Devoted pet lovers all think their dog is perfect, right? It is common to want to talk about your dog with others for hours on end. Your dog might be dealing with behavioral issues and you consult other Siberian Husky owners for advice and support. How can you sift out the good advice from the bad advice? Easy! You just need to be told the secrets of a creating a perfect “in home dog”.

What are these secrets? Do they apply to all Siberian Huskys? How can I incorporate them into my daily life? The following list of secrets has detailed instructions on how to weave them into your daily life. They apply to the Siberian Husky in general and may require only slight modification, if any modification is necessary at all.

This E-Book is broken down into eight categories. Tips, advice, and guidelines will be presented for each category. The eight categories to a perfect “in home dog” include:

1. All the do’s and don’ts regarding a perfect “in home dog”

2. The rules you must set for your dog

3. What to expect from an “in home dog”

4. The training issues you need to consider

5. The common mistakes made with an “in home dog”

6. How to keep your home clean with an “in home dog” resident

7. The best tips for cleaning dog urine, poop, and hair

8. How to teach an adult dog to be an “in home dog”

1. ALL THE DO’S AND DON’TS REGARDING AN “IN HOME DOG”:

   Do’s:

   • Do “puppy proof” your home so that your Siberian Husky will not be tempted to chew on your best pair of high heels or eat unsecured trash. Puppy proof your home just as you would for a human baby. Remember, Siberian Huskys are highly intelligent and will have a lot of time on their paws in your home.

   • Do create eating and sleeping areas that your dog considers their “own.” Dogs are territorial and they need to have a separate space of their own to watch over.

   • Do place a dog bed/kennel in a draft free, quiet corner of your home to act as a retreat for your Siberian Husky.

   • Do use stainless steel or sturdy dog food bowls for your dog as they will stand the test of time and are easy to clean up.

   • Do provide your Siberian Husky with toys for fun, entertainment, and excitement. It is important to try and prevent boredom setting in with your dog

   • Do provide your dog with a nylon bone to chew on or other toys that are designated for chewing. Your Siberian Husky will learn that they can chew on their nylon bone, but not on your shoes. They will learn to identify which toys are theirs and which toys are yours. Plus, a nylon bone will help to clean their teeth!

   • Do begin obedience training early. Puppies are most impressionable from 8-16 weeks in age. Use this time to equip them with the proper behaviors.

   • Do strive to get your dog used to a schedule. Dogs thrive on routine and have the uncanny ability to know when it is meal time without looking at the clock.

   • Do remember to leave a light on in case you won’t be home before sunset. You don’t want your Siberian Husky to be afraid in the dark while they wait for you to return home.

   • Do find a veterinarian and have their contact information on hand in case of an emergency

   • Do play with and exercise your Siberian Husky either in the home by playing with toys or for a short walk.

   • Do train your Siberian Husky as to where they can sit. For example, will you let them sit on the chair or couch? Or will furniture be off limits?

   • Do watch your Siberian Husky for signs of fleas, ticks, or other parasites. A Siberian Husky might have an allergy to dust mites as well which are prevalent in most homes. Make sure to use flea and tick medicine on a monthly or every three month basis. Ask your veterinarian for recommendations.

   • Do your best to immediately clean up any excrement your dog has left in the home. You definitely don’t want to step in it and the foul smell can be nauseating. Plus, believe it or not there are some dogs that will eat their own excrement. It is a rare disorder that can be overcome with treatment, but remove the excrement quickly for sanitary reasons as well.

   • Do try to secure a part of your home that you want your dog to reside in when you are away. Perhaps they are not fully house trained and are prone to “accidents”. It is advisable to leave them in a secure area that has newspaper on the floor or a floor surface that cleans easily such as tile or linoleum.

   • Do your best to provide opportunities for your dog to socialize with other dogs and humans. Socialization can be a treat for your dog and overcome any boredom they have. Both you and your Siberian Husky will benefit from socialization.

   • Do allocate a great deal of time to devote to your Siberian Husky puppy when you first bring them home. They need to adjust to you and their new environment. The last thing you should do is leave them alone in your home.

   • Do teach young children how to appropriately play with your Siberian Husky. Young children tend to engage in rough and tumble play which can be harmful to your Siberian Husky.

   Don’ts:

   • Don’t punish your dog by hitting them. This ineffective and inhumane.

   • Don’t leave your Siberian Husky in a confined, hot area such as closed car. This can lead to heat stroke and can be fatal.

   • Don’t leave any items in your dog’s environment that could be poisonous. Poison items include medicines, cleaners, plants, human food, etc. A curious dog can become a sick dog faster than you can say “Siberian Husky”.

   • Don’t forget to check your dog’s skin for any external parasites such as fleas, ticks, mites, and lice.

   • Don’t forget to put a dog collar and leash on your dog when you head outdoors. It may be a good idea to leave their collar on at all times. Keeping your dog on a leash is required as many states have leash laws.

   • Don’t leave your dog in a poorly ventilated area. You want the area to have some ventilation, but it shouldn’t be drafty. Allow them to have access to direct sunlight as well.

   • Don’t punish your dog if you are angry. You may be too harsh.

   • Don’t use your dog’s leash or toy to punish him. These items should be associated with pleasure not pain.

   • Don’t hit your dog. It is inhumane and painful.

   • Don’t have a training session immediately after your dog has had a meal. He won’t be as responsive as his food is digesting. He’ll probably want to take a nap instead.

   • Don’t forget to give your dog a resting period during the learning sessions. He may become distracted or fatigued and a quick break can make all the difference.

   • Don’t forget to hug and praise your dog on a daily basis! Siberian Huskys require companionship and affection. They will be upset if they don’t receive it and may act out.
     
     

2. THE RULES YOU MUST SET FOR YOUR DOG:

   It is important that your dog understands the rules and what is expected of him. Your dog is like a child. You can’t expect your child to automatically know the rules so you need to teach them the rules and how to behave. This is equally true of a dog. Of course the rules for your dog may be different!

   The Siberian Husky is not as obedient as other breeds. This stems from their arrogant and self confident nature. This does not mean, however, that your Siberian Husky will not want to please you. They do wish to please you and you improve the chances of this by making obedience training a fun experience. You want to create an association between following the rules and your Siberian Husky as a positive, entertaining good time.

   How can you present rules and obedience training in an entertaining manner? First of all you need to recognize the inherent nature of the Siberian Husky. The Siberian Husky breed likes to take information in, digest it, and then figure out its meaning. This process can sometimes appear to be stubbornness when in fact your Siberian Husky is just sorting things out in their mind. Give them the opportunity to complete this mind process and they will be happy to oblige your requests.

   You will be happy to note that the Siberian Husky is not characterized as a naughty or mischievous dog. They are independent and will try different behaviors out as a means of testing their effects. Once you have successfully trained your Siberian Husky they will become a model “in home dog”.

   The rules and intensity level of each rule are up to you. You can choose to teach your Siberian Husky basic commands such as sit, stay, and fetch. Or you can show them how to do tricks and other more advanced commands. You need to train your dog to understand the meaning of the word “no” at the very least. This is imperative for training as well as safety reasons.

   It is critical that you are consistent with your training and rule enforcement. Choose words for commands that both you and your Siberian Husky will be easily able to recognize and distinguish from other commands. You can also incorporate hand signals to help your Siberian Husky understand what is being expected of them.

   Common sense dictates that you have a name for your dog the minute they arrive into your life. You need to establish a name upfront so your dog can become accustomed to the sound of their name. It is important to incorporate their name in with training commands.

   You can leave your dog in a secure area when you are not at home to prevent them for feasting on items such as your shoes and the trash bin. However, you will also want to establish boundaries for your Siberian Husky when you are home. For example, will you allow them to sleep on your bed? Can they sit on the couch? Are they allowed in the fancy living room? You will need to train your dog as to which areas of the house are off limits.

   It is beneficial to train your dog on how to behave when company is visiting. You want to avoid having your dog jump all over visitors or become overly excited. You need to teach your dog to properly greet visitors.

   In general, basic rules for training your Siberian Husky should encompass the following considerations:

   • Create an environment that promotes learning by removing distractions

   • Be consistent

   • Demonstrate authority

   • Stick to one lesson during each learning session

   • Go at the pace of your puppy’s learning. Don’t push them to go onto a second command when they haven’t yet mastered the first command.

   • Make your Siberian Husky accountable for his misbehavior by addressing it immediately.

   • Do not be tempted to bribe your dog with food. Use praise and attention as the motivator instead.

   • Start educational relationship with your puppy right from the get go. You don’t want your puppy’s mind to wander so limit your sessions to 15 minutes, two to three times per day.

   • Praise, praise, praise your dog for their efforts! Smile and hug them often!

3. WHAT TO EXPECT FROM AN “IN HOME DOG”

   Siberian Husky will follow you around your home and want to be in your presence. They are known to be independent to a degree, but for the most part want to spread out on your bed and receive belly rubs.

   You can also expect less health problems with the Siberian Husky as they remain safely in your home. They tend to be sturdy dogs so they are not fragile.

   Siberian Huskys can adapt to a feeding schedule that is inline with your schedule. The same goes for their bathroom schedule after they are house trained.

4. THE TRAINING ISSUES YOU NEED TO CONSIDER

   When training your Siberian Husky you need to keep the following issues in mind:

   • Age of your Siberian Husky

   • Temperament/personality of your Siberian Husky

   • Previous training experience (if any)

   • Your skills as a dog trainer

   The age of your Siberian Husky plays a role concerning bad habits. Do you have an older Siberian Husky that has developed bad habits from lack of proper dog training in the past? Older dogs can be trained, it just take a little longer.

   The temperament/personality of a Siberian Husky in general is independence and free thinking. Give your Siberian Husky time to understand what is expected of them until they have it sorted out in their mind. Be consistent with your training. The fact of the matter is that even though the Siberian Husky breed is not as obedient as other breeds, they still love you and value your wishes.

   The issue of previous training experience refers to any training methods you have tried in the past. Have you been to dog obedience classes? Have you read dog training books or hired a professional dog trainer? It is crucial that you realize effective ways to train your dog. Sometimes it might not be the dog that is not trained correctly, but the trainer that
   isn’t trained correctly!

   Are you unsure how to train your dog? Why not follow the “Good Citizen Scheme”. This basic training scheme was created by a variety of Kennel Clubs in the United States. It is a dog training system that sets up standards and testing for your dog. Your dog can earn a bronze, silver, or gold award based on their results.

   If you would like specific information on the “Good Citizen Dog Scheme” check out: http://www.the-kennel-club.org.uk/training/GCDS.html.

   In general, the exercises for the “Good Citizen Dog Scheme” consist of the following:

   • Accepting a friendly stranger

   • Sitting politely for petting

   • Appearance and grooming

   • Out for a walk with the dog on a loose leash

   • Walking through a crowd

   • Sit and Down on command/Staying in place

   • Praise/Interaction

   • Reaction to another dog

   • Reactions to distractions

   • Supervised isolation

5. THE COMMON MISTAKES MADE WITH AN “IN HOME DOG”

   One major mistake is to not set rules nor train your dog as to how to behave in your home. Don’t just let them run free and explore the home unsupervised. Puppies have the uncanny ability of finding trash cans, exposed medicines, and items they should be chewing or ingesting.

   Don’t let your dog become tempted. Remove the temptations from their environment. Remember, even well trained, adult dogs will find a leftover piece of cake on the counter inviting.

   Another common mistake is to hardly exercise your in home dog. You may think that they were bred to lounge around all day. This is partly true. They do need daily exercise to avoid weight gain, keep their spirits high, and allow for time to bond with their owners. Don’t let your Siberian Husky become a couch potato.

   Another common mistake is to not reserve an area in your home that is just for your dog. An in home dog is territorial as well and needs a safe haven they can call their own. Don’t place their bed or food in a high traffic, noisy area. Place it in a calm, quiet corner of your home. Your dog needs an oasis that comforts them and makes them feel secure.

   Another common mistake with an in home dog is to not have much socialization. In house dogs need socialization just as much as the next dog. They remain in your home most of the time, but try to take them on walks so they can interact with other people and animals. This will provide much needed mental stimulation for both you and your Siberian Husky.

6. HOW TO KEEP YOUR HOME CLEAN WITH AN “IN HOME DOG” RESIDENT:

   Guess what? Siberian Huskys are very easy to clean up after. In saying this do make sure you brush them daily though. You will need to bathe them from time to time or you can take them to a professional groomer.

   Make sure to keep your dog’s food bowls clean and the water dish filled with water at all times. You don’t want your Siberian Husky to suffer dehydration. Verify that your dog food has not gone past its expiration date. Don’t be tempted to stock up on bags of dog food. The dog food may go stale or rot before you need it.

   Dogs that primarily spend their time indoors are not prone to dirtiness as much as a yard dog, but they can still become dirty. This is especially true when you take them outside to go the bathroom. If their paws become wet or muddy just wipe them off with a paper towel when you step inside.

   Also be cognizant of your dog’s skin. Check for any ticks or fleas after they have been outside. Fleas look like small black circles that squish into a black substance when you squeeze them. Ticks look like tiny spiders that can attach themselves onto your dog’s skin. Ticks may become engorged when they are feeding off your dog. Carefully remove the tick from your dog with tweezers and place it in a plastic bag. Take the tick and your dog to the vet to see if the tick will cause problems for your dog’s health.

7. THE BEST TIPS FOR CLEANING DOG URINE, POOP, AND HAIR

   There is no doubt that your Siberian Husky will have an “accident” in the house at one time or another. Therefore, you need to know the best way to clean up the mess. The key is to clean up the mess as soon as possible. You don’t want the urine to settle into your carpet. You will need to clean up the actual mess plus the odor that goes along with it.

   Follow these steps to clean up urine:

   1. You need to soak up the urine. The best method is to blot it with paper towel. Avoid rubbing since this will ingrain the stain into your carpet.

   2. Pour water over the stain to help dilute the urine content.

   3. Repeat step 1 by blotting the area with a paper towel.

   4. Pour club soda over the stain.

   5. Repeat step 1 by blotting the area with paper towel.

   6. Place paper towels over the stain and let it dry for a few hours.

   7. Apply a commercial pet mess cleaner if the stain and odor has not vanished.

   Dog poop should be cleaned up in a similar manner. You want to make sure to clean the affected the area to rid any unwanted bacteria. You must also clean up dog poop on public property or you may be fined. Plus, it is just rude to leave your dog’s waste in the park or somebody else’s yard.

8. HOW TO TEACH AN ADULT DOG TO BE AN “IN HOME DOG”

   Adult dogs can be great in home dogs. You train them virtually the same way you would train a dog of any age. You need to, however, take into account any health issues they may be facing such as incontinence. You can modify their living quarters or have them wear diapers to alleviate this problem.

   It may take longer to train an adult dog, but they will understand the rules, expectations, and behaviors eventually. They can become a great in home dog and be thankful that you brought them home.