mydiamond Posted May 21, 2011 Report Share Posted May 21, 2011 "Siberian Huskies are a very social breed. It is highly recommended to own at least two of the same breed" Have you ever heard of that statement above? I heard about it loads of time and now I started to ask one thing to myself: "what will happen if I keep a husky as an only dog?" You know why I ask that? Because Diamond--my only dog which is a husky--develop weird behaviors around other dogs. If he sees another canine on the other side of the street he will jump, pull, bark and whine to simply say "hi do you want to play". Even if I say "no" and pull him back, he doesn't give up. He ignores whatever I say and will do anything to greet the other dog. Is this what they call "very social"? I think this is a bit 2 extreme! =( Diamond also likes to play rough. It's as if no one ever taught him how to play with smaller dogs or fragile puppies. This behavior is really disturbing, especially because small dogs are everywhere in my neighborhood. I don't want Diamond to injure another dog by accident! Is this all because Diamond is an only dog? Is that why he's so uneducated about making friends? More importantly... Will a second dog teach him how to stay calm near other dog? So, I started to think about getting another husky. But of course theres a lot to think about before adding another furry-friend to my house. What if Diamond injured the second dog by accident? What if they fight? What if Diamond still keeps his weird socializing behavior? You see, I have a lot to think about.So please help me! Give me your opinions--will a 2nd dog help Diamond? Or to make a long story short, is getting a second dog a good or bad idea? Please reply! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahNukka&Shadow Posted May 21, 2011 Report Share Posted May 21, 2011 Ok first no his as you think of it "abnormal" behaviour is actually totally normal! Hes a husky and as such all of the behviour you discribe is very typical husky behaviour! Although perhaps a little undersocialised as the bouncing around is typical of a husky who is so desperate to interact with any other dog it surgests he doesnt get much of it. As for NEEDING another dog at home, I think they are like any breed, if you accomodate them with playdates and plenty of walks and attention they can be very happy single dogs, having said that twice the huskies means twice the fun.. be warned tho as soon as you get another you will want another after that too! Their addictive!! I personally have two together and they get on great, when picking a second its just about matching their personalities so they dont fight, for instance my girl is quite a dominant bitch so I picked a laid back male to go with her so they would compliment each other! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tan J P Posted May 21, 2011 Report Share Posted May 21, 2011 have you ever seen huskies playing? boy they play rough and it can look like they are actually fighting if you've never seen it before. we were slightly worried when we introduced Shadow our puppy to Marley incase he was too rough,but,all was good:) dont get me wrong,their play was and still is supervised and sometimes we have stepped in when things have got a little too rough but nothing nasty,and then we introduced Tia too:D and now they have all settled perfectly,they all have different personalities and like Sarah has said,its best to match a dog that will compliment Diamond's nature....if he has dominant tendancies then you ideally want a calmer more laid back 2nd one. Is Diamond neutered? this too will calm some of his behaviour down if he isnt already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mydiamond Posted May 21, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2011 phew, thanks! I'm so relieved to know that all of his jumping and barking is normal XD Thankyou for posting a reply and thanks for the addiction warning LOL But even if you warned me, I'm still getting a second dog. It gonna be a long wait though, because getting a permission is like building a rocket =( Just pray for me and in a few months I will be posting about my second husky ^0^ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mydiamond Posted May 21, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2011 no Diamond is not neutered--in fact I'm planning to breed him. Diamond is a very submissive dog. He's laid-back and very lazy. If he's a girl I will call him Sleeping Beauty LOL thats why I'm surprised when I see him playing with a neighborhood dog. I can't believe he challenged a Rottweiler into a smackdown game O.O Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephona Posted May 21, 2011 Report Share Posted May 21, 2011 This is normal behaviour, but it will not necessarily be changed if you get a second dog, as they would get very used to each other, being together every day and won't be such a novelty as dogs in the park are. In fact, probably the new dog will learn some of the bad behaviours of the first one. All in all, the crazy behaviour around other dogs probably won't be changed by the second dog. If you want to fix his issue, you can always try to socialise him more, for example you can take him to doggy daycare a few times, there they have all (friendly) dogs play together and it can be a very good opportunity for him to socialise. Most of us don't have heaps of friends with dogs to help us socialise ours, that's why day care is a good solution. Obedience classes could also be a way of helping him modify this crazy, excited behaviour, especially if you want to work on his tendency to play rough with small dogs. I would like to get a second dog, however, ours