MEET THE SQUAD
Nikolai
The newest member of the Squad. Heās still needs some time to mature, but heās making amazing progress each day. Heās quite the goofy boy and his husky conversations sound more like Chewbacca than a husky. He loves playing fetch, and heās obsessed with raw food since switching him from Kibble to Raw. Nikolai has been glued to Jc since the moment we rescued him.
Kimahri
The biggest hugger we ever met, Kimahri leaps into hugs to say hello or to show her gratitude. This pup knows exactly how to adjust to her surroundings. At home, sheās the sweetest, quietest, most cuddle-obsessed pup, but on the trails, sheās a crazy, wild adrenaline junkie! When we rescued her, she wanted the alpha role so badly, but Yuna was not having it.
Yuna
The smallest of the pack, Yuna has two distinct sides of her personality. As the alpha pup, sheās feisty yet gentle. Sheās incredibly mature, but sheās not above playing puppy to get away with things. Sheās super intelligent, but she loves her playtime with flashing balls (as you can see sometimes on our Instagram stories). Yuna is a total daddyās girl whoās super attached to Jc.
Tidus
Our big teddy bear canāt get enough cuddles. Tidus is the calmest of the pack, but the most vocal about his feelings. He loves playing so much that he often unsuccessfully tries to convince squirrels to come down from the trees to be his playmates. He thinks his job is to be the protector grizzly bear of the family, but this mamaās boy also loves relaxing and being spoiled. Visit his Memoir page here.
Jc
The alpha male of the pack, Jc leads with his calm personality and infectiously tranquil aura. Whether heās guiding the pack on the trails or behind the camera shooting videos, Jc exudes a relaxed confidence that keeps the pack feeling secure and free to enjoy life. He creates the magical videos you see on our YouTube channel and is the tech genius behind everything on Husky Squad.
Victoria
Victoria deftly balances her role as the alpha female of the pack with her instincts for being a cuddle-giver. Since Kimahri was diagnosed with cancer, Victoria became passionate about feeding the Squad a well rounded raw food diet. She loves being the Husky Squadās photographer, and she not-so-secretly wants to rescue seven more huskies to grow the family.
A pack of huskies and two husky parents adventuring around the world
We use our social media presence to provide an insight into the responsibility of owning a dog such as a Siberian Husky.
Rather than encourage our followers and subscribers to go out and purchase a puppy, we want to help people understand that owning a dog is a huge commitment.
We hope to educate all dog parents on how to give their dogs the best possible life, while forging an incredible bond with their canine companions.
What we’re about
ā Going beyond ādog trainingā
ā Building an amazing bond with our dogs
ā Providing an incredible quality of life for our dogs
ā Enjoying #NatureTherapy when we #GetTheHuskyOut
ā Feeding our dogs a healthy RAW diet
ā Practicing holistic veterinary care
ā Preventing disease with a proactive approach
ā Creating memories through video and photo
WHAT WE LOVE THE MOST
Camping With The Husky Squad
As many of you already know, we LOVE camping with our dogs! Weāve done it before, and weāll do it again, but in this video, we documented the most memorable and beautiful moments of our FIRST EVER dispersed camping experience in Oregon. The Husky Squad LOVED it so much that it was so emotionally difficult leaving this magical campground and saying goodbye. We want this MOVIE style video to INSPIRE YOU to go camping with YOUR dog, because this is what EVERY DOG DESERVES – spending quality bonding time together and having an amazing outdoor experience sleeping under the stars.
STOP RIGHT THERE!
WE HAVE SOMETHING IMPORTANT TO TELL YOU
STOP RIGHT THERE š WE HAVE SOMETHING IMPORTANT TO TELL YOU
Interview by Hello Bark!
“In this interview, we spoke to Victoria about Tidus, Yuna and Kimahri, what life is like on the move with three dogs and the responsibilities that come with owning Siberian Huskies.”
What first attracted you to the Siberian Husky breed?
