Why does my husky spin around?

If your husky has been spinning around a lot you probably want to know why and what you can do about it.

This post will show you a number of possible causes and what you can do to stop it.

So, why does my husky spin around? Possible reasons are that it is anxious, it’s an obsessive-compulsive behavior, you have inadvertently rewarded it for doing it, someone mistreated it, there is a medical condition or it might just be being playful.

There are multiple reasons why it might be doing it but there are also a number of things you can consider when trying to figure out the exact cause. Once you have a good idea of the cause it will become easier to get it to stop.

Why your husky spins around

Each of the different reasons why your husky does it will likely come with some clues.

Below are a number of possible causes and what would make them more likely.

Anxiety

The cause could be that something is making it anxious. This would be more likely if your husky started doing it after an event might have caused it to start being anxious such as an owner leaving. It would also be more likely if it does it more in situations where it might be anxious such as when someone is around that it does not like or when you are leaving home.

If it does do it more when you are leaving home then it would be more likely to be the case that it has some separation anxiety.

If it does seem to have some separation anxiety it would help to take measures to reduce it.

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

Obsessive-compulsive behavior

It could be the case that your husky is doing it compulsively. This is where your husky has an irresistible urge to repeat the behavior. This would be more likely to be the case if your husky has been spinning in circles repeatedly over the course of weeks or months.

You have inadvertently rewarded the behavior

It could be the case that you have actually trained it to do it by giving it things it wants to get it to stop. If you tend to give it things such as toys, treats or extra attention when it does it then it could be the case that it does it more in order to get those things.

Instead, it would help to reward it when it is well behaved, to try and recognize when it is likely to start doing it and to redirect its behavior and to follow the other tips mentioned below.

It has a medical condition

It might be the case that there is a medical condition that is causing your husky to spin around a lot. This would be more likely if your husky started doing it suddenly and if it has been acting unusually in other ways such as by pulling to the side when on walks.

If it does seem like something might be wrong medically then the best option would be to take it to a vet.

It wants to be comfortable

It might be the case that it simply does it in order to be comfortable. It is normal for dogs to spin around when they are about to lay down. If your husky tends to do it more when it is about to lay down then it would be more likely to be normal behavior.

It was just being playful

If your husky only does it occasionally then it could be the case that it does it because it is feeling playful.

Things to consider

Below are a number of things you can consider when trying to figure out the exact reason why your husky might be doing it.

When it started doing it

It would help to consider the timing of when it started spinning around 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 medical condition or being anxious. But, it would help to consider what else changed at around the same time that it started doing it.

Whereas, if it has always done it then it could be due to things such as obsessive-compulsive behavior, separation anxiety, natural behavior or you might have inadvertently trained it to do it when it was young. In this case, it would help to talk to your vet about it when you see them next for a checkup.

When it does it more

It would also help to consider if there is a certain time that it tends to do it more. If it does tend to spin around more at a certain time it could be the case that the timing has something to do with it.

For example, if it tends to do it more when you are about to leave home then it would make it more likely that it does it due to separation anxiety.

What to do about your husky spinning around

Below are some options you have when getting your Siberian husky to stop spinning around.

Take it to a vet

If you can’t figure out why your husky has been doing it or it has been doing it excessively, 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 particular husky and to rule out the possibility of it being due to a medical condition.

Avoid negative reinforcement

As mentioned above, it could be the case that your husky has learned to do it more in order to get rewards. Instead of giving your husky things that it wants when it does it try to reward it when it is well behaved and to try and redirect its focus before it starts doing it.

Get help from a dog behaviorist

If you are unable to get your husky to stop spinning or it seems to be doing it compulsively it would help to get the advice of a dog behaviorist in your area. A dog behaviorist should be able to show you exactly what to do with your particular husky and to understand why it is doing it.