SHERRY DAVIS: Keeping your Husky, working dog busy
| Sunday, Apr 25 2010 12:45 PM
Last Updated Sunday, Apr 25 2010 12:45 PM
Shannon has an one-and a-half year old Siberian Husky named Koda. He was a gift to her 18-year-old son at 8 weeks of age. Like most of his breed, Koda is sweet and good-tempered with people and gets along well with their two three-year-old Cairn terriers. Shannon and her husband work full time and their son is in college and has a part-time job.
They bring the dogs in to spend time with the family in the evening and spend time with them outside, too. Koda is very sensitive and doesn't like to be alone and will howl if he is separated from the other dogs.
While everyone is gone during the day, Koda has destroyed the underground sprinkler system, the trellises and plants, seat cushions and the doormats. The yard is large, more than 18,000 square feet, but Koda is now tearing up the fence and getting out of the yard, followed by the small dogs. He walks the fence line looking for loose boards and moves away if he sees anyone watching him. He destroys every toy he is given in one day, has a $20-a-week chew bone habit, and doesn't like his Kong. Shannon says their husky is "out of control."
Siberian Huskies are one of the most strikingly beautiful breeds of dog in the world. They are noted for their charming personalities and intelligence, as well as their "vocal abilities."
The Siberian Husky was originally, and still is, bred as a sled dog and valued for its great endurance. The breed standard says: "They have a natural desire to roam."
As a very social breed, they do not tolerate being left alone for long periods of time and will chew anything they can get to. They are easily bored and are notorious diggers. They are independent, curious and very high-spirited, and consequently, cannot be trusted off-leash except by the most dedicated owner/trainers.
Although huskies are remarkable for their adaptability to all kinds of living conditions, Koda has instinctual needs that are not being met, and his only recourse is to express his anxiety and frustration by destroying the yard. Once he learned he could get out of his yard to run and engage in social encounters, he became fixated on escaping. Having the other dogs follow him caused his sled dog team instincts to kick in.
The Siberian Husky is classified as a working dog, and Koda needs to find legitimate employment if the family ever wants to enjoy the beauty of their yard again.
Some suggestions would be: backpacking, agility, biking or the most fun and natural for a husky, sledding. No snow? It doesn't matter. Designed to keep racing dogs in shape during off-season, there are sleds made with wheels for road use.
Due to the fact that Koda now has a learned behavior with positive (for him) results, the fence situation will be extremely hard to correct. He is showing a very wily intelligence in avoiding attempts to escape while the owners are watching, but you can rest assured his mind is focused on getting out. This is a very dangerous situation as either he or one of his two co-conspirators could be killed or cause an accident during their escapes.
Because of the stubborn and determined nature of this dog and his previous success I would opt for invisible fencing. BUT, solving the escaping problem without providing this dog an outlet for his need to run and explore will increase his destructive tendencies.
I have said it before, but it bears repeating, it doesn't matter how large your yard is. It is not natural for dogs to be confined to an area to go round and round in circles, day in and day out. Dogs by nature are social creatures and need to "go" somewhere. I gather from her letter that the family doesn't walk Koda. Unfortunately, because of the long hours people work these days, they have come to see a large backyard as a substitute for walking a dog or participating in an activity to fulfill their dog's needs.
FACT: Siberian Huskies that compete in the Iditarod travel at 5-15 miles per hour and can run up to, and beyond, 100 miles in a 24 hour period!
Someone with better mathematical skills than I can figure out how many times Koda would have to run around his 18,000-foot yard at 5 miles an hour in an 8-hour day in order to get the exercise he is genetically hard-wire to need. Problem is, without a change in scenery, it's unlikely that he would bother.
Sherry Davis is a dog trainer/owner of CSI 4 K9s. E-mail her at doglady@bakersfield.com. These are her opinions and not necessarily those of The Californian.