What a great question! Jc and I have spent our whole relationship hiking, starting on our very first date and covering endless kilometers of stunning (and tough!) terrain since then. We wanted a fur kid who would LOVE joining our active adventures. Our pup would need to be able to keep up with us, but also thrive on this active lifestyle and be as happy as we were! We didnāt originally have our hearts set on a husky.
How did you end up with Tidus, Yuna and Kimahri?
Weāre excited to share the answer in depth on our YouTube channel in the future! Each pup has his or her own story and deserves a moment in the spotlight.
First, Tidus was a runt of the litter when we found him offered āon saleā since he was unwanted. This broke our hearts! Afraid of how his life would turn out, we brought him home as our first fur-kid.
Next, we brought Yuna into our growing family! She was an older puppy, and another runt of the litter. (In fact, she stayed so small that people sometimes wonder if sheās a real husky!) We figured she’d be a great companion for Tidus.
As an aside, adopting Yuna this early was a mistake. Of course we wouldnāt change a thing about it (and we love her to pieces!), but huskies are very difficult puppies. The first year was extremely difficult, and thatās putting it mildly! We were exhausted, had so much to learn, and felt like our family was definitely complete.
Our plans changed when we got word of a very difficult and āaggressiveā husky girl who was close to a year old. She spent her days in a small concrete backyard without any activities or the daily exercise she so desperately needed.
The family had received her as a gift, so they hadnāt done proper planning and research. When they realized they didnāt have the time to deal with her, they tried selling her. When that didnāt work, the plan was to drop her off in one of the highest kill shelters in Southern California. Dogs who get dropped off as aggressive in USA shelters have dramatically lower chances of being adopted, and are usually euthanized.
Her story touched our hearts so deeply. We didnāt know how our life would be once we brought her into our family, but we felt confident enough with this challenging breed to rescue Kimahri just before her fateful day.
I took her on her first run of her life. During her first 30 seconds of her run, she started grinning ear to ear. The rest is history!
Our plan in the near future is to foster more dogs in need (like Kimahri was!), especially difficult breeds and cases. Weāll rehab them and help them find an amazing forever home.
Can you give us an insight into the personalities of all three of your Huskies?
Tidus is the sweetest and mellowest boy we know. At home, heās super relaxed, and loves his food and cuddles. Heās also a total mamaās boy and he really likes his comforts. He canāt wait to get in his husky kilometers for the day! Tidus LOVES winter, and enjoys long naps buried in fresh powder during a snowstorm. He has a super-nose and detects EVERYTHING! We nicknamed him āBearā because heās cuddly and sweet, but heās also very protective of the whole family when weāre outside (which is very unusual for a husky!).
Yuna has a very regal and stoic personality. Sheās incredibly intelligent, and gentle while remaining very firm in her ways. She established her alpha role in the pack as soon as she stepped into our home, and Tidus has happily followed her ever since. Sheās so gentle in her leadership that only an experienced eye will see how she controls her environment. Sheās people-shy, and prefers you to give her space while she gets to know you. Yuna slips out of her serious alpha mode to use her puppy eyes and cute tornado prances to win our hearts (and get her way). Sheās so endearingāyou should see her when she snow dives like a silver fox.
Kimahri is the spark in our pack. Although itās been 7 years since we rescued her, she has never matured. She has a fiery personality unlike any weāve ever seen before. Sheās fast and graceful as a gazelle, while being fearless like a coyote. Her grin hasnāt left her face since the moment we took her for her first run! Sheās high on life, and loves the thrill of gnarly trails packed with challenges. Kimahri never tires on the trail, and we have yet to figure out what her limit is, because it seems endless. She lives to run fast and pull hard, so we make sure she gets her āhuskyā out as much as possible. Once we get home, Kimahri loves a big bowl of raw fresh meat and a snuggle session before she retires for the night. Kimahri has a dominant alpha personality, but Yuna made it immediately clear that she owns that spot. Forever.
What are the challenges of owning three Huskies?
- The shedding. It never ends. Triple the huskies, triple the fur. You canāt even fathom this unless you experience it.
- Learning how to coach three very strong personalities to become a very united and calm pack.
- Discovering that we have two dominant personalities in one pack, and figuring out how to make it work.
