Hi all! First off let me just say how happy I am to have found this forum. Secondly, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Jennifer and I have a 1-1/2 year old Red/white boy named Bailey.

Now, I admit that it was poor decision making on our part when we first got Bailey because we did NO research on the breed and we had NO idea what we were in for in owning a husky. He was cute, and his owner was selling off the litter cheap and my husband always wanted a husky, yadda yadda yadda.

Since then, I have taken over his care. I walk him once a day for about 30-45 minutes. I play fetch or tug with him whenever I am outside with my kids until he decides he's had enough (usually about 10 minutes at a time).

However, I think he needs more attention than I can give him. He's got a great big yard to run in and play in, but he seems happy inside next to me. But its when I'm not home that he's a problem.

I can't leave him in the house alone or he destroys things. (I went away for a week when my MIL died recently and left him in the care of my parents, who also live in my house, and he dug a hole in the living room carpet.)

I can't leave him outside alone or he destroys things. (I went out last night to visit my friend and he chewed up the patio furniture.)

He pulls on the leash when I walk him (and I use a head collar). We had him neutered as an effort to get him to stop peeing on the furniture inside the house, and he stopped for a while, but has recently started again. He digs holes in my yard as big as my head. He bullies my kids and doesn't listen for anything. Oh, and have I mentioned that he's an escape artist? He's gotten out a few times, but twice he came right back. And he's a jumper, and a licker, and he's pretty mouthy too. Just now I had to wrestle a playing card away from him. He tries to eat almost everything! My kids can't drop a toy on the floor close to him or he will try to get it.

I am at a loss here. Is he truly not a match for me and my family or do you think he can he saved. Should I continue my efforts in finding him a new home or will some more intense training help him calm down?

What types of training do you all recommend? I've been reading Ceasar Milan and trying his methods. Should I look at the prong collars? I've read that a number of you have had some success with that. What do you all think of PetSmart and PetCo and their training programs?

I've noticed that when I have visitors to my house, if I put him on the leash (no head collar) he's a different dog. Should I keep him leashed at all times?

Any advice you can give me would be appreciated. Thanks!

First of all: Welcome!

If you haven't, I would suggest doing the training courses. They're very useful!

Also, pretty much everything you described is just part of who a husky is. They are notorious escape artists, they dig... A LOT! They shed, they play rough, they will destroy and chew on things if they get bored.

First question: Do you have a crate for him when he's inside? If not, I highly suggest the need to get one. They can be a life and a house saver!

Even if you have a fenced in yard, never leave him alone outside unattended! Huskies are known for escaping and running away. I would hate to hear of something happening to him. For when he's outside, you can use a tie-out that's anchored into the ground or secured to a tree. Yet, never leave him tied out for long periods of time (ie. 24+ hours).

Huskies are pack oriented, so he's going to want to be around you and your family. They're very social dogs and they thrive on interaction.

As far as walking, baby steps. You can try the prong collar and it usually works, IF used right. You can also try a no-pull harness, or a martingale collar which is much like the prong collar.

Since he's still peeing inside, try crate training. When he's not in his crate, keep him tethered to you. He'll learn quickly that peeing or messing in the house is unacceptable. When he uses the bathroom outside, throw a freaking party and give him lots of praise lol.

I'm sure I missed something, but others will chime in.

Lets see pictures of the boy! I love reds!

I know you will get lots of advice!

First, welcome! So glad you found this site!

I am writing with very little time, so I hope to make sense. As you may know, huskies are extremely smart and stubborn. I too have an 18 month old red male! I personally think you need to kick in the training (a class at Petsmart would be fine!). By this age, if he were to swipe a toy, you should be able to get him to drop it by using the "drop it" / "leave it" command. I'm not saying that without supervision he will EVER be an angel! But if you are there you should not ever "wrestle" things away from him. I think that may kind of demean your authority (just a personal opinion).

You should definitely crate train him and leave him in his crate whenever you leave the house. If you will be gone too long, have a friend or dog-walker come let him out for some exercise or to potty. As you know and hove described, a husky left unattended is just a recipe for disaster!

