An energetic, playful, and lively breed, the Siberian husky takes no time to steal your hearts. They have the spirit of a working dog, and you have to keep trying new things to entertain them, or they may get destructive. They love games, and most importantly, they love you and want you to play with them. But, it may not be possible always, owing to your busy schedule.
Hence, when you get a husky puppy home, you should think of ways to keep him busy and help him learn to be self-sufficient. And well, that may be difficult but doable. The following suggestions will not only help you keep your furry friend entertained but also stop him from biting and destroying things in your home. Scroll on:
Use toys and puzzles
Every canine loves toys and your husky isn’t an exception. When you’re not with him, the toys can keep him entertained, so he won’t bother you for a while, except if he’s hungry. You can find numerous dog toys in the market to keep your puppy entertained and happy for long durations, while you’re busy with your domestic chores and other work.
The chewing toys go a long way in reducing the biting tendency of your puppy and preventing him from destroying household stuff. You can also invest in toys that help him get calm, which will stop him from trying to seek his entertainment elsewhere.
Try puzzles, as the husky is quite an intelligent breed, and you can reward him with treats if he can solve them. You should try the more challenging ones and that will help your canine friend develop his intelligence over time, which will also help you in his obedient training exercises.
One of the amazing games that make all canines happy is the tug of war. Take a non-abrasive rope that won’t hurt his tender teeth and try playing pull with it. It helps the husky work on his hunter skills that he has inherited from his ancestors.
Ensure regular exercise
You need to channelize his endless energy in the proper direction to prevent him from getting mischievous and hard to control. Refer to where the husky owners share their experiences to get an idea about their inherent nature. You should work him out regularly, even when he is just a puppy and you can’t take him out for a walk in the park. Take him to the backyard, throw balls, and make him run and enjoy his time fetching the same.
You can come up with new and difficult games to help your canine get all warmed up and exhausted by the time he reaches inside waging his cute little tail. He would just need some nap then, so you can focus on your work and domestic chores without any disturbance.
If you have a swimming pool in the backyard, you can also teach your puppy to swim and make him fall in love with the water. As swimming gives your canine friend a full-body exercise, it’s easier to get him exhausted quickly.
Now, coming to the ways you can stop your husky puppy from biting everything and everyone around him, you can try these simple but effective measures:
Grab his muzzle
If your puppy is with his mother, the mama husky would do that. However, if he is all alone, you can play her part, put your hand around his muzzle, and he will let go almost instantly, as his biological instincts will direct him so. As your finger or any other body part is out of the pup’s mouth, you should apply some pressure to his muzzle to make him understand that he shouldn’t bite.
If your puppy is more stubborn than others, he won’t let go easily, you should then hold him by the scruff at the back of his neck without shaking and wait till he freezes. Apply the pressure on his muzzle then to give him a cue.
Get him the chewing toy
You can also redirect his attention to some toys or chewing stuff that you have brought for him to prevent him from biting you or others. As soon as he tries to bite you, swiftly move away, and give him his toy to bite. All he needs is something to exercise his teeth on and the toy will serve that purpose quite well. Keep doing that until your puppy learns that humans are not to bite but toys are.
How to stop your canine friend from being destructive
To stop your husky from destroying things in the house, you should first know what he behaves in that manner. Many times, if you leave your dog alone, he suffers from separation anxiety, which pushes him to divert his mind and he starts destroying things. Another reason behind his destructive behavior is probably the fact that he is teething. Huskies may also destroy stuff out of boredom or fear.
Here’s what you can do to stop that:
- Don’t leave your pup alone for a long time at once. If you need him to practice staying alone, start by leaving him by himself only for short durations to help grow a habit of it. You can keep him engaged with his toys so that he doesn’t feel that he is alone at all.
- If your pup is constantly scared of something, which leads him into being destructive, you can talk to an animal therapist to understand his problem. It may be an experience or something else, so you need to confirm it from an expert.
- If your canine friend is just bored, you should make sure that he has his regular exercises without fail. This will keep him exhausted and unable to use his energies for destroying the things around him. And he will have his toys too.
- When your husky puppy is teething, it will try to chew everything around him. This period stays for about 6 months and you have to be very careful with your little one during this time. Whenever you find him chewing something that he shouldn’t, make sure you replace it with something chewable instantly.
Wrapping it up
If you are aware of what makes your husky anxious, bored, and happy, you’ll be able to enhance those factors to keep him entertained always. Accidents may happen once or twice, but don’t be harsh on your tiny furry friend, as he is quite delicate and vulnerable. Teach him the right ways with rewards and treats, as the husky is intelligent enough to learn quickly. Soon you’ll have a companion, who gives you lesser troubles and endless love.