Gilbert Otieno had done the research before buying his now two-year-old Siberian husky, Tiana. He had watched the TikTok videos, YouTube explainers and read up on the breed’s temperament. But none of it prepared him for the scene he returned to one evening after work.
“I hadn’t fully understood that they shouldn’t be left on their own for too long,” he says. “I came back to find my mattress shredded and scattered all over the floor.”
For some, this might have marked the end of the experiment. But for Gilbert, who would later add another husky to the mix, nine-month-old Bella, it soon dawned on him that he was not just adopting pets, but embracing an entirely new lifestyle.
“My daily routine has changed,” Gilbert says, likening his experience to that of a new parent. “I can no longer go out as often as I used to because I have to be home taking care of my dogs.”
To satisfy his dogs’ need for stimulation, he now takes early-morning and evening walks or runs. He’s also made peace with being woken up at odd hours for bathroom breaks.
“They will wake you up even at 3 am,” he says. “And if you ignore them, you will find a stinking mess in your house.”
The demands on his time include regular grooming sessions (at least twice a month) that, more often than not, he chooses to do himself. This is to cut costs but also to nurture the bond between him and his fur-babies. But the cleaning, he says, is relentless. “They shed a lot,” he says. “There is no day you will come home and find it free of fur.”
The cost of ownership
Edward ‘Eddy’ Ng’anga, a dog trainer and handler from Alpha Kennels, explains that space, time, and patience are crucial before getting a husky.
Edward Ng’ang’a, a professional dog handler at Alpha Kennels, with two Siberian huskies.
Photo credit: Pool
“They were bred originally to pull sledges across snow-covered terrain in Russia,” he explains. “On account of this, they’re naturally very energetic and adventurous.”
This energy must be regularly expended to prevent frustration. “When huskies are frustrated, they are a nightmare,” he warns. “They become destructive, digging up, shredding or chewing through your belongings. They also tend to howl, and these screams are often loud and very human-like.”
Eddy recommends frequent exercise, preferably in naturally stimulating settings such as the Karura and Oloolua forests in Nairobi.
“Take them out for short, daily walks or runs, or even one long walk per week,” he advises.
But because of their heavy coats, the timing of these exercises also matters in reducing the risk of heat stroke.
“It’s best to avoid the midday heat and keep the outings to early mornings and cool evenings,” he says.
He also advocates a gradual buildup of exercise routines, rather than bombarding them all at once with strenuous activity. Patience, he adds, may be the hardest requirement of them all.
Huskies are witty and stubborn, accustomed to independent thinking and largely indifferent to human approval. This makes them notoriously difficult to train, a reality that can test even the calmest of owners.
“If you ignore having the space, time and patience for this kind of dog, you will pay for it with your mental health.”
Gilbert attests to such trying moments, when he considered rehoming the dogs after being pushed to his limit. “But you look at them, feel sorry for them, and end up calming down.”
When he cannot be fully present, Gilbert enlists the help of his family members, but he admits that the cost of ownership extends far beyond time and emotional labour.
“I bought Tiana at Sh90,000 and Bella at Sh100,000,” he reveals. “I bargained really hard both times. For Tiana, I got a slightly lower price only because she has a standard coat, which is not as thick as Bella’s double coat.”
Bella, a Siberian husky owned by Gilbert Otieno, pictured on March 1, 2026.
Photo credit: Pool
Seif Gakuha, who breeds exotic dogs at Seif Kennels, says the average asking price for a husky puppy is between Sh100,000 and Sh150,000.
“At a younger age, they can go for a cheaper price,” he says. “But once they complete all their injections, grow past the risky stage (two months and below) and go through some basic training, the price tends to go up.”
This initial investment is compounded by the costs of food, vaccinations and professional help, in case you do not have the time or desire to oversee the grooming and exercising yourself.
“Huskies won’t eat just anything,” Seif says. “They are very particular when it comes to their food. On top of it being a balanced diet, you must prepare it well, or they will sniff it and walk away.”
Food for a month costs between Sh5,000 and Sh10,000, while deworming and vaccinations cost an average of Sh1,000 to Sh5,000 every three months.
As for grooming, which experts recommend at least once a month, the price varies by dog size, but it generally costs Sh3,000 for an adult husky.
Other costs
Other costs include unexpected medical expenses, which, in Gilbert’s case, have already presented themselves once before.
“I went swimming with Tiana, and she got an infection in her ear,” he says. “It cost me around Sh18,000 to treat.”
Unlike common misconceptions, however, Gilbert says his dogs have never fallen ill due to the warmer Kenyan climate, and he has never needed to install cooling systems to help them cope.
“They adapt pretty well as long as you complete the necessary vaccinations,” Seif says. “Like humans, a change in environment does not automatically mean they will suffer.”
According to the breeder, the most common health challenge he has witnessed in huskies is malnutrition and a susceptibility to ticks, fleas and mites.
“They are not predisposed to any health problem in particular, unless they are subjected to it,” he says. “Huskies are lovely animals; the challenge usually comes in when the owner does not want to invest in them.”
Beyond their striking, wolf-like appearance, which the experts all agree is what draws most people to the breed, huskies are generally considered non-aggressive.
“They are so friendly,” Gilbert says. “Whenever I’m out with them, strangers are always asking to pet them, and my dogs allow it. They hold and throw tantrums, but they never bite.”
Eddy adds that while a few of them can be aggressive, especially the male ones, training huskies for security purposes is largely futile.
Still, despite the shredded mattresses, the 3am wake-ups and the mounting bills, Gilbert says he would not change a thing.
“I can talk about those dogs all day,” he says. “I have so many beautiful memories with them, and I wouldn’t trade that for anything.”