Not many of us use a head halter for walks. I have heard of dogs pulling free. If he pulls free, it's obciously not working. A prong collar is great if used correctly. That's why I again advocate a training class, since the instructor there can better suggest something that will work for your dog. All dogs (even huskies) are different...

If you are getting all of the urine smell out of the carpet or furniture by using an enzyme cleaner like Nature's Miracle, then he should stop urinating in the house. At this age, if I saw him lift a leg, I would probably send Sabaka to a time-out in the bathroom or in his crate (after I made sure he finished doing his business outside).

He is definitely salvageable! With proper training he should become a fun member of your family! (I will make my confession though... It was not until a couple months ago that I decided Sabaka has become a decent member of the family! Until then, he was driving us all crazy! They will test their limits for sure, you just have to remain consistent and more determined than he is!!

Good luck!
(Where are you located?)

Welcome!

First off Ceasar Milan is a joke, his techniques are mostly negative reinforcement and are counter productive for most Siberians. Sounds like most of the problem stems for him doing whatever he wants, whenever he wanst. Huskys (and dogs in general) thrive when given structure and a leader. They are just like toddlers and need rules and boundaries. Start with some positive reinforcement training exercises. Start hand-feeding to let him know where his food comes from, make him work for most things he gets (toys, food, treats, playtime). Before you throw the ball or play a game of tug, make him sit or lay down first, make him look to you for direction. This may also alleviate the marking in the house. He is marking HIS territory, he thinks it is his, show him gently, that it is yours.

As for destroying things in the house, crate crate crate! My Kale is 2 years old and I still crate him every time I leave the house. Never leave a Husky outside in a backyard unattended if they are unreliable, that is setting them up to fail as they are prone to go on adventures and get bored and destructive easily. If you need space or don't have the attention to watch him, crate him. If he seems to have an abundance of energy, run him, or take him to a dog park to socialize (if he's dog social).

Huskys are know diggers, I have a special, designated spot outside for digging, the rest of the yard is off limits! and he knows it. I don't like training out instincts, but that's a personal preference.

I'm not a fan of head halters, especially for dogs that pull; they can injure their necks quite easily. I trained Kale to heel with a prong collar. They are very effective if used correctly. Martingale collars are also effective and I currently use one on Kale when he is in a calmer walking mood.

Hope some of this helped!

I'm on the iPad so I can't be as detailed as I'd like but generally everyone has it covered.

The issues you're facing are very common with those struggling with Sibe ownership. They will take a mile if you give them an inch. He needs structure, a crate, and a lot of patience. But it's nothing that isn't able to be handled and worked through. If you're going to go the pinch collar route find a trainer or someone at the supply store who knows how to fit and use them and ask for help.

Welcome!

We have similar issues with our dog's, but like the other's so far have mentioned, most of what you described is part of the breed's characteristics.

My solution aside from training is intense exercise! Walk, run, jog, bike, dog park, doggy daycare, treadmill, etc. Anything that will get him tired out! Once you extract all his energy, they are great dogs! I find if you challenge their mind's, they get tired out more (at least that's the case with mine). We took our puppy to a morning training class and she was so exhausted by the end of it she slept the entire day!

It honestly sound's like you're dog is bored and full of energy. He's taking his frustration out on you're furniture and making you mad. If you get rid of that energy, all will be well, because he'll be too tired to act out. Try for one week of lot's of exercise with him and you will see a completely different dog. Do different exercises with him, because some may tire him out more than others.

I've found negative reinforcement to be quite effective. No joke. But if it doesn't match YOUR personality traits, the dog knows you're bluffing and will respond accordingly.


This dog doesn't sound like a problem at all. For me, a rigid routine that rarely changes, running and six weeks of training would be all I do. The type of training I'll leave up to you.



I can't believe that I have the only hard headed dominant husky in existence. Funny how all dogs are individuals until it's puppies (they all suck and are a grueling task), and training (that won't work for Siberians).

Sounds just like Blizzard the rescue who just got returned! They lady who had him was way too much of a push over for him and sadly let him get away with doing around $7,000 worth of damage to her apartment.

