You can absolutely train a recall on a husky. Whether they will obey it or not is another story.

Not really. As long as their exercise needs (which can be quite extensive for the younger ones) and learning styles are met, I've found them incredibly eager to please.

Huskies love to run and if you don't provide the venue to do that, they'll quickly find a way to do it themselves.

I am working with Leslie Nelson's "Really Reliable Recall". She got started on developing her technique when she was told Afghan hounds cannot be taught to recall. She proved them wrong and says that some breeds need more work than others, (as do some dogs!) but her technique is very effective. She really works on recall as a social-emotional bonding rather than a compulsion. Her method of treat delivery is a key part of the exercise.

Once the dog is thoroughly conditioned to respond to the Name Game (coming for their name and all the good things associated with that) then you work on conditioning an emergency recall word that is only used in emergency situations, but is conditioned under controlled conditions every day 3 x a day. This way, the dog never has a muscle memory of ignoring the emergency recall command.

I like this method because everytime I recall my dogs I give them some love and that is fun. I've been working on proofing for venue and distraction. But I am very slow with my training.

Both dogs i've owned have been husky crosses. Taz was an Austrailian Shepherd/Husky and Tucker is a Border Collie/Husky
So im not sure if im just lucky and that what they were crossed with was the saving factor, but they both had/have amazing recalls!

Taz was 100%...i could call him off and he would turn on the dime.

Tucker, at first, was a bit of a blowoffer....so for the first couple of years with me he was on a long-line day in day out. But he has learned and graduated...but im still vigilant and I am always watching his body language and scanning the horizon for any enemy flies,bees,birds,chipmunks or squirrels. He feels its his responsibility to defend himself and me from them...lol

I wouldn't say you can't achieve a good reliable recall with a husky, heck if someone said that to me i'ld be so adamant to prove them wrong, it just might take longer to get there.
I've heard the same things about beagles...that you can never trust them and they should always be on a leash...but i won't believe it until I know personally and through my experience that it can't be done.

 Quote: Wendy Lefebvre

So im not sure if im just lucky.......

Nah. I'd call it "good".

 Quote: Michael_Wise

 Quote: Wendy Lefebvre

So im not sure if im just lucky.......

Nah. I'd call it "good".

bah...lets call it "good" & "lucky" just so i don't sound like im tootin my own horn!

I think that the owners beliefs about it really influences what they can achieve. I had a italian greyhound and I didnt know they supposedly "couldnt" be offleash...no problems with her at all (having several dogs to make it a pack helps though) and she would swim if the rest of us went in the water.
I learned afterward that she was evidently a freak of nature.
my terriers previous owner said that she couldnt be let offleash either and she has the best recall of any dog ive ever owned. (all thanks to marker training. I trained her to like swimming and getting her nails trimmed just with the marker!)

I've never heard that, and the four huskies that have been through my home were always good as gold off leash. The recall wasn't 100%, turn on a dime, full blast run back to me, but they never ran off so far that they couldn't see me.

I think it's silly and possibly harmful to shy away from the fact that certain breeds have tendencies toward some less than desirable characteristics for many dog owners.

Huskies were bred to run in harness for miles and to think for themselves as lead dog without much human input in that decision making process. Many siberian huskies have poor recall. It usually takes time, a really good, respectful relationship, and unique training techniques to teach a siberian a rock-solid recall. It is in their nature to get themselves exercise if you are not providing it. I have watched my friend's siberian scale an 8 foot fence so he could run the neighborhood.

Can you teach a husky to recall? Yes! Will they always come if they see something more interesting or don't have a good relationship with the owner? NO! It takes more effort than for a velcro type dog like a border collie or most herding/retrieving breeds.

There are reasons we have so many different dog breeds, and I think the 'older' breeds, like northern breeds or many sighthounds really do retain an independent nature that was useful for their original purpose.

By the same merit- and this may meet with resistance but I think it is true- labradors like to retrieve, pitbulls are often dog aggressive, Anatolian shepherds have a very strong and independent gaurding instinct, and malinois excel at bitework sports and are very trainable.

So... can husky's be trained to recall? YES! Don't let anyone tell you otherwise, it just takes effort. Issues with my husky's recall is why I found Leerburg originally, and I have a sled dog - not a pure siberian.

A person should not get a siberian and expect a retriever in a pretty coat. There are vast differences.

Of course, there are show line sibes and working sibes, and all sorts of mixtures of breeds that are called husky but may not have any siberian and be a mix of elkhound, shepherd, border collie, etc. And individual differences. All influence behavior and biddability.

If a trainer that someone is paying can't put in the effort to figure out how to work with a siberian, find a different trainer. Huskies are trainable- very trainable, it's getting the 100% compliance that is the hard part.

Genetics DO play a role in dog behavior.

There are exceptions to every rule, of course. But breed traits are generally fairly predictable. And yes, sibes are known for their wandering spirit.