Tips for Training a Siberian Husky

The Siberian Husky is one of the most beautiful, family friendly dog breeds known to mankind. These majestic animals were originally bred in Russia's Siberia region for use as working and sled dogs. Huskies first gained notoriety in the United States in the 1920s when a team of sled dogs, consisting largely of Huskies, was used to deliver life-saving vaccines to the isolated Alaskan town of Nome.

Today, the Husky is a beloved pet in the United States and has found a home with owners as a working dog, family companion, and running partner. Known for their dense coats and bottomless well of energy, a Husky is not going to be the best fit in every home. Training a Husky can be very difficult. For all the beauty and compassion of a Husky, they are very stubborn animals that can be among the harder dog breeds to train.

The following tips should help any prospective owner train their stubborn Husky and seamlessly integrate their new pet into the family.

Never underestimate their intelligence
 

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Siberian Huskies are among the smartest dog breeds alive today. What an owner may see as their Husky being aloof or stupid, is really their dog second guessing the necessity of a particular command or order. As a result of that higher intelligence, a Husky can get bored quickly with training regimens so it is important to not push too hard during any given training session.

Set them up for success

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Huskies are working dogs and may eventually require something greater than a simple treat to get them focused on learning new tricks and commands. When developing a training regime for a Husky, try thinking outside of the box in terms of treats. Consider unconventional treats like a new toy or their favorite toy as a reward for picking up new commands.

That said; Huskies can certainly be driven to success by their stomachs. There are a few favorite human food items that Husky owners will tell you get their dog focused for a good training session. Among the most popular, American cheese and carrots serve as great motivators for Huskies.

Be consistent and patient
 

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Siberian Huskies are playful, lovable scamps that can just as easily entertain themselves at times as be entertained by their owners. This means that Huskies do have a tendency to get bored quickly. When working with a Husky, whether on obedience training or simpler tricks, it is important to remain consistent in tone, body language, and rewards.

At the same time, it is important to not push too much on them. Given the ease with which they become bored during training, it is important to try and break up training sessions over the course of the day. Anything more than 15 minutes in a given day is going to become tedious for a Husky and they are likely to "check out" mentally.

Try to keep training sessions to five minutes at a time. Make them work hard for their rewards, and offer high value treats for successfully completing each training session. Remember to keep your calm and remain patient. Huskies are going to ignore owners at times and disobey commands, but when an owner loses their temper and becomes frustrated that won't help. Patience will lead to a stronger relationship and greater odds for success in training.

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