Sorry, I have not read all the replies, so I may be repeating what others have said.
1- Get a crate. When you are not home to watch him, crate him. If he's never been crated before, he'll probably throw a fit. Just ignore him. Let him howl, bark, dig at the crate bottom, etc. BTW I recommend getting a crate with a metal bottom. If he really won't shut up, smack the crate, spray him with a water bottle, whatever, let him know you don't like him going crazy and then leave. When he finally shuts up, let him out and tell him he's the best dog in the world. Also giving him a kong stuffed with peanut butter or a good chew bone should help keep him from freaking out in the first place.

My girls are pretty darn well behaved and I still do not trust them to roam my house when I'm not home. They are put in their crates when no one is home to watch them.

2- Do some basic training with him. He will learn that you are the boss and he will respect you more for it. Find a good clicker training class or one that does use mostly positive renforcement.

3- For peeing in the house, catch him in the act and make a loud noise (to make him freeze and stop peeing) and immediately put him outside. When he pees outside, let him know he's the best dog in the world.

4- For digging, you can put his poop in the holes and fill them up. When he goes to dig again, he'll be in for a nasty surprise. You have to keep at it for a little while, but it works pretty well, at least did for my two.

5- For grabbing things, teach the "thankyou game" which is pretty much the trade game. You find this, but if you give it to me you get THIS much better thing! You have to train it in short training lessons often.

hypers987 wrote:

First off Ceasar Milan is a joke, his techniques are mostly negative reinforcement and are counter productive for most Siberians.

If it wasn't for Ceasar Milan's techniques, my Willow (a red as well) would be Bailey. Not all Ceasar's tips are negative. He has some great tips that have saved my Willow from being uncontrollable. She was a holy terror when I got her at 8 weeks old. She was very destructive and to this day will still try and push the boundaries. I just don't let her. Some dogs just have a very strong personality and like kids can get out of control if you don't nip it in the bud. You need rules that you and the whole family stick to and a constant routine. Bailey needs to know what is expected of him. Crate training is a great tool with a destructive dog. Don't give them the opportunity to destroy anything. Each and everytime Willow attempted to eat or destroy something, I stopped her. I learned from Ceasar that you never take something away from a dog. It can come off to them as a game. I calmly stand in front of Willow and stare down at her until she lowers whatever the object is to the floor. It works everytime and I'm sorry, but I just don't see how that can be construed as negative reinforcement. It takes practice and patience in the beginning but if you stick to it, it works! When I first tried this on her she would ignore me and try to move around me and I had to consistently keep stepping in front of her until she realized she couldn't pass me. At that point she would look up at me and stare back. From that point it takes seconds for her to drop whatever it she has in her mouth and lay down. I then take the object and move away from her never saying a word. This has stopped her shoe/sock obssession. I also believe that this is the reason that at the age almost 2 years old, she doesn't need to be crated anymore. I still limit her to a small portion of the house when I am not home and I just make sure there is nothing lying around to tempt her. Yes, she still gets tempted by things but it's rare and usually with something I haven't told her she can't have. Once she learns something is off limits, she leaves it alone. Consistency is KEY! Another tip I learned from Ceasar is teaching distance boundaries when someone is going through the front and back door. Since teaching this trick, I have not had any of my dogs escape an open door. This doesn't mean I can have a door wide open but they know when someone is coming or going, they can't rush past them to get outside. I had a huge problem with my first dog with this until I learned from Ceasar how to stop it. Like Lisa says, once they learn the rules and boundaries they are much more enjoyable to be around and now I can truly appreciate Willow's personality. It's one of my favorite things about her now.

I think when most see CMs name we immediately think alpha rolls and physical corrections as well as using fear to control the dogs.

He has many practices and not all are negative. However using negative and harsh techniques which use fear I personally feel aren't appropriate. I want a confident dog, not a fearful one.

CM has as much to bring to the table as other trainers do. With a wide respect and knowledge of all training techniques I feel we all can find something that works for each of our individual Sibes or at least fine tune it to be relatable.

arooroomom wrote:

I think when most see CMs name we immediately think alpha rolls and physical corrections as well as using fear to control the dogs.

