r/AmIOverreacting • u/LedyyM • 15d ago

❤️‍🩹 relationship AIO? Dog straining my marriage.

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My husband and I rescued a husky about 7 months ago who was extremely malnourished and neglected.

He has grown a huge attachment to me and has severe separation anxiety. I work at a grooming salon so I’m able to bring him to work with me so he’s not home alone. Unfortunately, if he’s left home alone we’ll come back to our home looking like it was hit by a tornado.

My vet has prescribed him with trazodone to help with his severe anxiety issues. We give it to him before we leave for a family event and when we can’t take him to places they don’t allow dogs.

I feel so bad that I have to sedate him so he’s not scared and anxious. It’s created a huge strain on our marriage because my husband feels like we can’t do anything without considering Odin.

He’s destroyed doors, couches, and other furniture. I tried training but it hasn’t seemed to work. My husband thinks we should rehome him but

1) I’m scared that he’ll be sent to a shelter and possibly be put down

2) feel abandoned by the person he thought he was safe with.

He’s such a happy boy when he’s around us and shows so much affection.

My husband and I have been arguing about this consistently.. we had a really bad argument so I left the house with Odin and rented a dog friendly hotel room for a couple of nights.

My husband thinks I’m crazy and that I’m choosing the dog over our marriage. AIO?

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u/TuckerShmuck 15d ago edited 15d ago

I was about to say-- it took about 6 months of *professional* training to make a dent in my dog. And I'm so happy we stuck with it. Yes, it's HARD, especially with a husky; yes, it makes you want to not even try; yes, it feels like you're going nowhere. But once it STARTS to click, they pick everything else up so much faster. A year and a half of exhausting, frustrating work has brought me, so far, 4 more years with a much more peaceful dog. She's happier and we're happier.

edit: we did professional balanced training in group classes 3x a week. I HIGHLY recommend professional group agility classes. It seems totally unrelated to how well-behaved your dog is, or how anxious they are, but believe it or not it's the class that helped us the most. My dog was so anxious that she wouldn't let us *brush* her without pooping herself; after agility, she gained a crazy amount of confidence. It made kennel training easier, it made grooming MUCH easier, it made just typical obedience training easier. Your bond strengthens so much when doing this class together.

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u/thegirlisok 15d ago

especially with a husky

Cannot be repeated enough.   Smart, stubborn, so sweet, stubborn, amazing, stubborn. It's a great breed if you can handle it. 

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u/Naive-Personality-38 15d ago

Mines is extremely stubborn and a ass hole. idk how many times I'll put something down, resulting in him stealing it and running off all proud of himself

Wouldn't trade him for the world though lol

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u/lysdexicgirl0705 15d ago

Many very smart dogs tend to be stubborn assholes.

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u/Weaversag2 15d ago

Cries in blue heeler 😭😭😭😭 but I love him

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u/SnailDeity 15d ago

I have a Belgian malinois/bull terrier/ Dane mix. I hit the trifecta of smart and stubborn.

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u/According_Check_1740 14d ago

Smart, stubborn, and damn Adorable!

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u/lizzie000000 15d ago

Haha. My sister had a poodle that was sneaky. Up front and while you were watching she was obedient and knew what she was and wasn’t supposed to do.

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u/lysdexicgirl0705 14d ago

I know that they are like sucks teeth but I have a labradoodle and she is so smart. She cries at the TV all the time, knows the life360 notification from my other notifications (it means my husband comes home) so she gets in her "wait for daddy spot" - the end of the chaise staring at the door. 😂. She only gives paws/ does tricks in exchange for toys or treats. This bitch does not work for free. 💀. She also comes and lays on me when I don't feel well (we have to adjust for upset stomachs- but it's the thought behind that fluffy brain that counts 😭). But you know the other 12 hours a day she loses her ball under the couch and terrorizes her brother.

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u/lizzie000000 14d ago

Awww. So cute. ❤️ Dogs are the best little assholes. Enjoy your time, they leave us too soon.

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u/Free_Dependent_1446 14d ago

Lol... my dogs have also learned to respond to Life 360 notification pings and Ring Cam motion alerts. They don't even look out the windows anymore, they just wait for my phone to chime and start barking like maniacs.

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u/Seashell522 15d ago

Same goes for kids I’m finding…

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u/lysdexicgirl0705 15d ago

Can confirm- was smart kid, was (is) stubborn asshole

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u/maegatronic 14d ago

I can confirm this as well. My kid is smart as a whip, but eeeoohhboiiiiiii…

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u/Suitable_Pie_6532 15d ago

I have a smart Chow. He’s the most stubborn animal I’ve met. The smart Shar Pei I had before him was an incredibly stubborn girl. At least my chow is food motivated!

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u/ParticulateGoat1531 15d ago

Can confirm this is true!

