Do Huskies bark or howl?

Every new Husky owner or anyone who is looking into getting a Siberian Husky has probably wondered if Huskies bark or howl and how noisy is this breed.

While Siberian Huskies can bark and howl, a lot of them almost never do. Barking is usually a territorial call and huskies are almost uniquely non-territorial. A lot of husky barking is actually an invitation to play. Instead of barking or howling, a lot of Huskies ‘talk’ making funny and interesting growling noises. They are funny like that.

So it’s fair to say that a Husky is a pretty quiet dog in terms of barking or howling. I must say that they tend to be more vocal when they are not alone and are with another Husky or dog.

Their friendly nature and the lack of too much barking makes them pretty bad guard dogs. They will probably try to play even with strangers once they feel comfortable – that is, if they are not scared of the dog’s size like some people are.

But my Husky barks quite a lot

There is nothing wrong with your Husky if he barks. That’s just uncommon, as ‘talking’ and howling is the usual way huskies communicate.

The main point you need to understand is that each dog has its own personality and traits.

What to make sure of if your Husky is barking a lot

If you notice that your Siberian Husky is barking a lot and is agitated, you might have a Husky that is suffering from stress, anxiety or loneliness.

You can notice this in some Huskies that are not trained yet (or too much). For example, they bark and fuss around a lot if you leave home – your neighbor can probably confirm this as they can be quite loud.

They can also get noisy if they are very bored or not exercised at all. They do need their fun and some of them might use barking as a way of letting you know that ‘Hey, dude, walk me!’.

Teaching your dog tricks and playing with him often might alleviate excessive barking if boredom is the culprit. See how you can train your Husky to play fetch here.

If the above is the case, you need to make sure to train your Husky and teach him that it’s normal for you to be missing a couple of hours per day, in order to have a stress-free dog and a happy friend.

The most important thing is to pay attention to your Husky. Be aware of when and why he’s barking or acting in a certain way. You will easily notice why he does it and will be able to correct it.

Can you stop a Husky from barking or howling?

If we’re not talking about barking for a certain reason, like you leaving home or your Husky being bored, I don’t encourage trying to suppress his way of communicating.

But if you want to make him less anxious when you’re leaving for work or when something specific is happening, this can be accomplished with lots of patience and training.

Can you make a Husky bark or howl?

Well, not really. If your Siberian Husky is not the barking or howling type it does not mean that something is wrong with him. That’s just the way he is.

You can however, try to train him how to ‘speak’ – those funny noises he makes when he’s trying to tell you something.

So, do Huskies bark?

Does your Husky bark or howl? Let me know in the comment section below! I’m really curious as my huskies are quite quiet. Apart from some random howls and barks, they are quite polite and only speak when it’s dinner time.

If you already got your Husky, did you check out my article on grooming bathing your Husky?