🦴 Updated on July 8th, 2023
I thought I had everything I wanted. I had two kids and a newborn on the way, with a loving spouse I knew I’d spend all my days with. Then, it dawned on me – I wanted a husky. We had the space, and we were somewhat well-off, so why not adopt a husky puppy?
However, one question remained. Are huskies good with kids? I could not have a dog that was not child-friendly. So, as I researched, I became even more in love with the idea of owning a husky.
A few months later, we got a Siberian husky. Let me tell you, huskies are excellent family dogs, and I am so happy I got one of my own.
Are Huskies Good Family Dogs?
Siberian huskies are super intelligent, extremely playful, independent, high-energy breeds that need constant activity to remain happy and healthy. At a maximum weight of 50 pounds, your long-haired, sled-pulling, working dog will become your life for up to 13 years.
Be careful introducing your new husky to any small animal or house cat, as they tend to have the predator/prey instinct. Huskies were bred to work under challenging conditions.
Born to run, they are excellent escape artists who will chew any material, hop large fences, and squeeze through tiny holes. Ensure that your yard is fenced appropriately for the Siberian husky.
Huskies need and enjoy cold weather and long walks or runs with their owners. A house with children who need constant attention and running around makes a husky feel right at home.
Family trips such as hiking, biking, scavenger hunting, and other vigorous activities are excellent mental and physical activities your husky and kids will enjoy.
Huskies are also:
- Independent
- Gentle and passive
- Loyal and obedient
- Vocal
- Affectionate
Huskies make great family dogs if given the time, space, and energy to engage in every aspect of your family’s lives.
Are Huskies Good With Kids?
Kids and huskies have very similar temperaments, so huskies are pretty tolerant when it comes to getting along. However, it is always a good idea to keep their activity under supervision until your pup is fully trained.
Things to consider for safety reasons are:
- Teach your children the signs of aggression or warning growls
- Teach your husky how to interact with your children
- Give mouthing toys to your husky to avoid accidental bites
- Do not leave infants on the ground with your husky
- Enforce alone time for both your children and husky so that each gets their own space
Teach your children to play nice. Some good ground rules include:
- No tugging or pulling on ears and face
- No mauling or horse-riding your husky
- Never stare any dog in the eyes
- Never enforce dominance or stress your dog
Since huskies are very energetic, accidental injuries can happen, so supervision is necessary for the first few years. Huskies are incredibly passionate and intelligent, which means they will look to you as the alpha and learn how to act around children from your actions.
Given the right environment, upbringing, and training, huskies are good-natured, agreeable, and pleasant to be around.
Can Huskies and Babies Play Well Together?
Huskies are alert, well-tempered, and patient dogs. However, accidents can happen. So, ensuring positive environments and healthy distractions is a must when it’s playtime.
Huskies, babies, and kids can play very well together, although you need to set some guidelines for both children and your husky.
Teach “No-go” Zones Such As:
- Baby gate or playpen
- Husky crate
- Adults bedroom
Teach Off-Limit Toys
- Keep the dog and kids’ toys separate as much as possible
- Ensure your child doesn’t tease your husky with their toys
- Ensure your husky doesn’t take or snatch your child’s toys
Enforce positive reinforcement and when training your pup, make sure to involved your child or children in training. Make simple “cue words” such as an aggressive toned ‘no’ or a gentle toned ‘good’ one-syllable words.
When spending quality time with your children, involve your husky. Do not allow playtime when your husky is exceptionally hyper, as they don’t know their own strength. Also, don’t allow your husky to chase your children. It can cause an untrained dog to get aggressive.
If you notice signs of aggression, make sure to keep your children a safe distance away from your husky.
These warning signs can include:
- Low growling
- Hiding things
- Snapping
- Nipping
- Giving the “side-eye”
Generally, huskies, kids, and babies will play nicely together since they are giant over-friendly, empathetic breeds themselves. However, any dog can become aggressive with improper training or if your children are not playing safe with them.
Fun Activities With Children and Huskies
With a high-energy dog like a husky, there are many activities to consider that engage children. Since huskies are primarily working dogs, they need to be mentally and physically challenged daily.
Mental Activities for Children and Huskies
If huskies (or any dog) become bored, they get destructive. Huskies need mental stability to learn, grow and feel part of the pack. Some mental activities to enjoy with children include the following. You will have to train your dog to partake in some of these activities.
Scavenger Hunt
Scavenger hunting is like easter hunting when you get your children to look for the Easter Bunny’s chocolate. Get your husky to track an item by scent. Afterward, hide the object. Read the name of the item aloud to your kids. Your kids and your dog will search for the item together. The first one to find it wins.
