11 Reasons Why Your Husky Is Sad (+Tips & Depression Signs)

Huskies are well known for their sunshine personality.

But what if there’s a sudden change in their behavior?

Your Husky companion seems to have the blues.

What’s causing their sadness?

Here, you’ll find out:

9 real reasons why your Husky’s sad.
7 signs to help you spot depression in Huskies.
27 easy tips to ensure your Husky won’t get sad.
And many more…

Table of contents

Why is my Husky sad?
11 reasons why your Husky is sad
Is my Husky depressed? 7 signs
How can I cheer up my Husky?

Why is my Husky sad?

Your Husky is sad due to a lack of exercise. Other reasons include sickness, attention deprivation, abuse, depression, jealousy, separation anxiety, lack of playtime, or poor diet. A Husky could also be sad because of a sudden change in environment or in their routine.

11 reasons why your Husky is sad

#1: Attention deprivation

Did you know that Huskies are big attention seekers?

The Husky breed adores being the apple of your eye. They also love gaining friends.

What’s more, is they highly value affections. They’re persistently clingy. So you need to prepare yourself for a lot of snuggling, cuddling, and petting.

If you’re a busy Husky parent, watch out for the signs. It’ll be evident if they’re not getting enough attention.

If you fail to give them your company. Huskies will be really vocal about it.

They’ll demand attention in the form of howling.

But some Husky parents don’t know what that means. As a result, they’re not able to respond correctly.

The dog parent might give them food or toys instead of attention. And not getting what the Husky desires could make them unhappy.

#2: Jealousy

Although Huskies are sociable, they get easily jealous too.

This behavior boils down to their attention-seeking personality.

Their goal is to be your favorite. It’s a competition for them. And the winner of your undivided attention should be the Husky alone.

But what if a new family member comes along?

Say a new baby. Or a new pet, may it be a new puppy or another animal. As long as it takes your attention away from them, they’ll get jealous.

A dog parent shared their story. He got a 7-month-old female Husky.

His Husky seems to do well. She plays, eats, and bonds with her human family.

Not until when her fur parents brought a new puppy home.

The Husky became a whiner. She whined whenever her dog parents were near the pup. She also started to eat less than usual.

That’s when her fur parents thought that her cries suggest jealousy.

Trivia: Did you know that dogs can also be jealous even if you’re not interacting with other beings?

Research reveals that a dog who sees a potential rival will show jealousy. Researchers said that a dog shows the same behavior as a jealous child.

Further reading: 7 Reasons Why Your Husky Is So Jealous + 5 Tips

#3: Lack of exercise

Having pent-up energy can cause your Husky’s blues.

Huskies are bred to be active. You might be familiar with Huskies pulling sleds.

Pulling a heavy sled during harsh cold weather requires a lot of energy. That’s why Huskies are the perfect doggo for that job.

But domestic Huskies aren’t pulling sleds. So, they have so much energy that needs to be poured out into exercise.

Besides being a basic need of Huskies, exercising also has a lot of pros.

Physical fitness isn’t the only benefit of exercise. Dogs, like people, require exercise to maintain mental and emotional well-being.

“What’s the right exercise for my Husky?”

Here’s the rule of thumb.

Huskies should be exercised for 2 hours daily. You can make them run in your backyard. Or take them along with you when jogging. They’ll be a perfect companion if you like hiking and swimming.

If they don’t use their overflowing energy, it will trigger a backlash. Gloominess is one of its side effects.

Aside from feeling sad, the effects of lack of exercise are:

Rough play.
Weight gain.
Restlessness.
Destructive behavior.
Excessive vocalization.

Trivia: Did you know that Huskies can run for miles without feeling tired?

A trained Husky will be able to run 40 miles. While a sled Husky is able to run up to 137 miles daily.

#4: Lack of playtime

Lack of playtime will cause a downside to Huskies.

Playing is important for dogs. Especially for the Husky breed.

