lockon Posted February 28, 2009 Report Share Posted February 28, 2009 I've read books, looked at websites and gone to breeders for information about huskies. Now I want to talk to people who keep huskies as family members. How bad is the tearing up of the houses(Do you have to leave your husky in a crate when you leave?) Does your husky jump over your fence if it's under 6 feet tall? Would you ever leave your husky outside unsupervised in a fenced yard? Do you keep your pet in your house/apt/farm(which works best)? Are they inside, outside or both pets ? How well do they get along with other pets? How trainable is a husky with commands (come, stay etc)? Some people I've talked to have given me mixed information so anything you give me will be a lot of help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted February 28, 2009 Report Share Posted February 28, 2009 Hello welcome to site. Firstly, congrats on reading up on the breed, many people don't do this and it's SUCH a big mistake Second big thumbs up for joining lol Tearing up of the house for me has never been a problem Kimba's 10 months old and Kaiser's 13 weeks old I always leave them in their crate when i'm out of the house though, for their own safety as well as my house lol. huskies will jump over a 6ft fence and are very good at escaping so you need to make sure you husky proof your garden lol I wouldn't leave mine unsupervised for a long period of time, they LOVE to dig and will dig their way under a fence if left too long They can be kept indoors or outdoors, your preference really, i keep mine indoors Other pets - well, they want to play with my cat but she doesn't want to play with them lol, they've learnt to stay out of her way lol lol They have a high prey drive though so smaller animals should be well away from them. Training a sibe is easy, training YOURSELF is the hard part i suppose lol They have a mind of their own and will weigh up what they will get out of doing something if you give them a command lol Kimba can sit, stay, leave, lie down, run off and touch a specific object, jump, just working on Speak now lol I love my sibes and wouldnt trade them for the world. They are truly a unique breed have endless amounts of love to give and always keep you on your toes lol One thing I will say is never EVER let them off lead. As I mentioned earlier, they have a high prey drive and are NOT recall dogs, if you want to keep your sibe, get a long line Excersise is also important, they require walking and get bored easily hence why some have destroyed furniture in the past. Can't think of anything else to add at the moment, if you think of anything just shout out, i'm sure you will get lots of replies to your questions everyone on here is very knowledgeable and very friendly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mistyrayn Posted February 28, 2009 Report Share Posted February 28, 2009 hi lockon.. each dog or breed is totally different i have 2 sibes and.. im one of the lucky ones .. in the fact that mine have been very slightly destructive.. bordem is a big thing to any Husky ...my puppy who is now a year old has only ever chewed a cple of times some bits in conservatory... im lucky though i have a large back yard and half of it has been turned into kennel area of which they are in while im at work... but beleive me any fence under 6ft.. if they want to clear it they will .. or dig under or find anyway they can to escape.. it was lovely grass in their till they dug it all lol so had to pave slab it.. when at home they are in with me and they sleep by my side of the bed and stay there till morning.. have a good look thru our site as i had researched huskies before getting mine for many years .. and thought i knew a lot till this forum.. and i have learnt so much more from others who have joined..than i did in years of searching.... we have some very experienced people on here and im sure with a bit of time going thru u will find prob 90% of your questions answered .. as for the other 10% well ... thats the fun of having a husky you learn as you go... my girls have taught me so much.. ill find the post showing some of our yards and you will see my yard and what i have done to give them freedom during day but keeping them safe.... feel free to ask any questions you have Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mistyrayn Posted February 28, 2009 Report Share Posted February 28, 2009 http://www.husky-owners.