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I don't know his exact age, I don't have any backstory on him at all. Nobody knows anything about him prior to being dumped at the shelter. So my vet and I estimated that when I got him in May of 2009, he was about 4. So he turned 5 in May of this year.

edit - Here's a video of him singing along to a video of other huskies singing.

It was probably because his previous owners had been stupid enough to not research into how much exercise and care a Siberian Husky needs xc It annoys me when people do that.

Rex is absolutely stunning by the way. I don't think I'd ever get myself a husky, as I'm far to lazy xD But they certainly are beautiful.

Rex is awesome. I'm not even going to try to deny it. He's the best thing that ever happened to me. If you want some advice about huskies or just want to talk about them or want specific info, please let me know. I can put you in touch with husky rescues in your area, and there's a mailing list you might want to join where you can ask any questions you want, and you'll get answers from people who have owned huskies for 30 years. PM me for details.

They don't always need obedience training, but you really do need to stay on top of them. They are very intelligent and can be extremely mischievous. And then they usually have very high energy too. There are good ways to handle that, and consistent, positive reinforcement training is one of them. I taught Rex to sit before the front door opens so he doesn't run out of the house. But regardless, doing the research and getting the info beforehand is A++. That's how you do it.

I will say there is no dog like a Husky. They're just different, they're like the cat of the dog world. They do take some extra work, but IMO it's completely worth it. As long as you understand their needs and you know how to train them, you will have the best companion ever. And hey, there's an added benefit - because you have to walk them at least twice a day, it's great for your cardiovascular system.

If anybody wants to see more of Rex, you can "like" him on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/rexthehusky. Tons of pictures, movies etc. up there, and I keep it updated with new pictures every few days, or whenever I can.

Yes, I'm a dork. But I'm a dork who loves his dog.

Its a good idea for any responsible dog owner to bring their dog to obedience training/puppy school (should you get a puppy), no matter the size, breed, or temperament of a dog. :]

When looking for a dog, http://www.petfinder.com/index.html is a wonderful place to look! For areas around you, you can type in the zip code then the breed of dog you are looking for; but there are also some rescues that will transport dogs to your area (Double Dog Rescue being one of them from down south). It is a great way to find a wonderful dog that is in need of a new home - so you'd be able to get your new best friend and save a life!

But it is wonderful you're actually going to do some research on the breed! So many people out there will just go out and pick a dog that they think is "cute" or "pretty" knowing nothing of the usual temperament. It's sad, really, because that's how a lot of wonderful dogs end up in shelters/abused. :[

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Xaqtly :: Rex is a stunning dog! I've always loved the red colored huskies (partially because they are more rare than the other colors it seems). And is it just the camera, or does he have bi-colored eyes?

Thanks! Yeah, he's bi-eyed. His left eye is blue, his right eye is brown.

That makes me love him even more. XD I'm a sucker for animals with eyes like that.

Thanks He's very photogenic, I don't think it's possible to take a bad picture of him.

As far as training, I use positive reinforcement training exclusively. It uses the dog's own desires to accomplish what you want, and because it's a pleasurable experience the dog will want to do it again. It's a complete win/win method of training. What I did was use treats. I made sure he knew I had treats in my hand, then I stood in front of the door and got him to face me. Then I asked him to sit.

When he sat, he got a treat, as soon as his butt hit the floor. He instantly made the connection. I did that a few more times and once he was doing it consistently, I began to tell him to sit, then wait, all using hand signals, a visual indicator for what I wanted him to do. In this case, "stay" meant "don't get up until I say it's ok".

If he got up early, I just said "ah" and told him to sit again, without treating him. When he sat, he got a treat. Then I said stay and waited about 10 seconds. If he stayed sitting for 10 seconds, he got a treat. I repeated this process until he sat and stayed every time with no variation. Didn't take very long, he got it real fast.

Once he was sitting and staying, I began by opening the door in front of him a little bit (with his leash on, obviously). If he got up I said "ah" and closed the door, then asked him to sit and stay again. When I could open the door a little bit and he stayed, I would close the door and treat him. Then I would open the door a little more. If he stayed, he got a treat. If he didn't, we'd start over.

Through this whole process, I never, ever used the words "no" or "bad dog". Negative reinforcement does nothing except make the dog anxious and more likely to misbehave or become scared of you. All you do is say "ah", as in "oops, let's start over". Say it very lightly and positively.

So I kept repeating the process until I got to the point where the door was literally wide open in front of him, and he was just sitting in the doorway, not running out. That's when he got a lot of praise, hugs, and really high value treats like meat. Really make it worth his while when he does it right, and he will remember that.

From that point on I was able to get him to sit and stay while I opened the door and he would just sit there. Sometimes he misfired, but pretty rarely. I actually have video of how well he does it now if you want to see it. This is actually a movie I made of my trip to Yosemite to scatter my mother's ashes, but the first part shows Rex waiting at the door as I open it and walk outside.



While it is true that Huskies are strong willed and do have minds of their own, they are receptive to positive reinforcement training. The trick is that you must be consistent with it, and continue to train them. I do the same open door training with Rex every single day, twice a day. He knows exactly what is expected of him, and he does it gladly because he knows we don't leave the house until he does it. I also make him sit before crossing any street, for safety reasons. I want him to understand that he's not allowed to run into the street.