Huskies are a ball of energy. They’re a big fan of chasing balls and playing.

Because of that, you should allow them to play. A place to run around and toys to play with to keep them happy.

Aside from that, active play will make your Husky healthy. Their bones and joints will be exercised. It improves their balance and coordination too.

Also, playing will benefit your pooch’s mental health. Active games will stimulate their minds. As a result, they’ll keep showing positive behaviors.

Reading tip: 13 Ways To Keep Your Husky Busy And Entertained (How-To)

#5: Poor diet

Are you feeding your Husky the right amount of food?

Less or too much food intake may cause your pawed baby’s unhappiness.

Huskies are powerful working dogs who require a nutritious diet to keep up with their active lifestyles.

Wondering what’s the right way of feeding your Husky?

Here’s how you’ll give your Husky a balanced diet:

2-4 cups of food only per day.
Give them fruit, vegetables, and meat.
1,100 calories is an adult Huskies daily calorie intake.
Give them food 2 times a day. One in the morning and another in the evening.

Note: Limit the treats if you’re training your pooch and reward them with it.

Treats should not exceed 10% of your Husky’s daily calorie intake. This will throw their diet off balance.

#6: Sickness

Feeling unwell might be the cause why your Husky is gloomy.

Dogs being sick is inevitable. There are viruses in the surroundings. As well as contagious and hereditary diseases.

Some breeds are more prone to certain illnesses. Huskies, for example, are prone to bacterial and viral infections. Some of them are:

Rabies.
Distemper.
Parvovirus.

Aside from that, Huskies’ active lifestyle makes them prone to injuries. As they play and train a lot. Let’s say they might break their legs by running or jumping too much.

But hey, good news! Your vet can tailor a preventive health plan to follow. That’ll help you prevent some predictable risks.

So bring your Husky for regular check-ups.

#7: Abuse

We will never wish bad things to happen to pooches. However, there are bad guys in this world. When I say bad guys, I mean abusers.

Has your Husky been abused in the past?

Or did someone abuse them while you’re not around?

Abuse in dogs may happen in several forms, and they’re…

Emotional abuse

Emotional abuse or neglect is the most common abuse in dogs. This usually happens in puppy mills. Where dogs aren’t able to have enough:

Food.
Water.
Shelter.
Medical care.

Physical abuse

This type of abuse is an act of forcing physical trauma in dogs. Examples of which include:

Kicking.
Stabbing.
Crushing.
Punching.
Strangling.
Suffocating.
Hanging burns.
Projectile injuries.

Sexual abuse

Humans can sexually abuse dogs and other animals. The term for this act is bestiality, a.k.a zoophilia.

Besides being weird, forcing a dog to have sex can injure the canine. And even kill them.

“But… who does that?!”

According to a study, 55% of psychiatric patients were prone to bestiality. The reasons for this behavior include:

Domineering behavior.
Experimental purposes.
Animals being the primary focus of a human’s sexual desires.

Apart from that, there’s a link between sexually abusing animals vs. children and women.

That being said, any animal can be a victim of sexual abuse. But the most common ones are horses and dogs.

Still, it’s difficult to identify sexual abuse. Sometimes the damage is barely visible.

Signs of sexual abuse in dogs can be classified into 2 types.

Vaginal injuries:

Bleeding.
Vaginal tears.
Bruised genitals.
Traces of human semen.
A foreign body (such as a spoon, a broom handle, a tampon, etc.)

Anorectal injuries:

Anal tears.
Traces of human semen.
A foreign body in the dog’s anus.
Inflammation or bruising of the anus.

Dog fighting

Dog fighting is another form of abuse in dogs. Fighting dogs often get wounds on their:

Face.
Neck.
Chest.
Front legs.

Let me share a real-life story of Husky abuse.

A journalist shared what happened. She’s based in Fairbanks, Alaska. The mushing capital of the world.