is perfectly happy as a single dog as well. I think he will be very happy if you get him a companion. What I do recommend is trying to fix this issue before getting the second dog if possible, as you'll have loads more work on your hands if you wait until you get the new dog. Is Diamond being showed/worked? If you are planning to breed him, I suggest you first try to show him, work him or even obedience trials or agility, at least to see if he has any potential and if he can add something good to the breed. I wouldn't breed just for the sake of having puppies from him, but if he is extremely good in the harness, in shows or in obedience, then he would be worth breeding. Also, you should look into hip and eye testing, as these also need to be done before breeding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahNukka&Shadow Posted May 21, 2011 Report Share Posted May 21, 2011 This is normal behaviour, but it will not necessarily be changed if you get a second dog, as they would get very used to each other, being together every day and won't be such a novelty as dogs in the park are. In fact, probably the new dog will learn some of the bad behaviours of the first one. All in all, the crazy behaviour around other dogs probably won't be changed by the second dog. If you want to fix his issue, you can always try to socialise him more, for example you can take him to doggy daycare a few times, there they have all (friendly) dogs play together and it can be a very good opportunity for him to socialise. Most of us don't have heaps of friends with dogs to help us socialise ours, that's why day care is a good solution. Obedience classes could also be a way of helping him modify this crazy, excited behaviour, especially if you want to work on his tendency to play rough with small dogs. I would like to get a second dog, however, ours is perfectly happy as a single dog as well. I think he will be very happy if you get him a companion. What I do recommend is trying to fix this issue before getting the second dog if possible, as you'll have loads more work on your hands if you wait until you get the new dog. Is Diamond being showed/worked? If you are planning to breed him, I suggest you first try to show him, work him or even obedience trials or agility, at least to see if he has any potential and if he can add something good to the breed. I wouldn't breed just for the sake of having puppies from him, but if he is extremely good in the harness, in shows or in obedience, then he would be worth breeding. Also, you should look into hip and eye testing, as these also need to be done before breeding. Absolutly spot on the mark with EVERYTHING you just said! If I could like more times I would totally be liking the ass off this post! Well done!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephona Posted May 21, 2011 Report Share Posted May 21, 2011 Absolutly spot on the mark with EVERYTHING you just said! If I could like more times I would totally be liking the ass off this post! Well done!!!!!!!! Wow, thanks. I feel flattered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mydiamond Posted May 21, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2011 Yaaay big thanks to Persephona! no, no diamond is not showed or worked... but it's not because he doesn't fulfill the breed standards. He's smart and calm, a perfect example of the breed. I just don't have time to enter a competition with him. And he IS worth breeding. I'm not breeding him "just because I want to create puppies" but this is part of raising the Siberian husky's popularity in my small town. Here, huskies are aliens. Everyone asks me is it legal to keep a wolf at home XD I even believe that there are less than fifteen huskies in the whole region! That's why huskies are sold for really high prices because no one is giving away free puppies--huskies are just too precious. If this keeps going on people will buy huskies from the pet store and soon puppy mills will appear everywhere. It's scary! =( Even Diamond is a victim of irresponsible backyard breeding. Thank God he's now safe in a forever home! With me! Another thanks 4 ur explanation about getting a second dog and all those socialization advice. Honestly Diamond is very well-socialized. He's used to any kind of sounds and people. He's also used to any kind of dogs! He meets other dogs everyday. Yet he still acts like a kangaroo when his best friend Troy the Rottweiler is on the other side of the road LOL anyway I'll work on it and I wanna let you know that your reply is deeply appreciated =) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hyshqa Posted May 21, 2011 Report Share Posted May 21, 2011 If your dog is the result of back yard breeding then I would say DEFINATELY do not breed from him. Whoever bred him will not have had the dogs genetics, standards, health or temperament in mind when they bred his parents, so he could be carrying any number of genetic and unknown faults that you would only discover when these poor puppies are born with them! He's beautiful, and no doubt he is an absolutely brilliant dog, I don't doubt that, but if you seriously want to breed siberian huskies I'd do a lot more research into the breed (for example you thought he had behavioural issues, hence this thread, but it's actually normal husky behaviour - that is the sort of thing you should know inside out if you're selecting dogs for breeding), find a reputable breeder who shows and/or works to get your foundation stock and do some showing or working yourself. If you don't have time or money for that then I'm affraid you don't have time or money for puppies. It's great that you want to educate the public in your area on the breed but also look at it this way - you'd have to sell your puppies to these people, how many of them do you think will actually get GOOD homes? I'm not saying people who can't tell the difference between a wolf and a husky aren't fit to own one - you might come across someone who thinks like that but puts enough work in to become a good owner, but you must know yourself how difficult they are to own, what are the chances that all of the people that buy puppies from you, who will be from this limited population of people, will be like that? People don't need to own something to become knowledgeable about it, maybe look into other ways of educating your neighbours? