Siberian Husky Train??? help anyone??

[cory0789]

I have had my Syberian husky for about 7 months now and she chews on everything that has padding inside and just rips everything apart and I really was wondering if anyone could tell me how I could get her to stop doing this and Is there any secrets in training her to stay in the back of a pickup and listening to me when I call her and whatnot??? I give her treats and everything she knows how to sit, lay and whatnot but she will not come to me or anything inless I have treats other than that she just runs... if someone could please give me some advice it would be of great help and I know I am new a friend just told me about this forum I will be on more often and I thank you!!!

 

[lizzybeth727]

Welcome to Chaz!

Huskies can be difficult dogs to train, they tend to be more independent than other breeds and really choose to do what works best for them. The key to training huskies (and really, any other breed as well) is to determine what is rewarding to that dog and then use that as a reward. Sounds simple.....

For example, you know that your dog likes chewing and tearing up stuffed things. If this includes the couch and other furnature, then keep in mind that tearing up the couch is fun for her, and she's going to continue doing what's fun. So you'll have to use good management when you're not watching her to make sure that she doesn't reward herself for doing something that you don't like. This means keeping her in a crate or in a dog-proof room while you're not home so that you're sure she's not tearing up anything she's not supposed to.

That said, tearing is an instinctive behavior for dogs - some dogs NEED to do this as an energy outlet, just like some dogs really enjoy playing fetch and some dogs really love chewing on bones. So you can use this as a reward. Whenever you have a particularly good training session, or when she does a particularly good behavior (like coming when you call her), go to your stash of new toys (the 89 cent ones from Wal-Mart), and give her a brand new toy to tear up. This will be hugely rewarding for her, so only give it to her when she's done something that earned a huge reward. Otherwise, make sure that all toys are put away where she can't find them, or she will reward herself for bad behaviors.

Teaching a dog to stay in the back of a pickup is not only extremely difficult (since you're not there to reward when they do it, and you're not there to correct when they get up), it's also extremely dangerous due to the fact that she's not physically restrained. It's much safer to either let her ride in the cab with you (where you CAN teach her to stay in the front seat if you like), or put a crate in the back of the truck so that you know she'll be safe and will stay.

As for your other questions, first of all, stop training with treats physically on you - in your hand, in a bag on your front, etc. You are teaching your dog that doing behaviors you want are really only rewarding when you have a treat in your hand - otherwise, she doesn't get a great reward, so why bother? This is bribery, not training. Instead, put the treats on a nearby table or counter so that you can reach them, but don't ever have to keep them in your hand.

 

[noodlerubyallie]

Is she getting enough exercise? Tearing up things is a way to keep herself entertained. If she isn't tired by the end of the day, you can expect that she will entertain herself by doing what she finds fun, like destroying soft things. My Sibe does the same thing, however she only does it to toys that I give her. I've made sure that she is exhausted by the end of the day so that I can relax and that she can relax and nap as well.

If you want her to ride in the back of a pickup, keep her in a crate. It's the safest way to ride.

Getting a Sibe to learn recall can be a real challenge. They are extremely intelligent, very fast and learn very quickly. If you are calling them to come to make them go inside, leave, etc they are not going to come, as they associate your call with leaving/going inside etc, and ruining the fun. You need to practice in very small distance increments, and reward, reward, reward at the beginning. When she has a small distance recall down, you can increase the distance very gradually. You can also begin to reward her randomly, making her think that she MAY get a treat this time, so she will come everytime with a reward on her mind.

She is also very young, and in a stage where, to her, there are more important things to do than to listen to you. This stage can last the rest of her life I hope you're ready for a challenge!

Good luck!