To Husky or Not To Husky

[davidjk]

this is my own personal opinon.

Huskies are very stunning creatures, and they are very intelligent.

they are very friendly, but you HAVE to be the boss, this includes everyone. the pup will have to realise it is bottom of the pack, or troubles will ensue.

huskies need a lot of excercise to stop them being bored. bored huskies are destructive.

currently micha gets 3 hours minimum, but anything under 2 hours and she starts to chew the house.

also from what i have seen of other husky owners around here, if you are not in control, then they can become aggresive towards other dogs. i know of 3 husky owners round here who dont rule their huskies, their huskies rule them.

having a husky is like having a child

[decksimus]

this is my own personal opinon.

Huskies are very stunning creatures, and they are very intelligent.

they are very friendly, but you HAVE to be the boss, this includes everyone. the pup will have to realise it is bottom of the pack, or troubles will ensue.

huskies need a lot of excercise to stop them being bored. bored huskies are destructive.

currently micha gets 3 hours minimum, but anything under 2 hours and she starts to chew the house.

also from what i have seen of other husky owners around here, if you are not in control, then they can become aggresive towards other dogs. i know of 3 husky owners round here who dont rule their huskies, their huskies rule them.

having a husky is like having a child

Is that 3 hours per day?

And also, can you cite specific types of showing "in control"? From my readings I have deduced that disciplining Huskies is way different from most other dogs where they don't take punishment well and could consider you a push-over if you are not stern enough. I mean... if I scold the dog is it going to eat my car or something out of spite?

[mbb23]

Hey ya,

Welcome to the site!! Well done everyone top advice :grinning-smiley-003 (Added to Reps) cant really add to what has already been said. well done on you for doing your homework on this fantastic Breed If you decide this is the Breed for you then I really look forward to hearing all about your new pup/Dog and would love to see loads of pics when you get him/her! Please maybe consider rehoming as there are so many out there in need of a second chance and forever home.

Good luck and keep us posted!! Look forward to seeing you around the forum x x x x

[valkyries]

lol i have 3 and we both work but if you are willing to put the time in with your sib you'll be ok also if your wife who you say is house proud is willing to put up with the fur then go for it but if any dout then please dont.

if your wife is OCD with house work maybe another breed may be best, but if you do get one and can cope you wont look back they are the best and as others have said after a while you may want two lol good luck xxx

[decksimus]

lol i have 3 and we both work but if you are willing to put the time in with your sib you'll be ok also if your wife who you say is house proud is willing to put up with the fur then go for it but if any dout then please dont.

if your wife is OCD with house work maybe another breed may be best, but if you do get one and can cope you wont look back they are the best and as others have said after a while you may want two lol good luck xxx

How do you manage 3 if both of you work? Are they outside all day?

[valkyries]

no they are indoor dogs i wont leave out side, my hubby and i try to work diff shifts so dogs not alone alot, but we do have the odd day where we are both at work and the dogs are in the house.

I do not crate my dogs ever they have crates and two of them do love to go curl up in them but the other one hates em, i'm just lucky at mo they have never chewed any thing realy just their own beds and silly little things but thats not to say they wont one day.

like you i thought long and hard before i got Odin as a pup but i said only one lol the famous last words, he needed a mate so we got Loki a girl from rescue she was 21/2 when we got her but in time we got Thor from rescue they are so addictive, we are thinking of one more but thats it lol. Well untill i can afford a bigger house god i'd have loads if i could.

There are good points to a husky but bad ones as well but at the end of the day it's the time you put in with them as with any dog realy, they can all be distructive if left. So sorry if the pic's scared you but best to know both sides of it xxxx

[decksimus]

You must really do a great job with them for them to be good in the house like that. All my research says - for the most part - that they are only bad if brought up bad; that they chew on stuff mostly to spite you. It's reassuring to know that they can actually be domesticated.

[valkyries]

oh i would not say domesticated lol i've just been lucky so far but thats not to say it could change, i could easily come home to some thing not good lol i do not kid myself on that.

to me the biggest thing is the time and training your willing to put in. but thats the same with any dog, i think for you it's if your wife can cope with the hair ????

