Do Huskies Like To Cuddle? Here’s What A Dog Trainer Has To Say

Last Updated/Info Checked on October 17, 2023 by Scott

According to AKC, the Siberian Husky is a 3000-year-old breed. I have had an opportunity to own one. He was affectionate to the point where I had to move away from him.

But that wasn’t always the case. I had to train him to do that for the sake of feeling a close connection with someone after my former rottweiler died.

For most people that begs the question, do huskies like to cuddle? Yes, they do but this isn’t the case for every husky out there.

They may cuddle because they are sensitive to temperatures, moody, family-oriented, and they sense dangers easily. Some may not cuddle because of their aloofness, the surrounding warm temperatures, and some illnesses.

The breed is generally aloof, sensitive, vocal, temperature-sensitive, and moody. Some of these may make your husky cuddle, while others may repel such behavior. 

Also read: Dogs breeds that love cuddling

Are Huskies Cuddly? Behaviors That Make Them Cuddle

Here are the behaviors that make them super cuddly.  

1. Sensitive

Sensitivity score: ⅗

Huskies are sensitive to outward stimuli. Mine didn’t like the traffic sounds, neighbors coming around the house, or having furniture moved from its place. Can you believe this? 

They like familiarities in their localities but over time they do get used to the change you’ve brought. Until then, you may see your dog come running at you to cuddle. 

2. Temperatures

Temperature sensitivity: ⅘ 

Huskies were bred for the cold environment but they can only take that up to a certain degree.

I wouldn’t even go on to compare huskies in the wild and the one lying on your couch.

Our huskies are comfortable around their spaces and so, a small drop in the temperature could cause them to cuddle with you. 

During winters, my furball would never leave my side.

And if I was standing in the kitchen, doing chores, he’d be curled either on the sofa or up in my bed.

It took some two weeks to correct this behavior but I didn’t rob him of his cuddles. 

You may also be interested in: Can Huskies live in Texas?

3. Moody 

Mood swings: ⅗ 

I have owned a husky and I have also trained a bunch of them. If anything is common between all of them, that would be their flinching moods.

At one moment, they’d be ready to please me, and the next, they acted like they didn’t know me at all.

Something had to be done about that, which I did, and Dogtra helped me too. 

During those training sessions, though, I realized that some of them would run toward me for a quick cuddle.

I’m not sure if that was the magic of Dogtra. Maybe the dogs were like okay we understand you, would you remove this now and let us be alfa again?

Or, they developed an association with the collar, its stimulation, and me. They finally understood me and my actions brought them some peace. 

4. Family-Oriented 

Family orientation score: ⅘ 

Are Huskies affectionate? Your husky would want to cuddle, play, and sleep with you because the breed, no matter how aloof it gets sometimes, still loves you. In addition, huskies can easily adjust to other dogs in your house.

They form a close association with you because they’ve been bred to do so. In Siberia, on frozen lands and lakes, these dogs fetched fish, pulled sleds, and did other work.

So what if our huskies eat dog food now, they still have that loyalty in them that’s courtesy of their Siberian ancestry. 

Back in the time when my husky was about 7 years old, we’d have a great time hanging around in the neighborhood.

As soon as I would bring him in, sensing he had his fill of entertainment for the day, he’d snuggle past me on the couch for a nice cuddle.

I’d almost hear him say, “Thank you for being the best dad.” Those were the days.

5. Sensing Danger

Vigilance: 3/5

These dogs are vigilant in their own right. Threats may or may not alert them. It’s as if they choose what to respond to and what to ignore.

Whenever my dog would see a stray animal in my yard or hear a strange sound coming from an unfamiliar vehicle, he’d either start a barking fit or come running at me to hide behind my back.

The cuddling would ensue. 

From that, I realized that the dog wanted an assurance of security. The cuddling would give him that along with good, cozy feelings. 

Behaviors That May Not Make Huskies Cuddle

These behaviors may repel Huskies from the remotes of hugs.

1. General aloofness

Carelessness: ⅗ 

Huskies have a general tendency to ignore their owners at their will.

That exacerbates if your dog isn’t trained well enough to listen to you then if he thinks there’s no need.

I sometimes think these dogs have cats inside, operating them like machines. 

We can’t blame the breed, though. Independence is one of their traits. They may not want to cuddle when they think they’re the boss around the house. 

2. Warm Temperatures

I needn’t explain this further. Increase the temperature a little and the dog would start behaving weirdly.

At least mine did. He would stay away from me because the temperatures around were fine to keep him warm and cozy.

That big coat of his seems to be a liability for him in such conditions. 

3. Mental Illnesses

The breed is sensitive as you read. Any previous ill-treatment may have ruined the dog’s mental capacities.

That can happen with any dog belonging to any breed. You just need to keep a check on its other behaviors.

Does it eat well? Is the dog aggressive? What about its tendency to bite, jump, and nip, or you or others around? 

How To Get Your Husky To Cuddle?

First, I want you to respect the dog more than anything. Every dog is different. Yours may not have that lovey-dovey nature.

That’s something you may have a hard time changing. But you can still try. 

• Cuddle him for short bursts and release him as soon as he starts to show signs of irritation.
• Give it a treat after a successful cuddling session.
• Make use of the cold temperatures, if you live in such an area.
• Every once in a while let it do dog things to win over its trust.
• Invest time and money in mental and physical stimulation such as playing, buying toys, etc.

When you do get him to cuddle, the sheer size may put you in an awkward situation. Watch this video and you’ll know what I mean:

Do Huskies Like To Cuddle? Conclusion

Huskies are generally affectionate but their aloofness can’t take over any time.

Both of these behaviors hang in a balance, so it’s up to the way you deal with the dog that may or may not make it cuddle.

Of course, there are other factors at play, which I talked about in length. If it doesn’t want to cuddle even after you train it to do so, respect his behavior.