How to Train a Husky to Not Run Away

Hello Chloe, Isla is probably acting on her natural instinct to wander and explore. Huskies are known for being wanderers so it is likely genetic and not because she does not love you. There are two ways to prevent her wandering. The first is to build a six foot fence to contain her. The other is to hire a local trainer with experience using electric collars to teach firm boundary training. For some dogs, the boundary training will be enough and they will respect staying within that area after the training without any form of additional fence. For others, they will need the additional step of an electric boundary system, such as an electric fence, to enforce that training. I highly recommend hiring a trainer to teach the boundaries with a manual remote collar first though. Rather than going straight to the electric fence. Because high quality remote collars have a minimum of 60 stimulation levels and can be specifically tailored to your dog's own level, the lowest possible level that will get a response can be safely used. This level is typically not even painful but simply uncomfortable and odd feeling to the dog. A good trainer will take the time to find the correct level for your dog and to properly fit the collar high on the neck so that the stimulation is consistent and more fair. When you teach a dog using a remote collar instead of just electric fending you can also use your body language and commands to teach the dog where the boundary is, so that the dog only receives a correction for doing something that it knows not to do, and not just correction that seem random until she learns what to avoid. This is much more fair and gentle to the dog. The dog can control whether or not she gets corrected. Good electric collar brands are: Sports Dog, E-Collar technologies, Garmin, and Dogtra. Do not buy a cheap, poor quality electric collar because they can be dangerous and the levels far too high. Only use the collar under the direction of a trained professional also, because the collars are a powerful tool that can be abused when used wrongly. They are quite effective when paired with clear communication and great technique though, and are one of the only effective means for dealing with strong wandering instincts. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Kamy, At four month of age most puppies do not have the attention span, mental ability, or amount of practice to be able to perform those commands well yet. Some breeds, like Retrievers and Herding breeds will pick obedience up sooner than other more independent breeds like Huskys. Huskys tend to want to think for themselves more. I suggest joining a puppy class and practicing the commands around distractions once she knows what the commands mean. Start slow and gradually work up to harder distractions as she improves. If you have already been through a puppy class, the next step is an intermediate obedience class - where you will get to practice around more distractions. For the come, check out the article that I have linked below and follow the "Reel In" method. Some Huskys are very independent and need extra practice with come. https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-whippet-to-recall For the whining check out the article that I have linked below and follow the "Quiet" method. https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-shih-tzu-puppy-to-not-bark Also, work on commands that teach her self-control to help with the whining (anxiousness and excitement). Place is a great command to work on. https://youtu.be/omg5DVPWIWo For the Heel, check out the Turns method from the article that I have linked below. https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-poodle-to-heel Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Virona, Every time Hachi leaves the yard he is rewarded with dropped food and fun new smells and locations. The more you reward a behavior, the more the behavior will increase. You cannot expect him to stay in the yard until he has been through complete off-leash training, unless you are there to supervise him and enforce commands 100%. He needs to be taught boundaries using a long leash, then there needs to be rewards for staying in the yard around distractions, like the bus pulling up, and be given very consistent consequence for disobeying and leaving the yard, and no rewards for disobedience - no bus food. To remove rewards for disobedience, he needs to be prevented from getting to the bus stop - this means using a long 20-ft, 30-ft, or 40-ft leash with him and testing his boundary training on the long leash, once you have taught him where the yard boundaries are. When he tries to go across boundary lines when he feels like he is free (the leash is loose so he doesn't feel it very much), then you can give him a command like "Out" - which means get out of an area, and if he disobeys and keeps moving out of the yard, you can reel him in with the long leash that's attached to him. He needs to create a habit of staying in the yard -meaning he is never able to leave it and is never rewarded for bolting out of it, is rewarded for staying in the yard, and this is done over a long period of time - months. If you do all that, then by the time he is fully off-leashed trained, you can take the leash off and he may not even consider leaving the yard as an option. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Cary, You need to hire a professional trainer who is very experienced with fear and uses methods other than just treats to train. You need someone who can evaluate exactly what's going on here and help you learn how to best manage him by being able to try different things with you and him. A combination of confidence building exercises, a lot of positive reinforcement - using real life rewards not just treats (incorporating the things he already likes, like walks, toys, meals, ect...), and a lot of structure - working him through things that make him nervous to calmly build his respect and trust for you - which can mean more structure not less - but done in a calm, consistent way. Look for a trainer who specializes in behavior issues, uses positive reinforcement, structure, focuses on building relationship and respect, is willing to tell a dog no, but also tells dogs when they are doing something right a lot! Dogs with anxiety often need fair consequences and to be told when not to do something, but they need even more emphasis on rewards, walking them through how to do something, calmness, and being told when they are doing something correctly. Avoid an angry trainer, one who has little experience with behavior issues, or who can't tell a dog no, or doesn't often tell a dog yes or good - when they get something right. For teaching come, check out the reel in method and the premack principle from the article linked below. You will probably need a lot more help in general before I would trust pup off leash, but that's a good place to start. https://www.petful.com/behaviors/train-dog-to-come-when-called/ Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Lori, Because she has killed the chickens I would not depend on the electric fence alone. What you can do is physically fence in a section of your yard (such as an acre) with a wood or similar fence, and bury your electrical fence wire one foot inside your physical fence. Putting the electrical fence inside the physical fence keeps a dog from approaching the wooden fence to even attempt an escape. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Thank you for the question about Ace. He's young and he is a Husky - that means very energetic as you know, requiring a lot of exercise. Huskies need a good run every day. It's best if they are exercised a minimum of one hour per day. Can you walk Ace in the morning and after work? Tips for making him more comfortable in the dark: first, I would ask the vet to check Ace's eyes to confirm that he does not have vision problems. Then once that is ruled out, work with Ace on your days off to try and ease the fear. Walk him when it is almost dark and gradually extend the time in the dusk by minutes per day until he is walking with you in the dark. Bring treats along and occasionally stop and have him sit for a treat, and then continue on. Get Ace a collar with a light; this may make him feel better. As for the jumping and nipping at clothes - if you have not taken Ace to obedience classes, now is the time to start. He will learn the commands needed like sit, down, leave it, and come (good for when he tries to run). Huskies need a lot of stimulation both mentally and physically, so engage him in interacrtive toys where he has to solve a puzzle to get a food reward. As well, play fetch and other outdoor games as much as you can after work to get some of the energy out. Take a look at these as the first step to obedience training: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-husky-to-not-jump-on-you and https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-husky-to-stay-in-the-yard and https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-husky-to-not-bite. Good luck!

