Leaving Huskies Alone ?

[Lesley Wolfe]

We have a few concerns in our husky search.  

 

 We intend to spend as much of our time with our husky but there are bound to be times when we need to leave the dog on its own.

 

 

l)    Is it possible to leave a husky at home ever?             

 

2)   Would they be okay to leave at all after a long walk?

 

3)   Do most huskies travel okay in a car?

 

4)   Feeding, some say raw, some say dry, a bit concerned there as we would be happier feeding dry as want to be able to take our dog away on 

      holiday .   Maybe raw treats?

 

Any advice would be welcome.

 

x

[Dunc]

Answer ti Q1-2 are the same IMO yes crated 

3 : Mine do some don't and I think doing it from puppy age is a good idea 

4 : I don't raw feed so no comment to make 

 

[Mike101]

Mine is never at home alone, if I am not there , my wife is..

Mine loves travelling in the car

She prefers dry.

[Lesley Wolfe]

Thanks for that, I tend to be a dry feeder anyway, but some folk mention raw and I really don't fancy that idea to be honest plus its not really practical in my opinion.

 

Another question,     

 

Is is possible to let the husky off its lead

 

I just find it hard to not let them run on say a nice stretch of beach etc.

 

Thanks again in advance.

[Kodiak's Mum]

Hubby and I both work shifts, most of the time there is one of us there, but Kodi will go for up to 8 hours on his own (although this doesn't often happen), but he's been used to it since he was a pup. He has a mix of wet, dry and raw.

[Dunc]

  

 

Is is possible to let the husky off its lead

 

I just find it hard to not let them run on say a nice stretch of beach etc.

 

Thanks again in advance.

Absolutely not those that do tend not to be huskies 

[Kodiak's Mum]

I take Kodi on an extendable lead and he runs round me, or on a 100ft lead if I know we are unlikely to see other dogs. He also runs the scooter a couple of times a week so he gets plenty of exercise.

[BingBlaze n Skyla]

There's usually someone always home at mine however they have been left and been fine

My girl travels lovely n will just sit or lie down in the car , my boy is a nightmare lol (he has ripped dog guards down)

We feed both but u can just feed dry if u want to its entirely your preference

[Removed #5]

We have a few concerns in our husky search.  

 We intend to spend as much of our time with our husky but there are bound to be times when we need to leave the dog on its own.

 

l)    Is it possible to leave a husky at home ever?             

2)   Would they be okay to leave at all after a long walk?

3)   Do most huskies travel okay in a car?

4)   Feeding, some say raw, some say dry, a bit concerned there as we would be happier feeding dry as want to be able to take our dog away on 

      holiday .   Maybe raw treats?

 

Any advice would be welcome.

• I have two (an Alaskan and a Sibe) and both have stayed at home when I've been out - 4-6 hours has been the max.  Avalanche, my Alaskan, would prefer to be outside, so he goes on a 30 foot lead tied to the front porch when I'm out.  Sasha stays inside (and surprisingly there seem to be no problems between them since they can see each other through the sliding glass door) and I completely trust her to be loose.  If I'm gone too long and I have a mess to clean up - well, I was gone too long.  To my knowledge she's never gotten into anything she shouldn't have.
• see number one ...
• Avalanche is always looking over my shoulder to see where we are and where we're going; Sasha just chills in the back of the jeep.  My two travel well but I think you'll find that it really depends on the dog - some do, some don't.
• Mine get kibble.  In the first place, I don't have the storage for raw and kibble is more standard, imho, and easier.

Is is possible to let the husky off its lead

 

I just find it hard to not let them run on say a nice stretch of beach etc.

 

Thanks again in advance.

"Is it possible?" Like most things, it's possible - It is definitely NOT a good idea!! Husky's were bred to run and given the chance they will run. Regrettably, they (generally) don't have any recall so if you let them off lead, there's a good chance you'll spend the rest of the day trying to round her up.

I had an exception who came home every time I called for two years ... then one time she didn't. Don't make the same mistake!

[jmscott]

We have a few concerns in our husky search.  

 

 We intend to spend as much of our time with our husky but there are bound to be times when we need to leave the dog on its own.

 

 

l)    Is it possible to leave a husky at home ever?             

 

2)   Would they be okay to leave at all after a long walk?

 

3)   Do most huskies travel okay in a car?

 

4)   Feeding, some say raw, some say dry, a bit concerned there as we would be happier feeding dry as want to be able to take our dog away on 

      holiday .   Maybe raw treats?

