Huskies are one of the most beloved dogs, given their good nature, personalities, and of course, their cuteness. While huskies can be great pets, are huskies good service dogs?
Huskies tend not to make the best service dogs, though not for lack of intelligence or trying. Those familiar with huskies know they tend to be very silly and get distracted easily, so their fun-loving nature could get in the way of their need to work.
Even though you won’t likely be able to make a service dog out of a husky, it’s almost guaranteed that any husky you adopt will become your best friend in an instant.
Are Huskies Good Service Dogs?
Huskies aren’t typically chosen for the service dog role because of their independent nature. Even though you can train a husky, ultimately, they are going to do what they want to do.
If something captures their attention, like a friendly face or another dog to play with, it’ll be very difficult for your husky to contain their excitement.
Despite common misconceptions, huskies are smart and capable dogs; they just aren’t always the biggest fans of rules and structure.
A husky also enjoys knowing what’s happening around them at all times, which can cause them to become distracted fairly quickly. They are known to want to run around as soon as they get outside, and they see everybody as a friend.
One thing to keep in mind is that service dogs offer different kinds of services.
Huskies could be good therapy dogs or can be helpful companions for those who need a psychiatric service dog.
For those needing consistent mobility assistance or sensory service, a husky is probably not the best choice.
Why Don’t Huskies Make Good Service Dogs?
Many dog breeds that are predominantly chosen for service dog roles have been bred over time to work. Huskies were not bred to be workers, per se.
They were built to be athletic dogs that could pull heavy sleds and handle cold temperatures. They tend not to have the protective instinct needed to stay on task to protect the person they serve.
Huskies have some of the traits of a good service dog; of course, some huskies are more disciplined than others. However, their stubbornness tends to win over when they want something.
Service dogs need to shut off their wants and desires to shift into work mode, and huskies may not be able to do that as easily as other dog breeds.
How Easy Are Huskies To Train?
Training and socialization can majorly impact any dog’s overall temperament. Once you establish a good rapport with your husky, they aren’t too difficult to train.
They are intelligent dogs who can pick up simple commands with ease and repetition. Training needs to be very consistent for it to stick with a husky.
Even though huskies would often help humans with pulling a sled, they do not see this as being work. Since huskies enjoy being active, it can be assumed that huskies view their work as sledding dogs as a fun activity. As such, they never developed a work ethic.
This doesn’t mean that huskies are unruly or impossible to train.
It just means it could be more of a challenge to implement the specific and specialized training needed to be a service dog or a working dog.
Regarding the fairly simple training required to be a pet, huskies generally don’t have a problem learning when you stick to your training.
What Makes Huskies Difficult To Train?
Huskies are very free-spirited dogs, which is a major part of their charm. This nature doesn’t always bode well for training, however. It can’t be overstated that consistency is a requirement for training a husky.
Huskies are also known to have a high prey drive. This is why they seem distracted fairly easily. They like to chase things, and given that they are so fast, it can be hard to reign that back in immediately.
Huskies also love playing and love attention, and they can become stubborn when they don’t get what they want.
What Are Huskies Good At?
Huskies enjoy being active as they tend to have bursts of energy that don’t completely dwindle as they age. These dogs are excellent runners, and they can run for pretty long stints, given the opportunity.
A husky can be a fantastic choice for people who want a dog to fit in with their active lifestyle.
Even if it might seem like a husky is disobedient due to its free-wheeling nature, they are well-behaved and create deep bonds with their humans.
They are intuitive dogs that get to know their owners and their mannerisms and are said to be very aware of what different emotions mean.
What Makes A Good Service Dog?
What ultimately determines a good service dog is one that is trainable, well-behaved, disciplined, and builds a strong connection with humans well enough to anticipate their needs.
They also need very strong senses and the physical capability to do various tasks with which their humans need assistance.
Some breeds are more predisposed to these much-needed service dog attributes than others. Regardless, dogs will undergo extensive testing and training to become qualified service animals.
Any breed of dog can be a service dog, as there are different types of service and support one of these animals is trained to offer.
Final Thoughts On Huskies As Service Dogs
Even though huskies, by nature, aren’t often chosen for being service dogs, it doesn’t mean that no husky would ever make for an excellent service dog.
A dog doesn’t always fit in with its breed’s typical characteristics. However, it can be much more difficult to train a husky to be a service dog, so they are best suited for being family pets.
If they were chosen for a service dog role, the best ones would be companionship or therapy dogs due to their friendly and loving nature.
