My Husky is aggressive towards small dogs

I didn't say "hunting", I said "prey drive"—to me, they aren't the same thing. I also agree with you regarding a Husky’s needs, which are often ignored; I'm the first to admit that. However, if you take a Border Collie whose needs aren't being met at all, and a Husky whose needs aren't being met either... if I were forced to choose which one to leave a rabbit with, the frustrated Husky or the frustrated Border, well, I’d go with the frustrated Border. In my opinion, in terms of "prey drive", there would be less risk for the rabbit. I’m not saying the risk is zero for one and 100% for the other; I’m just saying there’s more risk with one than the other. It’s just my take on it, and I’m not saying Huskies are "predisposed to murder". I'm saying that if we did a study with an equal number of each breed across 1,000 dogs, the Husky would have more "accidents" with small animals than a Staffy or a Border. That’s just my opinion... And for me, it’s got nothing to do with hunting, just with the more "primitive", more "natural", basically more "predatory" genetics of the Husky compared to other breeds that have moved further away from that through crossbreeding and "city life" over the generations. The Husky is beautiful because of its "primitive" nature and everything that comes with it... We don’t have to agree, it’s just how I see things. Actually, if there are statistically more issues with Huskies (and I’m not even sure about that, as I’ve never seen the actual figures), it’s because their needs are neglected more than other breeds. The breed is a victim of its own good looks; far too many people get them because they look like cuddly toys and then don’t have the motivation or the kindness to look after them properly—leading to a dog that goes stir-crazy. It’s not "primitive" genetics that cause these incidents. What about all the other primitive breeds that don't get nearly as much stick as Huskies? A Shiba’s needs are much easier to satisfy than a Husky’s, which is where the difference lies.

A muzzle is the absolute bare minimum when you’ve got a dog capable of killing another. Personally, I prefer a no-pull harness over a choke chain, especially in cases of aggression; plus, a choke chain has very little effect on a determined dog, whereas a harness reduces their pulling power, which is much better for an owner who struggles to hold them back. The only exception is if the dog tends to back out of it—in that case, you’d need to use it alongside a collar. A muzzle isn't for training, it’s for safety, as you just don't have a choice in these kinds of situations.

I think it’s just a question of genetics and the breed... Therefore, you can rule out any sort of hunting instinct, as the Husky isn't a gundog, it's a sled dog. It’s being cooped up and having their physical needs ignored that makes most of them (the ones with bad owners) go bonkers. It’s not an instinct of the breed. A Golden (Retriever, meaning a dog that fetches) is a gundog that brings prey back to the hunter. A Poodle is a dog created for duck hunting. I think those two breeds would still be more likely to have a hunting instinct, having been bred for that purpose. The Husky is a sled dog. It was bred for its ability to withstand the cold, its endurance, and its pack sociability. By trying to turn them into dogs for a flat and depriving them of a pack, humans are to blame. When a Husky goes bonkers, it’s exactly the same as any other dog going bonkers; their owner has neglected their needs and/or their training. This breed isn't predisposed to killing. I didn't say "hunting", I said "prey drive"—to me, they aren't the same thing... I agree with you about a Husky's needs, which often aren't met—I’m the first to admit it—but take a Border Collie whose needs aren't met at all, and a Husky whose needs aren't met at all... If I were forced to choose which one to leave a rabbit with, the frustrated Husky or the frustrated Border, well, I’d choose the frustrated Border because, in my opinion, in terms of "prey drive", there would be less risk for the rabbit... I’m not saying there's zero risk for one while the other is 100% certain; I’m just saying there’s more of a risk with one than the other... It’s only my opinion, and I’m not saying Huskies are predisposed to killing. I’m saying if we were to do a study with an equal number of each breed across 1,000 individuals, the Husky would have more "accidents" with small animals than a Staffy or a Border. It’s just my opinion... And for me, it has nothing to do with hunting, just with the more "primitive", "natural" genetics—basically the higher "prey drive"—of the Husky, compared to other breeds that have moved further away from that through cross-breeding and "city life" over the generations. The Husky is beautiful in its "primitive" nature and everything that goes with it... Look, we don't have to agree; it's just my take on things...

I think it’s just down to genetics and the breed... Yeah, I also reckon a Husky is more likely to have a high prey drive than a Golden or a Poodle... It’s not meant as an insult, and I don’t see why it’s a bad thing to say, given we all agree that, generally speaking, a Border Collie is more likely to have herding instincts than a Beagle... It’s funny how everyone goes on about the breed's "prey drive". I’ve never actually owned a Husky myself, so I’m trying to be objective here. Since I live in Sweden, I’ve had the chance to visit Lapland and chat with hunter-breeders from the Sami community. Their Nordic dogs (Huskies included) have been used strictly as sled dogs for thousands of years. They have never been used as hunting dogs. Sami hunting methods rely more on trapping than on using Huskies for coursing or flushing out game. Because of this, you can pretty much rule out any supposed "hunting instinct", as the Husky isn't a hunting dog—it’s a sled dog. It’s being cooped up and having their physical needs ignored that drives most of them (the ones with bad owners) round the bend. It’s not an inherent breed trait. A Golden (the clue is in the name "Retriever") is a gundog bred to fetch game for the hunter. Even Poodles were originally bred for duck hunting. If anything, I’d say those two breeds are more likely to have a natural hunting instinct, as that’s exactly what they were bred for. Huskies are sled dogs. They were bred for their ability to withstand the cold, their stamina, and their pack sociability. By trying to turn them into "flat dogs" and keeping them away from a pack, people are going against their nature and neglecting the very needs they were bred for in the first place. They aren't hunting dogs, and they don't have any more of a hunting instinct than any other sled dog. When a Husky "loses it", it’s no different from any other dog acting out—it’s because the owner has neglected their needs and/or their training. The breed isn't naturally predisposed to killing.

"Yes, I think it's an instinct inherent to the breed, and yes, I consider them to be the most dangerous breed where other animals are concerned!" That is indeed what was written. Yes, she said it; she said that SHE THINKS, SHE considers it, based on her own life experience... Just because she’s wrong to think that in our eyes doesn't mean we can deny that it’s her truth, or that we shouldn't respect the experiences that led her to that conclusion... As for harping on about the same thing: some people go on about Nordic breeds, others about island rescues, others about Spanish dogs, others about small dogs, others about restricted breeds, others about off-lead freedom, others about dominance, others about a dog’s protective role, others about neutering, others about raw feeding... the list goes on. We all dwell on something, rightly or wrongly. The fact she’s had those experiences and has that opinion is something you can’t deny, whether she’s right or wrong. The fact it winds you up is also something we can't deny XD. But just because you think she’s mistaken doesn’t mean you can't respect that, for her, it’s a truth based on a different life experience to yours—and therefore it deserves the same respect as your own. Disagreeing with an opinion shaped by her past won't change what she’s been through, and without changing that, I don’t see how you could change her mind; it’ll just end up being a pointless scrap rather than an intelligent discussion... regardless of who's right or wrong. And anyway, regardless of who's right—if anyone even can be right when it comes to personal feelings and history—there are ways of saying things... even if we all know your legendary sense of tact and diplomacy! 😁 Thank you for such a sensible post!!!

"and you'll have to be vigilant to spot them before your Husky does." So it's a bit of a gamble! If we’re lucky enough to see the small dog before ours does, then everything’s fine. If it’s (unfortunately) the other way round, well, come what may! What a strange fatalistic outlook... I hope a competent behaviourist can help Cedka, rather than just leaving it to chance! 😁

Well put, Kainate!