Huskies are undeniably expert escape artists. This is something many Husky owners are experienced with, and something that many breeders will warn new Husky owners about. But the myth that ALL Huskies will try to escape is something is mostly untrue.
While Huskies are great at finding ways out of a yard, it’s important to note that they will usually only try to do this if they are bored or under-stimulated. Huskies don’t rreally have an insatiable need to get over that fence.
Life of Pi by Yann Martel explains it poignantly:
“I was surprised to read at the Toronto Zoo—a very fine zoo, I might add—that leopards can jump eighteen feet straight up. Our leopard enclosure in Pondicherry had a wall sixteen feet high at the back; I surmise that Rosie and Copycat never jumped out not because of constitutional weakness but simply because they had no reason to.”
Keep your Siberian Husky or Alaskan Malamute well exercised and mentally stimulated, and you’ll find they probably won’t even try to escape. Bear in mind, however, that cats and other dogs are great incentives for your Husky to try to get out of the yard. If you are getting a new Husky soon, or have got one recently, then it is still important to make sure your yard is secure.
The generally accepted height for fences is 1.8 metres (about 6 feet). If possible try to avoid having anything that can be used as paw grips, as anything that they can get their paw onto will help give them a leg up. Also, Huskies and Malamutes are good diggers, and if a Husky is set on getting out of the yard then under the fence is likely the way they’ll go. Ideally, buried concrete sleepers underneath all your fences will ensure your Husky won’t be able to dig his way out. You can also dig a trench and pour your own concrete to make the fence fully secure.
Gates and weaker chainlink fences are quite susceptible to Husky escape attempts. Weaker chainlink fences can be worn down along the edges, and holes can develop. And gates sometimes have weaknesses that allow the dog to open them if not secured.