[Kaiya]

wow, good intro. I'll try to add my 2 cents and not duplicate a lot of what was said already. For background, my wife and I have 2 huskies in a 700 sq ft house... in which part of that is blocked off from husky access. It was only a couple months after getting our first that we ended up getting our second. People may think it's crazy to get two, but I honestly got about 3 hours of my evening back after we got the second (mine are both puppies, 5 and 7 months). As puppies they take a lot of attention, when we still only had one there was no such thing as playing with the pup for an hour and then sitting down to watch TV; she wanted to go until it was time for bed.

In my opinion, a lot of the common husky traits can be managed by diverting the energy. Regarding chewing, we have several toy boxes for our two and we keep them in a constant rotation along with adding new toys so they do not get bored with their toys. We haven't had a real chewing incident yet.

We don't have a fenced in yard, but prior to getting our first I scoured craigslist for some chain link fence. I built a 16 x 16 kennel in our backyard, 6' high and thin gauge fencing 18" in the ground. We built a sand box in it to dig in, and also layed some stone gravel down for a bathroom area. On top of that, we put a doghouse in there as well. This gives them their own area to play and dig without destroying our entire yard. All the books and stories are true, they do dig and they will destroy any shrubs they can get to. Soon we will be adding an awning to it to cover the entire kennel, half weather proof and half just a sun blocker material. Our plan is to be able to leave them in the kennel while we are at work (currently they go to work with my wife), but I am in the Northeast so our weather is a bit different than yours.

What are the chances you could build a kennel adjacent to your house? We have a close friend that has done this and installed a doggy door allowing the dogs to come and go as they please. Inside the house, they have the kitchen blocked off so the dogs really only have access to the kennel and the kitchen.

Everything you have stated seems like you would be a good home for a husky, but I would just be concerned over keeping them crated for 8 hours. regardless of the breed, being stuck in a crate for that long just seems cruel. At my wifes work, we keep them in their own 6x6 kennels, not perfect but at least they have room to move and go to the bathroom along with access to water etc. With your schedule, the dogs will spend most of their lives in the crate, 8 hours during the day, plus how ever many hours you sleep at night, thats really not a good way to live. What happens when they get sick? Will you be able to stay home with them for a couple days? One of ours has gotten a UTI and has had to constantly use the bathroom, we couldn't leave her in a crate for 8 hours and a UTI doesn't go away in one day so one of us would have had to stay home with her to let her out all day. Not trying to be harsh, just helping you think about the not so perfect scenarios

[Kaiya]

Oh, and I forgot to mention the cleanliness..... lol. Everyone has done a pretty good job mentioning the fur, but these are dogs that are not bothered by the elements or the mud. They don't want to stay in just because it's raining outside. THEY WILL GET DIRTY! My rain gear never leaves my front porch because I use it so much. We keep towels on the porch as well so we can try and clean them off when they come back in, but you will never get them clean before going in the house when coming back from a walk in the rain.

When they dig, they bury their nose in the dirt to sniff around so their faces are constantly dirty..... until they get a drink and fill their water dish with dirt. We must change their water about 10 times a day because of all the dirt they drop in it, then once they are done drinking, they will drool the water in a five foot area around their dish. Not very tidy drinkers.

[decksimus]

wow, good intro. I'll try to add my 2 cents and not duplicate a lot of what was said already. For background, my wife and I have 2 huskies in a 700 sq ft house... in which part of that is blocked off from husky access. It was only a couple months after getting our first that we ended up getting our second. People may think it's crazy to get two, but I honestly got about 3 hours of my evening back after we got the second (mine are both puppies, 5 and 7 months). As puppies they take a lot of attention, when we still only had one there was no such thing as playing with the pup for an hour and then sitting down to watch TV; she wanted to go until it was time for bed.

In my opinion, a lot of the common husky traits can be managed by diverting the energy. Regarding chewing, we have several toy boxes for our two and we keep them in a constant rotation along with adding new toys so they do not get bored with their toys. We haven't had a real chewing incident yet.

