How to care for a husky when I work long hours away from home?

This is a difficult question to answer because it's all based upon her and your temperament. Huskies in general tend to be very active dogs who can become destructive when bored. They need lots of daily exercise to meet their energy requirements. They can also be very vocal dogs. Keep in mind, every dog is an individual so she may not act like this. ANY dog who is bored may develop bad habits. Being an outside dog means that she has been able to run around and has likely not experienced much structure in her life since she was not inside with the family. Living inside means rules, structure and routine. It's also unknown if she is housebroken or not. Taking on any pet is a big responsibility. Many huskies live indoors just fine. If you decide to adopt her, you will need to commit to daily exercise and be prepared for some bumps along the way. You may want to take off work for the first week so you can be home with her as she adjusts. You may also look into doggie daycare or a dog walker to come by and check on her during your work day until you know how she is adjusting. You will want to have all your supplies before she comes home. Here is a helpful link: https://www.petcoach.co/article/do-you-have-everything-you-need-for-your-new-puppy/ I hope this helps provide some guidance. Please feel free to post any additional questions.

If your Siberian is as young as the information states, he is far too young to be away from his mom and littermates. Puppies learn valuable socialization lessons from their siblings during the time from five to eight weeks of age. If possible, please reunite him with his canine family until he is at least eight weeks old. Yes, it is cruel to keep such a very young puppy confined for long periods of time. I usually recommend that people who work all day get an older dog rather than a puppy. If you would like to discuss this (I've had over 40 years in SIberians), just click on the prompt to initiate a consult.

Siberians can be quite "active" if left alone for long periods. Are you by any chance scolding Luna when you find the mess? If so, that can set up a situation where she thinks that she is going to be reprimanded every time you come home, which leads to anxiety while you are away, which leads to more mess-making! It is useless, and even counterproductive, to correct a dog for a behavior that occurred even five minutes ago. She just won't make the connection, even if you "show her," etc. Try leaving her a big Kong toy stuffed with peanut butter (make the night before and freeze) to occupy her. You may need to resort to a crate, because if she deoes something naughty and is not IMMEDIATELY corrected, she will not understand that it's wrong to do it. For additional help, you can click on the prompt to start a consult. (I had Siberians for 40 years, so I know how they can be.) Good luck!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. I would ensure that you have plenty of environmental enrichment for him. I would recommend the kong toys and fill them with peanut butter, etc. There are also interactive devices so you can interact with your dog remotely. There is a camera device called PetCube and you can control the camera, speak to him through the microphone directly from your cell phone and control a laser pointer to keep him entertained. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns.

Great question. I recommend taking them out to potty first thing. Then feed them when you eat breakfast. Let them rest at least a half hour to digest their food then take them for a walk. My dogs have access to a fenced yard all day but they love their morning and evening walks to check out what going on in the neighborhood. Let them rest when you get home. As far as training goes general obedience training helps with manners, makes them easier to walk and better companions. Taking a group obedience class is fun and you would get to work one on one. When you work on sit, down, stay, and heel at home you will make more progress working with one dog at a time with the other one not in the training area. They can play outside and inside during the day. Then I recommend another walk late afternoon or early evening. I’d feed them dinner before you eat and keep them inside and calm while digesting their food. Enjoying time with them inside during the evening is good, then one last trip outside to potty before bed. Dogs and people both love a daily routine so adjust this to fit in with your personal schedule and activities. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for your dogs.

This can take some time and patience - he would much rahter be playing with you then spending time on his own! With some gentle encouragement however, including chew/food toys which keep him busy (there are many puzzle feeders you can buy or DIY models such as plastic bottles with small holes for the food to come out) and a regular routine he will learn. A certified dog trainer can be very helpful also if he is very stubborn! See the attached link for some hints and tips https://www.dogstrust.ie/help-advice/factsheets-downloads/indoorkennel.pdf

It could be that Oakley is suffering from separation anxiety, causing him to bark when he's alone. I recommend crating him when you are gone. The crate will provide him a small space where he can feel safe in it when you are gone. You will have to slowly train him to get used to a crate. Start putting him in it when you are home and sitting nearby so he doesn't think you are abandoning him, and slowly increase the time he is in it. He can have toys in the crate, and puzzle toys with treats in it that he has to figure out how to get the treats out. You can put a tablespoon of peanut butter in a Kong toy and freeze it in the freezer overnight, then give it to him in the crate. That will keep him occupied for a while. Finally, you can get a pheromone diffuser called DAP that helps dogs with anxiety and pair that will a DAP pheromone collar that releases pheromones when in contact with his skin. If these methods do not help him, then I recommend having him seen by a vet to discuss the use of anti-anxiety medications. Best of luck, I hope this helps!