Oh, no!
You’re giving all your love to your Husky but… they don’t do the same.
You feed and play with them but they spend more time with other people than you.
And when you’re there, it seems that they don’t care at all.
So, what can you do to make your snow dog like you?
Keep reading to find out:
- 5 real reasons why your Husky doesn’t like you.
- 3 super easy tips to become your Husky’s favorite person.
- What you can expect of your Husky based on their temperament.
- And so much more…
Table of contents
Why doesn’t my Husky like me?
Your Husky doesn’t like you because you might have an alpha mentality so they resist your commands. Or you’re physically hurting your Husky and treating others bad. Your smell can repel your dog as well. In other cases, your Husky likes you but you just don’t know they do.
5 reasons why your Husky doesn’t like you
#1: You have an “alpha mentality”
It’s 2021 and many people still think that you need to be the dominant one to make your Husky follow you.
According to Adrienne Farricelli, this method is outdated. In fact, the person who originated this theory debunked his own work 30 years after.
Dr. L. David Mech is a world-famous biologist who’s known for studying wolves since the 50s!
In 1971, he wrote his work “The Wolf: The Ecology and Behavior of an Endangered Species.”
Mech supported the claim of 2 Swiss researchers about their theories. This theory is the “alpha-dominance” theory.
But in 2000, he wrote a paper for the Canadian Paper of Zoology backing down his claim. He also said that the “alpha” mentality is misleading.
First, dogs aren’t wolves. They’re an entirely different species.
Second, wolves don’t have “alpha” roles. They’re more like a family, as stated in Mech’s study.
Many people were misled by the alpha mentality. And, using this can only make your Husky stressed and aggressive.
Here are some things you don’t need to do:
- Eat before your Husky eats.
- Not letting your dog walk ahead of you.
- Not allowing your Husky to be on your bed.
- You should walk past a doorway before your Husky.
Note: Your vocal tone also matters. Never command a Husky using a mean or dominating voice.
Huskies are intelligent and independent. They would ignore you at the snap of a finger if they deem you as someone who demands respect.
#2: Physical abuse
This isn’t rocket science. If you hit your Husky or scare them, they won’t like you at all.
Bear in mind that hitting your Husky isn’t the best way to discipline them. This alone can get you jailed for animal cruelty.
You can say that your Husky is more “disciplined” or “obedient” all you want. But, they only do these out of fear and not respect.
They’re afraid of you. That’s nowhere near liking you.
If your Husky is being unruly, it’s because genetics made them act the way they are. You can’t correct this by spanking or hitting them.
Strikes are painful for your Husky emotionally and physically. Attacking your Husky can also result in fear-biting.
This is when your Husky is so afraid of you to the point that they want to bite you in self-defense.
A survey even says that hitting and kicking a dog often leads to canine aggression. It can also make a dog insecure.
Signs that tell your Husky is insecure:
- Tail tucking.
- Whimpering.
- Averting eyes.
- Submissive urination.
- Walking with their head low.
Hitting your Husky only means that you can’t teach them with proper methods. People who hit their dogs do it because it hurts their ego that their commands aren’t followed.
This is connected with the “alpha mentality” that as I mentioned, is outdated.
You might also be interested in: 7 Reasons Why Your Husky Attacks You + 5 Tips To Stop It
#3: You treat other people bad
If you think Huskies don’t judge people, research shows that they do.
Findings from a 2016 study show that dogs and monkeys have a human-like sense of morality.
Kyoto University scholars tested several dogs and monkeys if they prefer helpful people. They tried to test their morality using actors.
They began testing the dog when they showed 2 actors with 3 balls each.
Here’s what happened:
- Actor 1 asked for the 3 balls of Actor 2.
- Actor 2 gave the 3 balls to Actor 1.
- Actor 2 requested Actor 1 to give their balls back.
- Some dogs saw Actor 1 returning 3 balls while others saw Actor 1 return none.
- Then both actors offered a treat to the dog.
The dogs preferred getting treats from those who returned the balls or the passive ones.
But, they didn’t get the treats offered by actors who didn’t return the balls.
Bear in mind that this experiment didn’t involve the dogs’ parents. It wasn’t tested if the dogs will act the same if they see their parents act rudely.
But, this study shouldn’t be invalidated.
One of the scholars said that the reason for this might be due to dogs’ long connection with humans.
So if your Husky sees you being unhelpful to others, chances are they won’t like you. After all, who likes an indecent human?
But, please be nice for the sake of being nice, not because you want your Husky to like you.
#4: Your smell hurts their nose
A Husky’s sense of smell is powerful. It’s one of the ways they experience the world.
In fact, Huskies have an organ that makes them smell separately at the same time. It can also detect smells far better than humans.
Sometimes, your Husky needs to smell an object more than once to know what it is. But still, one can argue that their nose is more useful than their eyes.
If your Husky never stays near you, there is a chance that they don’t like your smell.
And no, it doesn’t mean that you need to take a shower. In fact, there are odors that they like but we consider as pungent.
If your Husky doesn’t like other dogs, they’ll stay away from you after you play with another dog. They can smell if you’ve been with another canine.
If you like spicy food, the chemicals in these can come out through sweat. Huskies hate the smell of chili and they might not approach you because of this.
