So many people have been wondering if the Husky will make a good service dog.
Well, the answer is right below. Are you curious to know?
Huskies tend to be smart, faithful, friendly, independent, and affectionate, which makes them great to be considered sleds. The basic truth is that Huskies have been the best-known sled dog breeds for ages, and considering them service dogs won’t yield a positive and effective result.
We’ve compiled so many explanations and vividly gone through experiences and thorough research to give you the most reliable answer to this riddle. Now, let’s dig deeper into this topic.
Firstly, let’s take a brief intro about huskies.
Siberian husky is a medium-sized dog from Russia, a little longer than in height. The height at the withers varies from 50 to 60 cm, and the weight from 20 to 35 kg.
Siberian husky has erected ears and eyes from brown to blue or different colors.
The neck is as straight as the back. The fluffy tail is twisted over the back or sometimes sticks out right behind.
The coat of the Siberian husky is very dense and soft, with a lot of undercoats. Around the neck, the hair sticks out a little, but there should not be long hair on the legs or tail.
The color ranges from black to white and all colors in between. Most dogs have white markings, especially on the chest and legs.
Character Features:
Siberian Huskies are classic northeast Asian/Russian dogs.
They are smart but somewhat independent and stubborn. They comfortably exist in a person’s company; they need constant but careful training from childhood.
These dogs are born to run, and their love of running can overwhelm their love of their owners from time to time. Siberian huskies tend to be friends with people, including children.
Most Siberian huskies get along well with other dogs, especially the ones they grew up with. Due to their strong hunting instinct, they can chase cats and livestock.
Siberian Huskies can be prone to digging, especially in warm weather, because they like to arrange cool places to rest. They don’t tend to bark, but they can howl.
Huskies are unusual dogs and once domesticated northern wolves, which are fundamentally different from most of their kind because life in the northern regions and special duties have made them irreplaceable human helpers capable of making independent decisions.
Huskies are dogs of incredible beauty, grace, and power, undoubtedly attracting the attention of dog lovers.
But before you start such an extraordinary pet, you should evaluate your strength.
Not only are husky puppies not a cheap pleasure, but it will also still take a lot of effort, time, and patience to curb this rebellious northern dog.
However, before we can consider a Husky to be a service dog, there are questions that we must ask ourselves, ranging from;
“What are service dogs, and how can they be recommended as one”?
When we get answers to these questions, we will know if Huskies can be considered good service dogs.
What Are Service Dogs?
Service dogs have a daily support and Service role for people with motor disabilities, whether or not they use a wheelchair.
They are to be distinguished from guide dogs, whose main role is to help the blind person in his movements.
They are most often dogs of the Golden Retriever and Labrador breed, that is to say, particularly sociable and kind dogs, able to respond to different commands.
The service dog is a means of compensating for the handicap.
The service dog is capable of transporting, picking up, and bringing back objects such as toys and keys … It can also open or close a cupboard or a door.
The service dog represents moral and emotional support and is an extraordinary factor of social integration because it constitutes a vector of communication with others. Some retirement homes, for example, may have them.
Service dog: In Which Cases To Use It, For What Type Of Handicap?
In addition to being great companions in life, dogs can also play a great role in helping people with disabilities that prevent them from being completely independent.
Indeed, the intelligence, loyalty, and listening skills of certain dogs make life easier for these people and provide them with daily moral support.
What Types Of Dogs Do You Use As Service Dogs?
Not all dogs are suitable for becoming Service dogs.
Very specific qualities will be sought from the dog so that it can best meet the expectations and needs of its owner.
We will therefore need the dog to be:
Of a non-aggressive nature, to avoid a situation of conflict between the dog and another one of his congeners, or even another human being, which the disabled master could potentially not manage, looking at this, Huskies don’t fall in line because of their aggressive nature and stubbornness.
A good ability to learn, to be able to instill in him all the complex and unusual orders that a “classic” dog could not or would have great difficulty learning, and thus be able to help his master at best with his handicap,
Very good responsiveness to sounds and other signals sent by its master. This is a very high important point since a hearing-impaired master for example, will not necessarily be able to be understood words that most masters can use daily to communicate with their dogs.
Dog breeds were therefore selected according to these criteria; after training, they are perfectly capable of fulfilling all these requirements.
The main breeds used are the Labrador, Golden Retriever, Belgian Malinois, and Alaskan Malamute; the husky is omitted. Do you know why?
Read on.
What Types of Disabilities Are Service Dogs Used For? What Needs Do They Meet?
As said above, a service dog must be trained and adapt to the type of handicap of its owner. These dogs are used in many situations:
For the visually impaired: these are certainly the most famous Service dogs. Also called “guide dogs,” these Service dogs for the visually impaired help their master to steer correctly when moving, allowing them to avoid obstacles and people they meet. These brave companions become their master’s new eyes.
For hearing-impaired people: these dogs become rather the new ears of their master since they will be trained to react to the slightest sound and to find their master to bring him to the source of the noise: an alarm clock, a crying baby, a doorbell, an alarm, etc.
The dog is constantly on alert, observes and listens all around his master, and can touch the master’s leg to indicate, in particular, a bicycle coming behind.
He also learned sign language basics from, for example, the association Les Chien du Silence, which admirably educates these dogs for the hearing impaired.
For people with physical disabilities: these dogs are trained to be able to help people with mobility difficulties. It can be pulling a wheelchair, opening or closing a door, picking up a specific object, turning a light on or off, etc.
For urgent situations: the main function of these service dogs is to be able to seek help if the situation requires it. They often accompany the elderly and people with diabetes or even heart problems.
For animal-assisted therapy: these service dogs receive very special training since their goal is to create a therapeutic bond with a person. They are widely used in retirement homes, addiction treatment centers, or even for people with intellectual or mental disabilities.
For people with autism, these dogs are called therapists since they assist their owners by allowing them to improve their communication by providing them with a sensory link, in addition to protecting them. These dogs form many strong bonds with their master.
However, looking at these explanations and deduced facts, you’ll agree with me that Huskies practically fit into most of the functions needed as a service dog, but the truth is that they fall out in a few extreme parts that a good service dog must possess a, and that has been Aggressive, Stubborn, Rebellious And Inability For Calmness.
A service dog must be calm, that is a major thing, whereas the Husky falls out in this regard.
Final Thoughts:
In summary, the Siberian husky is a loving, faithful, curious dog with great physical resistance. Huskies are popular dogs around the world for mushing and life as a pet.
Owners should understand that a sled dog will not make either a watchman or a guard, and its love of freedom does not exclude the craving for escape.
Husky dogs are not for everyone, and it is better if the dog does his usual work and does not sit idly on 4 walls, spoiling property and howling out of boredom.
