Have you ever looked at your husky and wondered what they are thinking about when they look longingly into your eyes? If your dog doesn’t get enough stimulation, he is probably bored and trying to hypnotize you into doing something fun.
Time for some husky games!
The best games to play with a husky should include physical and mental stimulation. Some game ideas are tug of war, hide and seek, playing fetch, and puzzle games. Obstacle and agility courses are great options too. Huskies are working dogs, which means they need to expel energy daily.
Huskies have a high energy level and love playing interactive games with their owners.
Of course, running and chasing are in their nature, but let’s not forget how hyper-intelligent these dogs are, and while you need games that can challenge them physically, you also need mentally challenging games to keep your husky sharp.
The 5 Best Husky Games For A Husky
A bored husky becomes challenging to manage, and they can tend to become somewhat destructive as they find ways to entertain themselves.
The Huskies’ ancestors were working dogs with the energy to pull sleds in cold weather for long periods. Unfortunately, today’s husky doesn’t get close to getting rid of ¼ of that energy.
Finding physical games that can help him shed some energy is essential, but let’s not forget how equally important it is for your dog to get mentally challenged.
Tug Of War
Tug-of-War is an excellent human/dog interaction game to play with your husky and is also a fun way to teach your husky training and obedience commands.
- Hold out a tug toy, like a rope, to your Husky and tell them to take it.
- Getting their attention by moving the tug rope from side to side and making encouraging sounds when they tug back reinforces the point that what they are doing is correct and encourages them to continue.
- If you feel there has been enough back and forth tugging, stop all movement, this will freeze the game, making the tug toy effectually dead. At this point, your husky should lose interest.
- Use the command word drop so that he releases his grip on the rope. As soon as he releases the rope, reward him with a treat to enforce obedience and impulse training. This reward enforces obedience training and impulse control.
- Immediately pick up the toy and instruct your husky to sit.
- Try to get them to calm down, and if you struggle, you can stroke him on his chest and between the front legs to calm him down.
- As soon as he has relaxed, you can continue with the game by repeating the steps above.
- Once your game is over, take the tug toy with you so he learns that he can’t just pull whenever he wants to, and the game only gets initiated when you want to play it.
Physically it is one of the most intense forms of exercise for your husky, on top of giving them a great mental workout by obeying commands you give during the game.
Furthermore, it is beneficial to your husky as it is a great way to strengthen the bond between you and your dog. But it also reinforces fundamental obedience and redirects any destructive chewing habits.
Hide And Seek
Hide and seek can also be a fun way to teach obedience commands to your dog and challenge their senses.
- Use his favorite toy or treat. Let your husky sniff it and get excited about the object.
- Using your obedience commands, ask your husky to sit and stay. Then, start the game off by hiding it in an accessible spot for your husky to find. After that, you can gradually increase the difficulty as he gets better at the game.
- Ask your husky to find it. When they do, praise them with lots of encouragement.
- If they struggle to find it, you can help them by leading them closer to the object and repeating the command find it.
- Once they have the toy, let them play with it for a few minutes or eat the treat before playing again.
This game is not physically strenuous, but mentally, it is a great way to stimulate. The more complex the hiding place, the more they will have to use their brains and other senses to find the object.
A fun-filled experience to bond with your dog and reinforce your husky’s obedience commands. This activity also allows them to hone their other instinctive abilities and keeps them out of mischief.
Playing Fetch
A great way to make visiting the park fun is by adding a routine of playing fetch. Of course, you can do this at home, but you may find that some dogs get bored quickly with this game.
Incorporating this game with other exercises like a visit to the park or a stroll on the beach is a great way to increase their physical exertions.
- You can use a ball or frisbee to play a few rounds of throw and fetch.
- Ask your husky to sit and stay, throw the ball, and then excitedly shout, FETCH!
- Once they have retrieved the item, say the command, bring it back, as your husky runs back to you, and when they reach you, ask them to give. Once they have dropped the item, praise them with treats or lots of loving appraisals.
- Then you start again, and hopefully, your husky’s intelligence won’t kick in too soon, and he decides that this game is boring.
Physically this game gives your husky a great workout and will tire them out mentally. But, on the other hand, it is elementary and doesn’t require a lot of brain to get the game right. As a result, some dogs will either not play this game or give up after a few throws.
However, this is a great way to break routines and exercises that you are doing with your dog, allowing them a bit of a break to stimulate their prey drive and improve their obedience skills.
Puzzle Games
There are several ways you could make puzzle games for them. Our two favorites are the cupcake tray and ball and the cup and treat.
With the cupcake tray and ball puzzle, you will need a 6, 9, or 12 cupcake mold tray and as many tennis balls as you need to close the cupcake mold.
- Place one of their favorite treats in one cupcake hole, and cover each hole with a tennis ball.
- In the beginning, you can let your husky see where you are placing the treat to encourage them to look for the treat under the balls.
- Put the tray in front of them and let them sniff out which ball is hiding the treat. Their reward is finding and eating the hidden treat.
- As they become used to the game, you can hide the treat without them seeing where you put it.
The cup and treat method is similar because they have to look for the treat but work slightly differently.
- Get three plastic cups, place a one treat under one cup
- Shuffle the cups around in front of your dog.
- Once you have shuffled them, let them choose which cup they think the treat is under.
These games are very low on physical exertion but will mentally challenge your dog.
This is a great way to play with them without them going crazy. It helps them learn to control their excitement, and it’s just an entertaining way to see your dog’s expressions.
Agility And Obstacle Course
You will have seen some dogs performing agility and obstacle courses.
Obstacle courses are a great way to dispense mental and physical energy, but it does require patience and commitment from you as the owner.
You could join a club that has this facility and teaches you and your husky how to maneuver through the course, or you can just as quickly set it up in your garden if you have the space with some household items.
- Logs, PVC pipes, sticks, or brooms can be used to jump over.
- Washing baskets or flower pots could be used as the stands for the jump.
- You can use a hula hoop as a jumping ring.
- If you have any old doors or planks, you can use them as ramps for your dog to climb onto or crawl under.
- You could lay a course with small cones to get your dog to weave in and out of.
The list of ideas you can come up with is endless. However, if you and your dog enjoy this, we would recommend that you join a club that offers agility and obstacle courses.
This activity is physically and mentally challenging not only for the dog but also for the owner.
However, it is not only a great way to bond with your dog but an excellent way for both of you to get a great workout outdoors.
Why Play Time Is Important For Huskies
Huskies have an abundance of energy that any husky owner will agree never seems to come to an end. So adding playtime to your daily activities is vitally important to help keep your dog mentally and physically stimulated.
It also creates a bond between you and your pup, reinforcing your dog’s commands and obedience.
Huskies, when bored, can become a real handful by chewing, digging, destructive behavior, and jumping or escaping.
Ensure your husky gets at least 80 minutes of physical exercise a day and incorporate some games to stimulate them mentally.
An Active Husky Is A Happy Husky
Husky dogs were bred as working dogs and are highly intelligent with an energy that goes on forever. Keeping them physically and mentally challenged is the key to a happy husky.
If you want to prevent your husky from acting out like a spoiled little brat, then finding the time to give the physical and mental exercises will make for a happy owner.