My 1-yr old male loves to be around people, though he freaks out when we try to hug him or hold him on the bed or couch. He starts kicking and tries to get up to get away. Is this normal for a husky?

Thanks.

I don't really know what is normal anymore, but my Husky is the same way. He hated being picked up his whole life and generally doesn't like any physical restriction like hugs. We have learned to give him his space and in return for the past couple of months he has been cuddling on the couch right beside us.

It seems in general they are proximity oriented, not physically oriented affection giving dogs.

Evie always hated it too, from the time she was 8 weeks old. Like Jeff said tho she is ALWAYS close, following us around and laying at our feet.

I believe there is no such thing as 'Normal' for any dog... Sure, things like pulling which huskies were bred for ( over thousands of years ) is normal... each dog does have its own character/personality and its own likes/dis-likes.
Keyto is very affectionate and loves to be cuddled... Digger however does not. He prefers pats and play-fighting and jumping all over me on the couch rather then sitting in my lap. He will eventually lay there to receive pats, but if ya try and get all snuggly he is off.... Digger shows his affection on his terms only... Maybe your dog will be the same.

We have a bordercollie x Kelpie that is the same, he hates being restricted in every way unless he's in certain moods but you can never have an arm over him while he's laying down.

I'd say it just depends on the type of dog though there are things that can effect the puppies behaviour

Loki is fine when I pick him up, hug him, or cuddle him. He is fine with my fiance half the time. Our daughter can only do it if he his kind of sleepy.

My dog Kaido spazzes if you try to pick him up, or he'll sit down so you can't pick him up. Other times when "he's not in the mood" and laying down he won't like to be cuddled & he'll end up growling at me if I don't give him his space. He likes to cuddle though, but only when he wants to.

Anything abnormal is normal for a Husky   

I'm not sure if it is normal or not but Hughie is probably right on the money lol
I will say though I have taught my boy to accept being picked up and carried round. Slightly odd thing to teach I know but it is something that was done with all the dogs I have had growing up so I did it with Orion too. Theory being that if we are out hiking or anything and if Orion was ever hurt I would need him to be calm and accustomed to being held and carried so I could get him to safety if need be - I couldn't imagine anything worse than having an injured dog that fought you if you tried to pick him up, it would be impossible to deal with in the middle of nowhere.

I know it's a different scenario to cuddling but I thought I would throw it in there

My boy tolerates most physical contacts but doesn't really like it. You can tell he's not comfortable about it.

Like someone else said, thay like to be close to people but not TOO close.

Nope. Not a cuddle-bug.  At most, late at night when I get him for his last walk of the day, he'll roll over for a belly rub or lean his head into me while I scratch his ears.  Even that, there is a very limited time span until he shuts of, jumps up and says, "cut the mushy stuff, let's go!  Other wise, I think he tolerates my affection (wouldn't be surprised if he's rolling his eyes until I give up  ).

The other time he'll welcome touch is when he gets a snowball in his feet - he'll lay down to work on it and when I take my mitten off, he'll let me hold his paw to melt the snow and pull it out.  Really interesting because otherwise, he's very persnickety about me handling him.

Now, with my previous girl (many, many moons ago), I could pat my chest and she would jump up into my arms (she was NOT the 60 pound bruiser the big boy is  ). She liked to sleep next with me, she curled up on the couch with me...she liked to run away, she destroyed the house, she loved porcupines...but she like to cuddle.

Nala HATES hugs and cuddling but she LOVES kisses thats about it! lol, she doesnt like to be restrained i think thats what it is she will cuddle me when she feels like it!

I agree...every husky is different

After having 3 I found out how different they can be! All three of mine are so different it's crazy. Nikko is completely fine and seems to like being held. Yukon will tolerate it sometimes, and Kodiak absolutely refuses! He will squirm if I even try to pick him up!

Link's best friend Korra is a Husky and you can hold her like a newborn baby and she just melts. Link would go nuts after about 10 seconds.

Denali was a strange one. She hated being hugged but loved to be scooped up and held upside down. Kodiak is totally the opposite, he loves being hugged and held but he is too heavy for the upside down treatment.

