Why Are Huskies So Dramatic? How To Prevent That Behavior?

Siberian Huskies are beautiful fluffy dogs with piercing blue eyes. However, they are known by most dog owners to be big drama queens. So why are Huskies so dramatic?

Huskies are naturally overreactive and dramatic. They developed an instinct to react to situations quickly which helped them during their sled-pulling days. These dogs can be loud and attention-seeking, but there are ways to decrease this behavior.

• Reasons Why Huskies Are Being Dramatic
• Signs Of Dramatic Behavior In Huskies
• How To Prevent The Dramatic Behavior?

Reasons Why Huskies Are Being Dramatic

Huskies are a reactive breed and may sometimes overreact to things. There are a few reasons why your Husky might start acting dramatic.

It’s Their Nature

Even though Huskies are loyal, intelligent, and affectionate, they are naturally dramatic dogs. Huskies are so stubborn sometimes, trying to show that they are independent dogs, and ending up portraying their dramatic behavior. If the Husky wants to do something, and you don’t allow it, be sure you will see it start a Husky tantrum.

Sometimes, the Husky will just start acting goofy for no apparent reason. This will look funny and entertaining initially but may cause problems resulting in destructive behavior.

Communication

Huskies are known as a talkative breed as they can produce a lot of sounds that sound familiar to people. So they use this ability when trying to communicate something to their owners.

Huskies make weird noises when they want something. They might be asking for food, water, attention, or their favorite toy. At times, they might make sounds just to hear their own voice or to say hello to the neighbor’s dog. Whatever the reason may be, the owner’s responsibility is to check whether there is a serious reason for this behavior.

Separation Anxiety And Stress

Huskies can get stressed and anxious just like humans can. If the Husky gets in a stressful situation, it will start overreacting as a response. A major cause of stress for dogs is separation anxiety. This is a condition that occurs when you leave the Husky alone for more than 4-6 hours.

Some symptoms you can notice in separation anxiety are:

• Excessive barking
• Howling, whining, and crying
• Destructive behavior
• Peeing and pooping in the house
• Shivering

Usually, the symptoms appear when you reach out for the door and try to leave. The condition should be treated by a vet.

Strange And Loud Noises

Dogs can be dramatic when they are exposed to some environmental factors. Loud noises coming from the neighborhood will make the Husky scared and overreactive. Sirens from emergency vehicles, car horns, people shouting, construction work, and baby cries are all strange and loud noises. 

Sometimes, your Husky will start its reaction without you even noticing the sound. This is because they have very good hearing and are always on the lookout. So even though Huskies are not good guard dogs, they make for great watchdogs.

Excitement And High Energy

Whenever you come home after a long day of work, you will notice your Husky getting all excited and acting up. It is just happy to see you again and wants to show that to its owner.

Huskies can be described as high-energy dogs. They developed their high energy due to their history of being sled-pulling dogs. If they don’t get to spend their energy during the day, they will start acting dramatic and destructive. That is why Huskies are usually recommended for people with active lifestyles.

Owner’s Mistakes

One reason for some of the weird things Huskies do may be the owners themselves. When they are first faced with the goofiness of the Husky, owners tend to enjoy and award the behavior. Laughing at the dog or responding in some way makes it think that you like what it does. So anytime the Husky will want a reaction from the owner, it will just start acting dramatically.

Sometimes, a Husky will act dramatically by trying to copy its owner’s action. Dogs are known to mimic the actions of their owners. So you should watch your actions around your Husky.

Signs Of Dramatic Behavior In Huskies

When your Husky starts its dramatic behavior, there are a few signs you can notice. Then you can decide how you will react.

Howling And Barking

Being loud is a part of the Husky personality. They howl and bark to express themselves. These dogs were bred as pack animals, and their ability to be loud helped them communicate with each other over long distances. Sometimes the howls turn to yowls and the dog starts sounding more and more like a wolf.

Huskies aren’t the only dogs known for their sounds though. For example, the Rottie rumble and growl are other known sounds.

Making Strange Noises

There are other Husky noises besides the usual dog noises that will confuse you. Huskies can start chirping like birds or whining like they are sad. A fun fact about Huskies is that these dogs are also known for their ability to mimic human words. There are many videos on the internet showing how Huskies “speak”.

Pacing And Running

Noises are not the only part of the dramatic behavior. Huskies will start pacing or running around the house as a way to get attention or convey a message. There is a word for when dogs start running around acting crazy and it’s called “zoomies”. It can happen instantaneously making the Husky go from relaxed to running and jumping all around the house.