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1250 take a look at this post .. jintel has just built a kennel for his sibe and my yard is posted there as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siberianandy Posted March 1, 2009 Report Share Posted March 1, 2009 can't really help you much as my sibe is only 13weeks old so am still quite new to the breed but i know theres lots of people on here that are experianced and will be able to help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bec Posted March 1, 2009 Report Share Posted March 1, 2009 I've read books, looked at websites and gone to breeders for information about huskies. Now I want to talk to people who keep huskies as family members. How bad is the tearing up of the houses(Do you have to leave your husky in a crate when you leave?) Does your husky jump over your fence if it's under 6 feet tall? Would you ever leave your husky outside unsupervised in a fenced yard? Do you keep your pet in your house/apt/farm(which works best)? Are they inside, outside or both pets ? How well do they get along with other pets? How trainable is a husky with commands (come, stay etc)? Some people I've talked to have given me mixed information so anything you give me will be a lot of help. I don't believe in crating a dog all day, but that is just me, so no I would never leave my dog in a crate when I leave the house But - I don't have a problem with my dogs being destructive when they are left in the house and I also have a very secure yard to leave them in. We have three metre high timber fencing. It is important to make sure everything about the yard is secure, not just the fencing, but that the husky can't dig out underneath. I've never had a serious climber or escape artists problem but then again our yard is VERY secure. All three of my dogs are put outside when we leave the house and they have access to the yard. When we come home they can come inside Huskies can be great with pets they are raised with, mine is great with our cat but he has been living with cats since he was 8 weeks of age. I find huskies are very intelligent and they can pick up on commands quickly if they can see there is something in it for them, so you need to find the right motivation for them when it comes to training. Like any spitz breed, they are stubborn, strong willed and won't do anything if they don't see a point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
majormom2u Posted March 1, 2009 Report Share Posted March 1, 2009 I've read books, looked at websites and gone to breeders for information about huskies. Now I want to talk to people who keep huskies as family members. How bad is the tearing up of the houses(Do you have to leave your husky in a crate when you leave?) Does your husky jump over your fence if it's under 6 feet tall? Would you ever leave your husky outside unsupervised in a fenced yard? Do you keep your pet in your house/apt/farm(which works best)? Are they inside, outside or both pets ? How well do they get along with other pets? How trainable is a husky with commands (come, stay etc)? Some people I've talked to have given me mixed information so anything you give me will be a lot of help. Hi there! I can only answer your questions based on my own experience. I am owned by two huskies, Nina (2 yrs old)and Shiloh (13 months old). They were trained to be crated, however, their crates have the doors always open, they go in and out as they like, some times, they prefer taking their naps in their crates, or just to go in for a little "alone" time... most times, they rather lay down where they can touch me... by my feet on my lap (yup!... they think they are lap dogs!)... Mine have never damaged any of the furniture, shoes, or anything... they play with their own toys. I've never had this happen to me... not to say it will never happen!... When we go out, they have the main floor, where they can roam around (they like to lay on the kitchen tiled floor because it's cold...), and I can leave human food (and have done it on purpose) on the kitchen counter tops and on the dinning table, they have never jump or tried to get to the food (again... not that will never happen...), they are not allowed on the upstairs when we are not home and I keep a baby gate by the stairs to block their path... the gate is only three feet high which is not a physical challenge for them, but they are conditioned to respect the gate as they would me... so far so good! We have a fenced backyard... about six or seven feet tall, they haven't attempted the jump yet... they have had plenty of temptation, we have two squirrels on a tree right by the fence that I swear, love to tease my babies!... Huskies can jump over a six or eight footer fence easy, mine haven't yet found out they can... I believe that if you exercise them and let a good part of their energy drain on daily basis, they'll be calmer... this is only my opinion... About where I keep them... mine are "indoor" dogs... they go out ot play and do their business, but they are happier indoors, as part of the family... they love to lay down in front of the TV and sleep while we watch out programs, they love going for car rides and totally love to sleep on my bed!.... yup!... they sleep in my room and I wouldn't have it any other way!... We don't have any other pets, but I've never seen them be agggresive to any other dogs... and about commands... mine were trained by a professional and they have a great response. I leash them to walk around the neighborhood, more for other people's sake, but when we go to the park, or on hikes, they can be unleashed and I have never had a problem.... they know where in the house they are allowed and when they are not... for example... they love to be in the kitchen, however, they know that the moment I start getting ready to cook (not only for sanitary reasons, but for their protection), they