Why Huskies Are Hard to Train: (but don’t have to be)

A question many future husky owners have is whether or not huskies are hard to train.

After having helped thousands of husky owners train their husky, I’ve learned their main struggles and obstacles. So here’s everything you’ll want to know below.

Are huskies really that hard to train?

Huskies are harder to train than a lot of other dogs. But it’s not because they’re not smart. It’s because they can be stubborn.

The good part is you can work on their stubbornness. So, training a husky can get easier over time.

But owning a husky is a big deal. So it’s good to think they’ll be hard to train at first.

Being ready for it to be tough at the start is really important, I think.

Why causes huskies to be difficult to train

Huskies are intelligent, strong-minded, and independent thinkers.

Ultimately, this combination of wit leads to stubbornness and the inclination to challenge their owner.

Handling confrontation is difficult for some owners, regardless of their experience.

Having a dog that, for no apparent reason doesn’t listen to you can frustrate and stump even the most experienced dog owners.

This is perhaps the most commonly cited reason as to why huskies are “hard” to train.

Huskies will take advantage when they sense weakness in authority.

Another reason huskies are often described as difficult to train is because they are quick to take advantage of weak or “soft” owners.

For those owners that don’t assert themselves as clear leaders, put in place boundaries and correct bad behavior, their husky assumes the top position in the home. This leads to disobedience and bad behavior.

Psst. Need to fill a frame or choose the perfect gift? My Happy Husky’s Latest on Etsy (Print Instantly)

4 Things affecting a huskies trainability

Let’s clarify the key factors affecting how hard (or easy) a husky can be to train and raise.

1. Training routine

A consistent training routine carried out every day will instantly improve a husky’s trainability. Daily training creates a positive feedback loop.

Not only do the training activities themselves cause better obedience, but the repetitiveness of training reinforces the idea of listening to you instead of ignoring you, and this will transfer into daily life.

2. Setting boundaries (and sticking to them)

Huskies must know from the moment they get in your home what’s allowed and what isn’t.

An easy example of this is whether you let your husky up on the couch or not. If you do, all is well, If you do not, then you must make this obvious, correct your husky every time they try it, and never allow them up (as this just confuses them about what’s okay or not).

Sticking to boundaries and the rules you set has a direct impact on how your husky perceives you as a leader. If you blur the lines, your husky won’t take your commands seriously.

3. How owners react to bad behavior

Reacting to your husky’s bad behavior will also impact their overall trainability and willingness to obey your every command.

Huskies will test every owner (even if you’re doing everything right!) and how you react in these moments is vital.

The wrong thing to do: giving in to your husky’s challenge with bribes or attention. One quick way to lower your “status” and cause further disobedience is respond to stubbornness with treats, or extra attention.

In the eyes of your husky, this will be seen as a win for them, and a loss for you. And every time this happens, not only are they learning they can get what they want, but it’s solidifying the idea of not listening to commands.

The right thing to do is either ignore them (if it’s safe to do so) or avoid the situation from happening altogether. A classic example of this is what to do when your husky won’t come back inside. < Full article.

4. Their daily needs and requirements

Last but not least is whether or not the husky is receiving everything they need to be content and happy.

This includes physical exercise, mental stimulation, socialization, training, playtime, dedicated attention, healthy grooming habits, and a high-quality diet.

If anything is lacking from their basic needs, then this alone is enough to disrupt their trainability and cause disobedience and bad behavior.

---

Psst. A quick update on training your husky pup! Brain Training For Dogs might now be one of the best training regimes suitable for a husky. Owners are seeing improvement in obedience, behavior, and stubbornness quicker than ever before.

---

The most important thing about training a husky is…

Ultimately, what this all comes down to is you, the owner.

Whether or not your husky is hard or easy to train, circles back to how much time and effort the owner puts in.

If the owner has enough time to focus on their husky’s needs and maintains the effort to train and stick to boundaries and rules consistently, then the chances are very high that the husky is easy to train.

Our Advice

Keep researching, reading blog posts, and check out this website as well as youtube, for tips and tricks on raising an obedient husky.

The more research the owner puts in, the more knowledge they’ll have when it comes to raising a husky in a stress-free way.

I also have a husky puppy training book, guiding owners through the complete process from start to finish. Check that out here.

Thanks for reading, and happy training!

Back to homepage