What's it like living with a Husky?

You've definitely seen those videos on youtube and instagram, of that adorable husky puppy with big blue eyes and a fluffy tail, and been like 'Aw, it's so cute. I want one!' Trust me, you do not.

There has been an increase in pandemic puppies being abandoned after buyers have realised the immense amount of effort it takes to care for one. If you're looking to adopt a dog, make sure your research is more than cute videos on the internet. Huskies, in particular, are notorious for being very difficult to care for due to their energetic nature and crazy intelligence. I would know, because I have one.

My husky Yuki when he was an naive and innocent puppies with no evil thoughts in his mind

My husky goes on three walks a day

Yep you read that right. Three. Morning, noon and evening. If not, guess what's getting damaged. Unless you want a million new holes in your backyard, scratched up doors, chewed up shoes or cabinets with their corners missing, walking is essential for a husky to release all their energy. And of course it's definitely a great (and threatening) way to keep me in shape. However, it is definitely a lot of time to commit and consider.

Yuki posing in the wild

He complains and whines about everything

Oh, I heard you like to sleep in? Not anymore! My husky is smart and knows how to communicate what he wants. If he doesn't feel well and needs to potty at 3am, he will sound the alarm. Oh what's that, he's just hungry and wants an early breakfast? That's too bad, the threat of canine diarrhea is just too frightening to ignore any calls for help.

It's breakfast time! Ew is that premium dog food? I only want the treats and I will refuse to eat anything else. If my husky has been presented with a whole bowl of food that he deems unworthy, he will refuse to eat it, and by that I mean that he purposefully starves himself until he vomits bile, of course unless there are treats involved. This is the reality. So the solution? Spoon-feed him for a painstakingly long time. I am lucky this phase is over and thank goodness he is no longer as picky as he was previously.

Yuki's crazy face

You can't catch him

Never, EVER trust a husky off his leash. Some days he will be good and never leave the house, even when the gates are open. Some days, he will dash for his life as soon as there's a space for him to slip through, you just never know. And you call his name, try to tempt him with treats but it will never work. He knows you just want to bring him inside, but he doesn't care. He'll purposely run up to you and then dodge out of the way as soon as you reach for him. He'll weave his way between cars with his tongue flopping about, joyful and COMPLETELY AWARE of all the chaos he is causing. Once you've finally cornered him with the help of 20 neighbors, he know it's over and lets you grab him, going with you without any complaints. That is the pain and embarrassment of a husky owner.

The Conclusion

Having a dog is always a good thing...under the right conditions and care. It's heartbreaking to see more and more dogs being abandoned in shelters just because owners did not do proper research before analysing their capabilities. As time passes, my dog will become old. He will develop arthritis and potentially other diseases as he ages. A dog may be a man's best friend, but we must be their best friend as well and promise to never abandon them.