If your husky is afraid of everything, you might be wondering why and what you can do about it.
This post will show you a number of reasons why your husky might be afraid and what you can do about it.
So, why is my husky afraid of everything? Possible reasons are that previous owners mistreated it, it was not able to socialize as a puppy, it recently moved homes, illness, injury or it could be naturally timid.
There are a number of things that you can consider when trying to figure out why your husky does it. Once you have a good idea of the cause, it will become much easier for you to get it to stop.
Why your husky is afraid of everything
Each of the different reasons that your husky is afraid of everything will likely come with some clues.
Below, I will mention a number of reasons why your husky is doing it and what would make them more likely.
Previous owners
It could be the case that previous owners mistreated your husky and it is causing it to be fearful now. This would be more likely if you recently adopted it from a shelter.
In this case, it is likely that it will begin to improve over time. However, you can help it by giving it positive attention in the form of training, exercise and by playing with it.
Someone has been mistreating it
It might be the case that someone in its current environment has been mistreating it. This would be more likely if it only becomes afraid when a certain person is around. It would also be more likely if your husky spends a lot of time around other people without you being present.
Huskies will learn a lot about the world when they are puppies. They will especially learn about who to trust and who not to trust. If your husky did not socialize with many people as a puppy then it could be the case that it did not get to learn to trust people. This would be more likely if you know that it didn’t socialize much as a puppy.
In this case, it would help to get it to socialize with friendly people whenever possible. It would also help to give it lots of positive attention whenever possible.
Related: Why is my husky afraid of other dogs?
You are in a new location
If you have recently moved homes or your husky has recently moved into your home then it could be the case that it is unsure of its environment. In this case, it would be likely that it will improve over the course of days and weeks. It would also help to give it exercise and to help it to explore its new environment to see that it is safe.
It is ill or injured
The reason that it has been being afraid might be that it is ill or injured. This would be more likely if it became afraid suddenly and if it has been showing other signs of being ill or injured such as limping or vomiting.
If it does seem like illness or injury could be the cause then the best option would be to take it to a vet.
Related: Why does my husky throw up?
Nature
It might be the case that your husky is naturally timid. This would be more likely if it has not become afraid suddenly and if it has always been that way.
If it does seem to be naturally timid then it would help to reward it when it is not afraid and to avoid rewarding it when it shows signs of being afraid.
Things to Consider
There are a number of things that you can consider when trying to figure out why your husky has been being fearful. Below, I will mention some particularly helpful things to consider.
If it is always afraid or if it is only afraid at certain times
It would help to consider whether or not your husky is always afraid. If there are certain times where it seems to become more afraid then it could be the case that there is something that is triggering it.
If it does seem to become afraid more at certain times then it could be due to things such as noises it doesn’t like, someone being around that it doesn’t like or it might have separation anxiety.
Whereas, if it always seems to be afraid then it would be more likely to be due to things such as being in a new environment, being a puppy, illness, injury or previous owners mistreating it.
It is not unusual for huskies to be afraid of things such as thunder
If your husky is afraid of certain things such as thunder, sirens or construction works then it would help to be aware that it is not unusual for dogs to become afraid in these situations.
In this case, it would be helpful to reduce the exposure that your husky has to these things and to try desensitization training.
How old it is
If is not unusual for huskies to go through a more fearful stage when they are still very young. If your husky is a puppy then it could be that it is just going through a more fearful stage and it will improve over the course of weeks.
However, if it is an adult then it would be more likely to be due to one of the things mentioned above.
How to get your husky to be less afraid of things
Below, are a number of tips that you can use to get your husky to be less afraid of things. The best option for your husky will depend on the cause so keep that in mind when getting it to stop.
Allow it to meet new people and dogs
If your husky is not able to meet other people or dogs and it didn’t socialize much as a puppy then naturally it will be more distrusting of them. It would help to allow your husky to meet new people and dogs that are friendly so that it gets to learn that there are people and dogs that it can trust.
Reward it when it is not afraid
In order to get your husky to behave in a less timid way it would help to train it to be less timid.
To train it to be less timid it would help to reward it with treats or attention when it shows signs of not being afraid when it normally would.
It would also help to recognize when it is about to become afraid of something and to prevent it from doing so by diverting its attention on to something else. By doing this you will be able to break it out of the habit of being afraid. One way to divert its attention would be to train it to come to you on command.
Avoid punishing or rewarding it when it does become fearful
It would also help to avoid reinforcing the behavior. If you tend to give it things that it wants, when it becomes afraid, then it could be the case that it has learned that being afraid gets it things that it wants.
Instead of giving it things like attention, toys or treats, when it becomes afraid it would help to reward it when it is not afraid and to prevent it from being afraid by diverting its attention before it starts doing it.
Take it to new locations
If your husky has recently moved homes then it would help to get it to explore the environment so that it gets to see that it is safe. You can do this by walking it around the house and backyard and by walking it around different areas.
If your husky is still young then it would help to socialize it with other friendly dogs and people so that it can learn to be more trusting of people.
See a vet or a certified dog expert in your area
If you can’t figure out why your husky has been being afraid of everything then it would help to take it to a vet. By doing so you will be able to rule out medical causes and get expert advice tailored towards your particular husky.
Another option would be to get the help of a dog behaviorist in your area who will be able to tell why it is acting that way and to show you what to do about it.