Are Huskies Good Service Dogs?

Are you in search of a service dog? You might have already had a look for service dogs in certain breeds such as Labrador, Golden Retriever, and German Shepherds. However, the wolf-like features and outgoing personality traits of a husky might have impressed you well. So, now you are looking whether a husky can serve for your needs for a service dog. You might be obviously too confused at this point.

Huskies are too loyal and loving. But they aren’t the perfect choice for a service dog when you have very better options such as Labradors, Retrievers, and Great Danes. Huskies are actually too self-driven and independent to be a service dog. However, huskies make the perfect choice if you are looking for a sled dog.

Let us have a glance at the qualities of a service dog through this article. We will also discuss why huskies aren’t good for the position of service dogs.

What Are The Virtues Required To Fit Into The Position Of A Service Dog?

Service dogs are actually dogs that can assist human beings in certain activities, especially when they are disabled and needs a helping hand. People who can’t do certain tasks alone or independently are the ones who look for a service dog.

Service dogs are well-trained to assist these kinds of people. Certain breeds like Labrador Retriever, Golden Retriever, and Great Danes are often selected to train as service dogs. The top list of breeds chosen to train as service dogs never included Huskies.

Some qualities required for a service dog are:

Confidence

Service dogs are often assigned to assist disabled persons. Obviously, people occupied with some disabilities are not stubborn or confident. Service dogs are actually employed to deal with the lack of confidence seen in such people. Therefore, service dogs must have high confidence levels to get away with stressful and panic situations.

Just think what if the service dog lacks confidence. The disabled person accompanied by the dog will become too anxious if it starts to panic around with low confidence. A service dog should be strong and confident enough to protect his disabled mentor from any stressful and dangerous situations.

Huskies are highly emotional. They usually feel low when their mentor has already lost confidence. Therefore, they would definitely panic around in stressful situations and doesn’t make a good choice for the service dog.

Intelligence

Service dogs must be smart and intelligent. They should be quick at making decisions and solving problems. Service dogs should not think twice to help or assist their disabled mentor. They should know when and how to assist their mentors. Isn’t it what they are kept for?

Service dogs might often come in complex situations. They should really know how to deal with stressful and complex situations.

These kinds of dogs should be intelligent enough to solve and find solutions for all the difficulties and hardships their disabled mentor might have to go through. They should be able to make their mentor’s life easier.

Huskies are extremely intelligent. But, they are not smart enough to act upon their mentor’s needs. Also, they don’t act to please humans.

Loyalty and Friendliness

Service dogs need to be extremely loyal and friendly. Only a loving and loyal dog can take care of their mentor or owner. The core responsibility or role of a service dog is to look after its mentor. Thus, the dog should be very loyal and friendly to get into the position of the service dog.

Service dogs should be well-socializable. They would need to assist their mentors through public places and crowds.

Huskies are extremely loving. They attach with strangers in no time. Therefore, they are too good to be a family dog. But sadly, huskies don’t meet other criteria required to be a service dog.

Tranquility and Patience

Service dogs need to be extremely tranquil and calm. They should know to remain calm in stressful and strange situations.

Service dogs should be patient enough to deal with the disabilities of their mentor. Their only goal should be to assist their mentors apart from all the chaos happening around them.

Easy to train

Service dogs need to be very easy to train. They should have a self-motivation to work for their mentors. These kinds of dogs need to take upon tasks quickly and act. The training and work ethics of the service dogs really need to too good.

10 Reasons Why Husky Is Not A Good Choice Of Service Dog

Now let’s sum up why huskies aren’t a good choice for a service dog. Here are the characteristics that make huskies disqualify from being a service dog:-

• Huskies are independent and self-driven. They won’t always act upon your commands. Huskies are very stubborn. It might not assist a disabled person in an emergency situation even upon commanding to.
• Service dogs need to be really calm even when they are left alone for a long time. Huskies are really bad in that. They would become anxious when they are left alone. Huskies are naturally pack dogs and hates to be left alone.
• A strong prey drive never matches for a service dog. Huskies really have prey drive on point.
• Huskies are hard to train. It is very difficult for trainers to keep them motivated. They are really bad at performing assigned tasks.
• Service dogs need to be very patient and attentive to their owner. Huskies always fail to keep the attention on their owner for a long time. They easily get distracted by the external things around them.
• Huskies don’t stay healthy for a long time. They usually need high maintenance.
• Service dogs always need to remain calm along with their owners. Huskies are a breed with a strong desire to run around. They also escape or suddenly disappears without any due reasons.
• You would require a highly emotionally supportive dog for your services. It would be better if your service dog is around you all the time due to their emotional attachment. Huskies are not good at emotional supports. They easily socialize with strangers. And would not stand along by your side all the time.
• It would be better if your service dogs are strong in guarding characteristics. Huskies aren’t that type. They will go and lick strangers instead of barking at their presence.
• Huskies are very playful. They would roam around jumping, swimming, digging, and climbing. A service dog can never be like this.

Conclusion

Huskies are a good choice if you are looking up for a family dog. They are loving, loyal, and extremely playful with adults as well as children. They socialize easily. But certainly, huskies are not good enough to be your service dog. Huskies are pretty difficult to train and they are not good for looking after a disabled person. But definitely, huskies are a good choice of sled dogs especially during your emergencies at the snow.

Some of the breeds you can rely upon choosing service dogs are Labrador, Golden Retriever, Great Danes, and Boxer. However, you can try training your Husky at a puppy stage to bring them up as a service dog. It would surely show up some results. However, don’t expect more services from this extremely stubborn breed.