Training is needed in order to adjust a Siberian Husky to your household lifestyle. Huskies are also very intelligent dogs and happiest when learning and discovering new things. In order to keep yourself and your Husky satisfied, this is where training comes into play. The following are the 5 different ways that you must train your Siberian Husky. You will find that the some of the methods of training overlap each other, but that is simply the nature of training a dog.

1. Potty Training

First and foremost, you must give your Siberian Husky potty training from the day you bring her home. Also known as “housebreaking”, you must teach your Husky pup to only eliminate when outside, while also training her bladder to hold on throughout the night or until she is let outside.

When potty training it is best done with the inclusion of a crate, as dogs will naturally try to not eliminate where they sleep. As long as the crate is small enough so the dog cannot sleep at one end and eliminate at the other end, your Siberian Husky will learn to hold her bladder and eliminate only when she is let out.

When potty training, you must remain alert and instantly take your dog outside when showing signs of needing to go, as well as giving plenty of positive reinforcement when she eliminates outside.

2. Obedience Training

There is nothing that keeps a Siberian Husky happier than when she is learning new things, therefore obedience training is a must. Teaching your Siberian Husky commands like “sit”, “stay” and “come here” will also place you in the leadership position with your dog which is vital, while also making your Siberian Husky easier to manage.

Huskies are a very intelligent breed but they can also have certain “stubbornness”. Because of this, some people find it difficult when obedience training their Siberian Husky. Your husky may whinge and moan when told to obey a command as they may be thinking “not again!” or worse yet they’ll sit there silently even though they know the command.

The big rule of thumb when obedience training your Husky is simply use a lot of persistence, while also breaking your training sessions down into short 20 minute spurts to keep the dog’s attention span.

3. Behavioral Training

Behavioral training is all about teaching your dog what is acceptable and what NOT acceptable behaviour. Your Siberian Husky, due to it’s mischievous personality will constantly try to push the boundaries of what behavior they can get away with.

The important thing to remember is that if there are any rules you have for your Husky, you must set them and NOT break them even once. You may have rules such as not sleeping on your bed, not climbing onto people in greeting, staying out of certain rooms, or not eating off the table. By even allowing ONE occasion of letting your Siberian Husky break the rules means that she can do it again in the future.

When behavioral training, you must be sure to use both positive AND negative reinforcement. Most people understand positive reinforcement which is simply giving affection and rewards for doing something good. On the other hand, negative reinforcement involves using the likes of verbal reprimands, squirt bottles, penny cans, leash corrections and shock collars.

4. Respect Training

Siberian Huskies are a pack animal and therefore have a strong sense of who is the leader and who is the subordinate. The biggest thing to remember is that you and your Husky are NOT of equal footing, or in other words you and your Husky are not “friends”. Instead you must communicate to your dog that you are the leader and she is the subordinate. Period.

Believe it or not, Sibes (like all dogs) are happiest when they know they’re being led by a strong and competent leader. And when you show yourself as the leader of the pack, your Husky will acknowledge this by giving you “respect”. So in this sense, respect training is simply a matter of showing your dog who’s boss.

With respect training, it involves making simple everyday actions like getting your dog to move out of the way instead of walking around her, or eating first and then feeding your dog. Another one is allowing yourself to walk through doors before your dog does, and this is because “rite of passage” is significant to a dog.

5. Crate Training

Siberian Huskies are a breed that’s naturally inclined to escape and run away when given half a chance. Also at the same time, Sibes will become destructive when they become bored after being left by themselves. Because of these reasons, it is imperative that you put your dog through crate training, as most likely you’ll not be able to attend to your Husky 24 hours a day.

A lot of people think that crating your dog is animal cruelty, when in actual fact, when done properly a crate will become a comfortable safe haven for your dog while you’re away. This will protect her from damaging the house or putting herself in danger, and when unused the crate can be left open to serve as a resting place. If you can’t stand the thought of putting your Siberian Husky in a crate for several hours a day, especially at night, it is recommended that you DON’T get a Siberian Husky.