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sid_Wolf Posted May 21, 2011 Report Share Posted May 21, 2011 Yaaay big thanks to Persephona! no, no diamond is not showed or worked... but it's not because he doesn't fulfill the breed standards. He's smart and calm, a perfect example of the breed. I just don't have time to enter a competition with him. And he IS worth breeding. I'm not breeding him "just because I want to create puppies" but this is part of raising the Siberian husky's popularity in my small town. Here, huskies are aliens. Everyone asks me is it legal to keep a wolf at home XD I even believe that there are less than fifteen huskies in the whole region! That's why huskies are sold for really high prices because no one is giving away free puppies--huskies are just too precious. If this keeps going on people will buy huskies from the pet store and soon puppy mills will appear everywhere. It's scary! =( Even Diamond is a victim of irresponsible backyard breeding. Thank God he's now safe in a forever home! With me! Another thanks 4 ur explanation about getting a second dog and all those socialization advice. Honestly Diamond is very well-socialized. He's used to any kind of sounds and people. He's also used to any kind of dogs! He meets other dogs everyday. Yet he still acts like a kangaroo when his best friend Troy the Rottweiler is on the other side of the road LOL anyway I'll work on it and I wanna let you know that your reply is deeply appreciated =) after reading where you got him from, you must not breed him! he was bred by puppy farmers, the dogs these people breed from are not breed standard and often have health and temperament issues. Now these may not show in you dog, but they can skip generations, so you are risking lots of health implications for the pups, and you have said yourself that he has recurring ear problems, this can be a result of bad breeding. If you want to raise good puppies, you need to import some well bred dogs, take time to show and work them (how do you know they are breed standard? a dog isnt worth breeding from just because he's pretty and doesnt bite), there is so much more to it than that. Then you must health test, both dogs need their hips scored and their eyes tested for hereditory diseases. Plus add to that the fact that he is a rescue/rehomed dog, it is simply unethical to breed him. You dont know his full pedigree, so you dont know what health issues could be hiding (which could come to light if he sires a litter), plus he's been through enough already, breeding is stressful for dogs, let him enjoy life as a pet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sutsibe Posted May 21, 2011 Report Share Posted May 21, 2011 I would like to say that I agree 100% with their assessment. A good, reputable breeder will make sure that the dogs they breed are genetically healthy by having their breeding stock's hips and eyes tested and scored by the proper vets and registries, and will breed only from working/showing lines, not those from backyard/puppy mill lines. The best breeders I've known in my many years with this breed have known all of the dogs in their prospective parents' 4 generation pedigrees; their faults as well as their strong points, who their relatives were, and what their faults and strong points were, and from there, what to expect from the puppies that might come from their litter. A good, caring breeder also carefully selects the home for each puppy - they make sure that the person wanting a puppy knows what the breed is like, is prepared to take care of that puppy for its entire life, and WILL take that puppy/dog back at any time the owners can't/won't keep it - for the dog's and the breed's sake! There are many expenses involved with breeding, only starting with the health testing. There are times when the bitch cannot whelp all of the puppies, and will need a c-section, usually not during office hours, and never and inexpensive proposition! You've said you don't have time to work or show your very handsome boy - do you have time to hand rear a litter of 6 puppies if their mom should die during the whelping process? They need to be fed about every 2 hours for the first couple of weeks of their lives! It involves round the clock care, a lot of hard work, and literally no sleep! Please - research VERY carefully before you commit to breeding, and if you are determined to do so, start with the very best breeding stock you can, for the benefit of the breed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephona Posted May 21, 2011 Report Share Posted May 21, 2011 Yaaay big thanks to Persephona! no, no diamond is not showed or worked... but it's not because he doesn't fulfill the breed standards. He's smart and calm, a perfect example of the breed. I just don't have time to enter a competition with him. And he IS worth breeding. I'm not breeding him "just because I want to create puppies" but this is part of raising the Siberian husky's popularity in my small town. Here, huskies are