Huskies are a working breed, which means they need a lot of exercise if you want to tire them out.
Whether you’ve had a dog before or if you’re looking for your first fluffy friend and you’re aiming to get a Husky, you need to know how much exercise does a husky need?
We have been involved with Huskies for 3 years now. Our experience has taught us that a Husky needs a minimum of 2 hours of daily exercise to remain calm and be happy. If not, they could accumulate lots of energy and release it at once in destructive behaviors.
Now that you know this, let’s dive into this important matter.
Why Huskies Need (Plenty of) Exercise
Based on our experience, Huskies tend to be quite energetic and active because of their genetics. It’s also important so they don’t gain weight and exercise is proven to be the best way to combat weight gain.
In the past, our dogs were trained and bred to be sled dogs, they needed to run at least 100 miles in a single day. If they didn’t have that amount of energy, they wouldn’t still be called the “best sled dogs”.
When a Husky isn’t exercise-satisfied, they will have something called “Zoomies”. This unexpected energy rush will make them have disastrous behaviors, sometimes with funny moments with video value. Exercise is proven to have a positive impact on dogs mindset.
But don’t be fooled, they may be fun initially, but they could turn your house if you don’t step in and do something about it. These uncontrollable scenarios can include:
- Chewing up a couch.
- Biting shoes and clothes.
- Destroying trash bags.
- Overturn furniture.
- Run without control into other dogs to play.
- Knocking down children and unaware people.
- Chase down other animals.
As you can see, without the proper exercise routine, they can be quite annoying behaviors that could make you question if having a Husky is a good idea. The truth is that this is not an impediment because there are ways to tire your dog.
You can meet their physical needs with activities they like and even participate in some to create a closer bond with your pet. We will explore these exercise ideas for your Husky in the following sections.
How much exercise do Siberian Husky Dogs need?
Huskies are an athletic and smart breed and as such, they need a lot of exercises that enhance their minds, bodies, and bonds with you.
You can separate the 80 minutes daily into different stages that involve:
- Daily walks.
- High-intensity activities.
- Mental stimulation activities.
If you follow these, you may see an improvement in your Husky’s behavior.
What is the best time to stimulate and exercise your husky?
We have previously mentioned that a Husky would need at least 2 hours of daily exercise.
But, the exact amount how much time they need to exercise depends on whether we’re talking about an adult or a puppy.
Adult Husky
If any other dog needs at least 60 minutes of daily workouts, an adult Husky needs at least 80 minutes of exercise if you want them to behave. This is way better than the 2 hours we have spoken about before.
You must understand that a Husky can run all day long if you give them the opportunity. So, those 80 minutes should be spent in intense activities such as running, hiking, or swimming.
Puppy Husky
Beware that a Puppy isn’t fully developed. Their bones are forming and solidifying, as well as their character. You should take walks with your pup to let it discover the outside world.
You should help your dog sniff and explore with no stressful exercises so its bones and body can form properly.
So, 5 minutes it’s enough for puppies, and as they grow up the time will increase.
10+ Best Husky Dog Exercise Ideas
Below you have the 10 best Husky Exercise Ideas to tire your Husky. These activities will control the energy excess and behavior of your dog.
1. Running, biking, or skating with your dog
Huskies are outside dogs. So, one of the best activities to do is to create long walks and runs. Start slow and increase the pace as you continue your journey.
It’s not recommended to start too fast initially because there may be the possibility of getting injured even more if you have a young pup. As your dog warms up, you can increase the intensity and training’s duration.
You will notice that your dog will use up a ton of energy when running. Don’t worry about getting your husky too tired because they can exercise all day long.
2. Tug of War
Tug of War is an old game that is used to strengthen your dog’s mental and physical health. It also helps you to increase the bond between your pet.
This game is a regular pull and push between you and your dog. You have to use a toy and give it to your dog without handing it over. It will crouch and then pull back while using a lot of energy to take the toy from you.
You should allow your dog to hold as long as it cans or release it if it wants to. In the beginning, this activity may seem like a dominant one, but it doesn’t. In our experience, it helps you to build trust, and waste energy.
Huskies can also play with a hanging toy and jump towards it to catch it, this will also make the dog spend more energy while jumping.
3. Play with toys – fetch
Fetch is another regular game that you can play with your dog.
You throw a ball or a stick and the Husky should run, find it and retrieve it back to you. This is a command game that will help you train your dog so they can respond to your call.
A Husky can be a bit difficult to train, but they can enjoy the Fetch activity a lot once they are taught how to play.