are no longer allowed in, so they go and lay in the family room, watching everything I do, from a distance... and won't come in unless I invite them... also, I do give them the commands with hand signals and not with my voice, like that, when they are out in the yard or in the park, even if they can't hear me, they will know what I want them to do... Shiloh, once in a while, tries to pretend he hasn't seen me, but it never lasts... he is still a pup though... I love my huskies, wouldn't change them for anything in the world, and will rather go hungry than to see them suffer for anything... maybe mine are no the norm (in comparison with what you might have read...), but it shows it can be done!... I wish you luck and hope that after doing all your research, if you find huskies are for you (they are NOT for everyone!!!!), you will love them and care for them as they deserve! Good luck and let me know if I can help you any other way... Sandy, Nina and Shiloh;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siberian_wolf Posted March 1, 2009 Report Share Posted March 1, 2009 I've read books, looked at websites and gone to breeders for information about huskies. Now I want to talk to people who keep huskies as family members. Some people I've talked to have given me mixed information so anything you give me will be a lot of help. Firstly welcome to the site, hope you have found this site very helpful already! I have 3 male Sibes (Gizmo, Marley, Bandit) and I will be honest it is no easy task but I love them loads and wouldn't change them for the world How bad is the tearing up of the houses(Do you have to leave your husky in a crate when you leave?) Yes they do destroy the house if left to do so. Mine have ripped the kitchen lino up and also chewed the floor boards, hense why we havne't got around to replaing it yet as need a whole new floor doing! They have also chewed on the carpet in the living room before, Digged the garden up, chewed a few door handle up, etc. Gizmo (Oldest), will only chew something if he sees Marley or Bandit doing it otherwise he will just sleep. Marley and Banidt are both kept in crates when we go out but Gizmo sleeps in the kitchen and since it has been like that, nothing else has been destroyed. Does your husky jump over your fence if it's under 6 feet tall? Would you ever leave your husky outside unsupervised in a fenced yard? I don't know if mine would as our hedge is about 12ft tall and they got over that but they have got under it! The breeder who we bought Gizmo from had 7 huskies (Only bred from 2 though, rest were either from some of her previous litters or companions) and she used to shut them in the kitchen with a 4ft dog/baby gate and one of hers cleared that no problem!!! I wouldn't leave mine in the garden unsupervised as they are real escape artists and can find any holes or weakness in the fence even when you have gone through it all to check it! Do you keep your pet in your house/apt/farm(which works best)? We live in a house at the moment but are looking at the possibility of going for a small holding so we can husky proof a smallish field for them to run around in with a sheltered area for them to go in when we are at work. I would say house a house with a very well enclosed garden is bets for Sibes. Most appartment don't allow dogs plus I would think they would be too small and they don't really come with a garden so you would need to exercise your sibe alot if didn't have the garden. Are they inside, outside or both pets ? Some people keep theirs inside and some keep their outside and some keep them outside in a run when they are at work but let them sleep inside at night. This is completly up to you, if you speak to Richard he keeps his girls in a run during the day so if this was what you were looking at doing he may be able to help! At the moment my boys are house dogs but we are looking at doing the same as Richard. We won't keep ours outside all the time as it's in Gizmo's contract that he is not to be kept outside at all times. How well do they get along with other pets? As long they are introduced properly then they should be fine if its small animals (i.e. Birds, Rabbits, etc) then I would supervise them as the Husky has a high prey drive so something small could become dinner. How trainable is a husky with commands (come, stay etc)? The husky is trainable but you do need to put the effort in. It is best to put the commands to good use when you first bring your Sibe home. If you need any help with training at all then you can ask Smeagle as she has great advise for training! Good Luck on deciding wheather to get a sibe or not, do keep us posted Hope you enjoy the site and get great advise and make new friends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BingBlaze n Skyla Posted March 1, 2009 Report Share Posted March 1, 2009 like every1 else has sed all huskies r different and we can only go by what we no m husky will b 6 months on saturday n if we go out at all he will b just left free roam ov our house take last night 4 example we went out at 7:30ish didnt get home till 1/2 am and there was no mess n our house hadnt been chewed