When you picture Siberian Huskies, chances are you picture them in motion. Whether they are pulling a sled, running laps at the dog park or chasing squirrels, Huskies are among the most energetic and independent of all dog breeds. They are also well known “escape artists,” and can often be found digging under or leaping over fences.

Because of this reputation, pet parents often ask us: “Can a hidden fence really work for my Siberian Husky?”

Yes, it can! For over 30 years, DogWatch Dealers have been training Siberian Huskies, Husky mixes, Alaskan Malamutes and more to stay in their yards with our hidden fences. We reached out to our DogWatch Dealers and customers to learn more about the process of training Huskies, adjusting collars to work with their thick coats, and how adding an underground electronic fence to their property helped their smart and athletic pups enjoy their freedom!

What DogWatch Dealers Say

“I’ve trained several Huskies and Malamutes on the DogWatch system,” says Jack Panter of DogWatch of British Columbia. “I find they are not so different from other dogs.” Jack does say that the breeds’ heavy undercoats do require some extra effort. He instructs his customers to “trim a couple of spots up on the side of the neck” of their Husky, to ensure that the contact posts on the dog’s receiver collar reach the skin.

Togo and Nicola, Alaskan Malamutes

In addition to his customers, Jack also trained his own pair of Alaskan Malamutes, Togo and Nicola (see photo above), to use a hidden fence at home. “My Malamutes are trained to the sound of the receiver warning. They won’t even chase a rabbit or deer through!”

Troy Dykes of DogWatch of the Bay Area & Northern California, who has been a DogWatch Dealer for over 20 years, has successfully trained many Huskies to understand and respect their hidden fence boundaries. “For me, I love the mentality of the Spitz lineage, and northern latitude dogs in general (Husky, Malamute, Chow Chow, Akita, Samoyed, etc.). The closer to the wolf, the smarter (and more prideful, independent, crafty) the dog, in my opinion.” Troy has owned a Chow Chow and a Finnish Spitz named Savannah.

Troy echoes the importance of making sure the DogWatch receiver collar fits properly for these thick-coated breeds. These fit issues can lead a pet owner or inexperienced trainer to conclude that the dog needs a higher level of correction, when actually all the dog needs is a quick hair trim at the neck, longer contact posts, or other collar adjustment. “Increasing the level of correction can be a big mistake with these breeds,” adds Troy. “If you break their trust by being heavy-handed, they can shut down completely.”

Once you build that trust, however, training Huskies can be surprisingly simple. Troy says that Huskies are among his favorite breeds to work with. “I’d put Huskies up there with Labs, Goldens, Shepherds, Border Collies and Rottweilers as my easiest breeds to boundary train.”

What DogWatch Customers Say

DogWatch of Upstate NY customer Gary Kuch:

“I was initially skeptical that a hidden wire would work on my over-active Siberian Husky. DogWatch assured me it would work and they were right. Recently we had what I called was the acid test; three Golden Retrievers at the end of our driveway during a recent garage sale. Our Husky saw them but never once came close to the wire perimeter. It has been that way for two months with no issues.”

 

DogWatch of Southeast Indiana customer Lori Taylor:

“We have a stubborn Husky who ran off on us most everyday, she loved to swim in the neighbors’ pond and loved to chase deer…We tried other systems to keep her contained on our property but they failed, then a friend recommended DogWatch, they have been a blessing and a huge relief!! Not one time has the Husky left our property!! I’m still amazed how well this system works!! Cannot thank DogWatch of Southeast Indiana enough!!! The peace of mind is so worth it!!!”

 

DogWatch of Litchfield County customers the Del Salto family:

“AHHHMAZING! Loved THE WHOLE TEAM! Great company! They were so professional and were able to contain my stubborn HUSKY Who would run away ALL the time! We now feel that our baby is much safer and we are worry free when he goes out!”

 

DogWatch hidden dog fences are often mistakenly referred to generically as an “invisible fence” or “invisible dog fence.” Invisible Fence® and Invisible Fencing® are Brand names, products and registered trademarks of Radio Systems, Inc.