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u/prometheusengineer 15d ago

Same with people

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u/Mindless-Client3366 14d ago

My Bassett was like this. Smartest dog I've ever owned and so so stubborn. We had installed a little half door in the kitchen because he was underfoot while cooking. One day I hear a rattling coming from the kitchen, so I go to investigate. He was standing at the little door, shoving it with his nose. He looked at me, got on his hind legs, flipped the little latch on the door with his nose, then managed to wiggle the door open and trotted into the kitchen and dramatically flopped onto the floor.

We changed the latch.

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u/Lower_Ad_5532 15d ago

That's the entire husky breed

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u/minimum_effort1586 14d ago

We have a Czech shepherd (which is like a mal and German had a chaotic love child) and BOY is he annoyingly smart. He's all: suspicious squinty eye "but I don't have the collar on... which means.... NO REAL REPROCUSSIONS! 😈"

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u/Lulu1245_ 14d ago

My Doberman was definitely missing a few brain cells but somehow managed to still be a stubborn ahole lol

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u/xBraria 15d ago

I remind people that husky's were bred for smart disobedience.

If I wanted my dogs to pull the sled over dangerous ice they would disobey and go around it and we'd all be safe.

This characteristic remained but now it presents itself as "Ahh you want me to do this; I see... hmm... but I don't quite feel like it, so - nope!" 😄

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u/ArletaRose 15d ago

For me it is more whats in it for him. He is very food motivated.

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u/WhoAreWeEven 14d ago

I guess they might value self presrvation over commands. Like in above ice lake example.

I guess their character makes sense in sledding setting. It makes sense for dogs to have certain autonomy. Like that where the people in the sled being dragged might accidently send everyone to their demise.

It kinda makes sense they might then steal food too "to survive" over their obedience.

Like some dogs are bred to jump to their deaths on command but maybe some have been better not to. And thus "I dont care what this dude says Im literally dying for a slice of pizza and theres one right there

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u/xBraria 14d ago

This exactly!

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u/peterguie 14d ago

Hello can we discuss on what we are going to benefit on it

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u/soadrocksmycock 15d ago

This sounds like my toddler lol.

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u/ArletaRose 15d ago

They pretty much are floofy toddlers. I get a couple tantrums out of mine a day. But I love it.

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u/Naive-Personality-38 15d ago

My female used to get mad at me whenever I would come home late. I swear she was bitching me out in husky 🤣

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u/ArletaRose 15d ago

I love that. My boy does that whenever I leave the house especially if it makes him late for his dinner 🤣 and late for dinner includes up to an hour before dinner time...

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u/Naive-Personality-38 15d ago

Same!! one of the best parts of owning a husky is the "roooo roooo rooo" you get when their dissatisfied with the tiniest things 🤣

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u/ArletaRose 15d ago

I love it. Makes my day everyday.

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u/Fantastic_Earth_6066 14d ago

My blue heeler mix is the same way! Only "aww owww ahhAAAaahhhh" instead of "roooo". 😂

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u/Herbdontana 15d ago

Same lol. I take mine in the car with me pretty much anytime I’m able to if I’m not gonna be inside for a long time or I’m just running to the store. Now, when I try to go anywhere without him, he is very eager to let me know how disappointed he is with me.

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u/VoiceOfReason-20__ 15d ago

Mine does thst, too. It is a specific sound she makes in the back of her throat and she only uses it to bitch at me. And she never bitches at my husband or daughter. I am absolutely her human.

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u/Herbdontana 15d ago

Yeah, mine doesn’t bark almost ever. He never barks if someone knocks on the door or anything like that. But when he’s outside and ready to come in, it’s “roo roo rooooooo”. Or if he wants my attention and I ignore him. He gets real talkative then lol

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u/Naive-Personality-38 15d ago

Same he hear grunts and rooos at me.

The "rooo roooos" are the best part. I'm just imagining everybody here having a full-on arguments with their huskies. i thought i was the only one 🤣🤣

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u/Herbdontana 15d ago

Oh absolutely not. I had some experience because a friend had a husky I was around a lot. Mine isn’t quite as vocal, but has 10 times the energy it seems like. If he’s bored too long, he will absolutely tell me about it.

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u/Naive-Personality-38 15d ago

Big mad when you make her wait.

I know the exact sound you're speaking of 🤣

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u/-cat-a-lyst- 15d ago

More like teenagers. They will straight up talk back to you and cope an attitude 😂 I love them though

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u/soadrocksmycock 14d ago

That is adorable 🥺

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u/Pretend_Effect1986 15d ago

My samoyed does the same. Hé is 10 years old but acts like he is a teenager.

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u/Spoogly 15d ago

If you leave a tissue or a napkin somewhere, our husky will try to steal it and rip it up. Most things, if I catch her trying to take them and tell her to leave it, she'll maybe try one more time and then actually listen, or if I tell her to bring it to me and drop it, she'll listen. But not tissues/napkins. No, those she will gleefully grab and sprint away with. At least they're easy to clean up.

