There is just something majestic about the husky breed. Their wolf-like silhouette, sleek coats, and face markings are just some of their unique features. Whether you fall for the silver furred beauties with blue eyes or their tri-colored brethren, they’re just breathtaking dogs. We fell in love with our husky mix Denver when his picture popped up on a dog adoption site. When we went to meet him, he was a little bit… crazy. But we were young and childless so we adopted him anyway. Having a husky or husky mix is definitely a lifestyle. Here are some things to consider before you bring one home:
- They shed A LOT. Huskies have a double coat and they blow out their undercoat twice a year which means they shed EVEN MORE. Their coat needs to be maintained with regular brushing and/or grooming. You should not shave a husky for a number of reasons but mostly because their fur helps them regulate their body temperature and protect them from the sun. If you are a neat freak or love to wear black, you will have fur on your clothes, on your floor, on your furniture, and crevices you wouldn’t even think to look. You can vacuum twice a day and there will be fur.
- They can be runners. When we moved to our new house, the back gate blew open and out of our 3 dogs, only Denver snuck out (he wandered home on his own as I was coming back from my search). My childhood husky escaped our fenced yard several times. One time, he ran off and came back with a mouth full of porcupine quills.
- They can require a lot of exercise. When Denver was younger, we used to take him biking and running to wear him out.
- They can be destructive. A bored husky is a bad husky.
- They can have a higher prey drive than other breeds. This can translate to taking off after squirrels on walks or killing small animals that come into your yard or going after the family cat.
Huskies are beautiful, loyal, intelligent dogs but they are also a lot of work which is why you see a lot of 1 and 2 year-old huskies in shelters. Please consider how a husky would affect your lifestyle before bringing one home.