down hes good like that n only had 2 incidents when hes chewed when we 1st got him our fence is about 6 feet tall n had no problems so far tho he has tried 2 dig underneath it we do leave him outside unsupervised but we make sure g8 is locked top n bottom so no1 can open g8 (even if they did tho our other dog wud go mental n bark loads gd deterrent he is Blaze is an inside dog tho we have left him outside sleepin when its bin to hot in the house thats just durin the day tho for about half hour cuz its bin 2 hot in the house n he prefers it outside then he is outside ALOT cuz he loves it if hes not outside he will lye down by the front or backdoor where its cooler and as ive mentioned i have another dog he is a staffy cross and at 9yrs he is now smaller than my 6month husky lol bless him (hes like a staffy but with legs lol i have pictures in my profile if u wanna have a look)n they get on fine they playfight alot and they fight over toys but then blaze does wind him up lol and last but not least training- blaze nos sit and paw here and i have trained him to walk on a lead instead ov pulling my arm off on walks and siberianwolf on here has also taught 1 ov hers to walk nicely on the lead and she is training her other 2 aswell tho im sure she will tell u that herself when she replies to the post hope this helps and its so good u are doin ur research 1st alot ov ppl get them just cuz they are gorgeous looking dogs or just cuz they want a dog with blue eyes n dont realise how much wrk they can b if not trained or looked after properly 1 bit ov advice that sarah has already sed is DO NOT let them off the lead in any surcumstances they can b trained to recall but they cud always b a day that ANY dog with a reliable recall cud run off ive had problems with my staffie if he sees a cat or another dog n hes offlead thats it hes gone i have 2 keep a sharp eye out for when he's offlead even tho he stays by my side n only occasionally strays to go sniff a tree or a lampost or anything like that hope yhis has helped and also welcome to the site ah yes and i forgot to mention we have gerbils to he likes to try n get them when he can c them running about in their cage its all play u can c when he does his little head down bum in the air pose lol but i wudnt risk him around when im cleaning them out as they have a large small animal prey drive he LOVES trying to get birds when we are out walking and like sibewolf says smeagle is an excellent source ov advice on training she has helped me and sibewolf ALOT and i think sum other members on here will also agree wit that so again welcome and i hope this helps keep us posted as to what u decide to do Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bec Posted March 1, 2009 Report Share Posted March 1, 2009 If you need any help with training at all then you can ask Smeagle as she has great advise for training! Awww thanks SW You have excellent advice too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BingBlaze n Skyla Posted March 1, 2009 Report Share Posted March 1, 2009 Awww thanks SW You have excellent advice too! aaawwww hey i sed u give gd advice 2 ! lmao jokes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bec Posted March 1, 2009 Report Share Posted March 1, 2009 aaawwww hey i sed u give gd advice 2 ! lmao jokes OMG so sorry BB! I read over your post but completely missed that bit! You guys are so sweet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BingBlaze n Skyla Posted March 1, 2009 Report Share Posted March 1, 2009 lmao its cool was only messin anyway (not bout u givin good advice cuz u do ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Austinville Posted March 5, 2009 Report Share Posted March 5, 2009 How bad is the tearing up of the houses(Do you have to leave your husky in a crate when you leave?) As a youngster, Bo removed drywall from near the front door in an attempt to escape, and also chewed the supports from four kitchen chairs. Both a result of my not fully exercising him that day before leaving. He was bored and entertained himself. We tried the crate for a while, but it was too stressful for him. Once we let him have access to the house, he calmed down and did quite well with only the above incidents. Does your husky jump over your fence if it's under 6 feet tall? Would you ever leave your husky outside unsupervised in a fenced yard? As a youngster, we never left him outside alone for obvious reasons. Given the opportunity, he would find a way to escape, or (God forbid) someone might take him. We lived at the end of a dirt road, with no neighbors within 1 1/2 miles. He could run as he desired. Now, he's aged and would rather relax in the yard than run around. Do you keep your pet in your house/apt/farm(which works best)? Are they inside, outside or both pets ? Bo, like others Sibes, is happiest when he's with his family in the house. He's been an inside dog his entire life and while he enjoys being outside, his first choice is always with me. He's a companion dog, and though he has had jobs to do his entire life, he's never been in a harness to pull. How well do they get along with other pets? We've had cats his entire life. Proper