- The cost! Both in food and their other needs.
- Their physical strength when they pull. Thatās a lot of torque!
- Traveling and staying in hotels becomes a lot more complicated with more than one dog. With three dogs, itās pretty much impossible due to āpolicies.ā
- Sickness. It happens and itās part of life. With three pups, weāre exposed to triple the pain. Seeing our dogs suffer is the most difficult thing weāve ever been through. Theyāve had everything from ACL injuries, to allergies, all the way to cancer.
In hindsight, we donāt recommend three (or even two) dogs to a new dog parent. Start with just one! Once that dog is properly trained, and youāve built a strong connection, you can evaluate whether you really want another dog, and whether youāre ready. Tidus would have been very happy to be our only fur-kid.
We originally believed the common misconception that huskies and some other breeds āneedā another fur family member. We were wrong! Huskies want and crave a close bond with their human parent more than anything. In fact, thatās the most important element in the life of any dog.
What are the perks of owning three Huskies?
Iām not sure that there are perks. I was raised in a large family, and I felt that smaller families had more time for each child. However, we have zero regrets with our pack of three, especially since we really understand this amazing breed now. The joy of seeing them run together, hike together, and even hunt together is precious. The things we do as a family make it all special.
We initially planned on a family of four, Jc and I includedābut we became five, and weāre so happy we saved Kimahri. Her zest for life is contagious, and she completes us as a pack.
Do Siberian Huskies need a lot of exercise?
Absolutely! After all, thatās what they were bred for. Itās in their blood, in their genes, and on their mind ALL THE TIME. Huskies are working snow dogs. They were bred to run long distances while pulling a load. Theyāre born with incredible stamina and endurance, and fulfilling their need to āworkā is essential. Huskies, a.k.a. snow dogs, are not suited for warm climates. Although you can stick a husky in air conditioned room for its entire life, this arctic breed will not get to exercise the way they need and love when living in tropical or hot climates. It saddens us tremendously to see these breeds growing in demand in hot climates. If we lived in a warm climate, weād opt for a short-haired breed unless a dog needed to be rescued.
Jc and I have been on the move since we formed our pack, always heading further north. Ultimately, our goal is to experience very mild summers. Our snow dogsā happiness, comfort, and quality of life is our number-one priority as dog parents.
Are Siberian Huskies loyal dogs?
Haha! To be honest, the entire Squad would probably welcome a thief in heartbeat (as long as they bring treats!).
Loyalty is something that is built through time and dedication. Think of any relationship; it doesnāt happen overnight. A connection is earned through putting in the work beyond just meeting basic needs. From our experience with various breeds, it takes much longer to earn this connection with an intelligent and wild breed. They donāt just gift you their love because you feed them, like some other breeds do. Itās a challenge, but if you put in the work over many years, the connection is indescribable.
On a side note, we also donāt like to bunch every dog of this breed together, because theyāre all so different as individuals.
Do Siberian Huskies suffer with separation anxiety in your experience?
We donāt find that to be the case. Separation anxiety is mostly caused by the environment and upbringing, and our experience is that this can affect any breed.
How much do Siberian Huskies shed? Is a lot of grooming required?
Thereās fur everywhere. Permanently. Itās something you have to learn to embrace. Huskies molt their undercoat twice a year, which creates a snow storm for several weeks each time. This process is natural and necessary to protect them through the seasons. Never shave a husky coat! Itās very harmful.
A solid grooming and bathing routine will help deal with this effectively. It took us years to figure this out, but we now have an amazing routine in place, and this topic is one of our most popular videos on our channel. Our routine helps tremendously with shedding, and also gives hundreds of thousands of dog parents a way to turn grooming into an amazing spa-date for their pups. (in case you want to link this helpful blog: https://huskysquad.com/how-to-bathe-your-siberian-husky/)
A healthy, properly planned natural homemade diet and essential omegas also help with coat and skin care, reducing excessive shedding throughout the rest of the year. But donāt get your hopes up, because the fur everywhere remains. š
What advice would you give to someone considering a Siberian Husky as a pet?