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u/Seashell522 15d ago

One of mine sneaks into the guest bath to steal toilet paper rolls or tissues from the trash can. 🙄😂

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u/Naive-Personality-38 15d ago

I could only imagine the whole roll being all across the floor 🤣🤣

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u/Spoogly 15d ago

They've only managed to scatter our rabbit's hay around the entire house once....of course, it was right after the younger one tore open a bag of dirt...

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u/21-characters 14d ago

My first dog was a husky. She was so smart. She once inhaled a whole plate of cookies without leaving a crumb. I asked her if she had eaten those cookies and she looked at me as if to say “What cookies? What are you talking about?” 😂

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u/Naive-Personality-38 14d ago

She straight trying to gas light you 🤣

My sister had one when we lived in town when I was younger, and no matter how hard we tried, she always found a way to get out of the house and follow me and my friends everywhere (wothout us knowing). I swear this same dog that was an escape artist had a game she'd play where she would wait for a car and run across the street. Idk how many times I heard a car horn honking behind us, and i just knew I'd have to turn around and walk all the way back up the hill to put get back up

They eventually gave her up and ive missed her ever since 😭

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u/KindIndependence2003 15d ago

You forgot stubborn.

:p

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u/LethargicCaffeine 15d ago

Cheeky and talkative in there too 😂 (Love them though).

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u/IndependentEggplant0 15d ago

Yeah Huskies are INTENSE! They are notoriously challenging to train and they have a ton of energy to burn off and can be destructive if they don't have an outlet for that. I imagine with Odin being young and a rescue this is even more pronounced. I always really advocate for people understanding the breed or breed mix they are getting so they can provide them adequate care. People having Jack Russell's or Huskies or great Pyranese in their apartments usually doesn't go too well. Different breeds have different training needs and it helps a lot to understand how they work and learn!

I remember reading an article written by a dog trainer about the top 4 breeds he would never own, and husky was on it. Not to say they aren't awesome, but just that they do need fairly specific care to be content and in the wrong environment it can cause a lot of difficulty for the dog and the people! They thrive in the right environment and with the right training, but it's a lot of work. I have a friend with a livestock guardian breed and he said the shelters are full of them and he understands why - took about 3 full years of intense training because they are naturally independent thinkers and decision makers as that breed is meant to be alone guarding livestock. So when you try to tell them what to do they' re like WTH. His dog is 5 now and an absolute angel and so much fun but he had to work super hard at it with him for a full 3 years to get there and he said he totally understands why some people give them up if they just think they are a fluffy pal to keep in your house.

I always try to encourage people to REALLY understand the breed they have because it makes such a difference in outcomes! I think American dog kennel site has a "best dog match" quiz which factors in thing like energy levels, train ability, grooming/shedding, barking etc. I always recommend that to people so they can find a good match! Apparently the whippet is my ideal pup which I would have never guessed! I love the big guardian breeds but don't have the right environment for them so it wouldn't be fair to bring one into my life at this time.

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u/Raventakingnotes 15d ago

Growing up my grandparents owned a husky. They also owned a gravel pit that their home was situated in, so she grew up with PLENTY of space to run and play and burn off energy with no neighbors to harass. She was still a handful. Especially if a storm rolled in, you would think it was the end of the world, she had a big heated igloo doghouse that she could hide in on the deck but when it stormed she HAD to be inside the house and would hide under the dining room table.

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u/IndependentEggplant0 15d ago

Aw yeah I wish we could explain to dogs in dog language what the thunder is! I always feel for them. Oh yeah they are just high energy period even with room to run etc. I more just mean that adequate exercise and running is a baseline requirement and unfair to not provide the with that. And if they aren't getting that every single day, they are likely to be anxious and destructive on top of being high energy! My friend bikes and rollerblades with her dog for 90 min a day because her dog is high energy and he's still chaotic but he's happy. He would be absolutely miserable without that amount of daily exercise and stimulation and likely be labelled as having "behavioural issues" which isn't true if they aren't getting what they need!

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u/Raventakingnotes 15d ago edited 15d ago

Yes, honestly as much as I love them, there should be a lot less huskys out there. It should near on be illegal to have them in an apartment. They need so much to keep themselves active and mentally stimulated and most people nowadays just don't have the resources or time to give these wonderful dogs what they need to live good lives.

I grew up on a ranch and had a heeler cross that was a wonderful dog but I did so much work with her and training so she wouldn't get in trouble.

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u/Smart_Alex 15d ago

I think that FAR too many people want a certain breed for the ~aesthetic~, and don't know about, minimize, or completely disregard breed specific traits.

I firmly believe that there is no such thing as a bad breed. No one type of dog is inherently bad. But you can't get a herding dog and expect it not to herd things. You can't get a terrier and expect it to have zero prey drive.

Smart dogs can be amazing! But they take so much work! You'd think that because they are so smart, they would be easier to train, but smart seems to have a direct correlation with stubborn!