This is what I was referring too, didn't mean to cause some kind up uproar. I don't watch his show often so I don't know of his other techniques.

hypers987 wrote:

arooroomom wrote:

I think when most see CMs name we immediately think alpha rolls and physical corrections as well as using fear to control the dogs.

This is what I was referring too, didn't mean to cause some kind up uproar. I don't watch his show often so I don't know of his other techniques.

I know and I don't like that aspect of him either. I think it ends up creating a very unstable dog.

hypers987 wrote:

arooroomom wrote:

I think when most see CMs name we immediately think alpha rolls and physical corrections as well as using fear to control the dogs.

This is what I was referring too, didn't mean to cause some kind up uproar. I don't watch his show often so I don't know of his other techniques.

You didn't cause an uproar but when you start your sentence off with "Ceasar Milan is a joke" then it CAN be taken as you shouldn't listen to anything he says. I'm just pointing out that he does have useful tips that can help you be very successful with your dog. Like Kristina mentions, I do believe you need to be open to multiple trainers and take what you think will work best with you and your dog. I also believe there are some techniques we see on tv that the average Joe shouldn't try on their own or at all.

26nikita wrote:

hypers987 wrote:

arooroomom wrote:

I think when most see CMs name we immediately think alpha rolls and physical corrections as well as using fear to control the dogs.

This is what I was referring too, didn't mean to cause some kind up uproar. I don't watch his show often so I don't know of his other techniques.

You didn't cause an uproar but when you start your sentence off with "Ceasar Milan is a joke" then it CAN be taken as you shouldn't listen to anything he says.

To be fair, Mindy, most mainstream trainers today feel this way and write off him and his techniques off as a whole.

Each of us is different, our dogs are all different... We all have the choice of which methods we believe in and practice. I don't want anyone to feel that they can't state their opinion, as long as everyone can do it respectfully towards each other.

arooroomom wrote:

To be fair, Mindy, most mainstream trainers today feel this way and write off him and his techniques off as a whole.

I agree with this, I guess that was why I felt the need to show that some of his tips helped me and didn't want the OP to feel that she shouldn't use any of his tips if she felt they could work for her.

Quote :

Each of us is different, our dogs are all different... We all have the choice of which methods we believe in and practice. I don't want anyone to feel that they can't state their opinion, as long as everyone can do it respectfully towards each other.

Again, I agree with everything you are saying so if I somehow came off as if I wasn't, then it was not my intention.

He needs more exercise. Plain and simple, one 35 minute walk is just not enough. For some it may be, but obviously not him. I know this has already been stated, but get a crate, please, it will do wonders for him and you. I never leave either of my dogs out and about unattended. Not my 1 year old lab or my 5 month old husky. It is setting them up to fail because I know they will get into everything. Do you have a nearby dog park? Or possibly a friend with a dog that could come over for playdates. I think having my lab has helped tremendously with Balon. They are both happy to play on and off all day and tire each other out! Its great lol.

I totally agree that this dog can be saved lol, is wanting to be near you all the time is normal, most dogs do, we are their packs after all. Good luck!

I agree that he needs more exercise. If you can take him for an extra walk each day (or even two), that will help.

You will have to go back to basics with toilet training, like he is a puppy, and take him outside often so that he does not get the chance to go into the house. The good thing is that since he isn't a puppy any more, you won't have to go outside so often - you probably already have a good idea of the times of day when he goes and can pre-empt those. You'll need to clean where he has peed inside with a biological cleaner, if you haven't already, because the smell lingers (for him) otherwise and will just confuse him.

Since you have several issues you are working on, you might find it helpful to practise NILIF (nothing in life is free) or Learn to Earn. (Just don't take the word 'nothing' absolutely literally). This provides lots of opportunities throughout the day to practise training with positive reinforcement - the dog has to sit to get a treat, etc.

I agree with those who have suggested the use of positive reinforcement in training. Punishment can make a dog fearful, and its far better to train a confident dog that knows how to behave. Lots of short training sessions throughout the day will also provide mental stimulation and help to tire him out.

These problems are all fixable. It's also not too late to take him to a training class if you want.

