Are huskies dangerous?
[Our Full Guide]

author
Aaron Rice Expert Dog Trainer
Written: January 17, 2022

Siberian Huskies are a very distinctive dog breed. They are easily recognized due to their unique fluffy coat, and they often have blue eyes ringed with black fur. They are beautiful dogs and are pretty famous for their good looks.

However, you might be wondering, are Siberian Huskies aggressive dogs? There are definitely some dog breeds that are usually aggressive, and it can be an excellent question to ask yourself if you are looking for a family dog to enjoy with your kids and friends.

The Siberian Husky breed is one of the larger dog breeds, and these dogs are sometimes incorrectly associated with aggressive behavior due to their size. The size of a dog actually has nothing to do with its behavior. Aggressive behavior is more often related to the dog’s environment than any other factor of genetics.

Are Huskies Aggressive Dogs?

Thankfully for lovers of this breed, Siberian Huskies are not naturally aggressive. They are fun-loving, charming, and high-energy dogs who love people and who often get along well with other dogs in the household. Even at a young age, you will see well-behaved Husky dogs. 

Many people say that their Siberian Husky is like another member of the family. With their prominent personalities and their sense of fun, they are great companion dogs who are loved by people of all ages and lifestyles.

Siberian Huskies can sometimes be aggressive toward cats or other small animals if they run by quickly. This is a matter of instinct and is related to the hunting behaviors that they were specifically bred to do. This kind of behavior can be worked on by Husky owners so that their husky puppy or adult dogs do not accidentally chase smaller animals.

Are Siberian Huskies Dangerous or Aggressive Dogs? 

One of the first questions that many people ask about Siberian Husky behavior is, are huskies aggressive dogs? While an individual dog might be aggressive toward other dogs or animals, Huskies are rarely aggressive towards people. 

This breed was carefully created to be loyal to humans, and they are very rarely aggressive toward humans or other dogs. They love their pack of people and dog friends and will usually protect them with noisy growls or a strong stance but never with aggressive actions. This breed was not supposed to be a guard dog, and Husky puppy training is often very easy.

What Can Cause a Siberian Husky to Be Aggressive Around Other Dogs?

Just like any dog breed, Huskies are protective over certain items. This might be food, other dogs they are close to, or their family. Certain situations will cause most dogs to behave with aggression, and these situations should be avoided at all costs, no matter what kind of dog you own.

Husky training must be done with patience, and Husky dog owners will tell you that their dogs require lots of attention from a young age to be happy. Female dogs need less exercise than male adult Husky dogs, but all Huskies need to be given time to play as well as proper training.

Positive reinforcement is very effective with this free-spirited breed, and they are an excellent choice for a family pet because their natural behavior is so fun and happy. They are the opposite of a dangerous breed and make a great family pet.

  • Food Related Aggression

Any dog will feel threatened if another dog tries to take its food. This is a matter of survival instinct, and they will act strongly with dominant aggression toward the animal or person trying to take their food away. You can work on this problem by ensuring that all the animals in your home eat in separate locations where there won’t be conflict over food.

If your Siberian Husky is growling at humans when eating, you will need to train your dog to leave their food and wait to go back to it. This is pack behavior, and it will teach your dog that it is not in charge of your conduct when there is food around. 

If you have cats in the house, make sure that they are not trying to invade your Husky’s space while it is eating. You can make sure that your cats and your dogs eat in unique locations to prevent conflict over food.

  • Toy Related Aggression

Sometimes dogs will become very defensive over certain items that they care for. This can be a chew toy, a place they like to lay down, or an area in the yard. This is normal instinctive behavior from a dog’s perspective, and it can cause people to ask are huskies an aggressive breed.

Toy or space-related aggression can be worked on by making sure that your Husky will leave any area or any item that you tell them to. This is part of recall training your dog. This means that they will need to let you take away a toy that they are protecting, or they will need to lay down in a new location that you have chosen for them.

Pack behavior dictates many kinds of pecking order arrangements in the wild, so you will be tapping into pack leader behavior when you set these kinds of rules for your Siberian Husky.

  • Dog Bed Related Aggression

Dogs can sometimes become protective over their beds. This is a denning behavior that is linked with pack behavior. Some dogs can become very protective over their favorite place to lay down.

You can fix this problem by making sure that there are enough beds for each dog. You will need to train each dog to lay down on different beds so that they do not become attached to a certain location and start to protect it with aggressive behavior.