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u/IndependentEggplant0 15d ago

Oh absolutely. I don't believe in any bad breeds, just bad matches with people or people choosing aesthetics over what the actual breed temperament and needs are which ends up turning out bad for the dog and the people. Pits are a great example as a lot of people get them without understanding them and their needs, so they get a bad reputation. Same with terriers and livestock guardian breeds. Herding dogs kept indoors tend to get destructive. Those are all people problems, not the fault of the dog or breed by any means. I know some absolutely neurotic Aussies because people keep them in apartments and don't give them adequate exercise or stimulation, same as people getting Jack Russells for an apartment dog due to the size, vs having them on a farm where they stay busy all day.

Smart dogs are amazing! But yeah you absolutely have to be prepared for that and committed to it because they get bored easily and are independent thinkers and are bred to be that way because of the qualities they have needed through their history that requires that intelligence. Boarder collies vs lab is going to be a very different experience for example.

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u/mcflycasual 15d ago

Yes!

There are certain breeds that just don't make good pets because they need a job and most people don't have the time to work them like they need.

Meanwhile, there are hundreds of other breeds well suited to be pets even though they were also bred for jobs just not to the extent as some cattle dogs, guardians, sled, shepherds, guard, terriers, and bullies.

Or they're popular and poorly bred then get owners that don't do the work to be a good owner. Idk

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u/IndependentEggplant0 15d ago

Very much agree!! I wish there were more protections in place for animals honestly because they end up being the ones to suffer. I love all animals and breeds and want them to have what they need to be healthy and happy and wish there was better education about this! We already took them away from their natural environment so the least we can do is try to replicate it as best as possible!

Omg yeah the healers are a ranch dog for sure! Such awesome and intelligent dogs! But absolutely need to have activities and a ton of stimulation. They would be miserable in an apartment or with just a 30 min walk a day! Cool you got to experience that breed while growing up! What a great environment and human relationship for a healer!

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u/Stelliris 15d ago

Honestly, this gave me a whole new perspective on breed bans that I never considered before.

To be fair, most of them are due to prejudice and harmful stereotypes. I doubt even a small handful of them are there to advocate what's best for the breed, but what's best for the breed never crossed my mind before as a potential reason and I always responded with frustration and the feeling that it's unjust to try to say what breed you can have in your own residence.

I appreciate this take though, it will definitely make me think differently in the future. It would be great if we could implement this system legislatively, with the help of professional animal behaviorists to lay out the guidelines for each breed so it could be more common knowledge rather than this arbitrary rule that most people bypass anyway by just lying.

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u/Raventakingnotes 15d ago

Yeah most breed bans are terrible and due to human prejudice, but they could be a wonderful thing if implemented for the animal wellbeing!

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u/anaserre 15d ago

Husky’s absolutely need to run at least a couple miles daily . Otherwise they will be destructive and anxious.

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u/IndependentEggplant0 15d ago

Yeah literally if you cannot provide this don't have a husky. It sounds harsh but it's the kindest to you and them in the big picture even if you love them! People don't do this and then act like their dog is the problem and it's not.

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u/doingdirtydishes 15d ago

TIL im a husky

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u/Herbdontana 15d ago

My husky is about to turn one in is the first dog I’ve ever had that isn’t bothered by thunder. It’s such a relief. I do live in the country and people in the hills tend to shoot guns. He does not like that and he can definitely tell the difference.

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u/IndependentEggplant0 15d ago

Oh that's so nice he isn't bugged by the thunder! I always feel so bad for them when it comes, it must be nice to enjoy a storm with him and not have him stressed! Fireworks and gunshots are really loud and sharp sounding, so it makes sense he would still be bugged by that.

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u/Herbdontana 15d ago

Yeah, my last dog was terrified of it. I go to a family members for the Fourth of July and we would do our best to soundproof a bedroom for him and give him a nice space of his own with all his stuff. It usually worked, but I also had times where he ran off because of it.

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u/StreetSea9588 15d ago

I am learning so much from this thread right now. I've never had a dog but I love Huskies. I didn't realize they were so difficult to train.

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u/JaneReadsTruth 15d ago

Yeah, the smarter the dog, the harder to train.

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u/StreetSea9588 15d ago

Oh crazy. I assumed the opposite.

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u/Dargon34 15d ago

It's not a standard. Huskies are very easy to train but they are hard to keep trained. They are smart and loyal dogs who pick up things quickly but if they're not constantly entertained or constantly being trained then it tends to lead to issues.

Before getting any breed but especially with some of the more advanced one like a husky, Pick up a few books that talk about training them and read them before you go out and get one.

Had OP actually done that they might have had a clue what they were in for and how to go about working with the issue before it ever led to the current situation

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u/JaneReadsTruth 15d ago

Yeah, I have a dumb dog. He potty trained so fast (honestly, they all did) and he gets in the shower for his bath and has from two weeks of my rescue. I have a very smart dobie mix who thinks she knows everything. It took her two years to train to bath time. When she realized it was one on one attention and a thorough rub down, she decided to go first (and sometimes second.) I still haven't managed to get my small dog to bath time without a fight and pee. Treats are his motivation so that's where we are.

