Not all doggies are created equal. It doesn’t make them any less adorable, but each breed has its strengths and needs. If you’re planning on bringing a Husky home to be a part of your family, you need to understand your pet’s nature and temperament. So, do huskies need a lot of attention?
Huskies need a lot of attention. Inactivity and lack of exercise can lead to boredom, which will constantly lead to a Husky seeking your attention. Scheduled playtime and a companion can help a dog that needs extra attention.
Before you get too anxious, this feature is wholly husky-centric and focuses on all the common reasons why your husky is seeking your attention. We’ll also discuss how you can ensure your pet’s getting enough attention to remain happy and content.
Reasons Your Husky Is Requiring Your Attention
Just because huskies need a lot of attention doesn’t mean you can’t have one if you’re an inexperienced dog parent. Instead, being aware of what to expect can prepare you better for taking care of your furball. That’s why the first we’re bringing to your attention are possible reasons behind your pet’s attention-seeking behavior.
Lack Of Exercise
Siberian Huskies started as sled dogs. That means they’re built to run over miles of rugged terrain in harsh weather conditions and not give up. That means for prospective husky owners that a tame walk in the park will not make the cut with this breed for a few minutes.
If you want your husky functioning at optimal levels, then at least two hours of exercise are required to work off your pet’s levels of energy. However, remember to exercise your pet at times when the heat is going down. Huskies don’t do too well in hot weather.
Boredom
Boredom can drive most canines to behave oddly more than any other reason. Be it GSDs or huskies – intelligent and work-bred canines need plenty of physical and mental stimulation to mature into well-behaved adults. You can introduce some fun in your dog’s life by investing in a few interactive toys or by hiding its favorite treats around the house, so your pup can use its nose and brain to seek them out.
Being Left Alone For Too Long
Huskies are a very social breed, and they love staying around their family. That’s one of the reasons why pet experts recommend pet owners with large families (especially children) adopt huskies.
If you leave your pet on its lonesome for too long, it’s bound to develop separation anxiety. This will only make it clingier until you figure out a way to alleviate your doggo’s loneliness.
Improper Training
All puppies benefit from early socialization and obedience classes. However, husky pups don’t just benefit from early obedience training; they need it because they’re pretty head-strong.
Remember, huskies are pack animals, and they’ll only follow an alpha they respect. If you’ve never owned a canine before, enroll your puppy in the nearest obedience school and observe how maintaining a relationship of respect works with dogs.
Otherwise, your husky won’t hesitate to run rings around when it comes to following commands.
Health Concerns
It isn’t uncommon for Fido to get a little clingy if it’s feeling under the weather. Always opt to get your pet from a reputable breeder to avoid specific health issues.
Nonetheless, huskies are prone to developing health problems like hip or elbow dysplasia, cataracts, progressive retinal atrophy, hypothyroidism, etc. To keep on top of things where your pet’s health is concerned, keep a watchful eye on its activity levels, feeding, and elimination schedules.
If your pet is not eating as much as usual and is more lethargic, along with being clingy, it’s best to book a visit to the vet asap.
Why Do Huskies Need So Much Attention
Canines vary in temperament. Huskies are friendly and love staying around people. Add to that the fact that they’re high-energy dogs who need plenty of exercises and mental stimulation to keep healthy, and you’ll understand that the more you leave your husky alone, the more attention-seeking it’ll become.
You know how humans get stir-crazy after being cooped up and isolated for too long? Well, huskies are pretty intelligent in their own right. That’s why leaving them confined and alone for too long is a recipe for disaster.
Do Huskies Need Constant Attention
Huskies don’t require constant attention, but they prefer not to be left alone for long periods. That’s why huskies are more suitable for a large family, with children preferably (older than three years of age).
As part of a large unit, a husky is never genuinely left in its own company. There’s always someone around to interact or play with, and this helps the husky keep busy.
Do Huskies Get Attached To One Person
The more quality time you spend with your husky, the better your bond will be. Huskies are naturally outgoing and love interacting with people – which means, initially, your pup may be equally friendly with all family members.
