The Ups And Downs of Adopting A Siberian Husky

For years, my husband and I have wanted to adopt a husky puppy. We have always admired the breed and their strength. We think they are majestic and wild. The fact that they can adapt to the coldest of temperatures, pull heavy loads on dangerous terrain, and thrive independently or in a pack environment always fascinated us.

When we finally decided to take a leap and contact a local breeder, we were instantly faced with a rather large obstacle right off the hop... the cost.

Purebred Siberian Huskies are not cheap!

Adopting a new pet as a family can be costly in general to begin with. Add on the heafty price per husky pup and your wallet could really take a hard hit. Depending on how sought after the specific bloodline is, pups can go anywhere from $1000 - 2500 easily. Of course, this doesn’t include food, edible treats, veterinarian appointments/ immunizations, walking accessories, training toys, a large dog crate, ID tags/licensing, and microchiping. The additional costs can really add up. Even though we had moderate knowledge about the Siberian Husky breed, we were completely shocked with how much money came out of our pockets. Was it worth it ? Of course, every penny. I personally wish we would have had this knowledge previously.

Anything within reach will be chewed, broken, and/or destroyed!

As beautiful as huskies are, they are just as much, if not more, devilish, especially in the puppy stages. This is a high energy breed of dog. I mean, they are hard-wired specifically for pulling huge sleighs for hundreds of miles through snowy Alaska or icy Nunavut. If they can't release that built up energy, they turn to chewing and mischievous types of behaviour, anything to fill their void and keep themselves less anxious/bored. But don’t panic, it’s not the end of the world. In my personal experience, the more exercise, the better. I’ve come to grips with the fact that I will never be able to outrun our pup, Dakota, but if I can at least give her some opportunities everyday to get some exercise, she is a lot nicer to our home and not as high strung. It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows at first, however. I had to learn that lesson the hard way. How does a five-month-old pooch rip apart three blankets, an area rug, and my Italian leather loveseat? Stuffing everywhere! In fifteen minutes... that’s how.

The best purchase we made after realizing she could very well destroy our house in a blink of an eye was a steel animal crate specifically made for larger dogs. When we have to run errands or step out, on hot days we would rather her stay home instead of sitting in an oven of a vehicle. It gives us a little bit of security knowing my Italian leather couches are safe. Until they hit full maturity and complete house training, it’s best to crate train until you and your husky are comfortable.

Huskies are extremely sensitive and can pick up on moods and emotions.

I’ve owned a handful of different dog breeds throughout my life. There is no comparison. The husky breed is one of the most emotional you will ever own. If you're angry and annoyed like most animals, they will pick up on that, times one hundred! If I raise my voice, Dakota will respond with a howl or two in an aggressive manner to get my attention. If I’m pre-occupied or putting my attention towards something or someone else other than her she will whine and whimper in an attempt to get my focus back. If I’m happy or excited, she will jump and dance and sing her howling song in different pitches and lengths. What does all this mean? If you are The Alpha to your husky, they constantly want to be engaged with you, with what you're doing, with who your talking to and et cetera. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it can be exhausting and frustrating to have something constantly need your attention. Really, the only time you get to have some independence is when your pooch sleeps. And that is no exaggeration. It’s almost comparable to having a small furry child. Your fur baby can develop separation anxiety as well, so leaving the house without them can be a challenge, especially if you live in a condo, apartment or split level. They will communicate, complain, sing, and whine until they and only they have decided they don’t want to anymore. It can be loud and your neighbours may not appreciate it so much.

It takes a special type of person...

Without any doubts, I can confidently say owning a purebred Siberian Husky is no walk in the park. It’s messy, exhausting, frustrating, and sometimes a little too crazy. It’s hard work and you learn quickly that silence is never a good thing. Even though there are struggles when it comes to owning this breed, there are a lot of positives.

1. They are loyal to you and your pack: Having a pack mentality since birth when it comes down to it, huskies are very protective over you and the family they have become a part of. Even though they aren’t the best guard dogs or warning dogs, if they feel your in danger they will protect you.
2. They are extremely intelligent: Don’t mistake stubbornness for lack of intelligence. This breed understands commands and situations easily. It all depends on if they want to listen to you or not.
3. They have the ability to adapt to cold or hot weather: Huskies have the amazing ability to self cool their body temperature and/or sustain a warm body core temperature for a very long period of time. This makes them very unique in comparison to other breeds who are more temperature-sensitive. This makes them adaptable to harsher weather conditions.
4. They’re a crowd pleaser: Although this isn’t too important, it’s worth mentioning. I’m not the only one who loves their look. Some people might not agree but the majority will be drawn to your pooch and want to interact with it. So if you and your husky are looking fabulous one day, don’t be surprised to get a lot of compliments.
5. They can keep up with the most active of lifestyles: Fishing, hunting, hiking, biking, running, swimming — nearly any activity they will concur without breaking a sweat. This can be a blessing or a curse — huskies never and I mean never run out of batteries! So try to keep up... Also, a quick side note: they have a tendency of wandering off and/or waiting for that opportunity to break free and explore. It’s just in their nature. They have definitely earned the famous title of being master “Escape Artists.” Keep a close eye on your pooch always.
6. Huskies make dog/cat-friends easier than most other breeds: If you already have a cat or dog as a part of your family and are considering adopting a husky, you won’t have to stress too much on if they’re going to be friends. Huskies are drawn to packs and enjoy the company of others compared to just being by themselves. I wouldn’t suggest fish or rodent friends, however. Dakota has tried to make our other pets her dinner snack on more than one occasion.

Clearly the pros out-weigh the cons when it comes to adopting a purebred Siberian Husky. If you're up for the challenge of becoming a husky owner, each day they will reward you with countless smiles and joy. I guarantee you will fall in love with their personality and silly ways. You will have one of the greatest friends by your side. We are so happy our Siberian Husky Dakota came into our lives.