Siberian Husky House Training: A Step By Step Guide
House Training. It’s the task that every new dog owner dreads, but it’s also the task that every dog owner must do. Puppy owners play an important part in the long term success of the house training process, and an initial, painstaking investment of time will eventually pay off in spades if you are able to teach the proper routines and good behaviors to your Siberian Husky.
As an owner, successfully house training your Siberian Husky will require consistency and commitment. To stand the best chance of success, you will need to establish the potty training process early on in your puppy’s life and stick to it. Accepting that it may take some time for your puppy to learn, and that the odd accident or two is inevitable, is also a crucial part of house trainingyou.
While Siberian Huskies have a reputation as independent dogs and can sometimes be stubborn and difficult to train, they are also extremely intelligent. They may tend to have a mind of their own, and often need encouragement and positive reinforcement, but once your Siberian Husky has learnt the basics of house training, the habits and behaviors will be with them for life.
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Siberian Husky house training: the first steps
Before you bring your Siberian Husky home, do some research on the best meands and methods of puppy potty training. Accidents inside the home are one of the chief reasons that dogs are put up for adoption and need to be rehomed.
By familiarizing yourself with the requirements of potty training your Siberian Husky puppy, you will be more prepared for the process and more likely to succeed with house training in the long run.
That being said, what do you need to know about Siberian Husky house training?
While there are many thoughts and theories around the specifics of puppy potty training, some key elements remain the same. These include:
- Establishing a consistent process and routine.
- Controlling your puppy’s access to food and water.
- Using positive reinforcement for good behavior – basically, for doing their business outside!
- Regularly exercising your puppy to help with motility.
- Closely observing your puppy and learning the warning signs that an accident is about to occur!
By keeping these key principles in mind, you are much more likely to succeed in effectively house training a Siberian Husky, regardless of which method of potty training you ultimately choose.
Keeping it consistent for a successful husky house training
As the proud owner of a Siberian Husky puppy, one of the greatest tools in your arsenal when house training this headstrong breed of dog is to establish a strong, consistent routine.
Consistently and rigorously observe the times that you take your puppy outside to do their business. This schedule is crucially important, and will help establish the act of going outside as the bathroom time cue for your puppy.
Key, important times to take your puppy outside include:
- When they wake up
- Before they go to sleep
- After they have eaten
- After they have had something to drink
- After a nap
- After playtime
- After spending time in their crate (more on this later!)
During Siberian Husky house training, a strict schedule is vital. Feed your dog at specific times, exercise him at specific times, get him to nap at specific times, and -most importantly – take him outside at the specific times mentioned above.
Once you have established this routine it will not only become easier to predict when your Siberian Husky dog needs to relieve himself, but it will also become easier for your Siberian Husky himself to let you know when it’s bathroom time!
Don’t make a meal of mealtimes
Mealtimes can act as an important cue for your puppy during potty training. Small puppies are unable to hold their bladders for very long; puppies generally only gain the same bladder capacity as an adult dog at 6 months of age.
As such, taking your puppy outside after they have had something to eat or something to drink will help them associate the need to do their business with the act of going outside.
This is one of those processes you will need to extremely diligent with however, especially in the early days. Your Siberian Husky puppy is intelligent and smart, and he will soon pick up on the potty process if you are consistent and patient.
It is also a good idea to take away your Husky puppy’s water bowl at night. As mentioned above, he will not reach his full bladder holding capacity until he is at least 6 months old. By removing his water bowl a couple of hours before bed time, you will both have a much more peaceful night!
Keep it positive with positive reinforcement
When house training your Siberian Husky, it is crucial to use positive reinforcement. By remaining actively positive about the whole house training process, your puppy will associate good bathroom behavior with your loving care and attention, and – of course – lots of treats.
This is actually one of the easiest aspects of the whole house training process. In very simple terms, whenever your puppy does his business outdoors, reward him for it. Give him praise, get excited, and offer him a treat.
It is crucial that you reward your puppy immediately, so that he can readily associate going to the bathroom with recieving treats and rewards.
If your Siberian Husky puppy does have an accident, then simply correct him by taking him outside immediately and wait until he has relieved himself again. This will prevent your puppy getting confused about what constitutes bad behavior.
Even when correcting bad behavior, you should never hit or shout at your dog. With time and your Siberian Husky’s natural intellgence, he will soon learn that he should only relieve himself outside.