introduction and being watchful in the beginning is necessary. Bo has never had a problem with other pets, with the exception of one budgie bird that he had for lunch one day while we were gone. My fault as I'd neglected to cage the bird before leaving. How trainable is a husky with commands (come, stay etc)? With proper motivation mixed with stimulation and exercise, a husky can be fairly reliable. The main problem is when you don't give a command with authority, they sense it. For instance, you can be doing wonderful in your obedience classes during the session, even excel. Then, when you're home - give a command with less confidence and your husky will "laugh" at you and do the exact opposite. There are many here who are ready and willing to share their experiences. To help with specific training issues and/or problems. Everyone of us has a love and understanding for this breed that we need to share --- all you have to do is ask. I also like to suggest working with a rescue before "making the leap" to bringing home your first Siberian. You'll gain firsthand knowlege of the breed before making the committment required...a husky is for life! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted March 5, 2009 Report Share Posted March 5, 2009 fantastic post there >>> added to rep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siberian_wolf Posted March 6, 2009 Report Share Posted March 6, 2009 Great advice Becky! Sorry but can't add to rep, will a smiley do? [ATTACH]921.IPB[/ATTACH] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyMukki Posted March 8, 2009 Report Share Posted March 8, 2009 I think it's very smart of you to do all this research -they are a crazy breed and you will hear lots of amazing and even startling stories -unfortunately, they are almost all true LOL But, if you are forewarned, your are better able to know what you can handle! How bad is the tearing up of the houses(Do you have to leave your husky in a crate when you leave?) Basically, they get more destructive when they are not exercised or they get bored. Many people leave them in crates but it's best not to do so for over 4 hours -so can you come home for lunch? Also, I know of a few who have managed to get out of crates. A good long walk in the morning or a jog (if you are so inclined, even better) and one in the evening is very good. Having more than one is a double edged sword, they do not get so lonely or bored but together they can get into some mischief! We had two for three years and now have four... Our rescue had a dog returned after two weeks, The new owners left the dog alone in the house for several hours and came home to find the Christmas tree, family heirloom ornaments and all the presents completely destroyed. Of course, the rest of us just smacked our heads and said "What were they thinking!" On the upside, you will never lack for amusing stories to tell in social situations :-) Does your husky jump over your fence if it's under 6 feet tall? Actually, some have been know to jump six feet, but most never figure it out. Also, they can climb a chain link fence and dig under one in less than a minute. The rescue we got our dogs from will not adopt to anyone with less that a 6 foot fence. Around here, in NC, most people we know have a electric wire about 6 inches high along the bottom of the fence to prevent digging -we plan on doing this in the spring. We fortified the bottom of our fence, in place they could dig. As good as they may seem with a four foot fence, it takes one squirrel or a cat to take over the prey instinct and they are gone! Would you ever leave your husky outside unsupervised in a fenced yard? I might but only if I had locks on the gates and the bottom perimeter electrified. Currently we have a 40 foot run from the house connected to a 75 x 100 area all fenced in with 6 ft chain link. I work from home and have my office situated to watch them out the window. I've been lucky, Mukki has escaped twice but Tala is a tattletale and once I caught him because he had hooked his collar on the bottom of the fence. One thing that isn't always considered isn't keeping your dog in but keeping other dogs out and even people. Sadly, a month after we got our first two dogs we found a cat killed in the back yard. I was a stray but I felt very bad. This cat was a problem in the neighborhood, digging into people's trash and digging up gardens. I had seen him sitting in a tree looking down into the yard and driving my dogs crazy! I was very surprised that the cat actually ventured into the yard! Do you keep your pet in your house/apt/farm(which works best)? Are they inside, outside or both pets ? I think that is your decision, what works best for you. But, that doesn't mean forgotten and tied to a tree in the backyard. I don't think anyone ever intends doing this but if you get overwhelmed or frustrated, it can happen -we see it all the time. My girlfriend Tala is a inside with me all the time dog. Mukki is an inside sleeping on the bed or outside running around guy. Lulu would like to stay outside all the time but doesn't like to be alone, so will come inside to be with the other dogs. Quinn is 15 