aliens. Everyone asks me is it legal to keep a wolf at home XD I even believe that there are less than fifteen huskies in the whole region! That's why huskies are sold for really high prices because no one is giving away free puppies--huskies are just too precious. If this keeps going on people will buy huskies from the pet store and soon puppy mills will appear everywhere. It's scary! =( Even Diamond is a victim of irresponsible backyard breeding. Thank God he's now safe in a forever home! With me! Another thanks 4 ur explanation about getting a second dog and all those socialization advice. Honestly Diamond is very well-socialized. He's used to any kind of sounds and people. He's also used to any kind of dogs! He meets other dogs everyday. Yet he still acts like a kangaroo when his best friend Troy the Rottweiler is on the other side of the road LOL anyway I'll work on it and I wanna let you know that your reply is deeply appreciated =) I understand what you mean, however, breeding is complicated stuff and since you mentioned they are not popular there, you would have enormous trouble finding a proper husky female to breed; furthermore, I highly doubt that any owner of a suitable bitch (i.e. from working lines or with pedigree and good hips and eyes) would agree to her having a litter with Diamond, seeing that he comes from a backyard breeder. Also, Sid is spot on with the health issues - you cannot know what's hidden in his genes. Since he comes from a BYB, surely when he was bred, nobody cared about potential issues like hip dysplasia or even stuff like ZRD (which is genetic as well) and thyroid problems. You, as breeder, would be liable for all the genetic health problems of the pup. Needless to mention that health testing for the hips and eyes is a must. Hip dysplasia is a very cruel disease for a dog, I would feel terribly guilty to produce a pup that suffers from this. I am really not opposed to owners breeding their dogs, as long as it is responsible, but breeding a puppy from a BYB is not a good idea. You already said you want to get another dog, why not take the chance to get a pedigree/working puppy and do everything right? Contrary to the general perception, BYBs are not necessarily cruel people or breeding just for money, but what makes them BYBs and not responsible breeders is not taking the time to worry about all the issues above. Most BYBs genuinely care about their dogs, but this is not really enough. You have to put in effort and determination to produce healthy puppies that fit the breed standard. Not doing this means you'll just be another BYB. Just one more thing I'd like to add - meeting lots of dog does not necessarily mean a dog is socialised. Socialisation also means that a dog knows how to properly react to other dogs action and that can interpret correctly other dog's body language and signals. I am not saying this is your case, but generally not every dog that meets lots of dogs is socialised. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BingBlaze n Skyla Posted May 22, 2011 Report Share Posted May 22, 2011 i have 3 dogs - 2 sibes and a staffy x whippet - and they all still do the OMG ANOTHER DOG!!!!!!!! bit lol i also would not breed him - u said his siblings passed away due to bad breeding - why pass those traits down to diamonds pups because u will Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Posted May 22, 2011 Report Share Posted May 22, 2011 Please bare in mind the Showing & Working are simply peoples own opinion, and personally I feel that people should start stating as much. However what is not just a matter of opinion, is the fact that you need to know the dogs background, his ancestors health, and his own health. In this case I dont believe this is something you can possibly know. I do not normally get involved in any of these conversations because to be completely honest they annoy the hell out of me as personally I couldnt care less if I 2 win tje iditarod, or come out best of breed. I DO want them both to have been bred with more thought gone into their temperement than anything else at all. However as stated above, you have to know that there are not underlying things that can become issues in the pups, such as hip and eye problems relating to the breed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Posted May 22, 2011 Report Share Posted May 22, 2011 .jpg] Yes to two Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Posted May 22, 2011 Report Share Posted May 22, 2011 LMAO, quality picture @Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jroberts1 Posted May 23, 2011 Report Share Posted May 23, 2011 nanook is a real pain in the ass too when i take her on her walks, for the same reason. i do let her say hello to other dogs but some dogs tell her to get lost cos she,s so hypo. i worry over the little dogs cos she would hurt them as she plays so ruff, not to mention thst she also nearly pulls my arm off to get to see other dogs ad if i say no and pull her away she lies down and won't budge. it's getting to be really embarrassing. some owners walk away as they think she's mad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIMMY 66 Posted May 23, 2011 Report Share Posted May 23, 2011 my 2 are kc reg and i will never breed them they are to many huskys in need of good homes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bec Posted May 23, 2011 Report Share Posted May 23, 2011 In regards to the barking and lunging at other dogs, this may be common behaviour but I wouldn't call it normal in that it's desirable or behaviour I would condone. Personally I prefer my dogs do not have a high value for other dogs. That doesn't mean that I want them to