Huskies are also known as the Siberian Husky. These dogs are gorgeous, typically blue-eyed, and incredibly intelligent. They are originated as sled dogs from Siberia and have found a place in America as both sled dogs in Alaska and across Canada as well. In the lower 48 states, the Husky is mostly viewed as a pet and they are well-known for their personalities. Often the subject of social media memes and videos, the Husky is definitely the class clown and we’ll take a look at why.
I’d like to tell my own personal story, from over twenty years ago. It was my first experience with the breed. I was in my late twenties, working at a veterinary clinic. I oversaw the kennels, only assisting with surgical procedures on occasions. The supervisor approached me to let me know that we would be intaking a regular customer’s husky whom I’d not yet met.
I was warned that when he was kenneled, his kennel needed a lock on it. I was also warned that when he was in the yard for fresh air and potty breaks, he needed to be on a cable as he was an escape artist. I abided by these rules all day long but when I went home for the day, I forgot to lock down his kennel.
The next morning, as I approached the kennel at 6 am, I could hear a lot of barking. This alerted me to something being ‘off’ because the dogs were typically still asleep at this hour and very quiet in the near-total darkness.
When I opened the door to the kennels, I was greeted by not only that husky running loose, but he had also gone around and opened the doors to all the other dogs - 34 kennels in total. Luckily, they had all gotten along famously, having the time of their lives all night long, obviously. There were piles of poop all over the place, several dogs needed baths, bowls were slung everywhere, scattering kibble throughout the building.
It took 6 hours to find all the correct dogs, put them in the right kennels, clean and mop the floors and then bathe the dogs who needed to be bathed. There was no doubt that they had all enjoyed themselves because they slept most of the afternoon.
The husky was smiling the entire time and happily bounced right to me when I had walked in the door that morning, as if to say, “See what I did? Isn’t it GREAT??” It wasn’t great and it wasn’t funny at that time because I thought I’d lose my job. Looking back, however, it was one of the funniest memories of my life with dogs.
Huskies are smart, love to open doors, have expressive faces and truly seem to have a sense of humor. They typically get along with other pets, especially if they are raised together. They require a lot of brushing but they are worth every minute of the companionship that they can give you.