If your husky has been eating everything you might want to know why and what you can do about it.
This post will show you a number of reasons why your husky might be eating everything and what you can do to stop it.
So, why does my husky eat everything? Possible reasons are that it is not being fed enough, it’s not getting the right nutrients in its diet, it’s ill, it’s stressed or it has separation anxiety.
There are actually a number of reasons why your husky might eat everything and it could be a combination of multiple factors. Fortunately, there are also some things you can consider that will help you in figuring out the exact reason. Once you have a good idea of the cause it will become easier for you to get it to stop.
Why your husky eats everything
Each of the different reasons your husky eats everything will likely come with a number of clues in the way it does it.
Below, I will show you possible reasons why it might be doing it and what would make them more likely.
It’s not being fed enough
The reason why it has been trying to eat things a lot could be that it is not being fed enough in its regular diet. Usually, the amount of calories that a Siberian husky should be getting per day ranges between 860 1290 calories. If you think that you might not be feeding it enough it would help to discuss it with your vet when you see them next.
It’s not getting the right nutrients in its diet
It could be the case that you are feeding it enough but it is not getting the right nutrients in its diet so it tries to get them from other sources. This would be more likely if it suddenly started eating more when you changed its diet. You can read more about what you should and shouldn’t feed your Siberian husky here.
It’s ill
The reason why it has been eating a lot could be that it is ill. This would be more likely to be the reason if it has started doing it suddenly and it has been acting unusually in other ways as well. If it does seem like illness could be the cause the best option would be to take it to a vet.
It’s bored
Huskies are a breed that is meant to get a lot of exercise on a daily basis. When they do not get enough exercise they will often begin to look for stimulation in their own ways and it could involve eating things that they shouldn’t be.
Generally, it is recommended for Siberian huskies to be getting at least an hour of exercise per day. If your husky is not getting that much it would help to make sure that it does.
It’s stressed
Stress can also cause Siberian huskies to start to eat more than they should be. This would be more likely to be the reason why your husky has been doing it if it started to do it suddenly or if it does it when things might cause it to become stressed. An example might be if it eats everything when a certain person is around.
It has separation anxiety
It might be the case that your husky does it because it has separation anxiety. This is where it does not like being left alone and it becomes anxious when it is left alone. This would be more likely to be the reason if it starts eating more when you are about to leave and while you are away. It would also be more likely if it starts showing signs of separation anxiety when you are leaving.
In this case, it would help to avoid leaving it for extended periods and to periodically check up on it if possible.
Also, it would help to train it to be less anxious when you are leaving and when you are away.
To do this you could do as follows:
- Make it seem like you are about to leave by doing something such as picking up your keys
- Reward your husky for not being anxious and repeat these two steps a few times
- Make more moves towards actually leaving such as by picking up the keys and putting your hand on the door handle
- Reward your husky for not being anxious and repeat the process a few times
- Actually open the door and go outside for a few moments then come back and reward your husky
- Repeat the above, each time staying outside for slightly longer
Nature
It is not unusual for Siberian huskies to be opportunists. If your husky tends to eat things such as your food when you are not looking or whenever it gets the opportunity to, it would not be unusual behavior. This would especially be the case if it has not been acting unusually and if your vet has not found anything wrong with it when inspecting it.
Things to consider
When it first started doing it
It would help to consider when your husky first started eating things more since it could be the case that there was an event that caused it to start doing it.
If it started doing it suddenly it would be more likely to be due to things such as a change in its diet, becoming stressed or getting ill. It would help to consider what else changed when it started doing it.
Whereas, if it has always eaten everything, it would make it more likely to be because it does it naturally. However, it could also be that it hasn’t been getting fed enough, a lack of exercise or not being fed the right foods.
When it eats things that it shouldn’t
It would also help to consider the timing of when it eats things it shouldn’t since it might be the case that the timing has something to do with it.
If you notice that your husky only seems to eat things that it shouldn’t when you are away it would make it more likely that it does it due to separation anxiety. Whereas, if it does it when it has not gotten any exercise then it might be due to boredom.
How to get your husky to stop eating everything
Below are some options you have when getting your husky to stop eating everything.
Make sure that its diet is right
Since it might be doing it due to a problem with its diet it would help to make sure that you are feeding it the right amount and the right foods. Generally, it is recommended for a Siberian husky to get between 860 1290 calories but you should discuss the exact amount for yours with your vet. You can read more about what you should and shouldn’t feed your husky here.
Take it to a vet
If you cannot figure out why your husky has been eating everything, it has been showing signs of illness or it has started behaving unusually in other ways as well, the best option would be to take it to a vet. By doing so you will be able to get expert advice tailored towards your specific husky.
Give it exercise
If you are not currently giving it much exercise it would help to do so. You can exercise it by walking it yourself or you could get a dog walker to do it for you.
Give it distractions
In addition to the above, another option would be to give it things to be distracted by so that it is less likely to get tempted to eat things that it shouldn’t be. Things that you could give it would include toys, puzzles and bones.