weeks and will be with me if there is a hope of a cookie or with his mom playing or pestering Mukki -he prefers outside but also likes to hang out and nap inside. How well do they get along with other pets? They are pack animals with a high prey instinct. If a puppy is raised with cats or small dogs they can be fine but the rescue group where I got all four of mine has a very hard time placing dogs in homes with cats. Even small children can be an issue, if you look at some of the videos we have online, you can imagine how rough they can be with a toddler or even knocking down an elderly person. These dogs have good hearts but can be too playful and they play rough. I know a lot of people with kids and they will say I'm wrong, but I have seen my girl Tala sit quietly with Richard's grandmother but when the poor woman got up to go to another room Tala thought she wanted to play and knocked her back down onto the couch! We were right on it and she kissed her hand in aplogy but it was scary. How trainable is a husky with commands (come, stay etc)? Very trainable, I think the main difference is you really need to keep the treats/reward thing going forever. LOL, they are no dummies! they love their treats! It is very good to train the basics: sit, give paw and stay. The best is to teach them to lie down, this is putting them in a submissive position to you and it works wonders. When mine are very bad I make them lie down and when they resist I know they are being stubborn and bad. Some people I've talked to have given me mixed information so anything you give me will be a lot of help. I think if you look at the many siberian rescue web sites you will find some very no nonsense advice. I am not saying you need to adopt a rescue but the reason there are so many is people get rid of them and there are many in shelters. The rescues invest a lot of time, money and sanity in rescuing and rehabilitating these dogs, so they are very careful to educate and interview perspective owners. It is all for the dogs best interest! SOme owners unknowkingly end up abusing the dogs because they change their minds or get overwhelmed. If you would really be happy with a dog that sits in your pocketbook, you might not enjoy a husky at all, they would rather eat your pocketbook! LOL Southern Siberian Rescue, is the group we used here in North Carolina, their website is packed with useful stuff and a look at the application is also helpful. The woman who founded the rescue says that they rescue over 60 -100 dogs a year and this is North Carolina, not a big husky area! They also reject about 60% of all applicants and even then get dogs sent back maybe every 5th adoption. I hope my answer wasn't too negative, obviously looking around this site and others, you will see there are many of us very happy and contented with our huskies, I can not imagine being without them in my life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sqwidge Posted March 8, 2009 Report Share Posted March 8, 2009 Cris, that was a very good answer, very open and honest...added to rep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted March 8, 2009 Report Share Posted March 8, 2009 excellent post cris added to rep and nominated as post of the week Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyMukki Posted March 8, 2009 Report Share Posted March 8, 2009 thank you, but after writing it I had to wonder what is wrong with us? LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bec Posted March 9, 2009 Report Share Posted March 9, 2009 One thing that isn't always considered isn't keeping your dog in but keeping other dogs out and even people. Sadly, a month after we got our first two dogs we found a cat killed in the back yard. I was a stray but I felt very bad. This cat was a problem in the neighborhood, digging into people's trash and digging up gardens. I had seen him sitting in a tree looking down into the yard and driving my dogs crazy! I was very surprised that the cat actually ventured into the yard! MyMukki, this is very true. Most Sibes have a high prey drive and are killers. We raised my Sibe with cats so he is fine with them however, any possums, bats, rats etc that come into the yard don't stand a chance if Micha catches them. Our fencing is very secure but we do have trees that the possums climb into and that is how they get in the yard. Mish doesn't eat anything he kills, he treats it just like the rest of his toys and plays with it and brings it over to me to show me and tries to get me to throw it for him!! But the fact that Sibes have a high prey drive is yet another reason why you need a very secure yard, if they see something run by they will go nuts trying to get to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raindog Posted March 9, 2009 Report Share Posted March 9, 2009 This is a Sibe FAQ I put together for our website which covers most of the questions asked: Q. - I’ve heard that you can’t let them off lead and they will run away if given the opportunity. Is this true?? A - They don't actually run away - this would imply that they are trying to get away from you, which is not the case. What they are doing is obeying an