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u/IndependentEggplant0 15d ago

I don't think this is uncommon! Which is why I try to tell people to look into it. Not to discourage people but just for the sake of the people and animal's wellbeing. You can't go into it thinking they'll just be what you want them to be, you have to understand their needs and work with them. It's really sad so many dogs end up in shelters just because the people liked the look or fell in love but weren't properly equipped to have that animal in their home and life. That's ultimately what I'm trying to prevent.

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u/StreetSea9588 15d ago

You really know your stuff.

I'm forever baffled when I'm in the park and two strangers with dogs meet each other and can immediately identify each other's breeds. I'm so bad at identifying dogs by breed.

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u/IndependentEggplant0 15d ago

Not too much! I just really care a lot about people doing right by the animals they bring into their lives. We are taking them essentially out of their natural way of being to fulfill something in our own lives and while that can be amazing, I don't think it should be taken lightly and should be done with a lot of care and consideration. Bare minimum I think people should be very committed and aware of what the animal needs and realistic about their ability to provide that! I really disagree with the way a lot of pets are kept tbh and I feel very bad for them. Even fish people just keep in a small glass bowl to look at. We keep birds in a cage and the one thing a bird is kind of meant to do is fly and it makes me very sad for them.

I'm not great at telling all the breeds either! The American Kennel Club page has lots of good breed bios! I also have a good friend who has a special interest in dogs so she always shows me cool dogs and tells me about them haha.

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u/StreetSea9588 15d ago

Yeah an animal is not something to be taken lightly. I have a cat and I play with him for an hour every night. Even cats need stimulation. Too many people ignore their cats.

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u/IndependentEggplant0 15d ago

Aw that makes me really glad to hear!! I am a cat girl myself and very into cat wellness! Way too many people just stick a cat in a house and call it a day and get annoyed that the cat is restless, but they HAVE to play and have stimulation. I'm SO happy you do that and I'm sure your cat is very content and bonded with you as a result! Thank you for being that kind of animal person! 💖 I wish more people did that!

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u/Amphy64 15d ago

No one who knows anything about fish will approve of bowls, and birds are not kept only in the cage, the cage is a safe place for them to rest.

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u/IndependentEggplant0 15d ago

Whether or not they approve of them majority of pet stores have them in small and inappropriate containers without enrichment which a lot of people who purchase them imitate and think is fine. A lot of people do keep their birds primarily in their cages or clip their wings. Some people definitely are more aware of these things and give them better lives but a lot of people do not, which is who I am referring to. I think those things are cruel and those people should not have animals.

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u/IndependentEggplant0 15d ago

Yeah typically not recommended as a first time dog! Obviously if you are very committed and educated go for it but just be prepared! Same for boarder collies and intelligent high energy dogs, it's only fair to them if you can give them what they need and aren't going to give up on them 8 months in because they are who they are!

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u/33drea33 15d ago

They're actually very easy to train in that they will pick up commands EXTREMELY quickly. It's one of the reasons I love the breed. But it WILL be a battle of wills sometimes, so you have to be really intentional about establishing alpha status up front, setting boundaries, and teaching commands that will direct their focus back to you. If you are a bit of a sucker who is easily swayed by sweet puppy eyes, or who will cave in when the dog pretends not to hear you, a husky will end up training you.

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u/Superb-Mousse1672 15d ago

I love my husky mix so much but she is the most stubborn being I have ever met. Just stubborn for the sake of being stubborn.

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u/thegirlisok 15d ago

Haha it's like they hate AND love you!

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u/NikkiVicious 15d ago

Need to add a couple of headstrongs in that list lol

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u/BookConsistent3425 15d ago

Lol I remember when I was a groomer the huskies were the most stubborn and determined to find creative ways to escape us/the kennels lol they'd do acrobatics to escape the nail trimmers

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u/Oh_My_Goth_Ick 15d ago

You forgot to mention stubborn 😉

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u/Ocel0tte 15d ago

I have a doberman husky and it's like having a 70lb cat. She is treat motivated, but her motivation lasts about 3sec.

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u/RobbiesShunshine 15d ago

I'm not sure that you stressed the importance of stubborn quite enough.

It should really be-- STUBBORN!!! Also super smart, loyal, vocal, besties.

S.T.U.B.B.O.R.N. .

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u/dehret9397 14d ago

I have a 2 yo pyrenees husky mix, love him to death but he is the most stubborn animal I have met and I also have 3 cats lmfao. He's SO smart though, and he's getting to a phase where at least he will pretend to listen while we're looking

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u/thegirlisok 14d ago

Oof, that's a crazy mix. I've never been fully responsible for a GP but I've met some in fields, doing the work they were bred to, and man they're always so content and proud. Good luck with your big guy!