Calling your dog away from any location that it is protecting is an essential part of dog training for any breed. Making your dog sit and wait can help you control the activities of husky puppies as well as adult dogs.

  • Leash-Related Aggression

This can be an issue for some dogs because they feel that they are protecting their family or their owner when they are confined by a leash. They might also feel like they can’t get away from other dogs or people since they are attached to their collar and leash.

You can handle this kind of aggressive behavior by teaching your dog to refocus their energy away from external things that they think of as threats. This can mean asking them to sit down and look at you or making sure that they will lay down when they perceive a threat.

You might also find that switching from a collar to a harness will help with this kind of fear-related aggression.

How Can I Make Sure That My Husky is Happy and Healthy?

Sometimes aggressive dog behavior is related to other health issues. You might not be aware that your Husky is unhappy because they always seem to be cheerful on the outside. Huskies can sometimes be hard to read because they are very stoical.

Siberian Husky aggression is usually related to health concerns. They are often the least aggressive dogs around, so husky training is as much about caring for their health as it is training them not to be aggressive.

  • Take Your Dog to the Vet

If your Husky has suddenly started to act aggressively toward other animals or people in your home, you might want to consider whether they are in pain. Painful joints or other hidden injuries can sometimes lead to aggressive behaviors. 

Your veterinarian will be able to evaluate your Husky and make sure that they are not hiding injuries under their long coat. They can also take x-rays to be sure that your Husky has not injured their body in some way that is causing pain.

  • Make Sure to Offer Enough Exercise

One of the most significant factors that can lead to dog aggression in high-energy dogs is a lack of exercise. Huskies were bred to pull sleds through the snow for hours every day, and they struggle with being cooped up in a house without any outlet for their energy.

Many husky owners will report that you need to find a way to exercise your Husky for at least an hour every day for them to be happy and healthy. This can be easy if you like to hike or you are a runner, but it can be more difficult if you are not someone who wants to work out for hours every day.

Some Husky owners will invest in safety equipment to attach their Husky to their bicycle so they can take the dog for a long exercise each day, or you might find that your Husky has lots of fun at the dog park and burns energy that way.

  • Get the Help of a Dog Trainer

Sometimes the best way to make sure that your dog is happy and healthy is to get the help of a qualified dog trainer. Dog trainers know how to teach your dog to behave in the proper manner to fit into your family, and they can teach you ways to keep your dog in the right frame of mind for successful inclusion in your pack.

A professional dog trainer can teach you skills and tricks that will help your Husky to be happy and healthy for the long term. Dog trainers are experts at making sure that owners know how to care for their dogs so that you will learn about all kinds of care, not just training techniques.


How Do I Discipline My Husky Dog?

Huskies can be very sensitive, amazing animals, and they often struggle with feeling bad once they know they are in trouble. They are also very vocal, which means that sometimes they can almost sound like they are arguing with you verbally when they are frustrated!

You can work with your Husky on obedience training tips and skills that they find stressful if you are patient and firm. Being loud or physically aggressive with your dog will only provoke them into being aggressive back, or it might cause them to become fearful of you. Your goal is to teach bad behavior as a mistake and not as a chance to assert your dominant role.

How to Handle Husky Exercise and Training

Being patient, firm, and kind can make a big difference in training your Husky not to display behaviors that you want to discourage. Huskies are very smart, and they love to please. They are often the easiest dogs to teach new skills.

If you are struggling with a lack of attention on the part of your Husky during training sessions, make sure that your dog has had enough exercise and can focus with all of their attention. Taking them for a half-hour visit to the dog park or on a run can make a big difference in your Husky’s ability to focus and learn new skills.

Conclusion: Huskies Are Great Family Dogs

If you have always wanted to be a Siberian Husky dog owner but were afraid that they would not get along well with your family, you can rest assured that this is not the case. Siberian Huskies are very loving dogs, and they enjoy time spent with kids and other dogs in your household.

Adding a Husky to your home will bring lots of hours of joy, companionship, and fun exercise activities with a workout buddy. Huskies are some of the prettiest and most human-focused dogs that you can have, and you will find that you can’t imagine how you ever lived without a Husky in your life!

Always remember that aggressive behavior is not normal for this breed, and make sure to have your dog looked at by a vet if they are displaying aggressive behaviors. Keeping your Husky healthy and well-exercised is often all that is required to make sure that they are loving and happy every day!