How to Care for a Husky - Training Your Husky

Huskies are highly energetic working dogs, meaning they need a lot of exercise and activity to be happy.[1] They are loyal and good-natured dogs who have a genuine love for life, and lots of people want them as pets. However, Huskies can also be stubborn and quite difficult to train, so you must be up to the task. If you are considering owning a Husky, decide if you have the time, patience, energy, and dedication to help him life a long, happy, and fulfilled life.

1. Socialize your puppy Husky. Socialization teaches your puppy how to interact properly with various aspects of his environment (e.g., people, other dogs), which will help him grow into a confident and well-mannered adult dog. Allow your puppy to spend time around different people and experience various sights and sounds.[2]
- Puppy kindergarten class is a great way to teach your Husky puppy how to interact with other dogs.[3] Enroll your puppy Husky in puppy kindergarten when he is four to five months old.[4]
- Other than puppy kindergarten, you can socialize your puppy by exposing him to different situations in his environment, such as the sounds of passing cars and honking horns. You can also invite your friends over to help him become comfortable with new people.[5]
- Taking your puppy to a park is another good way to expose him to different people, sights, and sounds.
- Observe your puppy as he explores his new world. If he appears frightened or wary of certain experiences, do not continue to expose him to those situations.

2. Enroll your adult Husky in an obedience training class. By nature, Huskies are very independent and intelligent dogs.[6] However, they can also be stubborn,[7] which can make training difficult. Obedience classes are ideal for training your Husky.[8]
- Enroll your Husky in a "junior" obedience class when she is 4 months old and follow up with adult training around 12 months.[9] For a well-behaved dog, it is imperative you begin training your Husky at a young age.
- Be aware that your Husky may use her intelligence to differentiate between training class and home — she may perform the training exercises perfectly in class, then misbehave when she gets home.[10] Frustrating as this may be, continue to practice and reinforce her training at home.

3. Crate train your Husky. This is particularly important if you have a Husky puppy. Crate training will help the housetraining process go more smoothly—he will not want to urinate or defecate where he sleeps.[11] In addition, crate training will turn his crate into a safe space to go if your Husky feels scared or needs to rest.[12]
- Your Husky’s crate is not a place of punishment.[13] Sending him to his crate when he misbehaves may cause your Husky to develop a negative association with his crate.

4. Leash train your Husky. If you let your Husky off her leash, she will likely dash away from you to go for a good run or happily pursue something far away.[14] She may love you as her owner, but, if given the chance, her love of running and chasing (and maybe even her predatory instincts) may take over.[15] Because of this, leash training your Husky is essential.
- Leash training will also prevent your Husky from pulling on the leash. If she begins to pull, you can either stand still and call her back to you or smoothly and immediately walk in the opposite direction of the pull.[16]
- Do not jerk or pull back on the leash — this may encourage your Husky to pull even harder.
- Do not use a retractable leash — this could cause your Husky to pull even more, since pulling will let her go further.[17]
- If you have a puppy, let her sniff and "explore" her leash and collar in the house before you try walking her outside.[18]
- Obedience training classes can help you leash train your Husky.

5. Establish that you are your Husky’s leader. Huskies are pack animals and expect to have a clear leader of the pack.[19] Your Husky should see you as his leader. A good way to establish this leadership is to make him wait to eat.[20]
- By controlling when he eats, your Husky will see you as the sole source of his food and resources, and thus his leader.[21]
- Another way to establish your leadership with your Husky is to lead during your walks with him.[22] By taking the lead, you are confidently showing him that he is to follow you, rather than the other way around.
- Do not be surprised if your Husky occasionally tries to become the leader of the pack. If he does, remember to be firm and consistent with your leadership.[23]
- Do not establish your leadership through bullying or hitting your dog.[24] Your Husky is unlikely to trust and respect you as his leader if you try to establish your leadership through physical intimidation.