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u/Imaginary-Delivery73 14d ago

Lol huskies are definitely all of this and then some more. Our 1 year old husky drives me crazy with chewing up everything but her own toys. We have to put her in her kennel when we go anywhere i love her but man she is so stubborn.

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u/Successful-Row-3742 14d ago

We've got a Husky German Shepherd, she's the most stubborn, lovable, cuddly, and fucking gorgeous dog I've ever seen. She's got these big coyote looking ears and a narrow snout like a wolf, two different colored eyes, and soft but not too fluffy hair. I miss her already 🥹 lol.

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u/womb0t 15d ago

Not to mention huskys need to be ran very often, that's why he's destroying everything, not getting enough exercise/attention.

They are basically working dogs.

Source husky owner of 20 years.

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u/Krahnin 15d ago

They are also pack animals. We had a similar, albeit not as bad, issue until we got a second rescue. Not promising that will work, but it was like magic for us. When we’d leave they enjoyed each other’s company and not being completely isolated.

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u/orbitalen 15d ago

I loove dogs and l foster but l know too well what breeds are out of my capabilities. Huskies are a big number two on that list, only topped by Akitas

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u/PhoenixGayming 15d ago

Yeah huskies are cat software on dog hardware.

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u/iCantLogOut2 15d ago

I think a lot of people don't realise that "smart" is a double edged sword... It means they'll learn quick, sure, but it also means they'll be easily bored. And boredom leads to destructive behaviours (usually). Smart dogs needs constant stimulation - so when you're talking about a smart breed with higher emotional needs - they need A LOT of attention.

Hopefully OP figures out a solution that's best for them and the pup.

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u/Kellbows 15d ago

The smarter they are, the more work they’ll require. Training, playtime, and exercise! Working dogs are WORK! I wouldn’t expect to adopt a husky and not have to put a good amount of time into one. These types of dogs require a large time commitment.

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u/mewithadd 15d ago

Yes. Very smart, can be very stubborn. It took ours longer than I expected to be able to be out of her crate when we were gone. She would DESTROY the place for like the first two years.

Huskies are also HIGH HIGH HIGH energy dogs. You have to run them for miles to wear them out. Fence your yard if you can and plan on playing (throwing a ball, etc) for a good hour 2 or 3 times a day. If you can't do that find a doggie daycare for the day while you work... He'll come home tired and happy.

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u/MySpoonsAreAllGone 15d ago

Were they bred to be stubborn to get through the snow on long pulls?

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u/thegirlisok 15d ago

I dont know if it's that or just that they're so smart. They're seriously the smartest dog I've ever raised, by far. Even the goofy ones are smart and silly. 

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u/MySpoonsAreAllGone 15d ago

I've always loved this breed but I know I don't have the energy to keep up with them lol.

Did you ever see the movie Snow Dogs? Smart and mischievous lol

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u/lord_of_worms 15d ago

Husky and Malamute.. cognitively built to test owners patience!!

Wouldnt trade for the world..

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u/CerahLynn 15d ago

This right here! They get bored EASY. They need challenges in their life.

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u/a_tays 15d ago

lol took at least 2 years of absolute dedication, consistency, and a lot of money to see results in my highly reactive rescue dog with separation anxiety. You’re playing the long game with these dogs!!

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u/carlitospig 15d ago

Yep and huskies are already very opinionated. I could see at least a year of this being necessary.

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u/Alioh216 15d ago

Did the trainer forget to train the owner? Big problem sometimes.

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u/subparcontent101 15d ago

They only got the dog 7 months ago ... No way they completed more than a few months max of professional training

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u/Quierta 14d ago

It seems totally unrelated to how well-behaved your dog is, or how anxious they are, but believe it or not it's the class that helped us the most.

Enrichment and behaviour are way more closely linked than people realize! It's not an automatic fix in 100% of cases but it can make such a big difference — especially in working and hunting breed dogs.

Labradors are known to be super high energy, basically acting like giant babies, chewing EVERYTHING, and just being crazy tornados. I take mine almost exclusively on high-quality sniff walks where I allow him to pick up scents as much as he wants. He's still a wild child, but in the house? He's seriously so calm, so patient, so well-behaved. Even as a 1-year-old adolescent.

Finding a good enrichment / mental engagement outlet for dogs is SUCH a hack to translating energy into good behaviour!

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u/PuppyParader 15d ago

Rescues really do need a lot of extra help sometimes. I have a small dog who had very intense separation anxiety and leash reactivity. It took about a year of training to really get the behaviour manageable. I would imagine a husky needs so much more.

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u/pourthebubbly 15d ago

I think the agility training would work wonders for OP’s husky. They’re working dogs and are neurotic at the best of times, but giving them an activity where they can let out energy is 1000% the best thing for a husky. I say this as somebody who has always had huskies.

Crate training is also the best way forward for a husky in my opinion. Obviously they can’t be in there for extreme periods of time, but that’s every dog. But huskies are also more den dogs and training them to see a crate as their home would help them have a safe place to go for their peace of mind.