Regular exercise equals a regular puppy
Just like humans, exercising your dog regularly will help give his insides moving and increase motility.
Keeping your dog regular will help you establish that all important routine in the early days of your dog’s potty training. Additionally, regular walks also present a great opportunity to take your puppy outside for bathroom breaks. And of course, walks present a good form of exercise for owners too!
Learn the warning signs and avoid accidents
Very similarly to a small child, your Siberian Husky puppy will let you know when their bladder is bursting and it’s time to go! Learn to watch out for your puppy’s warning signs and use it as an opportunity to get them outside and reinforce good bathroom behavior.
Common signs that your puppy needs to relieve himself include whining, circling, sniffing, barking or scratching at the door.
The best method to house train a husky is up to you
For some owners, crate training can be of great assistance during Siberian Husky house training.
Puppy owners will be familiar with the principles of crate training. Your puppy’s crate is where he sleeps at night, and is also a place of comfort and a retreat for him within your home.
Generally, dogs will be reluctant to soil a place they also sleep in. Therefore, your puppy will tend to hold it in while in his crate to maintain the comfort of home.
Recommended Crate for House Training
It is important to note, that even when using a crate as a house training method, a puppy should not be crated for more than one hour. The older the dog gets the longer he can be crated, as the bladder capacity increase. Crating is also a great option for when you are unable to supervise your puppy.
Puppy pads are also a good way to house train your puppy, particularly if you live in an apartment or don’t have ready access to an outdoor area. The only risk with puppy pads is that they can encourage your Siberian Husky to get familiar with urinating indoors.
By keeping the puppy pad in one area of the house, your puppy will hopefully learn that this is the only indoor location that he is allowed to relieve himself in. It should be noted that regular trips outdoors for proper bathroom breaks are still crucial when training with a puppy pad.
House training for older Huskies
Sometimes potty training isn’t just for puppies. Whether you’ve adopted or rescued an older Husky, or are fostering on behalf of your local shelter, it is common to come across non-house trained dogs way beyond their puppy years.
So how to deal with these older dogs? Are they a lost cause in the house training department?
Thankfully, the answer is no. And in some circumstances, it can even be easier to house train your older Husky because their bladder capacity is greater than that of a puppy.
House training an adult dog is much the same as house training a puppy. A firm routine, lots of positive reinforcement, plenty of trips outside, and a committed, consistent attitude from his owner will help your older Husky become house trained much more quickly.
Some key tips and tricks for house training an adult Siberian Husky include:
- Establish that routine: Feed your Husky at the same times every day. Walk your Husky at the same times every day. Play with your Husky at the same times every day… you get the idea. Regularity and routine are not only important for house training, but for training in every aspect of your dog’s life.
- Don’t let your adult Husky free feed: Take away your Husky’s food bowl 15 minutes after you put it down. This will discourage free feeding and will allow you to keep tabs on your Husky’s bathroom schedule.
- Monitor bathroom breaks: Go outside with your Husky and observe him relieve himself. Don’t simply let him outside and leave it to chance – your encouragement and assistance is crucial in the success of the potty training process in your older dog.
- Reward, reward, reward: If your puppy loves to be told he is doing a good job, you can bet that your older Husky loves it too. Be very consistent with rewarding your adult Husky when they relieve themselves correctly. Positive reinforcement is a very powerful tool for training dogs, especially dogs with high intelligence levels such as Siberian Huskies.
Siberian Husky house training: the short of it
If your puppy makes a mistake during house training and relieves himself in the house, take him outside and clean up the accident immediately, making sure to get rid of the smell completely. If the smell of urine remains, the dog will associate that spot with urinating and will keep urinating at that particular spot each time.
You should expect the odd mistake and accident while house training your Siberian Husky. It is important not to get too disappointed when these setbacks happen. Keep up with the positive reinforcement, and remember that the road to a successfully house trained Siberian Husky can seem a long one.
Don’t expect the house training to happen overnight. Even with the brightest puppy in the world, full house training will take at least four months. On average, the time it takes to fully house train your puppy will be four to six weeks. Some dogs can even take up to a year to learn proper bathroom behavior!
Whatever your situation or circumstance, remember that a regular routine will help your Husky become house trained much more quickly. Pair this routine with a big bag of treats and plenty of outdoor time, and you will have a happy Husky on your hands!