We don't have a fenced in yard, but prior to getting our first I scoured craigslist for some chain link fence. I built a 16 x 16 kennel in our backyard, 6' high and thin gauge fencing 18" in the ground. We built a sand box in it to dig in, and also layed some stone gravel down for a bathroom area. On top of that, we put a doghouse in there as well. This gives them their own area to play and dig without destroying our entire yard. All the books and stories are true, they do dig and they will destroy any shrubs they can get to. Soon we will be adding an awning to it to cover the entire kennel, half weather proof and half just a sun blocker material. Our plan is to be able to leave them in the kennel while we are at work (currently they go to work with my wife), but I am in the Northeast so our weather is a bit different than yours.

What are the chances you could build a kennel adjacent to your house? We have a close friend that has done this and installed a doggy door allowing the dogs to come and go as they please. Inside the house, they have the kitchen blocked off so the dogs really only have access to the kennel and the kitchen.

Everything you have stated seems like you would be a good home for a husky, but I would just be concerned over keeping them crated for 8 hours. regardless of the breed, being stuck in a crate for that long just seems cruel. At my wifes work, we keep them in their own 6x6 kennels, not perfect but at least they have room to move and go to the bathroom along with access to water etc. With your schedule, the dogs will spend most of their lives in the crate, 8 hours during the day, plus how ever many hours you sleep at night, thats really not a good way to live. What happens when they get sick? Will you be able to stay home with them for a couple days? One of ours has gotten a UTI and has had to constantly use the bathroom, we couldn't leave her in a crate for 8 hours and a UTI doesn't go away in one day so one of us would have had to stay home with her to let her out all day. Not trying to be harsh, just helping you think about the not so perfect scenarios

Wow! Thanks for the input.

The outdoor kennel definitely sounds like a good idea. I will have to toss that idea around. It would surely be a more cost-efficient solution for yard play.

In regards to the amount of time the dog will be in a crate... My wife actually doesn't go into work until 10am; and she gets home at 4am. I said 8-5 in my timeline because my daughter goes to school at 8 and I don't get home until 5. And my wife only works part-time (usually only 2 or 3 days during the week) and I am home most weekends. I bring home the bacon. My wife only works to keep herself busy and to make her some extra play money. Hence, if the dog needs any attention - as in any case with our daughter - she can be home.

[decksimus]

Oh, and I forgot to mention the cleanliness..... lol. Everyone has done a pretty good job mentioning the fur, but these are dogs that are not bothered by the elements or the mud. They don't want to stay in just because it's raining outside. THEY WILL GET DIRTY! My rain gear never leaves my front porch because I use it so much. We keep towels on the porch as well so we can try and clean them off when they come back in, but you will never get them clean before going in the house when coming back from a walk in the rain.

When they dig, they bury their nose in the dirt to sniff around so their faces are constantly dirty..... until they get a drink and fill their water dish with dirt. We must change their water about 10 times a day because of all the dirt they drop in it, then once they are done drinking, they will drool the water in a five foot area around their dish. Not very tidy drinkers.

Nice! My wife will love this.

[Kaiya]

Wow! Thanks for the input.

The outdoor kennel definitely sounds like a good idea. I will have to toss that idea around. It would surely be a more cost-efficient solution for yard play.

In regards to the amount of time the dog will be in a crate... My wife actually doesn't go into work until 10am; and she gets home at 4am. I said 8-5 in my timeline because my daughter goes to school at 8 and I don't get home until 5. And my wife only works part-time (usually only 2 or 3 days during the week) and I am home most weekends. I bring home the bacon. My wife only works to keep herself busy and to make her some extra play money. Hence, if the dog needs any attention - as in any case with our daughter - she can be home.

Ah! Thats a little bit of a different story then. Huskies are smart enough to maintain different relationships with their family from what I've experienced (although I should have prefaced each of my posts with the fact that I am new to this myself as of this past summer). So, what I am saying, if your wife is around during the day and the husky just has her companionship, but not any real playing or training until you get home, it will adapt to that. Our girls play with my wife, but they know when I walk in the door after work, its time to roughhouse. if that makes sense.

[decksimus]

I would like thank all of you for your input. This is all very helpful and gives us a real idea of life with a Husky. Thank you all very much.