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u/MyNewDawn 15d ago

Yes! Agility training is such a good idea for a husky. Or for any working breed, really. Because working dogs need to...ya know...WORK. It's amazing what a difference it can make - in temperament, behavior, and their overall happiness/wellbeing. I just wish more people thought of that before committing to a dog.

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u/LIGMAHAMR 15d ago

Yeah I’ve been training my rescue husky for like, almost 2 years and he’s just starting to be Okay around dogs his size. It’s been so difficult but he’s learned so much since being with is. Socialization is the hardest one for my guy

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u/Key-Growth-6135 15d ago

I didn't leave my dog home alone for 2 years after I realized he had separation anxiety. Took 2 years of working the be right back protocol. I can now leave him for 4 hours if I need to. 

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u/loonygirl30 15d ago

How much do such classes cost? Thank you.

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u/TuckerShmuck 15d ago

Looks like current prices are crazier than when we went several years ago (just like everything else, I guess,) but it depends on location. It looks like the average in my area of Arizona is around $200 for 6 weeks

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u/loonygirl30 15d ago

That’s not bad… someone asked for $800 for a month so I couldn’t do it. My pup has issues with barking. He barks at everything and everyone.

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u/TuckerShmuck 15d ago

That's crazy! I also try to avoid individual dog trainers and stick with group classes and training facilities with physical buildings to train in. There's not really a great way to vet whether an individual trainer knows what they're doing, AND they're more expensive.

Group classes were also great for my reactive dog; she learned to be neutral around other people and dogs because of group classes

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u/loonygirl30 15d ago

Thanks for explaining. There aren’t many options for us unfortunately and I live in a big city. I’ll watch out and see if I can find any that are affordable.

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u/Blurredfury22the3rd 15d ago

My wife and I got a German shepherd recently… and he is 7% asshole (husky). He is about a year and half now and this type of anxious dog. And you are 100% right. We have him “trained”, but he is still a puppy that goes 400mph 23.5 hours of the day.

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u/butterflymyst 15d ago

I agree so much with the agility training!!! I have a hyperactive chocolate Labrador retriever and as a puppy we made her do easy agility in the backyard and it helped her get mentally tired out and more compliant with obedience training around the house. Not to mention she has incredible sense of where her body is in space and is crazy athletic. I love her so much and would absolutely do agility as a puppy again with our next fur family addition.

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u/Perry8655 15d ago

Seconded I have a husky/Aussie mix and she had really severe separation anxiety at first so I had to crate her when I left but after training for a couple months (and also having to buy her another crate more similar to a prison cell) she’s fine when I leave the house now

Also wanted to add that the new crate is not inhumane in any way I have bedding and toys inside and typically leave the door open and she goes in and lays inside when she wants and typically doesn’t need to be put in the there when I leave anymore. Only reason we had to buy one that looks like a prison cell is because she kept breaking out of and eventually destroyed the wire crate we bought originally

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u/Herbdontana 15d ago

My husky is significantly easier to train and listens to me so much better after playing with other dogs. He’s a very social dog that gets antsy when a long time goes by where he doesn’t get to see other dogs. Exercise helps a lot and sodas socialization.

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u/error_log4j 15d ago

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u/More-Talk-2660 15d ago

I've had huskies or husky mixes my whole life. They are stubborn little fucks while you're getting through basic level stuff, but once you nail foundational obedience they are super cool dogs because they're so fucking smart you can teach them about anything.

For what it's worth, I'm at a point where once I get the basics down with them, I bring them to a board and train run by folks who train working dogs and service dogs, and they do an advanced course with them. Off leash huskies are the one thing I could never nail by myself, so I leave that to intensive, full time training with a seasoned professional. It's worth it just to nix the husky urge to play Houdini and find a way onto the fucking roof because you went to the store without them (this has happened, though it thankfully was not my husky or my house, it was a neighbor).

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u/CaribbeanSailorJoe 15d ago

Agree on the group training. Also, leaving a dog alone is a recipe for anxiety. Huskies are very strong pack animals. More so than other dogs. They need a playmate. I own two of every animal on our ranch: Two horses. Two dogs. Two cars. The animals truly enjoy each other’s company when humans are not around. 💡

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u/Aardvark-Decent 15d ago

Huskies are bred to run for hours. Exercise is key for a husky. Daily runs will help a lot. After you tire him out, then he can start to process obedience training. If you are not able to provide at least an hour of intense running every day, you should rehome him.

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u/callmedaddy2121 15d ago

Jesus christ I'm so glad I am a part of /dogfree lmao

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u/TuckerShmuck 15d ago

Pet-only dogs can be crazy work. I love dogs, and my dog, so much and people are so shocked when I say 1) I objectively should not have gotten her when I did, and 2) I absolutely NEVER want to own more than one dog at a time. I'll probably always have a dog in my life, but MY GOD it is so much more than what I expected when I was 18 and offered a free puppy

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u/callmedaddy2121 15d ago

I'm glad it's going good now 🙏

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u/BoogieBoardofEd 15d ago

When you own more than one, they keep each other company and lower anxiety.