Before anythingā¦
- Research the needs of the breed. Consider whether you can truly give a husky what it needs to thrive, or whether youāre just attracted to its beautiful looks.
- Consider temporarily fostering a husky from a local rescue. This way youāll learn whether you can handle this breed while helping a husky in need.
- Consider adopting a husky from a rescue or shelter. There are thousands of them abandoned around the world looking for a second chance at life. Rescue huskies are amazing! Just look at sweet Kimahri!
Now ask yourself these questions:
- Are you ready to change your entire life to meet the dogās needs for its lifespan? This is not something to do on a whim, but potentially a 15+ year commitment!
- Are you prepared for the ongoing, and sometimes very expensive, costs?
- Are you able to comfortably afford healthful food for better overall health?
- How will you go on vacation or travel? Youāll either have to travel together, or spend money on dog hotels. We donāt do kennels because putting a dog in a cage for days is very damaging to their well-being and creates a lot of anxiety, which can be difficult to reverse.
- If life happens and your fur-kid gets sick, are you committed to the cost and time to help the dog heal?
For the husky specifically:
- Do you live in the right climate? (Donāt force a snow arctic dog to adapt to your climate!)
- Can you live with the fact that huskies are not off-leash dogs, and leaving the door open for a split second may have your escape artist just go (and be at risk for getting hit by a car)?
- Can you provide at least one hour of exercise TWICE a day?
- Can you commit to grooming 1-2 times per week?
- Can you cope with constant husky hair in your home for the next 15 years? In your car, on your clothing, in your coffee, everywhere!
- Are you prepared to spend many, many hours of quality time training, being a calm leader, setting boundaries, and earning the bond? (Huskies donāt love you by default like many other breeds.)
- Do you have the capacity and time to give this working breed the ability to āworkā? Huskies thrive on pulling, running, and long-distance hikes.
Over time, weāve come to understand that our pack is our family. We donāt consider them āpets,ā and we also feel that ownership is applied to objects, not family.
How much time do you spend exploring with your three Huskies?
Our entire lives. When weāre off work, thatās all we do, and itās what we love to do most every single day. A new trail, another alpine lake, another epic adventure, another cabin, a new hidden campground, and another life experience. Seeing the huskies stand at the edge of a cliff looking out and absorbing the epic views is what we live for. (And sometimes we even manage to capture those breathtaking moments on video for our channel!) Now, weāre taking our pups far beyond the borders of the USA. There are mountains all over the world just waiting for the Husky Squad, and we canāt wait to explore them! Weāve already started with the breathtaking Swiss Alps ( https://youtu.be/_imdYDv3vUI ), and have some amazing plans coming up all over Europe. š
Why (and when) did you decide to start an Instagram account for Tidus, Yuna and Kimahri?
It started as a commitment to ourselves to do more of what we love, which is spending time with the Squad! We viewed Instagram and YouTube as places to share a diary of our life with the pups. We quickly inspired thousands of people to go spend time with their dogs in nature and give them an amazing quality of life. In turn, our community of amazing and caring dog parents inspire us to share more each day.
As much as we enjoy growing our community, what matters to us MOST is giving our fur-kids the most amazing life we possibly can. We mold our lives around them, and we love seeing our YouTube and instagram channels encouraging thousands of other dog parents to build strong bonds with their dogs and enjoy the simple, beautiful life of being outdoors.
Absolutely! Make sure you give them their needs first (including exercise and bonding), then make it a fun, rewarding experience with treats and happy vibes. Never force your dog to pose. Instead, make it fun and exciting, and the natural model comes out!
Do you have a favorite post on @huskysquad?
Thatās so difficult to say! Iāll answer based on the best experience we gave the Squad on each platform.
For YouTube:
For instagram:
Pros/Cons of Siberian Huskies
In the beginning of our dog parenthood, we would have been able to answer this more easily! What we learned after fostering, rescuing, and rehabbing various breeds is that there are no pros and cons to any breed. Thereās commitment, thereās spending time building a strong bond, and thereās giving an amazing quality of life to a creature whose entire existence depends on you because you brought them into your life.