 

Any advice would be welcome.

 

x

 

1- It can depend on the Sibe, but generally I suggest crating. 

3- Again, it depends on the dog, but if you socialize them to the car they can easily learn to tolerate it even if they don't like it.

4- I always prefer raw. It is relatively easy to feed raw on the road. Their food just goes into a freezer. They can also eat kibble while on the road, you just have to be prepared for the dreadful kibble poops. Nana had a kibble meal last week and when it came out the other end it felt like the kibble appocalypse. While it was solid, it smelled bad, there was a lot of it, and for the first time in 6 months, we had to pick it up since it wouldn't crumble away like her normal raw poops.

[Chula]

Mine is home alone every day, in a crate. I am still hoping to someday have a secure dog run for her outside as she loves being outside in fall/spring weather. 

 

She does okay in the car. We went on a 20-hour drive (with stops and an overnight in a motel) and she survived. She was nervous at first, but then just slept most of the way.

 

She is fed high-quality kibble (Acana) and has a soft coat and is full of energy.

 

She is never off leash. She would run, and even if she might come back, she'd get hit by a car first. If you want a dog that will be able to be off leash, I would look for another breed. It can be frustrating to not be able to let her run free, but it's just not worth the risk. 

[robke]

My 2 can stay alone for upto 6 hrs with total freedom of the house and it does not matter if they had a long walk before hand.. travel in the care with not a problem in the world as long as every 2 hrs they have a pitstop...feed them kibble and once or twice a week a piece of frozen fish..off lead never ever, just long lead and pulling the scooter in the winter...

[Lesley Wolfe]

Right then  I am understanding the fact they have to be kept on a lead.

 

How much walking in general would a husky need to keep it satisfied, i.e. how many miles, how many times a day etc etc.

 

Thanking you

[Chula]

It really depends on the dog. My dog, at just under a year, NEEDS at least 1.5-2 hours of exercise each day or else she becomes unbearable. That's a combination of walks and playing fetch in the backyard. She gets an hour walk in the morning, a half hour of fetch in the evening, and a half hour walk before bed.

 

Not sure what age you are looking at - when they are puppies you can't work them as hard so a couple short walks a day is all you can really do with structured exercise. Once they're older you can tire them out by running, biking, pulling things, etc. We are just getting acclimated to trotting next to a bicycle. You can also find a playmate/dog park to tire them out too. Mine is most tired when she's had an hour at the dog park running and playing.

[jmscott]

Puppies under 5 months should have no organized exercise, free play (and rest) is best and will ensure their bones grow right. They can take serious exercise at a little over a year.

[Chula]

Most often quoted on this site is 5 minutes per month of age. So a 3 month puppy can have 15 minute walks. Preferably not on asphalt/cement. I've never heard that a puppy should have absolutely no organized exercise before five months, unless you aren't including those short walks as part of structured exercise.

[jmscott]

The most important thing is that they have the opportunity to rest when they need to. Short walks and training/ socializing sessions are fine.

[HuskyMom09]

l)    Is it possible to leave a husky at home ever?    

        I would suggest crate training early so you can crate while away.  This protects them as much as it does your home and gives them a safe space that is entirely theirs.  Puppies generally can be crated 1 hour per month of age (ie- 4mo old puppy = 4 hours crating)

 

2)   Would they be okay to leave at all after a long walk?

       After exercise is best, though as a puppy they aren't able to go on the 'long' walks, at least until their growth plates close.  Mental stimulation with game play training also works to exhaust puppy into being more prepared for you to leave.  As mentioned 5min per month of age is about all the 'structured' exercise that should be allotted until over a year.

 

3)   Do most huskies travel okay in a car?

      Exposing puppy to car rides in a positive way early is the best to get puppy to enjoy car rides in the future.  Don't make going to the vet the only occasion for a car ride or you could create a puppy that dislikes the car for that very reason.  I also suggest crating while in the car, again the safe secure space that is theirs and protects them in the event of something unfortunate like a car accident.

 

4)   Feeding, some say raw, some say dry, a bit concerned there as we would be happier feeding dry as want to be able to take our dog away on 

      holiday .   Maybe raw treats?

      Feeding is a fairly personal opinion.  You should not mix raw and processed foods though as they digest at different rates.  If you feed processed, offer processed treats.  If you feed raw, limit or completely avoid processed treats.  Raw by far is the best diet for them to be on, though not always an option depending on local availability.  There are plenty of high quality foods on the market, some can be interchanged with Raw for travel with no problems as long as you aren't feeding mixed, though try to avoid grains and fillers like corn in your diet. http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/ is a great resource for finding a quality food.