instinct which is hard-wired into them - their prey drive. The Chukchi Inuit people, who first developed the breed were summer village dwellers and winter nomads. In the winter, they would put the whole family onto their sleds and follow whatever game was available to hunt. In the summer, they would let the dogs loose around the villages and would rarely feed them, leaving them to hunt and feed themselves. As a result, they have an awesome prey drive and extremely good hunting skills. When they "run away," they are usually following this drive. The answer, is to exercise them in harness if possible and always walk them on lead in unenclosed areas. Beware over-confidence however, many Siberians will be very clingy and obedient as young puppies, then when adolescence hitsâ€â€everything changes and the plaintive cry of “He’s always come back before†is heard from the distraught owner. Q. - I’ve heard they will chew everything in sight and will destroy my house A. - Puppies of all breeds will often chew all sorts of things - especially when they are teething. Adult dogs much less so, although all of them may act destructively if they are bored or distressed. They also seem to find ripping things into small pieces therapeutic. If we leave a kitchen roll or toilet roll within their reach, our dogs will shred it into tiny pieces in seconds. If you have a lifestyle where the dog will need to be left alone for long periods of time, then a Siberian is definitely not for you! They love and need human company. Q. - I’m told they are not obedient and will never listen A. - I don't think that sibes are any less likely to listen than other breeds. The difference is that they will listen and then make their own minds up as to whether they are going to obey you. Siberians are more pack oriented than many breeds and they are more likely to obey you if they accept you as the pack leader. On the other hand, bribery (especially with food)works wonders with 99% of sibes. Q. - Apparently they will chase and kill cats and any small animals A - Yes and no! This relates back to their high prey drive as explained above. The Siberian’s natural instinct is to regard any small animal (and some larger ones like sheep) as a combination of sport and food. This is hard-wired into the breed and is difficult, if not impossible to change. Having said that, many Siberians manage to live affably with cats - as long as they regard the cat(s) as part of their "pack" - other cats will still be fair game. It is sensible however, not to introduce any new non-canines to the household once the dog is established (unless you can keep them very securely separatedâ€â€remembering that huskies are extremely efficient at breaking and entering.) Q. - Will they ruin my garden? A. - Guilty as charged - they can dig huge holes and miraculously make the dirt disappear so that you always have more crater than earth. If your idea of an ideal garden is a recreation of World War 1 battlefields, then the husky is your ideal dog. If you want a wonderful garden landscaped to your plans and not your dogs, either (a) don’t get a Siberian; or ( ensure that the dog has an escape-proof dog run of its own. The ideal husky garden is a concrete enclosure with 8 foot husky-proof fences all round. Q. - I’ve heard they are not very intelligent and impossible to train A. - They are frighteningly intelligent! As far as training goes, it depends what you mean by training - they are actually very easy to teach - it's the obedience that is the problem. Sibes are very independent and will weigh up the pros and cons of a situation and act accordingly (which does not mean automatic obedience). If you throw them a ball, they might bring it back the first time, but if you throw it again, they’ll just give you that look which says, “You threw it, you go and get it! Do you think I’m stupid?†(Or they will just eat the ball!) Q. - Do they need vast amounts of exercise each day? A. - Husky exercise is a strange one. They seem to be equally happy running 20+ miles each day in harness or sleeping 20 of every 24 hours. The trick is to vary their daily exercise. If you walk them for five miles every day at 6.30am, then on the day you want a lie in, they will be howling for their walk at 6.30am!! Don’t walk them too much as puppiesâ€â€five minutes per day for every month of age is a good rule of thumb. *********************************************************************************** So - many of the things you have heard about Siberian Huskies are true, BUT - there are exceptions to every rule. It is just not sensible to assume that your dog will be that exception. Mick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siberian_wolf Posted March 9, 2009 Report Share Posted March 9, 2009 excellant post Mick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted March 9, 2009 Report Share Posted March 9, 2009 excellent post Mick, added to rep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyMukki Posted March 9, 2009 Report Share Posted March 9, 2009 good advice and information Mick! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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