‘Reactive’ husky’s reaction to new sibling catches owners off guard

A “reactive” husky was introduced to his new sibling at a dog shelter and his response caught his owners by surprise. Bringing an existing pet dog together with a new animal companion can prove challenging, more so when they can be reactive.

Wiley, an eight-year-old husky, witnessed his owner Sally Compton being attacked by a dog at a dog park when he was just three-years-old, which resulted in him developing reactivity towards unfamiliar dogs, especially if they’re male.

Yet despite not being especially fond of other dogs, Wiley’s owners were concerned he seemed bored, so wanted to bring a sibling into the family for him.

The couple felt “nervous” about welcoming a new dog into their home given Wiley’s reactivity, so they brought him along to the dog shelter to assess any prospective companions. This approach meant if they came across a dog they liked and bonded with, they “could try and introduce them”.

They came across a sweet one-year-old German shepherd husky cross who had been at the shelter for five months and opted for a “soft introduction”, bringing the new dog to meet Wiley while he was sat in the back of their car.

Immediately, both dogs’ tails began wagging and they brought their noses together to smell one another. Following this, the couple “took them to a Sniffspot so they could meet off-leash in a controlled environment”.

In a TikTok video recording their entire interaction, Sally shared: “I was so nervous that he was going to be aggressive but I couldn’t believe what I saw next.

“They almost immediately started playing and chasing each other, I literally had not seen Wiley get along so quickly with another dog in years.”

The footage showed the two dogs racing about together in the snow and playfully leaping up at one another in unison.

Sally continued: “We brought her home the same day and the rest is history.”

The couple named their new arrival Disco. In the caption alongside the clip, Sally explained: “The story of introducing my reactive husky Wiley to our new rescue, Disco.

“Renting a private dog park for the introduction helped a ton with letting us know that they were meant to be best friends.”

Speaking to Newsweek, Sally said: “I couldn’t believe it but they immediately started playing together, and she loved chasing Wiley. I hadn’t seen him play or run like that in several years. We decided it was a perfect fit.”

After bringing Disco home, the dogs’ connection continued to strengthen and develop even more.

Sally continued: “They immediately continued playing together in the backyard. It has been a year since then and she has definitely taken up the role of annoying little sister.

“She always wants to be around him and constantly nibbles his neck, licks his mouth and sleeps next to him. He tolerates it and acts grumpy, but we can tell that he is a lot happier and more energetic with her around.”