Life with Siberian Huskies
The Journey is more important than the destination
Choosing a Husky Puppy:
From day one with both of my pups I began walking them. Immediately they wanted to pull as I was just too slow for them. It’s surprising how hard an 8-week-old puppy can pull when they want to. It was built into their DNA and I didn’t have to “teach them” how to pull.
I’ve seen a lot of post on the urban mushing site asking, “How do I teach my dog to pull?” I’m sure there is a way but I don’t know what that is. Its something I’ve never had to deal with because its built-in with a husky or so I thought.
This led me to think a lot about this problem. And there is only one conclusion I can come up with why a husky doesn’t want to pull. And that is, it has been bred out of them. Maybe not intentionally but as huskies have been overbred the outcome seems pretty predictable.
No longer do these dogs live in the great white north only. They have spread far and wide to all corners of the earth. If they have been conditioned to live in a closed environment with nothing more than a walk around the block once a day. They will in time become accustomed to it. Then this dog is bred and the pulling genes are once again diluted.
So, after several generations the desire is in fact gone. This working breed has lost the desire to work due to generations of city dwelling life style. The single most important trait of a husky is to pull. To work because that is what he was in fact bred for. He was not bred to look good. This they do naturally without any help.
You might want to keep this in mind if you are looking to purchase a husky. Take the pup for a walk and see what he does. Does he pull…or not? If you don’t want a working dog find one that just looks good because they are quickly becoming the norm. If you want a working husky make sure you get one from the start.
It’s much easier to train a husky to behave when not pulling…than trying to teach him to pull when the desire has been bred out of him. You won’t ever have the unbridled enthusiasm of a dog like in the picture. This makes a huge difference if you want a dog pulling you up a hill on a sled or bike.
The true workers are becoming more and more rare. Look carefully before you snatch up the first pup that strikes your fancy. Pick one that fits your life-style and needs. A Volkswagen bug and a 4WD truck are both vehicles, but they are made for two completely different jobs. Keep that in mind when looking for a dog as well.
I’m not happy the working ethic is being lost, but there is not much I can do about it.
TJ
Life with Siberian Huskies 