When you first start to train a desired behavior, use treats a LOT. Give them a treat every time they do something that you like, and here's the important part - even if you didn't ask them to do it. Make the connections early, and enforce it with positive things like praise, affection and treats, and you will love the results you get. After they get what they're supposed to do, you can phase out the treats. It's also helpful after not giving them treats for a while to surprise them by treating them when they do things right, just as added reinforcement.

This method works so astonishingly well, I don't know why every trainer in the universe doesn't use it. It makes sense though, right? You are more likely to repeat actions that have positive consequences than negative ones. You perform better when given praise rather than getting yelled at, right?

If you love dogs, and you like huskies, this is a no-brainer for you. I wasn't too sure either, before I got Rex, but I am now. Best decision I've ever made. Definitely wait until you're ready, until you're comfortable with the information you've gathered, but then go do it.

I used to have a Siberian husky. She was a very stubborn dog. She was a bit agrresive too at times. She ran away all the time and ugh.. Monster dog. She was in puppy kindergarten and din't learn anything! She was the most stubborn puppy there. She was very dominant.

Huskies are cute and all, but I probably wont be getting anymore purebred huskies. Too much energy.. they run away all the time. I'd get some husky mixes though, for dog sledding..

Id actually rather have an Alaskan malamute than a Sibe..

Asfor right now I'm very happy with my German collie :]

Usually huskies are not THAT much work, but there are some golden rules you have to follow. #1 is never let them off leash. Ever. EVER. Unless they're in a securely enclosed area. These are a working breed with a fast metabolism and a lot of energy. They need to work, they need things to do. If given the chance, they'll just go out looking for adventure. #2 is keeping them safe in your yard - if you have a yard or a space they can run around in, it needs to have a minimum 6 foot fence, preferably buried 2 feet deep. Huskies are diggers and escape artists.

But as long as you're consistent with them, use all positive methods and give them the exercise they need, they'll be fine. Wanted to show you another example of what's possible with positive training - I mentioned I trained Rex to sit before crossing the street. It's actually a bit more than that; he waits until I say a special word. I can talk and say different things and he'll sit there until he hears his word, then he goes. In our case the word is "okay". I have a movie demonstrating how he ignores other words, and goes on "okay".

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=381821573989

Anything is possible, but you need patience and consistency. Also, part of why some people think it's impossible to train a husky is because they're doing it wrong. Huskies don't respond well to traditional punishment-based training methods. Positive reinforcement is the way to go. I will say, though, that huskies are not the breed you want if you really want a low key dog that will never do anything but hang out with you on the couch and sleep. Huskies love people and they're excellent company, but they're not lapdogs.

They think they're more people than not. When you have a husky, they want to be part of your family, part of your life. They want to be with you, and they want you to take them with you when you go places. They've been bred for 3,000 years to live as a member of the family, and they won't be happy if you keep them outside, or don't spend time with them, or never take them with you anywhere. They're the least "dog-like" breed of dog I've experienced. They keep themselves clean like a cat, they think they're people, they think for themselves and are willful and independent, they talk and woo-woo, they howl ... they're really something else.

Even though Rex has not been perfect (but who is), it's been so worth it. I wouldn't trade him for anything. For better or worse, there is nothing like a husky.

I started by just training him to sit and wait. Same thing as sitting in front of the door, if he got up I just said "ah" and had him sit down again. Then I would do the 10 second wait thing again, and when he had sat for long enough I would say "okay" and start walking across the street. So by me starting to walk, he got the idea that me saying "okay" was the signal to go.

He picked it up on his own after repeating that process a few times. When he got to the point where I could having him sit and he would wait until I said "okay", then I started testing him with other words. But I found out that he had already learned that "okay" was the word, and I didn't even have to train him to ignore the other words. He just did sort of by default.

But yeah, if at any time he got up and tried to cross before I said it was ok, I would get in front of him, body block him, say "ah" and back him back up onto the curb. Again, not angry or upset, just a sort of light "ah", as if to say "ok, let's start over". They understand that, it's not necessary to get angry at them. It's part of the communication process. They're willing to learn, but you have to speak their language so they know what you want.

And then of course lots of praise and a treat if they do what you want. Even if you don't ask for it. Like at this point, when we walk up to the park I get to a point where I want to cross the street, and I tell Rex "hold it", and he just turns around and sits, waiting to cross. I don't even have to tell him to do it. And every time he does, he gets praise. And then he waits for me to say okay, and when I say it and we go, I just tell him "good boy" as we're crossing. It's all about reinforcing good behavior, they understand that.

Huskies are very sensitive to your mental and emotional state. They know if you're angry or sad, or happy, and they will react accordingly. So it's important when doing positive reinforcement training that you are actually happy, and not just acting. You can't fool your dog. If you're not in a good mood, it would be better to wait on the training till another time. So if you're genuinely happy that your husky just did what you wanted them to, it's important that you really let them know. That sticks in their mind much better than a negative reaction for something they did wrong.