all evening? I don't see any real reason for keeping him out of the house all the time. Yes they shed, yes they run around, but if you work hard on training, you wont end up with a destroyed house. Also if you crate him indoors you might significantly reduce the amount of crying. Not to mention it will be a lot quieter for your neighbours.

Sorry guys but all I'm getting from you is that I should sell him. I don't want to i've been fighting for months to get a dog but I guess I just can't handle a puppy. We had good intentions of building him a fence to run around in when were at work and a nice dog house. He doesn't like it in the house even out of his kennel he rather be tied up outside the allowed to run around the house so we thought that was gonna be best. He's a good puppy other then this he really is.

No one on here has said you should sell him, but it looks like you were looking for some validation/justification. People here have offered you all kinds of solutions and suggestions, and you are essentially blowing them off.  If you had been fighting for months to get a dog, you should have done your research during that time into what breed you wanted to get.  It's clear that you did absolutely no research to educate yourself on what a young puppy needs, and Diesel is suffering for it.  Puppies are like babies and are very needy, and Husky puppies have very specific needs that you are obviously not meeting and from the looks of it not really trying to meet.  You can't just get a puppy and throw him in a kennel or in a yard 24/7 and expect him to become a well adjusted dog.

And I have a 16 week old puppy at home too.

No one said you should sell him, everyone offered help and potential solutions to your ongoing issues. If you can't make the effort for any extra time for him in training or finding alternatives to your current set up, then clearly you got a cute puppy and didnt do your research. I'm sorry but this is a cop out.
You come asking for advice, we hand it over and you say, oh it wont work, I guess I will have to sell him....

Do me a favor and dont SELL him. Dont post him on craigslist. Dont hand him over to a shelter. Look for a Sibe Rescue or a non-kill organization or interview people who will have time and patience for a puppy.

This is why so many dogs end up in kill shelters every year, becasue people arent prepared for what they take on.

I know puppies are excited and adorable and wonderful balls of fluff but they are alot of work. Loki is 11 months and we got him when he was 8 weeks.  I didn't sleep for the next 5 weeks. Everyone at work told me I looked like crap but I stuck to it and worked hard on his training and I have a mostly behaved boy (although today he decide to rip a soda can apart).  I would hate to see a pup sold off but you have to decide if you have the time and patience to work on his behaviors or not. I don't want you to get rid of him but if you don't think you have time then maybe rehoming to a family that does is better for him.  Remember he is only 16 weeks he just a baby and isn't going to get everything right away.  Have to thought of enrolling him in an obedience class?  The structure from class can do wonders for them (and you).  Please don't think we are picking on you or trying to make you give up your pup but know that all of us on here love our dogs and the breed and just want you to make a well informed decision.

This is going to be harsh, and I'm sorry about that. I rarely, in fact I don't think I have ever gotten harsh on this forum, I try to remain kind and helpful. However, this has gotten me a little fired up. No one said you should get rid of your puppy, we are trying to help you with the question you asked and are sharing our advice and experiences as husky owners. No one here is claiming to know everything about you or your situation. I think you need some tough love and a reality check. At this point, your intentions of what you were going to do don't really matter. What does matter is that you have a bored, under stimulated puppy, living in his own waste that needs a lot more than you are giving him. It actually makes me feel a little sick and angry that he is laying in his own waste for 11 hours a day. If you can't provide for those needs and be responsible at least be humane and find someone who can.

I took this from the Texas Husky rescue FB page a while back and post a rant on my page.  I'll leave my rant out but please read this and think and then think again.

I agree with everything that has been posted. Now if you MUST keep this dog which I get because I'm sure you feel attached, but its going to have to be an inside dog. You are going to have to learn to crate train him while he is a puppy and then maybe move to a run or something as he gets older. He will need lots of exercise in the morning, have someone let him out at lunch time (if your mom can't do it, you need to hire a dog walker to let him out) then another walk or something at night. Your puppy is board, he needs stimulation and having him outside or inside a crate for 11 hours a day is no life for a puppy if you aren't going to love him like crazy and give him all your attention when he is home. I don't think its not that he isn't potty trained, your are just expecting way to much out of him, he is only 4 months old. Also you should look into daycares for when you are gone at least a couple days a week. If you are not able to devote all this time to him, he will not be happy and neither will you. All the outdoor living huskies that you hear about are heavily exercised dogs, and its normally not just one out there to be left alone all day. I also STRONGLY disagree with whoever you have been talking to about huskies with them not being quiet for 6 years, because they are obviously not doing it right either.

You people are terrible I should have never came here for help. You don't know me or how my situation really is. For your info I did for research and on one ever told me the bad things. What I read and what I was told was that they were really friendly and good around people and other animals and that they were high energy and liked to play. As well as things about feeding and health and how they like the cold and outdoors. He is not in a kennel 24/7 you would know this if you read any of the conversation. And I would be getting rid of him for him to be happier. I thank you for your advise but I didn't need the rude remarks. I'll have you know I cried for a day when the cops came to my house and I was told that I would have to get rid of him if he didn't stop. Sorry I came here and interrupted any ones day.

I am sorry, and I'm sure is hard for you, but I cannot believe that when you did your research that you heard nothing but great things about huskies. On every site that I researched before I got my two basically said every reason why you SHOULDN'T have a husky and exactly how high maintenance they are. I don't think anyone is saying that you are a bad person as this is how a lot of huskies end up being re homed, but I think above in my post I gave you very good advice on how to keep him along with EVERYONE else. You have to remember that we all love our huskies more than anything in the world, and that we want whats best for all huskies. Your current situation right now, just might not be best.

I'm sorry that you don't like the answers you got. We are not saying these things to be mean, we are saying them because we care greatly about these dogs and a lot of us have seen what happens when people buy them and are unprepared. If you came here wanting us to fawn all over you and give you some magic trick to help Diesel, then you're sorely mistaken. You might have thought you did research, but you clearly did not do enough. You obviously are refusing to listen to anything any of us are trying to tell you, and you're going to go do whatever you want anyway. I hope things work out for Diesel, but I think you have a lot of growing up to do before you're ready for a dog.

Sweetie if you had indeed done your research you would know that they get destructive when bored and that true they like the outdoors but they like their "pack" as well. I researched for 6 months before I make the decision to get my pup. I'm sorry you think we are terrible but we have seen/hear about dogs sold and flipped or using in breeding programs. We want you to make a well informed decision that fits both for the happiest and health of your pup. Like I said I'm sorry that you feel we are picking on you but think and I mean really think on this and what we said. Please if you do give him do not sell him on craiglist or ebay classified, you could be possibly dooming him to a life filled with misery.

Meredith you not sorry don't lie and I hate to sound mother like but If you can't say anything nice don't say thing at all. I wasn't looking for a magic answer I just though that people with husky would know something I didn't.

Thanks for questioning my integrity and accusing me of lying. I really appreciate that.

I did what you did to me.

Uh. I'm not going to lie. I'm not sorry for what I said. I am sorry for Diesel. If you think it is perfectly acceptable to keep your dog in this manner, why don't you go sit in his crate for 11 hours, pee and poop, and see how you feel. I'm guessing you'll want to destroy something too.