26nikita wrote:

I agree with this, I guess that was why I felt the need to show that some of his tips helped me and didn't want the OP to feel that she shouldn't use any of his tips if she felt they could work for her.

My mistake. I apologize

Relationships build confidence, training builds boundaries.

hypers987 wrote:

26nikita wrote:

I agree with this, I guess that was why I felt the need to show that some of his tips helped me and didn't want the OP to feel that she shouldn't use any of his tips if she felt they could work for her.

My mistake. I apologize

No need Brooke. Its all good!

harrise wrote:

Relationships build confidence, training builds boundaries.

I completely agree.

To the OP, I think your frustration with your dog isn't helping you either. Dogs are very perceptive of their owners feelings. I'm sure your husky realizes your anxiety, frustration and discontent with him. Try to relax and understand that you can correct this and your dog is not hopeless. As was stated, your relationship will build confidence. In order to fix this problem, I truly believe you need to build a strong relationship with your dog. Training classes will help with this as well.

That is just my two cents. Keep us updated.

I watch CM regularly. He actually rarely places a dog on its' side. He is a big proponent of exercise, remaining calm, positive body language, structure and routine., and use of well behaved dogs as role models for out of control dogs. He is also about consistent expectations for the dog from all family members. I have learned a lot from him. I personally don't buy into the pack leader mentality, but just as in NLIF I feel that dogs should recognize that all good things come from humans. All of my dogs have unique personalities and I use ideas from many trainers. That said, Skyla is such an IMP!!! Love you Baby Girl!

Hey!

I'm new to Huskies, but I'm going to try and put in my two cents just in case any of this helps.

First - like everybody else said, get a crate. Don't need to go into the reasons, there's already a lot of very useful information in this thread.

Second - I use the no-pull harness with my pup. In the beginning, he was being walked by his collar, and that dog would PULL! Once I got the no-pull harness, it took him 5 minutes to figure out that if he pulled, he was going to turn himself sideways (and it's a heck of a lot harder to pull that way!) Only thing I would say is to make sure you get one where the ring to attach the leash is in the FRONT. If you get a harness with the D-ring in the back, then you'll be able to see how much that husky can really pull!

Third - A happy husky is a tired husky! We take our 4 month old puppy for two walks of 45 mins to an hour, a 20 - 25 min walk in the mid-day, AND play with him in the backyard. We will soon be taking him to some dog parks so he can put his socialization skills to good use, and that will be in addition to everything else we do with him. **TIP** This will also help a lot with the crate training - if he's tired, he's a lot more likely to fall asleep right away once he's in his crate with his comfy pillow and blanket. (You can even use the blanket for a day or two yourselves to get the scent on it - or rub it on some of your unwashed laundry so it can pick up your scent.

Fourth - a husky will get bored easily - I know if my husband or myself is planning to be away from the dog for over four hours, we give him a puzzle treat. That way, he'll have to figure out how to get it and the mental stimulation keeps him from being bored. Luckily, he's pretty much potty trained (and at four months I'm ecstatic!!) so he's okay to be left for those times. Another thing you can do is get those marrow bones, fill it with applesauce and some kibble and freeze it before giving it to him. This will keep his attention for bit and provide some of the mental stimulation that huskies require - and I'm sure everybody can attest to that!

I hope the post helps you with your husky - just like anything else, the more (constructive) work you put into him, the more you get back - and believe me when I say this - you will be ASTOUNDED when you realize how much love and affection these guys have to give!

Don't give up on the guy yet, it will take some time, but believe me, if you follow through on it, and let him know that all good things come from you, he will try and please you every waking (and maybe even sleeping) moment of his life!

UndarthAngipoo wrote:

Hey!

Fourth - a husky will get bored easily - I know if my husband or myself is planning to be away from the dog for over four hours, we give him a puzzle treat. That way, he'll have to figure out how to get it and the mental stimulation keeps him from being bored. Luckily, he's pretty much potty trained (and at four months I'm ecstatic!!) so he's okay to be left for those times. Another thing you can do is get those marrow bones, fill it with applesauce and some kibble and freeze it before giving it to him.

Oops - I should have said we do this in his crate!