dislike other dogs, but I'd prefer if they see another dog and go 'meh'. I do not want a dog that "has" to greet every dog it sees, or wants to play with every dog we walk past. I don't want a dog that has a super high value for other dogs especially if that value exceeds the value they have for me. My dogs can greet other dogs if and when I tell them they can and I never let them greet another dog unless they are calm - and they don't get to greet every dog we walk past or see. I don't get another dog for my current dogs, I get one for me Only add another dog to your pack if YOU want to and if your current dog is at a stage in their training you are satisfied with. I also keep new dogs to my pack separated from my current ones, I don't want them developing too high a value for each other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TreyRust Posted May 25, 2011 Report Share Posted May 25, 2011 Hate to pour fuel on the fire, that was stared on the ashes of your bubble that was bursted about 10 posts ago. But yeah, don't breed. I'm all for NOT getting your dog "fixed", especially if they are well bred, with an AKC registration and a pedigree. But I would never breed a dog that: Doesn't have an AKC reg Isn't well bred You don't know the history on This has all been said before but, I must reiterate. I'm aware that you must love your dog, and would never want to lose that personality. But you said he has frequent ear problems? You should never breed a dog that has ANY health issues, or is weak, or is the slightest bit undesirable. and juding by the title of this thread, He does fall into this category. Now, instead of attacking your one statement. I will now reply to your original question. That is a perfectly normal behaviour, not desirable in any sense, but its normal. You can rest assured your dog is not a psycopath. The reason he is getting so excited by the neighbors dog could be anything really. It could be because the neightbors dog has an excitment about him. Think about it, Dogs view other dogs as we view other humans, You sometimes feel like someone would love to just hang out and get to know you. and sometimes you just want to keep walking as fast as you can. It boils down to the fact that we put off how we are feeling. Maybe the neighbors dog doesn't get out much? dogs that don't get exercise are a lot more excitable than those who don't. If he doesn't get to play a lot, then he would want to play, and by default, he would look like he wants to play, and diamond might see that and feel the same way. It could also be that Diamond sees the dog as different, just as we different colors, shapes and sizes of people differently. Maybe he sees something he doesn't see much? a rottweiler is quite a unique dog, maybe thats the case? My favorite theory would be that, he sees across the road and over the fence as a "grass is greener on the other side" situation. since he can't have it, he wants it more e.t.c. None of us could tell you for sure without having a LOT more details, or without being there. And there are different ways to go about training him out of this behaviour. You would have to be patient, since he is a husky and especially with impulse stuff like this, its going to be really hard to teach. I can't tell you for sure what method would be best. But a good start would be working on his impulse control. Just do a google search and start working on that. Trey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mydiamond Posted May 25, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 25, 2011 *reads all the post and thinks hard* okay, I made a decision. I think I'll be a bad owner if I breed him even if for good reasons, so... I guess I won't breed him. Thanks for all your comments =D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted May 25, 2011 Report Share Posted May 25, 2011 that has ANY health issues, or is weak, or is the slightest bit undesirable. and juding by the title of this thread, He does fall into this category. aww that seemed like such a put down . But yeah Breeding is taken very seriously here, which helps make people aware, because like you, I had no idea how big and detailed the process of breeding dogs was, until I started reading forum posts on here. on the behavior side, does he know many commands? If yes I'm assuming he ignores you It might be worth asking a friend with another dog to meet you about half way on your usual route, but on the other side of the road or fence or w/e and just keep trying to train him to sit and stay, while your friend and dog is over the other side of the road, It will take time though I'm lucky in that Kita likes other dogs, but isn't dying to go and see them and doesn't really get to excited, even in the park off leash she won't leave my side, even if she sees another dog, her ears go up for abitand she watches, but just keeps following me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TreyRust Posted May 25, 2011 Report Share Posted May 25, 2011 aww that seemed like such a put down . yeah, but if you start feeling sorry for the weak ones, you have a similar situation as with the GSDs that are notorious for having hip dyspepsia. horrible for the dog and you. you have to think of these things... Trey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted May 25, 2011 Report Share Posted May 25, 2011 I know, I think the way to look at is, If they were in the wild, they wouldn't survive =-/. Hip Dysplasia is horrible, Not just just GSD's that are notorious for it, alot of large breed dogs are, However it is extremely uncommon in sibes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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