But, as you start spending time with your pet by taking it out on runs or training it, your pet will understand your position and respond accordingly. Additionally, once you’ve established you’re the alpha, your husky will (mostly) listen to all your commands and hold you in high regard.
Do Huskies Need Another Dog
Huskies are hard-wired by nature to flourish in a pack environment. Sled dogs have a definite hierarchy to follow, and that means two huskies will probably do better together than one.
However, that doesn’t mean you have to bite off more than you can chew (excuse the pun) and adopt two huskies to make your pets feel better. Plus, it’s all about how well you can accommodate your puppy at home. If your canine gets enough love, exercise, and attention – it’ll do well independently.
Why Is My Husky So Clingy
Your husky’s clinging behavior can be due to several reasons. For instance, the most common culprits behind attention-seeking husky behavior are lack of exercise, boredom, being left alone for too long, health concerns (age-related or otherwise), and improper training.
You’ll need to put on your Sherlock cap to discover the reason is behind your pup’s behavior – which isn’t too challenging. For instance, if you’ve been leaving your pet alone in your home for extended hours at a time, then it’s likely suffering from separation anxiety.
Why Is My Husky So Needy
Pack animals stick together, and huskies consider their family as their pack. Needy huskies can act out when their parent(s) leave them on their own for long periods, and this can lead to your pet developing destructive behaviors.
This behavior pattern indicates that your pet feels neglected and is genuinely upset at being left behind by its’ pack.’
Are Huskies Prone To Separation Anxiety
Like most friendly and intelligent canine breeds, huskies are prone to separation anxiety. This problem is sometimes made worse because huskies can consider their owners the ‘alpha.’ Without the alpha, pack animals feel lost because no one can guide or instruct them.
How Do You Fix Separation Anxiety In A Husky
There are several ways to make your husky feel comfortable in its own company, but this may not work too well if you’re away from home for more than half the day.
You can start conditioning your pet to your absence from puppyhood by various methods such as crate training, employing treat dispensing toys to make your canine associate alone time with good things, etc.
Ways To Make Sure Your Husky Is Getting Enough Attention
The best method to ensure your husky receives optimal amounts of your attention is to look after its need yourself. Take your pet out for a run in the morning and evening so that you can use exercise time to build a stronger bond with your pup.
Another sure-shot method of making sure your pet isn’t lacking for attention is to take out the time to play games with it. Huskies are extremely playful animals, and they’re not picky about games either. A game of fetch or hide and seek will equally please your pup.
Things To Consider
People find themselves surprised at the amount of care and attention a husky requires, and that leads to abandoned pets in shelters across the country.
The decision to adopt a pet should never be taken lightly. And just as forewarned is forearmed – you’ll be in a much better place to make an informed decision about adopting a husky after going through the following pointers.
Never Punish Your Pet For Its Clingy Behavior
Canine experts forbid punishing dogs or making use of negative reinforcement training to eliminate a specific behavior.
Your husky isn’t going out of its way to annoy you. Instead, chances are, your pet is feeling lonely or not feeling too well at all. In such a situation, it’s best to look for signs behind your pet’s behavior.
For example, if your pet is displaying lethargy or reduced mobility, along with attention-seeking, you can be sure it’s a health concern.
Similarly, if your sudden prolonged absences make your husky anxious, you can efficiently address this by training your pet to get used to your absence with positive reinforcements. Punishing a dog is not just cruel; it’s also useless because your canine doesn’t understand the problem is in its behavior.
Get Some Help To Keep Your Pet Happy
Believe it or not, it is possible to keep your pet happy despite dealing with a busy work schedule. It’s not going to easy, and you’re still going to have to put in a whole lot of effort.
But, you can employ someone to walk your pet or enroll it in a top-notch doggy daycare to ensure its loneliness doesn’t affect its temperament. Both options are equally impressive and allow your husky the chance to stave off boredom and keep busy doing one of its favorite things – making friends.
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