Chewing And Staring

A dramatic Husky might end up chewing up and destroying your furniture. Huskies tend to chew on things from a puppy age, but luckily, this behavior rarely stays in their adult life. Sometimes a Husky will make a “chomping” sound by slamming its jaws together.

Huskies are also known for staring with their striking blue eyes. This is a very intense situation even if they have brown eyes or different colored eyes.

Faking Death

One very dramatic behavior a Husky will show is faking its death. This will sometimes be funny but sometimes very annoying as the Husky starts acting childish. It’s a result of its stubborn nature and might even happen during walks. If the Husky doesn’t want to go home after a walk, you will experience a typical childish tantrum from this dog.

How To Prevent The Dramatic Behavior?

You can’t completely stop the dramatic behavior of Huskies, it’s just a part of their nature. But there are things you can do to reduce this behavior.

Don’t Reward The Behavior

You have to be careful not to reward dramatic Huskies during their performance. Sometimes an owner will reward the dog unintentionally. Giving in and letting it have its way is intentional, but getting angry and giving attention is another way to reward bad behavior. Your Husky will pick up on your reaction and it will repeat the behavior again when it wants something.

Instead, try to reward the good behavior of your Husky. While training, give it a treat whenever it listens to your command. This positive reinforcement will help you have more control over the actions of the dog.

Exposure To Triggers

If you know exactly what triggers your Husky and causes its dramatic behavior, you can start doing desensitization. This means that you will expose your dog to its triggers while monitoring its reaction. Start by getting it on a leash and then exposing it slowly and for shorter periods of time. Once it gets comfortable in the situation, increase the exposure until it stops reacting dramatically. 

You need to use positive reinforcement as a tool here. When the Husky stays calm while exposed, give it praise and treats. That way it knows it’s doing a good job. This therapy works even better in Husky puppies.

Distractions

Huskies are so weird sometimes that they will leave you confused. But you can stop their weird behavior by employing distraction techniques. If you know that something is triggering your Husky, revert its attention to something else. 

Give it its favorite toy to play with, or if it doesn’t react to the toy, try giving it some attention or a treat. You can suggest going on a walk or start playing a game like fetch so it has something to do. Of course, don’t make this a bad habit so it doesn’t start acting dramatically to get a treat.

Mental Stimulation And Exercise

Huskies have a long history of being working sled dogs and this made them develop high energy and intelligence. But that high energy needs to be spent somehow. Huskies are dramatic when they don’t get enough exercise.

On average, a Husky needs around 2 hours of exercise every day. This should be split into more sessions. Exercise should include walking, running, hiking, and playing games. Mental stimulation should be a part of the exercise due to their high intelligence. Buying an interactive dog toy or a puzzle toy will do wonders.

Calming The Husky

If you feel like your Husky is really stressed about something, you can try calming it down by doing a few things. You can try giving it some CBD oil or Valerian root for dogs to calm it down. These supplements were made to decrease the anxiety of dogs.

You can also sit down with your Husky and cuddle for a bit. Hugging and cuddling have a calming effect on both humans and dogs. Establishing a daily routine will also help your dog feel calmer. When the dog knows what to expect, it won’t get too emotional and anxious about everyday things.

So Why Are Huskies So Dramatic?

Huskies have a tendency to act like drama queens and there are many reasons for this. They may be communicating, or feeling stressed, afraid, or excited about something.

You can notice when the Husky starts acting dramatically by a few signs. You will hear the Husky barking, howling, yowling, chirping, talking, or making some other strange noises. It might start running and jumping around, throwing a tantrum, or playing dead to get attention.

Whatever the reason for this dramatic behavior is, you need to react in order to reduce it. Try to expose your Husky to its triggers and only reward good behavior. Give it enough exercise to spend its extra energy. At last, give it a lot of love and attention to help it work through the anxious feelings.

FAQ

Are Huskies known to be aggressive?

No, Huskies are not aggressive dogs. Huskies are so goofy and friendly that they rarely exhibit any aggressive behavior. This makes them bad guard dogs but excellent family dogs to have at home.

What is the most dramatic dog breed?

Even though it’s a very small dog, the Chihuahua is considered the most dramatic dog in the world. It is renowned for its overreactions and aggressive tendencies. But Basset Hounds, Pomeranians, and Huskies are also at the top.

Are Huskies dramatic when hurt?

You might think why are Huskies so dramatic, but it could be a sign of a serious health problem. If your Husky is feeling pain due to getting hurt or due to a disease, it will start acting strangely.