Huskies are an amazing breed and are mostly renowned for being sled dogs and living in very cold parts of the world. Most people have the idea that these pooches need a spacious house with a garden in order to live happily with their human family. But is this really true?
It is possible for a husky to live in an apartment, even if this is not very big. The important thing is that you make up for this lack of space. This can be done by providing your husky with a good amount of physical and mental activity. In other words, you need to spend a lot of time with your husky in outdoor areas where she can run and engage with other pooches.
In this article, we will go through the pros and cons of having a husky in an apartment. We will also give you some useful tips on how to make your life easier if you decide to live with a husky in a small environment. By the end of the post, you will have all the information you need to make this decision.
Tips To Live In An Apartment With A Husky
Living in an apartment with a husky could be challenging. These are working dogs that need to do things in order to feel fulfilled. Huskies are what scientists call an “ancient breed” that has preserved its genetic lineage to this day. If you were to compare the DNA of a husky today to the one of a husky that lived a thousand years ago it would be practically the same. Huskies have maintained their “wild side” much more than most other dog breeds. For this reason, they are not the easiest pooches to train.
Having said all of that, it is still possible to have a husky in an apartment and make her live a happy life. You have to be certain, though, that you have the time and the energy to put up with such a demanding breed. Unfortunately, it is not unusual to find huskies in shelters, because their owners failed to look after them properly. This is very sad and it should never happen. If you are certain you want this commitment for the next 15 years, then here are some good tips that will help you and your husky:
1. Physical And Mental Stimulation
As we said before, huskies are dogs that love having a job to do. The most important thing you need to do if you want to live with a husky in an apartment is give her the possibility to get daily physical activity. This is the golden rule to having a great life together. Huskies need to be able to run, dig holes, play with other dogs. This means you will have to take your husky out at least 3 times a day for a minimum of 45 minutes each time. She needs to go to places where she can lower her high levels of energy. Going to a big dog park, for a run in the woods, or hiking are all great ideas that will give your pooch the exercise she needs.
Mental stimulation is also essential if you want your husky to be calm when she is in the apartment. There are games specially made for dogs so that they can use their mental abilities. For example, you can test her sniffing abilities by hiding toys or food she likes somewhere in the house. She will then be rewarded when she finds them. A husky that is mentally stimulated won’t get bored in the apartment. This is exactly what you want because a bored dog can become destructive towards objects and “redecorate” your apartment.
2. House Train Your Husky When She Is A Puppy
If you are planning on getting a husky to come and live with you in your apartment, it would be wise to house train her as soon as possible. This training should start when the puppy is about two months old. Be ready to spend most of the day going in and out of your apartment. Pups that age will need to pee more or less every hour.
It usually takes a couple of months to house train a puppy, especially if it is female. Males are easier to train because they will want to leave their scent along the streets. This way they will mark their territory.
3. Get A Good Vacuum
Even though this might seem a less important suggestion, in reality as soon as you bring a husky into your life you will understand how important it is. These pooches have a double-layer coat and are considered heavy shedders. This means that twice a year (in spring and in autumn) they will lose all of their undercoat… And don’t think the rest of the year they won’t shed. They will just do it a bit less.
Especially if you live in a small apartment, having a good vacuum cleaner can save you from breathing all the fluff and hair that your pooch will lose. In addition, you will hopefully be able to spare some of your clothes from being covered in dog hair.
4. Take Her To Obedience Classes
As we mentioned at the beginning of this article, huskies are an “ancient breed”, like Akitas, Shiba Inus, Samoyeds, etc. This means that they are not as domesticated as other dogs that have been specially bred to be assertive towards humans. Huskies are renowned to be quite stubborn. They do things only if they agree that it is a good idea. They are very smart, but they need to be trained from a very young age.
Failing to do so could mean having to deal with a powerful dog that will not follow your indications. This could mean having a dog that is hard to handle. Since living in an apartment is possible, but not ideal, it is important that the line of command is set straight. You don’t want to risk disturbing neighbors because you can’t make your husky stop howling or you can’t get him to stop running around the house.
Why Do Apartments Not Allow Huskies?
Some owners won’t rent their apartments to people that have a husky. The reason for this is that these dogs are not easy to handle and could damage the property. Huskies have quite a strong prey drive, so they could chase other small pets that live nearby. They are also a vocal breed that loves to communicate with their owner or even their neighbor. In addition, many insurance companies have blacklisted huskies (together with other breeds) from homeowner’s insurance. This is because it is believed that they have a tendency to bite.
Can Huskies Be Left Alone While You Are At Work?
Huskies are highly energetic dogs that need to be out of the house as much as possible. Keeping a husky in an apartment while you go to work for 6 or more hours will just not work out. They are not the kind of dogs that you can leave at home. They will not just sleep tight until you get back. More often than not they will get bored and start passing time destroying cushions, eating the legs of a chair, or digging a hole in the sofa. There are exceptions of course, but highly energetic dogs need to lower these levels one way or another.
Conclusion
Keeping a husky in an apartment is something that can be done, but there are some rules to follow. The most important one of all is to make your dog exercise as much as possible. He has to be able to run every day and go for long walks that will tire him out. Mental stimulation is also crucial because it will keep your husky occupied and it will lower his energy levels. Taking a husky to obedience classes from when he is a puppy is essential because these dogs are not as submissive as others. They need calm but firm leadership otherwise they can become very difficult to handle.