Hello Angie, I do suggest working with a trainer to address the biting and overall lack of respect. It will be hard for you to do the other training safely until a good foundation has been laid there. Look for a trainer who specializes in behavior issues like aggression and fear. You may need to desensitize pup to a basket muzzle to be able to practice the other training safely. Muzzle introduction video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJTucFnmAbw&list=PLXtcKXk-QWojGYcl1NCg5UA5geEnmpx4a&index=6&t=0s Once pup is desensitized to the basket muzzle, check out the article linked below to deal with the jumping. I would have pup wear the basket muzzle during the day and practice your training in short sessions throughout the day and incorporating it into daily life with pup. A basket muzzle will be more comfortable than a standard muzzle and allow pup to open their mouth still, and for you to pass treats through the muzzle for pup. You can also use a straw dipped in peanut butter or liver paste as a reward, poked through the muzzle's holes for them to lick. https://wagwalking.com/training/train-australian-shepherds-to-not-jump Building respect: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-doberman-to-listen-to-you Start working on a reliable Come. Check out the Reel In method from the article linked below. Reel In method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-whippet-to-recall While working on Come also work on the door bolting itself. Attach a thirty or fifty foot leash to a padded back clip harness that she can't slip out of. Attach the other end of the leash to something sturdy like a stairway banister (the leash is a safety measure). With the leash slack and only there "just in case", act like you are going out the door. Start to open the door and whenever pup tries to go toward it quickly close it. Your goal isn't to hit her but she may get a slight bump if she is especially pushy. Practice opening and closing the door until you can open it and she will wait until it is open further. I would only do this with pup wearing the muzzle. When she is waiting a bit, then get between her and the door and play goalie with the opening. Opening the door wide enough for you to get through, then whenever pup tries to get through, firmly but calmly take several steps toward her to make her back up. By doing this you are communicating that you own that space and asking for her respect. Once you can open the door and she will stay back and not try to rush through, then you can praise and give a treat. You will gradually practice opening the door more and more and blocking her from getting through and walking toward her to make him back up and wait. Take steps toward her until she is at least two feet from the door AND two feet away from you - those two distances often equal her giving you respect (and not simply waiting to get past you when you move), and waiting at the door (instead of trying to bolt). It will feel a lot like you are a soccer goalie, having to be quick and focused. When you can open the door completely and she will wait, take a step through the doorway. If she tries to follow, quickly move toward her, making her backup again quickly. This serves as a natural consequence and encourages her to stay back. If she waits patiently, then praise and go to her to give a treat. Practice at that distance until she will stay back. As she improves, take more and more steps, moving outside, onto your porch and into your yard eventually. Be ready to quickly move toward her as soon as you see her start to move toward the door, to keep her from getting outside (this is why you back-tie the long leash on her, just in case she gets past you, but for training purposes the goal is to keep her from getting out so she isn't rewarded for bolting). When she will stay inside while you stand in the yard, then recruit others to be distractions outside. Expect to stay a bit closer to her when you first add a hard distraction - like another dog walking past, a walker, kids playing in the yard, balls being tossed. Imagine what types of things she may one day see outside and choose distractions that are at least that difficult to practice this around. Expect to practice this as often as you can, along with Come for several weeks, not just a couple of sessions, until you get to where she is completely reliable with distractions like dogs and kids in your yard and the door completely open. Again, I only suggest that you do this with the safety of the basket muzzle, since it sounds like she uses her mouth to get her way, and there is a good chance she will try that when you set boundaries and teach new commands. Always be safe while training. An additional activity you can practice is walking around places like your yard or a field and changing directions frequently without saying anything while she is on a long leash (be careful not to let her pull you over on the long leash. A fenced - in yard is the best place to practice this even with the long leash). Whenever she takes notice of your direction change (at first because the leash finally tugs, but later just because you moved), then give a treat for looking your way or coming over to you - without calling her; this encourages her to choose to pay attention to where you are and associate your presence with good things on her own, so she will want to be with you. For the kennel escapes, check out the link below. https://www.k9ofmine.com/heavy-duty-dog-crates/ There is additional training that can be done to help with the kennel escapes also, but the easiest approach would simply be to purchase a higher quality kennel, because often that resolves the issue in cases that are more related to boredom and not true separation anxiety. Be sure to give her something safe and entertaining to do while in the kennel also, such as a durable, dog-food stuffed black Kong. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden