Huskies are adorable and enjoyable dog breeds that many pet lovers desire to have as part of their families. However, huskies don’t like cats and other small pets; they consider them prey to chase after and kill.
With that in mind, here's the 5 million dollar question: Can Huskies be trained to like cats?
Yes, Huskies can be trained to like cats. If you provide enough training early, your dog can unlearn the instinctual prey drive. Also, give him treats when he remains friendly to the cat. This helps your Husky understand that something good comes her way whenever she remains harmless towards your cat.
Although Huskies learned this characteristically high prey drive over hundreds of generations in severe Arctic conditions, they can unlearn it.
This article provides simple steps to follow when training your Husky to like her future canine friend.
Let’s dive in.
Can Huskies Be Trained to Like Cats?
Yes, you can train your Husky to like cats. Although the breed is renowned for its strong prey drive, you can teach her to stay calm and be friendly to cats, especially those in her family.
Proper and adequate training overrides the prey drive through a learned response or friendly persuasion. The latter approach is a more effective way of training your canine friend to like cats.
Friendly persuasion involves giving your dog unique toys, treats, or verbal encouragement whenever the cat shows up, and she shows no harmful reactions.
This training strategy aims to stop Husky's improper behavior of chasing cats or other small pets. Instead, he starts to know that treating the cat well is a ‘source’ of good things. It encourages good behavior.
However, training a hunting breed like the Husky is more challenging than training other breeds, but it’s possible. Dogs need an early introduction and extra attention, particularly the socialization part, to see cats as part of the pack.
Regular exercise is also essential for the highly energetic dog breed to burn off some of its excess energy. It enhances the dogs’ safe interactions with cats.
How Can I Train My Husky to Like Cats?
You can train your Husky to like cats using the positive reinforcement approach. Follow the four significant steps below to change your pup’s mind about cats:
- Obedience training
- Socialization
- Desensitization
- Controlled interactions
Read on.
Step 1: Obedience Training
Consistently reward your dog immediately after she does what you instruct her to do. Obedience training teaches your Husky to respond positively to basic commands (verbal or hand signals) and observe the set boundaries.
Some of the commands include “come,” “sit,” “leave it,” “down,” and “stay.” First, have your pup on a leash to manage her excitement around her fellow canine. Also, you should conduct the training away from cats.
Never reward unwanted behavior. For instance, your Husky might get confused if you tell your dog to sit and fail to reward her, only to reward her when he’s up again.
Obedience training is vital for enhancing your Husky’s impulse control and preparing her for a feline-filled environment. It naturally overrides the pup’s prey drive and creates a platform for you to work on her relationship with cats.
Step 2: Socialization
Socialize your Husky correctly to prepare her to live comfortably with other pets, such as cats and human society. This allows her to have stress-free, positive experiences and gain confidence by understanding her place in the pack.
Ideal socialization involves introducing your pet to different environments, people, animals, sounds, sights and smells.
The behavioral traits of an adequately trained Husky are predictable. He’s calm in various settings, significantly impacting a cat's behavior. Thus, you can comfortably take your dog around cats and other pets.
Socialize your dog early and more often. Otherwise, you risk her getting overstimulated by the appearance of her feline counterparts.
Again, you mustn’t execute this step around cats.
Step 3: Desensitization
Desensitization prepares your dog for a face-to-face experience with cats. Having mastered basic commands and learned (in steps 1 and 2), your Husky is polite and calm around cats and other pack members.
Start by exposing your pup to cat-smelling objects, such as cat toys or clothing. Alternatively, play cat sounds to your dog.
Provide rewards to help her associate the items or sounds with the treats or positive verbal encouragements.
Additionally, take your Husky near the cats’ residing room and allow her to sniff around calmly. Reward her if she relaxes and lies down.
Finally, bring your dog into the cat’s sight and offer desensitization training by asking her to sit once she starts barking. Treat her if she stops barking, and add more if she continues to sit calmly.
The dog will start associating rewards with seeing cats, and they’ll like them.
Step 4: Controlled Interactions
Conduct controlled one-on-one introductions of your pup and kitty. Let your dog be on a leash, and have a toddler gate or a screen door with the pets on opposite sides. That allows the animals to see each other without risk of confrontation.
Initial interactions are about getting to know each other: sniffing and expertly reading one another’s body language. If the cat decides to explore further, allow her to do so.
Never force them to make any movement.
Keep applying positive reinforcement to keep your pet dog calm throughout the meeting.
You can also conduct the physical introduction during meal times. Let the cat relax around the dog when her future friend focuses on the bowl of her favorite food.
If your Husky becomes overexcited, separate the two and have another session when he’s calm.
Keep your pets under close supervision throughout their interactions, and let your dog be on a leash until you’re sure she likes her new canine friend.
If you feel like you're not the best fit to offer training, your schedule is tight, or your husky doesn't seem to obey your instructions, contact K9 Training Institute.
The institute offers exceptional Husky behavioral training, giving you peace of mind when you leave your cat and Husky without supervision while running errands.
Wrap Up
The high-energy Husky dog breed can be trained to like cats. Although famous for their high prey drive, you can help them unlearn their behavior and live with cats as best friends.
Positive reinforcement is the best training approach to creating a friendly bond between the two pets. The four steps to achieving a good Husky-cat relationship include obedience training, adequate socialization, desensitization, and controlled interactions, in that order.
Now, you have no reason not to have the two pets as pack members. Apply these training steps or hire a professional Husky behavioral trainer, and enjoy the warm company of your canine friends.
