Expert QA

I’m now caring for my brother’s Siberian husky and it bites a lot. While it hasn’t caused any serious damage to my home yet, how can I prevent future problems without having to muzzle it?

From the Editors of The Dog Daily

Siberian huskies can be a handful. They are often included on lists of dogs that tend to bite and cause serious injuries. Over a seventeen-year period in the U.S. alone, from 1979 to 1996, Siberian huskies were involved in 14 human fatalities, so this is a serious matter. To prevent your dog from biting, The Humane Society of the United States offers the following tips:

• Make sure your female Siberian husky is spayed. Spayed or neutered dogs are much less likely to bite.
• Seek professional training help from your veterinarian, an animal behaviorist or a qualified dog trainer. You can do some training on your own, but it’s best to involve an expert. Your local community animal care and control agency or humane society may also provide some training services.
• Avoid stressful settings, such as crowded and busy environments, until your dog has been properly socialized. The muzzle that you mention might be needed until your dog feels more at ease and is less threatened.
• Spend quality time with your new pet. Dogs that receive sufficient exercise, are socialized and are well-supervised are less likely to bite.

It also helps to connect with other owners of your same breed. The Siberian Husky Club of America Inc. maintains a directory of clubs throughout the country. To see if one or more are in your particular area, please visit their website.