They also resent ground spices. Wearing perfume or cologne can also repel your Husky.
Cologne has essential oils and alcohol which Huskies hate. It also covers your natural smell.
If you think your Husky doesn’t like you, take a whiff. Maybe they just don’t like the way you smell.
#5: You don’t know they like you
In most cases, Husky parents panic because their Husky is always on their own. If this happens, you shouldn’t overthink.
Your Husky likes you. You just don’t know the signs that they tell you they like you. They’re unlike other dogs.
People say that Huskies are independent, which is true. Others even call them a “cat-dog” breed.
There are even times where you might think they don’t like you if they’re still pups. But as time goes by, you’ll see how they show affection.
They won’t usually go for cuddles but I can assure you that they love you if you treat and exercise them right.
There are even instances where they don’t follow orders. They know the command and they’re intelligent. But because of this behavior, they’re labeled as stubborn dogs.
Here are some things Huskies do if they love you:
- Lean on you.
- They sniff you.
- Yawn with you.
- Easy eye contact.
- Follow your commands.
- They sleep on their back.
Huskies are made to pull sleds and survive the cold. They aren’t made to be companion dogs so you should be aware of these signs and be patient with them.
On the other hand, some signs tell you if your Husky doesn’t like you.
Bonus: How to tell if your Husky doesn’t like you
If you see these signs, you need to change the way you care for your Husky.
They watch you
If they track your every movement, it is a sign that your Husky doesn’t like you that much.
They might do this if they’re threatened by you. This action is different from checking you from time to time (another sign your dog likes you).
Huskies who hate you will never keep their eyes away from you.
They ignore eye contact if they don’t like you. But, they watch you intensely from afar when you’re not looking.
They hide
If they’re scared of you, they’ll hide on corners or under furniture. It’s not normal for Huskies to hide and cower.
Huskies are brave and unless you abuse them, they won’t be quick to hide.
Huskies who’ve been from rescue homes can also have this behavior because of trauma.
They keep distance
As I previously mentioned, Huskies are independent. They prefer to be alone at times but will surely check on you to see if you’re okay.
Your Husky will also follow you if they trust you too well. But if they don’t, they’ll try their best to get away from you.
3 tips on how to make your Husky like you
#1: Use positive reinforcement
Studies show that dogs who went into aversion-based training developed stressful dog behaviors.
If you don’t want your Husky to hate you, don’t use this method when training them. It includes dominance training, intimidation, and using a shock collar at times.
The best way to train your Husky is through reward-based training. It uses positive reinforcement to encourage a dog’s good behavior.
What you should do to impose positive behavior is to give them treats if they did something you want.
For example, you give a treat every time a dog sits when you say the command. As time goes on, they will recall the command because of positive conditioning.
You can also use a clicker as a cue that your Husky did right. A clicker and a leash are the only things trainers use in this type of training.
Anyone who uses a prong or shock collar isn’t considered a reward-based trainer.
#2: Smell good for your dog
One of the reasons your dog might not like you is your smell. What you want to do is have a good fragrance for your dog.
Try avoiding the use of colognes and perfumes if you won’t go anywhere. Your Husky hates these because it stings to their nose.
Some smells dogs like are trash and soil. But obviously, you don’t want to roll in the garbage for your Husky to like you.
Luckily, there are more pleasant ways to convince your Husky that you’re likable. 🙂
One of them is to buy fragrances that your dog likes.
A study reveals the smells dogs find relaxing. These are coconut, ginger, vanilla, and valerian.
These scents can make a dog relaxed and calm. The dogs exposed to normal amounts of these scents barked less.
These can also increase your Husky’s sleep. The interesting part of the study is humans can also benefit from these scents.
But if you want your Husky to interact with you more, use lavender instead.
Another study showed that puppies like this scent.
Two toys were placed in an area. One infused with lavender and one isn’t. Guess what puppies chewed more.
That’s right, the one with lavender. Why? Because it attracts them.
Buy these as natural extracts and not as scents of air fresheners. That way, your Husky won’t inhale toxic chemicals.
A peek in the life of Lissa
During a trip to Germany with one of my friends, I decided to get my partner an unusual gift. So I got a monkey warmie.
Here’s how it works: It looks like a regular plush toy. But if you heat it in the microwave, it can keep you warm for quite some time during the night. And it smells of lavender.
Ever since I got 2 warmies, my dog Lissa wouldn’t miss the chance to get her paws on them. Whether it’s because they look like appealing chew toys, or due to the lavender, I can’t tell.
But one thing is for sure – Lissa doesn’t mind the lavender smell at all.
#3: Use your body language
The best way your Husky will like you is when you use your body language to make them feel appreciated.
Dogs can’t talk and they can’t understand human speech. What they understand is body language or facial expressions.
What you can do is talk to them frequently. Now, I know what you’re gonna say.
They might not understand the things we’re saying. But, they will certainly feel the message through your vocal tone.
Researchers in Hungary confirmed this when they scanned the brains of 13 dogs in an MRI. They found that their brain processes language in a similar way that humans do.
You should engage with them whenever they make eye contact too. And while you’re at it, smiling at them can make your Husky more appreciated.
Huskies who have complete trust in their owners will look at them with their eyebrows raised. Belly rubs, cuddles, and head pats also work in making them love you more!