How to Train a Husky to be Protective

Hello, Yes, you can teach specific commands to bark, move between two people and hold the other person off, and even grab someone's arm and hold them. I don't recommend teaching this on your own though, because protection work that's not taught correctly can lead to true aggression, fear, and a dog who bites family and guests and has a temperament that's unreliable. When taught right, true protection training is mostly rewards based and involves a lot of obedience command practice and self-control, building the dog's confidence and listening with their owner, to take cues from their owner in situations and still be safe in other situations. A couple of options for this type of training are hiring a protection trainer, or if you want to do more of the training yourself, but with guidance and the resources (like body suites and bite bags) to make training safe, you can join a schlutzhund or IPO club and learn how to train there at club meetings. You can also teach a bark or growl on command cue, that's not actually aggressive but just looks intimidating. You can make the cue something subtle or even a hand signal or body posture to indicate to pup when they should act intimidating - but have it be void of actual bite work or aggressive tendencies that are associated with the defense drive that's encouraged in true protection work. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

March 15, 2023

Hello, You will need to crate train him for potty training. Check out the Crate Training method from the article linked below. Make sure that the crate doesn't have anything absorbent in it - including a soft bed or towel. Check out www.primopads.com if you need a non-absorbent bed for him. Make sure the crate is only big enough for him to turn around, lie down and stand up, and not so big that he can potty in one end and stand in the opposite end to avoid it. Dogs have a natural desire to keep a confined space clean so it needs to be the right size to encourage that natural desire. Use a cleaner that contains enzymes to clean any previous or current accidents - only enzymes will remove the small and remaining smells encourage the dog to potty in the same location again later. The method I have linked below was written for younger puppies, since your dog is older you can adjust the times and take him potty less frequently than the method suggests. I suggest taking him potty every 3 hours when you are home. After 1.5 hours (or less if he has an accident sooner) of freedom out of the crate, return him to the crate while his bladder is filling back up again until it has been 3 hours since his last potty trip - at which time you will take him outside to go potty again. When you have to go off he should be able to hold his bladder in the crate for 5-8 hours - less at first while he is getting used to it and longer once he is accustomed to the crate. Overnight, he should be able to hold it 8-10 hours once he is used to the crate. Only have him wait that long when you are not home though, take him out about every 3 hours while home during the day and evening. You want him to get into the habit of holding his bladder between trips and not just eliminating whenever he feels the urge, and you want to encourage that desire for cleanliness in your home - which the crate is helpful for. Being an outdoor dog, it sounds like he isn't house broken and needs to start fresh with house breaking inside. Crate Training method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-german-shepherd-puppy-to-poop-outside Since he is marking, the crate will only be half the battle. During the 1.5 hours he is out of the crate between potty trips he will probably still try to pee to mark his scent - since the issue isn't needing to pee but wanting to "claim" things by peeing on them. To deal with that behavior, use the crate training method, but also keep him tethered to you while he is out of the crate between potty trips using a 6 or 8 foot leash. Have him wear a belly band - which is a sling/diaper for male dogs that catches urine, and when he tries to lift his leg to mark, clap your hands loudly three times. Use a cleaner than contains enzymes to remove the smell from any new or previous accidents - since lingering scent will only encourage more marking and only enzymes fully remove the smell. Look on the bottle for the word enzyme or enzymatic. Many (but not all) pet cleaners contain enzymes. The belly band will keep marking from being fun and successful for him and stop the spreading of the smell - which encourages more marking (and keep your things clean). Attaching him to yourself with the leash will keep him from sneaking off to pee uninterrupted, and clapping will make peeing unpleasant for him without it being too harsh. Reward him with treats when he potties outside so he understands that pottying outside in front of you is good, it's only inside where he shouldn't do it. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Oct. 24, 2022