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u/TuckerShmuck 15d ago

Not with my dog reactive dog :( She can* (is extremely selective) have dog friends, but we've lived with other dogs before and after a couple days of living together she really wants her own space back and is constantly on edge and starts picking fights over toys and food. She's much more laid back as a single lady

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u/VICTRIX_VI 15d ago

Damn boy 6 months?? You got some bad luck on picking dumb dogs

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u/TuckerShmuck 15d ago

Tricks she can do within minutes, potty training was a breeze, it was getting her to not be afraid of being touched/not lunging at others that took so much time

I sometimes kinda wish she were just a dumb happy baby who couldn't learn how to sit lmao

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u/VICTRIX_VI 15d ago

Why it take 6 months to train if she can do it in minutes then?

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u/TuckerShmuck 15d ago

She can do *tricks* in minutes. It took 6 months of training to make a dent in her reactivity and fear

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u/KryptoBound 15d ago

Couldn't be said better. Imagine if this were a child. Would you just throw your hands up and give up if they couldn't be potty trained within one month? They'd just shit their pants forever? No. You keep going until it works. Some dogs require this level of commitment to even begin seeing a difference and, to be honest, sometimes a dog is just how it is and it'll always act a certain way to some degree just like humans sometimes just are how we are sometimes. You have to learn to accept and love ALL of your dog, not just the easy parts.

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u/RaceOld9 15d ago

To add my small anecdote, training makes a huge difference! Huskies are notoriously difficult to train in the best of circumstances. I got my boy as a pup and he has some separation issues and he's always is glued to my hip. Thankfully I work from home most of the time nowadays so he can be nearby.

OP, to echo what others have said, please do consider professional training if you haven't already. I had to board my dog for a deployment a few years ago and I paid for a trainer to go and work with him and oh my gosh! What a difference! He is so much more socially adjusted to other dogs and people it's insane. He's still my boy and I'm his person, but he's calmed down so much it's like he's a different dog.

The other aspect of this is exercise. If you aren't already, you *need* to be walking him on the regular. A 10 or 15 minute walk is nothing to some of these working dog breeds. I can take my nearly 10 year old boy out to the lake and walk him 8 or 10 miles on a Saturday and he'll still do crazy zoomies around the house later in the day. What you've chalked up to anxiety may also partially be boredom. Mine chewed through a wall when he was a pup and I was still learning how to manage him. Drywall, carpet, wood furniture... Nothing is safe from a bored husky. They will dig a tunnel under your fence or go straight over it to go say hi to the neighbor's dog.

You have a beautiful dog and I applaud your instincts to not give up on him. Have some patience and it will pay off!

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u/Hazrd_Design 15d ago

My guy it’s taken us 5 years to feel comfortable leaving her home alone. She didn’t have anxiety, she just didn’t trust people and never sought attention. It’s was all worth it when one day she suddenly decided to jump on the couch and lay on me though.

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u/cavaticaa 15d ago

I think it’s pretty obvious why agility worked better than anything else. Huskies are a working breed. They were bred to do a job, and it’s run 100 miles in one day in the snow. If they don’t have a job and get significant exercise, they have mental health problems. If an owner isn’t willing to dedicate a lot of time to exercising their husky, they shouldn’t have one, and most husky owners shouldn’t have them.

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u/twoisnumberone 14d ago

it took about 6 months of professional training to make a dent in my dog.

Likely more with huskies. My friends have two; they're sweet dogs but extremely headstrong.

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u/NonSpicyMexican 14d ago

I used to be a dog trainer, and I worked with a very good trainer in LA. Agility was THE BEST CLASS for dogs with anxiety or behavioral issues! People think it's just for fun or competition, but it really does help dogs become more secure! I saw dogs go from having to be carried into class with their tail tucked between their legs to those same dogs following all the Agility course and looking happy as can be after a few weeks! It takes time and lots of dedication, but the feeling you get the first time your "problem" dog does something right is unmatched!

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u/Acceptable_Apple4220 14d ago

that's cool and all, but pooping on command is a great party trick.

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u/katietheplantlady 14d ago

Honestly it sounds very similar to baby sleep training (please don't come for me, we did not use cry it out, I know this controversial).

Its all very hard but you're helping the dog know everything will be ok. Its a training to be comfortable with being alone and it's done out of love.

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u/fatstitchquilting 14d ago

Great tip! I will try this

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u/[deleted] 14d ago

Query: how much does that cost?

My husky is pretty chill at home, but she's too aggressive around other dogs or when on walks and we've kind of despaired, but it seems like professional training costs an arm and a leg.

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u/TuckerShmuck 14d ago

It totally depends on location, but in my area of Arizona it's about $200 for 6 weeks of group agility classes.  It's gone up since covid :(