Can Huskies Live In New York? Good or Bad Idea?

Siberian huskies are becoming forever more popular and whether or not they can live happily in a bustling city like New York is a great question.

The article will explain in full detail what to expect and what you need to know.

Can Huskies Live In New York City?

Yes! Huskies can live in New York. Huskies adapt to city life just fine, so long as you go above and beyond to meet their daily needs.

If you live in an apartment, the husky will need plenty of time outside.

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Huskies are becoming more popular around America and New York seems to be catching up with that of California and Texas. They love huskies there.

First of all, huskies aren’t small dogs. They are only classed as medium-sized dogs, but in reality, they can end up being fairly large. So this leads most people to ask if they can live inside apartments.

Secondly, huskies are known for needing a lot of exercise. So combining this with a potentially small living space with no yard, raises some concern.

And on top of that, the majority of people who live in new york tend to have busy lives and need to be outside of the home for many hours every day. I will cover how this can affect a husky too.

Let’s run through each section clearly, and separately.

Can Huskies Live In Apartments In New York

The good news is that huskies can actually adapt just fine to apartment life.

However, apartments are typically small and don’t have a yard. Not having a yard is of course a big downside, as you can’t conveniently train your husky to go outside to use the potty. (more on that soon).

Secondly, apartments are small, and huskies MUST spread their wings!

If a husky doesn’t receive enough exercise (both physically and mentally) you can expect your nice tidy NYC apartment to need some repairs. Huskies can be destructive when understimulated.

It’s also important to remember that many apartment complexes have specific rules about owning pets. So, if you are renting, confirm with the landlord or building owner about owning a dog before you go ahead and get one.

Exercising a Husky In The City

This is a big one. Husky and exercise may as well be the same word! So this must be made to work.

The average apartment isn’t incredibly large, especially if you don’t have a yard. This means you will need to take your husky outside A LOT.

Huskies need around 2 hours of intensive exercise per day. And honestly, they could do with a little more than that. It’s a good idea to split that up in the morning and evening, so they aren’t waiting so long before stretching their legs.

The biggest question to ask, which I will be referring to throughout, does your daily schedule allow for this much time?

Time is the most important factor in the overall question. Whether or not your husky can live in the city, depends on how much time you have to take him out and address his needs

In addition to time, are there suitable places nearby (grassy areas) where you are allowed to walk your husky? A husky sure doesn’t want to walk only on concrete. Having a park or grassy area nearby is essential.

This is original content produced and published by My Happy Husky | www.myhappyhusky.com

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The Potty Situation In Apartments/Cities

Potty training. The pee and poop situation.

If you don’t have a yard and your apartment building doesn’t have a private yard then you’ll be required to do two things.

Inevitably, you won’t be able to save your apartment floors all of the time. So in preparation for that mess, you’ll have to teach him to pee and poop in only one single spot in your apartment. This avoids him going on your bed, on your couch, kitchen, etc…

This can be done by buying a potty pad, taking him there as many times as you can as a puppy when he wakes up, after he plays, sleeps, eats, naps, gets excited… You name it, take him to his potty pad, and if he does the deed, reward him heavily with treats and praise. Slowly but surely, he’ll learn that this is his potty place. First job done.

Ironically, the second thing you need to do is encourage him not to pee or poop in your home… er what? Yep, despite training him to pee and poop in a specific place in your home, ideally, you don’t want that anyway, so you’ll have to take him out many times a day. Not only to stretch his legs but to keep those pees and poops outside whenever possible.

And for the times you miss, he’ll at least pee and poop in a contained location

Again, does your schedule allow you to be around as much as you need to be?

Huskies Hate Being Left Alone

I could be wrong, but if you live in NYC it’s likely you have a busy working and social life that involves not being at home much.

After having lived in some bustling cities like London and Madrid for years myself, I’ve learned that’s quite a normal life for most city-goers.

This leads to a very crucial point. Huskies hate being left alone. They are an incredibly social breed and depend on having human interaction for most of the day.

Huskies who spend many hours alone typically end up stressed, anxious, frustrated, and bored. And with that, comes disobedience, destructiveness and it’s just a sad, unfulfilling life for a husky.

So, what’s your schedule like? If you work long hours then unfortunately you can’t expect your husky to be okay sitting inside an apartment all day. This will eventually negatively impact his life in quite significant ways.

And getting two dogs, rather than just one doesn’t eliminate this problem. Although dogs are happier in pairs or more, they never replace us. So if you get two huskies for example, then you would just be doubling your problem of having two dogs waiting for their owner to come back from work.

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Dog Rules & Regulations In New York City

There are a handful of rules and regulations that you must know when you own a dog in New York.

Of course, please do your own research but here are a few things to think about:

● State law requires that all dogs must be vaccinated against rabies AND according to the New York City Health Code. All owners must carry around with them while in public with their dog, proof (certificate or license card) that their dog has had their rabies shot. Fines may be issues otherwise.

● Dogs must be kept on a leash no more than six feet in length when not in designated dog and off-leash areas.

● You must always pick up after your dog and dispose of the waste correctly.

● You must prevent your dog from chasing birds, squirrels, and other animals (BIG ONE for huskies!!!)

● Dogs are not permitted in playgrounds, zoos, fountains, ball fields, basketball/tennis/handball courts. Swimming pools, bathing areas, and NYC beaches.

There are many obvious, but relevant rules you need to be aware of. And it’s made clear that some of these are punishable with fines if not complied with.

For the full list of rules, regulations, and dog-friendly places go to https://www.nycgovparks.org/facilities/dogareas

Fortunately, there are tonnes of dog-friendly places in New York so you won’t have trouble finding a spot where you can legally take your husky.

You can use the same link just above, to find ALL dog parks and dog community groups by simply entering in your zip code:

To Summarize

Huskies can certainly live a happy life in New York City, just as long as you have the time and means to meet their needs.

Huskies are not a good breed for the “casual dog owner”. They require a lot of attention, time, patience, training, and dedication.

The only time I would advise against getting a husky in New York, is if you work long hours and will need to leave your husky more than 3 or 4 hours at a time. And this is my advice for any potential husky owner regardless of where they live.

So, if you’ve got the necessary time to dedicate to this breed, and your apartment block will allow you to own a husky. Go for it!

Here are some relevant articles you may want to check out:
How Much Space Does a Husky Need? The Truth
Bringing Home a New Husky Puppy | What You’ll Need
Husky Names | 101 EXOTIC Husky Names and Meanings
Male Vs Female Huskies: The KEY Differences