[BingBlaze n Skyla]

Wouldn't let mine off I use a flexi lead or a 50ft lead for mine

[Sarah]

 1)   Is it possible to leave a husky at home ever?             Yes mine are crated when we are out

 

2)   Would they be okay to leave at all after a long walk?  Yup, mine have a good snooze after

 

3)   Do most huskies travel okay in a car?  - can't say, have never had problems with my boys however it depends on the dog / their background etx

 

4)   Feeding, some say raw, some say dry, a bit concerned there as we would be happier feeding dry as want to be able to take our dog away on 

      holiday .   Maybe raw treat - mine have raw and kibble, although not together as these digest at different rates, so a couple of days a week they have raw, a couple they have kibble

[sarahp87]

l) Is it possible to leave a husky at home ever?

My boys are left on their own in the kitchen and all they do is curl up and sleep! I have a webcam in the kitchen that I can access from my phone so can check on them if need be.. But the longest they've been left is probably 4 hours while I play golf. My mum is in hospital at the moment but when she's home they won't be on their own as my mum probably won't go out unless my dad or I are with her.

2) Would they be okay to leave at all after a long walk?

I tend to walk them in the morning, so most of the time they are left after a walk.

3) Do most huskies travel okay in a car?

My eldest Keiko travels fine, the younger one Breeze gets car sick but only very occasionally.. So I make sure if I know there's a car journey coming up I don't give him anything to eat beforehand.

4) Feeding, some say raw, some say dry, a bit concerned there as we would be happier feeding dry as want to be able to take our dog away on

holiday . Maybe raw treats?

My two have dry kibble with bits of ham and chicken mixed in usually.. And a bit of special low salt dog gravy for that extra tasty treat!

[Removed #5]

Right then  I am understanding the fact they have to be kept on a lead.

 

Thanking you

Just to make sure we're on the same page - Emphatically! Keep them on a lead or in some enclosed place they can't get out of. As I said earlier, I had an exception - who showed me that exceptions aren't to be trusted. My two now are seldom off lead and when they are I'm right on top of them. One missing dog was heartache enough!

[mydiamond]

l)    Is it possible to leave a husky at home ever?     of course my boy has never been alone, but I know huskies can be trusted inside the house. In a crate, that is          

 

2)   Would they be okay to leave at all after a long walk? how long are you gonna leave? even after a long walk and a frozen Kong to chew, they need to be crated. Remember they're smart and will get themselves into trouble 

 

3)   Do most huskies travel okay in a car? can't generalize this behavior in a breed can we? my boy was okay with cars since day one, but some others don't enjoy it

 

4)   Feeding, some say raw, some say dry, a bit concerned there as we would be happier feeding dry as want to be able to take our dog away on 

      holiday .   Maybe raw treats? it's down to personal preference... my boy is fed mainly dry because I'm concerned with salmonella and all.. so yeah it's all up to you

[Lesley Wolfe]

Thanks everybody again, its all very helpful.

 

I am hoping to find a husky thats approx a year old or a bit older but not alot, probably not a puppy on this occasion as we are looking to rehome rather than breeder buy.

 

Thanks again

[GHOST R1D3R]

We have a few concerns in our husky search.  

 

 We intend to spend as much of our time with our husky but there are bound to be times when we need to leave the dog on its own.

 

 

l)    Is it possible to leave a husky at home ever?             

 

2)   Would they be okay to leave at all after a long walk?

 

3)   Do most huskies travel okay in a car?

 

4)   Feeding, some say raw, some say dry, a bit concerned there as we would be happier feeding dry as want to be able to take our dog away on 

      holiday .   Maybe raw treats?

 

Any advice would be welcome.

 

x

 

 

1- yes but depends on age and how good they are.

 

2- yes,they will be tired and want a drink and a rest.

 

3- yes but have them in the boot with a cage, some are good in the back seat but one of mine like to move too much and sits on the kids cos she finds it funny. which it is until they moan then the wife moans but its still funny 

 

4- raw is best but not very cost effective.you can get high grade dry food that isn't cheap but will give them the best food with little effort. its around £60-70 for a big bag. my 2 have cheap food but they love it and at the end of the day its what they like. just started them on some stuff from asda. dry food from a yorkshire company and some meat stuff in a roll. They love it and there very fussy so we are changing food every few months.