I'm asking this for those of you who know about Nordic breeds, particularly Siberian Huskies. I was wondering if, despite their super sweet and friendly nature even with strangers, it's possible to teach them protection work? By that, I mean defending their owner and the house in case of an intruder. Even though my dog is a good 'alarm', I know that if I were ever attacked, he wouldn't actually step in or do anything. I wanted to know if, with the right training or maybe even lessons with a professional dog trainer, it's possible—even though they aren't naturally bred to be guard dogs. 🙄
Translated from French
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I keep hearing the same thing from everyone, while others say the exact opposite, so I’m continuing to do loads of research and get as much feedback as possible to get a better idea, and we'll see. A third dog was already planned anyway, just not straight away. 😁 And since I’ve already got two boys, it would have been "easier" for me to have a third male, but if I see it’s really not recommended, I’ll definitely get a female instead!
Sibs are pack dogs, they aren't meant to be on their own at all. If you want them to behave naturally, keep them in a pack. You'll find they actually do a great job of guarding when they're in a group.
I've already got another dog, so he’s not on his own. I was thinking about getting a second Husky, but I’ve been told by quite a few people not to get another male Husky to go with him. I’m still checking with breeders to see if it really is a bad idea before I make a decision and look into getting a second one!
It’s also completely normal to notice a difference in behaviour depending on whether they have one or more companions by their side. I have the same situation at home. The "pack effect" can be just as positive as it is negative, depending on how you manage your pack. We have a mini-pack here that seems calm on the surface... but you have to manage them constantly when you're out and about, taking into account each individual (their temperament, quirks, and weaknesses) to avoid a group dynamic that would be detrimental to any of them individually.
😁 Thanks for your replies anyway; even if it might help a little, I think I’m going to leave things as they are. I wouldn’t want to make a mistake and have my dog become aggressive or start getting wary of everyone. 😁
It’s also perfectly normal to notice a change in behaviour depending on whether they’re on their own or with others.
I’ve got the same situation at my place. The "pack effect" can be just as positive as it is negative, depending on how you manage the group.
We have a little pack here that seems calm enough on the surface... but I have to constantly manage them when we're out and about, taking into account every single one of them (their temperament, their little quirks, their weak spots) to make sure the group dynamic doesn't end up being bad for any of them individually.
Apart from building on positive outdoor experiences with strangers and diversifying your walking spots by gradually visiting busier areas, there are no miracle cures. When I talk about positive experiences, I mean either neutral encounters (passing people without the dog reacting, then rewarding them) or interactions (talking and, if the dog is okay with it, physical contact—though obviously never force them to be touched). Another option is to find some well-balanced dogs and go on regular walks with them so yours can mirror their good behaviour. This won't be sorted in a few weeks; it takes real commitment...
Alright, thank you so much for your replies, really.
Anyway, it’s not a huge deal as I can look after myself; it's just a detail, but I actually thought it wasn't normal behaviour. 😲
One thing I didn’t mention, though, is that when I have my two dogs together, it’s a completely different story! My little dog is incredibly protective; if he senses something's wrong, he barks his head off and won't let the person get near me unless I reassure him—then he becomes a total softie. Because of that, when they're together, my Husky really follows whatever the little one does: he barks, his hackles go up, he even stands on his back legs letting out deep grumbles, and he doesn't back down at all, even if the person approaches! But obviously, it NEVER gets to the point of an attack. If there’s a real problem, I can handle things MYSELF while my dogs act as a bit of a deterrent. I was just really surprised that there was such a massive difference in his behaviour between when he’s alone with me and when my other dog is there too.
Aside from focusing on positive outdoor experiences with strangers and diversifying your walking routes by gradually visiting busier spots, there isn't a magic fix.
When I talk about positive experiences, I mean either neutral encounters (passing people where the dog doesn't react and you give them some praise) or interactions (chatting to them and, if the dog is okay with it, physical contact – though obviously you should never force them to be touched).
Another option is to find some well-adjusted dogs and go on regular walks with them so yours can mirror their good behaviour. It won't be sorted in a few weeks; it takes real commitment...
If the dog is nervous, hoping he’ll act as a deterrent is a lost cause! At worst, he’ll snap out of fear, and there’s nothing more dangerous than a cornered fearful dog! The fact that he prefers to bolt when things get tricky is actually the healthiest reaction. Instead of working on this "deterrent" aspect, you should focus on his fear of people by encouraging positive interactions...
Right, I didn't realise that running away was normal behaviour. Do you have any tips on how to work on his fear of people, or should I get a dog trainer involved?
A burglar once came through my first-floor window. My puppy, who was only 3 months old at the time and weighed barely 6 and a half pounds, managed to scare him off. It wasn't because she stood her ground, but because she woke us up. The burglar wasn't daft; he didn't want to get caught, so he legged it straight away ^^ I reckon barking is enough to put a burglar off ^^ Actually, it sounds like you want your dog to be more confident. That’s something you can work on, but if you're facing someone threatening or potentially armed, you really don't want your dog taking any risks.
Goodness! What a brave girl 😲
Yes, I know. I don't want to train my dog to attack, but I really want to teach him not to back off or run away. I just want him to be more of a deterrent and not bolt if the bloke just takes a single step towards him.
If the dog is fearful, hoping they'll act as a deterrent is a lost cause! At worst, they’ll lash out out of fear, and there’s nothing more dangerous than a cornered, fearful dog! The proof is that if there's any trouble, they prefer to run away—which is actually the healthiest response.
Don't work on this "deterrent" aspect; work on their fear of people by focusing on positive interactions...
