Considering getting a husky for your family but not sure if it’s the right choice?
Huskies do tend to make good family dogs as they are very loyal and intelligent; but they will require a lot of exercise, grooming and mental stimulation. If you’re looking for a low-maintenance family dog, huskies might not be a good idea.
In this guide, I’ll explore what factors are important for a family dog and how huskies compare. This way, you’ll be able to see the areas where huskies excel and where they fall short to decide whether they are the right breed for your family.
Contents
A Quick Overview Of Husky Personality
Before I get into the factors that make a good family dog, here’s a quick overview of what huskies are actually like so you can get an understanding of how they will interact in a family environment.
- Highly Affectionate
- Lots Of Energy
- Highly Vocal
- Need Lots Of Mental Stimulation
- Good With Children
If you want a more detailed breakdown of husky personality check out the breed standard from the AKC, otherwise let’s take a look at family-specific factors that you need to consider when looking at a husky as a potential pet.
What Factors Make A Good Family Dog? (And How Do Huskies Compare?)
Safe Around Babies And Young Children
When it comes to family dogs it is crucial that they get along well with babies and young children.
The last thing you want is to be worried about your dog attacking somebody in your family, especially young children or babies.
How Huskies Compare
Huskies tend to be naturally good with babies because they are a family-orientated breed.
They rarely show aggression towards humans as they are highly sociable dogs, which means that there are very rarely any instances of aggression towards anyone including babies or young children. Be aware that due to their high energy drives, huskies can oftentimes run into small children while playing accidentally.
Please keep in mind that we never recommend leaving any dog breed, including huskies, around young children or babies completely unsupervised. There is always a risk no matter how much trust you have for your dog.
Interactive
Younger children can be almost mesmerized by dogs and love to play with them and interact.
This is why having an interactive dog is important for families; they can provide hours and hours of fun for your children.
How Huskies Compare
Huskies are super interactive and will play all day long.
They have almost endless energy and love to be around people and please them, and enjoy playing games of fetch or going for long walks. It’s important to give huskies their own space at times though, as they are very independent.
Loyal
Loyalty is one of the most sought-after characteristics for any dog, and this includes family dogs as well.
If you’re building a family it’s crucial to have a dog that becomes part of the pack and shows loyalty to all family members.
How Huskies Compare
Huskies are very loyal by nature, but they also like to have their own space and independence from time to time.
This can result in huskies listening to some family members more than others, which can often be confusing for owners. They are still being loyal, however, but just in their own way.
Easy To Take Care Of
Family life is busy and hectic, so it is usually much easier to get a dog breed that is easy to deal with and requires little maintenance.
How Huskies Compare
Huskies are not considered to be low-maintenance dogs for 3 reasons:
- High Energy – 2 hours of intense exercise per day is essential for a happy husky, alongside other mental stimulation like socialization with other dogs or obedience training. This is a big commitment even if you don’t consider having a family, so it’s something you need to be aware of.
- Grooming – Huskies require regular grooming throughout the year and will shed a lot of fur when they transition from their winter coat to their summer coat and vice versa in a process known as blowing coat.
- Separation Anxiety – Huskies are prone to separation anxiety, which means they are not suited to be left alone for long periods of time as it can lead to destructive behavior and stress.
Affectionate
Similarly to being interactive, lots of families look for dogs that are affectionate as this is a good indicator of how a dog will get along with the rest of the family and daily life.
How Huskies Compare
Huskies are very affectionate with just about everyone, even strangers.
You can relax if you’re worried about a husky showing aggression towards another animal or person. This does of course come with negatives, particularly for guarding or protecting your family.
Protective/Guarding Abilities
To a lot of people, it is important to have a family dog that can protect and guard your family, and I can definitely see why some people have this opinion.
It’s natural to want to protect your family in all circumstances, and having a guard dog is simply an extension of this.
How Huskies Compare
Huskies are naturally not good guard dogs, and they are instead more suited to be alert dogs that will let you know if something unusual is happening around your house.
This is generally because huskies are naturally very people-orientated and friendly – they would rather make a friend than an enemy, and they are not naturally suspicious either.
Good With Cats And Dogs
Cats and dogs are incredibly common in family homes and for good reason.
Since they are so popular, it’s important to consider how a new dog would get along with other pet dogs or cats.
How Huskies Compare
Huskies have a high prey drive, which means they can be dangerous to cats and other small dogs. Larger dogs are generally not an issue, and in fact, huskies generally prefer to live with other dogs of similar size to form a pack.
Having said that, there are a lot of success stories about huskies living in harmony with both cats and small dogs. I recommend reading our guides for huskies with small dogs and huskies with cats if this situation applies to you.
In Summary
Huskies can make great family dogs, but there is a lot of work involved especially regarding exercise (2 or more hours per day), as well as other mental stimulation.
Huskies are great with children and babies but can oftentimes struggle with smaller pets, so this is something to keep in mind. They are also not particularly great guard dogs and would rather make friends with an intruder than anything else.
Ultimately the choice depends on what you are looking for in a dog specifically. You can use this article as a checklist to make the decision, and if you do end up buying a husky then please send a photo!