Name Toys
Hold two dog toys behind your back. Let your husky smell it, chew it, bite it, and become curious. Do the same thing with the other toy. Allow your kids to get involved too. Show them what each toy is. Name each toy verbally for your dog and put them behind your back.
Yell out the name of one of the toys and see if your dog can figure out which hand the need to choose.
Clean-Up Game
Kids and huskies make a ton of mess. Teach your dog to clean up his toys when they are finished playing. Whoever cleans up their toys the fastest wins.
“Under the Cup” Game
This game is similar to a card memory game. Have a treat or ball under three or four different cups, and see if your dog can find the hidden object after moving it around. Do the same with your children.
Hide and Seek
Hide-and-seek is a classic game that your child and husky will enjoy together. Get your husky to smell a piece of your child’s clothing, then ask your child to hide. Once she yells out, “ready,” that’s a cue word for your husky. Your husky will then find them. You must work with your dog to train them before they can do this.
Physical Activities for Children and Huskies
Mental games are for quiet time or when your husky is slightly less energetic. However, on high-alert days, engage your children and husky with more exercise.
Sledding
During the winter months, you can harness your husky to a sled and have them pull your children up a hill. The excitement for your dog will be chasing the sled back down the hill afterward.
Bike/Wagon Pulling
If you live in an area where there isn’t much snow, wagon pulling is another fun, vigorous activity for your husky. Attach a harness pull to a wagon with your children and allow your husky to pull them alongside you for walks and jogs.
Bubble Chasing
Kids love blowing bubbles. Show your husky that bubbles are fun to be chased, popped, and sought. Allow your kids to blow the bubbles while your husky jumps and chases them.
Agility Course
All you need for an agility course is a few boards, logs, broom handles, garden chairs, and tables or blankets for tunnels. The agility course will become as creative as you want, but it will become fun for your dog and kids to watch them run through this homemade course.
Are Babies and Huskies Good for Each Other?
Let’s say you are preparing for a newborn or infant to join the pack. How will your husky react to this change? Will they feel left out? Will they act aggressively? Are huskies good with babies? Here are some tips to prepare your husky for a newborn.
A few weeks before the baby is brought home, spread baby scents everywhere, such as newborn smell and baby powder. Allow your husky to be involved with your pregnancy. Show them your belly and the new baby’s room.
Teach them gentle, compassionate signals, such as:
- Staying quiet
- Soft licks
- Gentle pawing
- “Leave it”
A week before labor, start playing with your husky a little less each day but still making time for walks and down-time.
Once the baby arrives, make the baby room a no-go zone when an adult is not present. Introduce your newborn to your husky but do not allow the dog on the couch with you or jump up. Take the following extra steps to ensure safety:
- Allow your husky to smell all baby blankets and clothing
- Ensure your husky knows which toys are theirs and which are baby’s
- Never leave your baby on the ground with your pup
- Never leave your baby or small child unattended with a dog
- Watch for signs of aggression in your pup
If you’re not careful, your husky will become stressed and show signs of aggression towards you and your baby. Ensure that you give your husky tons of attention and make them feel included in your newborns’ life.
Do not adopt a dog if you are not willing to keep them in your home after birth. Dogs are sensitive animals and do experience grief and stress when rehomed.
Benefits of Raising Kids and Huskies Together
Since huskies are loyal, compassionate breeds, they become accustomed to change in the environment reasonably quickly regarding children. Here are the many benefits regarding children growing up with a family dog.
- Kids learn responsibility, which increases self-esteem and confidence
- Kids become more empathetic and compassionate to those around them
- Children learn to feel loved and protected in a different way
- Your child’s ability to handle and manage stress becomes stronger
- Huskies can help an only-child feel less lonely
- Huskies build the immune system of your kids as they bring different kinds of germs and dander into the house
- Kids become less lazy and more involved with what life has to offer
Along with the many benefits dogs give children, the husky will also become a healthier, happier dog because they have similar energy levels to the kids they play with.
It’s never best to leave your husky and children unsupervised. Ensure that you are just a few feet away in case of accidents when they play.
So, Are Huskies Good With Kids?
If given structure, routine, guidance, positive reinforcement, and appropriate punishments, huskies make great dogs to raise with kids.
To ensure the most success out of a husky, always remember they are high energy, athletic breeds and need a job or form of mental and physical entertainment.
Trust that proper guidance and rules for your children are enforced so that they also know how to behave with your husky. Always train your dog. If you’re not sure how to train a dog, you can look up guides online or hir a professional dog trainer to help.
