My Husky is aggressive towards small dogs

Are Huskies a "problem breed"?

It’s not really down to the breed itself, but more about their specific needs being so often ignored.

Most Husky owners treat them like flat-dogs, even though they’re bred to live in packs and roam free. A Husky is built for pulling sleds (and therefore burning off a huge amount of energy). If you lock one up all day in a flat or a garden, they’re bound to go stir-crazy.

Add in the frustration of not getting their six hours of daily exercise, and there’s a massive risk they’ll take it all out on any animal they see as prey—small dogs included—the first chance they get.

When I was in Lapland, my Papillon (who’s only about 4 lbs) had no issues playing with a pack of Huskies without being attacked or mauled. Yet in Stockholm, the two of us nearly met our end when the neighbour’s Husky-German Shepherd cross tried to snack on us. It had been cooped up for 72 hours straight, which is actually a crime in Sweden.

Thank you Caroline for such a sensible comment!

Any dog can potentially be aggressive; the level of danger just depends on their size and jaw strength. Personally, I think we’re starting to generalise about the whole canine species here. If it’s a small male, keep in mind that in about six months, females might start becoming a factor as well.

You can always look for the root cause, but the fact remains that we can’t educate the general public. Speaking from experience, trying to fix a problem by always worrying about other people rather than focusing on your own dog can actually set you back.

On the very first day I got my dog, he was attacked by another small dog (he’s small himself) over some food. I spent two years feeling guilty before finally taking the bull by the horns. Yes, he’d had a nasty experience, but he was turning into more of an aggressor than a victim, and that’s something you have to be aware of.

I think everyone has been rushed or attacked by dogs at some point, though everyone (and every dog) has their own definition of an "attack"—a pack of small dogs charging at you in the countryside is ten a penny. That said, I know plenty of owners with small, sociable dogs living in "dog-friendly" cities whose pets are perfectly friendly and well-balanced.

It’s best not to let our own prejudices, whether about breed or size, get the better of us. Otherwise, I’d have a real issue with German Shepherds and Shar Peis, not to mention Staffies, but I make an effort not to have any preconceived notions about the owner or the dog. You have to observe the situation and judge it as it is. To avoid having an aggressive dog, the ideal approach is to replace every negative encounter with a positive one. This is even more important when you have a dog that’s prone to biting. An owner who sees their Chihuahua or Pom get snapped at by a dog weighing 55 lbs (about 4 stone) isn't going to care about that dog’s past, and any of us would feel the same way.

Personally, I have two dogs that weigh just over 22 lbs (my female is more of a medium size). If there’s a Husky that’s prone to biting, I wouldn't risk an interaction without making sure my dogs were safe. We’re talking about small dogs here—those under 11 lbs—who could be killed by a single bite.

Docline, I don’t know where this obsession with Huskies comes from...

Every time a thread mentions a Husky, you start going on and on with your stories....

In my neck of the woods, a pack of hounds killed a small dog. Should we be drawing conclusions about specific breeds because of that? I don’t think so...

Can we draw conclusions about pack mentality? Perhaps...

But let’s not forget that small dogs are often very poorly trained because they’re "small". Owners assume they won’t do much harm, so they skip the essentials. The problem is: what humans might think is "funny" when looking at a snappy little dog, other dogs will see as aggression and react accordingly.

So stop with the nonsense and the delusions about Huskies.

To answer @Cedka, unfortunately, in my view, the damage is done. Your dog is always going to struggle around small dogs, and you’ll have to stay alert to spot them before your Husky does, so you can react and calm him down or distract him.

That's exactly the problem. Svenn hasn't met a single friendly small dog while out on a walk. A Husky’s size and stature can be quite intimidating for some small breeds, whose only reflex is to get defensive and bark like mad to keep my dog away or try to intimidate him. I really feel like these encounters aren't doing anything to solve the problem. When it happens, Svenn gets agitated; he whines or growls and seems really reactive to the barking.

So, my dog needs to meet some friendly small dogs, but he also needs to accept that "grumpy" little dogs might want to intimidate him most of the time.

Those are all the hurdles I'm facing at the moment.

I know I’m going to be unpopular for saying this...

Every single person I’ve met whose dog was killed by another dog has been the victim of an adult husky (and often it was their dog’s own ‘best mate’). As far as I’m concerned, it’s only the husky that—once they get past 2 years old—suddenly takes it into its head one day to finish off its best buddy.

So yes, I do think it’s an instinct inherent to the breed, and yes, I reckon they’re the most dangerous breed for other animals.