I read in one of my Husky books that huskies think that hugs are rude. Generally you can teach them to accept physical affection, but deep down inside they think you are a rude individual who is just supposed to give them food and let them run.

Simon is just like this. He loves to be with me and follows me from room to room but isn't big on being pet or picked up or cuddles.

Unless I just walked in the door and then all he wants is to be pet and to sit in my lap and play because I just came home.

Sorry for the unrelated question but I'm new on here. How do I post a pic inside of a comment? All I see is something that says host a pic but when I upload, nothing happens. Thanks

Kevinski wrote:

Sorry for the unrelated question but I'm new on here. How do I post a pic inside of a comment? All I see is something that says host a pic but when I upload, nothing happens. Thanks

Check out this link!

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Every dog is different, and this isn't limited to Huskies. My Rot/GSD mix hated being cuddled but would happily sleep with me as long as he had his own little space. He loved his belly rubbed and loved being petted, he just didn't like being smothered. Ice loves all affection, kisses, hugs, everything. I can smother him all I want. He'll sleep with me right beside me all night. I haven't tried picking him up because well, he's far too big.

lol my pup is the same way he will lay on ur lap but the moment u try to hug him pick him u he will run n kick too I think its pretty normal now hopes that helps

lillith87 wrote:

I read in one of my Husky books that huskies think that hugs are rude. Generally you can teach them to accept physical affection, but deep down inside they think you are a rude individual who is just supposed to give them food and let them run.  

  Love this - I always laugh and say Ami tolerates my hugs (briefly) and imagine that he is rolling his eyes, saying "whatever"...just like my kids when they were 15.

amymeme wrote:

lillith87 wrote:

I read in one of my Husky books that huskies think that hugs are rude. Generally you can teach them to accept physical affection, but deep down inside they think you are a rude individual who is just supposed to give them food and let them run.  

  Love this - I always laugh and say Ami tolerates my hugs (briefly) and imagine that he is rolling his eyes, saying "whatever"...just like my kids when they were 15.

I will type here the entire little paragraph from the book itself "Barron's Dog Bibles: Siberian Huskies"


" Hugging your Siberian?: People hug to give reassurance or show affection. To a husky, hugging is rude and most will try to pull away. However you can't always protect your husky from an uniformed child or other human so you do need to teach him to accept hugs gracefully. A treat as you give him a quick hug will ensure he associates human arms around his neck with good things."


Here is another one that seems relevant to the topic:

"Patting your husky on the head?: In the dog world a paw on the head or shoulder is a sign of dominance. Your Siberian will probably walk away, or, if he's already submissive, lower his head and cringe. Find out where your dog likes to be stroked or scratched, behind the ears, on the chest, or at the base of the tail, and do that instead."


There is also others about "Walking straight up to your husky, then hovering"... and there is another about "Staring at your husky".

lillith87 wrote:

amymeme wrote:

lillith87 wrote:

I read in one of my Husky books that huskies think that hugs are rude. Generally you can teach them to accept physical affection, but deep down inside they think you are a rude individual who is just supposed to give them food and let them run.  

  Love this - I always laugh and say Ami tolerates my hugs (briefly) and imagine that he is rolling his eyes, saying "whatever"...just like my kids when they were 15.

I will type here the entire little paragraph from the book itself "Barron's Dog Bibles: Siberian Huskies"


" Hugging your Siberian?: People hug to give reassurance or show affection. To a husky, hugging is rude and most will try to pull away. However you can't always protect your husky from an uniformed child or other human so you do need to teach him to accept hugs gracefully. A treat as you give him a quick hug will ensure he associates human arms around his neck with good things."


Here is another one that seems relevant to the topic:

"Patting your husky on the head?: In the dog world a paw on the head or shoulder is a sign of dominance. Your Siberian will probably walk away, or, if he's already submissive, lower his head and cringe. Find out where your dog likes to be stroked or scratched, behind the ears, on the chest, or at the base of the tail, and do that instead."


There is also others about "Walking straight up to your husky, then hovering"... and there is another about "Staring at your husky".

Cool - I think I read this at Barnes and Noble. Actually, I think I even read it out loud to hubby, who also rolls his eyes, but usually when I'm trying to read something to him while he reads something else