Ever heard of a musher?

It’s a person who drives a dogsled. Wherein there are plenty of those in Alaska. And so as the Alaskan Huskies.

Many of Fairbank’s mushers abuse Huskies.

What’s more heartbreaking?

Emotional abuse is not the only thing they experience. Huskies are often killed when they fight, don’t run fast, and show unwanted behaviors.

These abused Huskies often suffer from broken ribs and jaws. They’re also hit by a 2 x 4 as a punishment that causes skull trauma.

Husky litters are even downsized. A few of them are kept as sled dogs. The other poor puppies are either sold, given away, or killed.

Guess why this horrifying event is still happening.

It’s because those mushers are rarely caught. The abuse usually happens behind closed doors.

Be aware of abuse signs in canines such as:

Tucked tail.
Aggression.
Sudden vocalization.
Avoiding physical touch.
Flinching at human contact.
Unexplained fractures or limping.

You might also want to check out: 9 Reasons Why Your Husky Is So Nervous + 5 Tips

#8: Separation anxiety

As I’ve said, Huskies are social beings. Which makes them prone to feeling lonely.

Huskies shouldn’t be left for a long time. They’ll seek constant companionship.

Are you a Husky parent who’s often missing from home?

Then your Husky might suffer from separation anxiety.

Huskies rely mostly on their humans. So, they’ll find it hard to cope with being alone.

Note: Leaving a dog for too long and all of a sudden may cause:

Stress.
Anxiety.
Mental problems.
Unpleasant behaviors.

#9: Sudden change in environment

Did you just relocate?

Sadness may kick in if a Husky’ changes their living environment.

Let’s say you once lived in the countryside. Where there’s a huge place for your Husky to run around.

Moving somewhere else will trigger your pooch’s anxiety. Also, see to it if your new environment is Husky appropriate. Check the weather and your surroundings.

Huskies are known to belong in a cold environment. But they can also adapt to any climate. They’ll be fine with icy environments and also in tropical ones.

But keep in mind that Huskies have thick furs. An intense hot climate will be torture for your Husky.

So, if you happen to live in a hot weather environment, then do the following:

Provide a constant source of water.
Avoid too much exercise under the sun.
Keep them cool by blasting an air conditioner.

Don’t miss out on: 13 Simple Ways To Keep Your Husky Cool (How-To Guide)

#10: Sudden routine alteration

Dogs love routines. It applies to any dog breed.

Keep in mind that a Husky routine will keep your pooch happy.

So, if you happen to change your Husky’s routine, it’ll cause them to be down.

Also, missing a part of their daily routine will trigger their anxiety. In worst cases, they’ll start to show unwanted behaviors such as:

Barking.
Whining.
Chewing.
Aggression.
Leash pulling.

Wondering what a Husky’s usual routine looks like?

Here’s a video to give you an idea of what a Husky could look like:

#11: Depression

Any dog breed can get depressed. Even the most friendly and energetic Huskies.

Depression is a mental illness that causes emotional stress to humans and dogs alike.

How does it happen?

WebMD says that major changes in a dog’s life could lead to depression.

Several things could be the cause. Such as moving to a new place.

Also having a new family member. It’s either a spouse, a baby, or a new pet. As well as losing a loved one.

Is my Husky depressed? 7 signs

Here are 7 common signs that indicate that your Husky is depressed:

Lethargy.
Oversleeping.
Loss of appetite.
Less socialization.
Sudden aggression.
Excessive vocalization.
Lack of interest in things they used to enjoy.

How can I cheer up my Husky?

Here are a few ways to cheer your Husky up:

Bond with your Husky.
Regularly visit the vet.
Allow them to socialize.
Keep them entertained.
Let them be on the water.
Create a Husky-appropriate routine.
Let your Husky have enough exercise.

Continue reading: 27 Tips To Keep Your Husky Happy And Healthy (How-To Guide)