13/02/2025
From Husky Pack South Africa
WORKING DOGS DO NOT MAKE GOOD PETS
All too often I see people complaining on rescue sites about how harsh the requirements are for adopting a Husky. Unfortunately, these are the people who don't understand the difference between a working dog and the average pet dog. These are often also the people who will dump their dogs once they see how much effort they really are.
The sad truth is, these dogs were never intended to simply be pets. Working dogs such as Huskies, Herding Dogs and Hunting Dogs were bred especially to work in their specific fields. The very characteristics that make these animals so unique from other breeds are what humans find to be problematic in their pets.
We all have a perfect image in our minds of coming home from work to have your dog greet you at the door. After that, both you and your dog walk over to the lounge where you get comfortable on the couch with your dog lying next to you on the floor. There, you spend a peaceful evening relaxing until both you and your dog head off to bed. This is what most people would call the perfect dog. Calm, relaxed and not irritating.
The problem is, people tend to choose a pet based on a breed they find beautiful, like a husky for instance, and decide that it will be their breed of choice. Once they've bought the dog and try to force him into their lifestyle, they realize how difficult it is to live with the creature. Their dream dog has thus become a nightmare for them. He jumps up, bites their hand in an effort to get attention, runs around the room while constantly howling and moaning. When he is closed outside, he tries to escape or dig holes and pulls out plants. Eventually they've had enough of his behavioral problems, so they put him in the car to drop him off at the nearest SPCA, thinking that they acquired a problem dog.
But they didn't get a problem dog. The dog isn't hyperactive. This dog comes from a long line of dogs that have been bred for centuries to run long distances. The dog didn't have a behavioral problem either, he was simply behaving the way he was bred to behave. These working breeds were designed, physically and mentally, to be able to move all day, working both their bodies and minds. These dogs need lots of exercise and lots of mental stimulation to release the energy that centuries of selective breeding had produced.
The fact that people choose breeds based on their appearance is an all too common tragedy. What people perceive as behavioral problems are actually caused by the dog being forced to live in an inappropriate environment.
Does that mean that these dogs shouldn't be our companion animals? Of course not. If you are able to supply the adequate environment as well as physical and mental stimulation for this breed, you will have a happy husky. But if you aren't willing to sacrifice comfort or leisure time, a husky definitely isn't for you. The best thing would be to do as much research as possible on a specific breed, or by asking a rescue organization if you will be a good fit.
Not everyone should own a husky. Not because they aren't good people, but because they won't be good husky owners. The large amount of Huskies in shelters across the world is proof of that.
Edit - This applies to so many working dogs like Border Collies, GSDs, Malinois, Dachshunds, JRTs, Shepherds, Yorkies, etc. that should not be adopted or purchased because they are cute and fun to have...
