Hey guys. We recently got Spyro, an 8 month siberian husky. We took him out of a 'friends' home who turned out was neglecting the dog for days. He looks very nice and seems playful, but there are some serious issues:

1, he poops and pees all over the house. this may just be because it's new, but I let him out like 5 times a day, well over 2 km per walk.

2. he wont sleep at night. we live in an appartment ( I know, what idiot takes a dog in an apartment, but couldnt let him stay there, plus we have a huge park right in front of our doorstep) but anytime I leave the room he howls like its full moon and tries to bash in the door. We cant keep him in the bedroom because of 2 birds he tried to eat already. he only sleeps if im with him in the living room, but not being able to sleep in bed with my wife is frustrating. can't ignore the howling either because neighbors. Probably it's part seperation anxiety, but we must find a solution.

3. he is a male and seems to be a bit alpha. growls and bites when you try to take his toys, have to put a thick coat on and push in order to get at it. he does listen for treats, but otherwise he ignores me

4. wont walk next to me. pulls me forward like a sleigh. I know this is something that takes time and patience, but he nearly dragged me off the stairs a few times already, so some tips here are great.

Again, I know this is not a great situation but it is better than the situation he was in. We will rehome him in a few months if we cannot resolve these issues or if he is not happy here. please give us constructive feedback we can do something with. Thanks a lot!

Firstly, how long ago did you get Spyro. It can take a couple months for some dogs to settle into their new homes.

1. Has he been checked for parasites or UTI that could be causing him to need to potty excessively or unexpectedly? Did you recently change his food? If his food hasn't been changed and he is vet certified healthy then I would start him on a potty training routine the same you would do if he were an 8 week old puppy. Every hour take him out, after he eats and drinks take him out, after he has had a hard play session take him out. It's a pain but it instills the routine and those are all the times he could potentially need to go out. Work up in time from there as he does better. Huskies actual can do fine with apartment living with proper exercise and dedication on your part. What is your total walk distance per day and is it broken up or all at once? Huskies require a lot of exercise and mental stimulation. Many of us are doing anywhere from 5km a day or more.

2. Separation anxiety is normal. Do you think the birds could be moved into an office or something so that he could be kept in your bedroom at night? It will take time for him to get used to the house and all the noises. If you can't move the birds you may try a low set radio and see if the hint of noise helps him and try to wear him out before putting him in the crate for night.

3. A dog that has been neglected will often be very possessive and not want to give up what they may get. Try to exchange things he has for something else. You said he likes treats, offer him a treat in exchange for toys. The treat he will eat and you won't have to worry about taking it away from him. As his trust in you grows you can start working on teaching drop it command. Hand feeding him his meals will help to build his trust in you quicker.

4. Huskies are a pulling breed. You may look into front clip harnesses or martingale collars. You can also plant your feet every time he pulls and make him wait. If he starts pulling hard stop or turn and walk the other direction. Basically make it where the only time he gets to move forward is when he does it at your pace. My girl likes to dart down stairs. I make her stop at the top of steps and tell her slow before I release her to go down the steps. If she gets too fast I will stop her and make her stand on the steps for a bit before saying slow again and letting her go. A lot of patience is needed but also right now Spyro is still excited to see a world he might never would have saw any other way, a lot of new things, new rules, and pent up energy from needs not met for a long time. As he settles in and a routine is found (routine is very important to huskies) things will get better.

Welcome to the forum and I can't add anything that Jenn has mentioned, excellent advice. The one thing I can offer up in addition is check and see if there is an obedience class you could take your pup, this will help in bonding, and will give some added structure. Pics please, we love pics here!

Thanks for the extensive help and feedback! will try to put pictures up soon. So, partly good news, we figured out the pooping and peeing. Appearantly his feeding times were very exact. contacted old owner. Still agressive when we eat though, keeps jumping/biting. Every day is a struggle and by the time he gives up my food is usually cold.

having him in the bedroom is not an option, we also have a cat that's hiding upstairs mostly, and since spyro didnt grow up with cats he is aggressive towards them. I can't change them around every night along with older equipment. For now 1 of us is sleeping in the living room, but you can figure out thats not a long term solution. we shall figure out a way to crate train him. Just howls as soon as you put him in for now or if you leave his room even a second. suppose it will resolve with time.

We took him to a vet and he is perfectly healthy. Also we feed 3 times a day (organic kibble for now with a bowl of water, he won't eat raw meat) and take him on a walk 4-5 times a day on walks 2-4 km each. We try wearing him out, but he's mostly wearing us out at the moment:P