4. Agility training is a good way to keep your husky healthy and fit
Agility training gives great physical workouts to your Husky to remain healthy. These activities also maintain the mental state of your pet.
You can use poles, tunnels, hurdle jumps, and platforms so they can jump. If you have space in your backyard, you can build yourself a nice agility set that will keep your Husky entertained.
Based on our experience, there is a lot of stuff in your house that you can use to create the Agility Bootcamp.
5. Taking walks is an important part of keeping your husky healthy
Sometimes having long walks without the struggle of running is a great way to keep them healthy and forge bonds.
You can go to a public park and walk your pet with a leash so you don’t lose your friend. You can also use stairs if you don’t have time to walk with them. If your Husky is trained, you can start at the bottom and make him go to the other as many times you want.
This is also a good activity but can be dangerous, so make sure that your husky is not running when playing on the stairs.
6. Swimming is a good way to cool down during the summer months
Swimming can also be quite an experience for your Husky if you are in a country that doesn’t have cold weather or during the summer months.
Remember that Huskies aren’t natural-born swimmers, so you must go with your pet slowly and train it until they learn how to swim properly.
After that, your pet will love passing its exercise hours in the pool.
7. Hiking can be a fun and challenging activity for huskies
If fresh air is something you’re looking for, you should aim to have a series of hiking sessions with your Husky, they love this exercise.
They can explore, sniff, and discover new places in the wilderness. They also can climb hills and pass through natural obstacles. Your Husky will thank you because this activity provides physical and mental stimulation.
8. Play with toys – catch a frisbee
Another way to train your Husky and improve its endurance is with a frisbee. This exercise needs to be done in a wide space, like a big backyard, a beach, or a park.
Throw the frisbee so your dog can chase it and catch it before it lands. This activity trains different aspects of your Husky like:
- Obedience.
- Jumping capability.
- Overall endurance.
You probably will struggle the first times you play with your pet because you’ll have to teach commands, like the release command.
9. Socialise with other dogs
If everything goes perfectly, you soon will notice your dog will start running and chasing other pets. Maintain this for 80 minutes a day and it can become a good practice to tire down your Husky.
10. Sled Training
Huskies were the perfect fit to ride a sled back in the day, which is why you can easily practice sled training with your pet.
This activity will grant it endurance and strength and sometimes will exhaust your dog due to the intensive training.
According to our experience, if you want to go all-in with this exercise, the best is to start with light sleds and short distances.
More Exercises Ideas
You can come up with even more activities to maintain your Husky in check with its energy. They may require a bit more preparation but you can still manage to sort it out.
These are the options we have thought about:
- Racing against other dogs.
- Urban mushing.
- Chasing a laser point in a backyard.
Conclusions
Huskies can be great partners in life if you know how to keep them happy and controlled.
The ideas expressed above can help you give a Husky the good life it needs to become the perfect partner for you. You can apply or modify them as you wish and according to the spaces you have available where you live.
FAQ
We’ve answered some of the most popular questions relating to exercising huskies below.
Is walking enough exercise for a Husky?
This depends on how old your Husky is. If your dog is a puppy or a senior dog, walking will be enough to stretch and train their little muscles without hurting them.
On the other hand, walking may not be enough to satisfy your pet if you have an adult Husky. You will have to rely on different exercises to exhaust your fluffy friend and control his behavior.
How to play with a a Husky?
Simply engaging with husky, dangling toys in front of it, or filling a Kong with food is going to get your husky active and playing.
What happens if you don’t exercise your Husky?
If you don’t exercise and train your Husky, your dog could present sudden bursts of energy trying to waste it.
This can turn into destructive behavior if you don’t keep it in check.
How many miles should a Husky run a day?
Back in the days when Huskies were trained for the sled, they needed to run at least 100 miles in a day
Now, you only need between 10 and 20 miles in a day to get them tired. This, along with other exercises is exactly what they need.
How much exercise should a one-year-old Husky get?
A one-year-old Husky is an adult Husky, which is why they would need at least 80 minutes of daily exercise. This includes intensive training and other activities.
These sessions should be entertaining and a way to let Huskies understand what they are while creating a bond with you.
Can you let Husky dogs off the lead?
The short answer is no.
A Husky has predator ancestors, and as such, when they are off the leash they can make decisions based on those instincts. Their genes make them stubborn and wild, which is a dangerous combination even for the dog itself.
If they are off-the-lead they can end up in them attacking other dogs, or even getting lost. The best thing to do is to keep them close to you even while training.