I would also like to try and keep this thread going. We will not make our decision probably until January (or whenever my daughter meets her end of the deal) and would like this thread to keep going for anyone else who has knowledge to shed on me (no pun intended).

Also, I must say something. I have done extensive research on a handful of different breeds of dog. Some dogs have little overhead with much reward. Some dogs have much overhead with little reward. Some dogs make you smile. Some dogs make you giggle. Some dogs make you mad. Some dogs cause stress and some dogs relieve stress. But there is one thing that I haven't seen until researching the Husky. On this forum and some of the others I have looked at (don't worry, I'm loyal, I only participate with this one) every owner complains about the work, complains about the hair, complains about the training, the chewing, the digging, the running away. So many people complain so much about every aspect of the Husky. And these complaints surpass any complaints about other breeds of dog.

But, beyond all the complaining, these same people would not trade their Husky for the world. Some even go back and get another. And another. And even when they are complaining about something(s) that the dog has done it is completely evident in the tone and choice of words that their Huskies are still their pride and joy. Almost like they're not even mad. Like it doesn't matter that the dog just renovated the living room. I find it truely amazing that a dog with so many things to complain about still brings - in my opinion - more love and happiness to a family than any other dog I read about.

I had a friend that had a Mal many moons ago. The same thing existed there. He was always complaining about how much hair he had in his house; how his dog broke this, chewed that, etc. But he held his dog on a pedistal. He was always more than happy to play with his dog, take her to the park, buy her fancy foods.

It is just weird for me to understand - being the rational person that I am - how a dog with so many anti-domestications can inflict so much love. I am almost jealous of you all.

Anyhow, thanks again for all the information and, please, let's keep this thread going. I want to know more.

[Cathy]

Absolutely awesome post, Dex! A true rational perspective, and you're absolutely right. I do not have an explanation for you, but your observation is dead on! Adding a rep that!

[valkyries]

it's the way they look at you when they do some thing wrong lol they know and look at you as if to say sorry or it was not me mum lol you just can't stay mad at them, they just melt you lol would never trade any of mine in ever lol guess we're all just crazy but the love they give out ways any thing they do xxx

[Arooroomom]

It's true. No matter what they shred, chew, dig up, eat, chase or destroy they are the most AMAZING dogs on the planet. And we forgive, take pics, and post them online. When we tell their stories we can't help but smile at our naughty little trouble makers. We want more of them. We want to spend as much time with them. We love them, no matter what they do.

[davidjk]

Is that 3 hours per day?

And also, can you cite specific types of showing "in control"? From my readings I have deduced that disciplining Huskies is way different from most other dogs where they don't take punishment well and could consider you a push-over if you are not stern enough. I mean... if I scold the dog is it going to eat my car or something out of spite?

yes, but like i said its from personal experience of 3 huskies, plus micha has the run of the house.

huskies need constant training, and they will always push to se what they can get away with.

different methods of discipline work for different dogs.

micha had to be held down as a pup

saskia was told no then ignored.

logan was shut outside

having said that i would not be without micha for the world.

there is a magial quality about huskies, you can see the intelligence

decide on your rules and stick to them 100%

[Bec]

that they chew on stuff mostly to spite you.

Just to clarify, spitefulness is not a canine trait, it's a human one. Dogs don't do anything out of 'spite', they don't have the ability to think things through like that.

Just in regards to your OP - huskies don't have a protective bone in their body. They will show an intruder the keys to the house if they could. They can be aloof because they are an independent breed so whilst they might like to spend time with you they aren't typically clingy dogs that would work purely for a pat on the head.

It's reassuring to know that they can actually be domesticated.

This made me LOL Huskies are a dog, they have been domesticated for more than a century

[Sarah]

Pity some humans aren't as domesticated though Bec lol

[erikkj2001]

Huskies are great ideas for familys with children. Huskies love children.

A little bit of information on Huskies. Huskies are amoung one of the few breads that still are used for what they were bread for. Huskies love to run and pull things. They are very friendly to everyone so if your looking for a watchdog this is not the dog for you. A Husky would rather help a burglar than bite him.

HOWEVER.

Plese remember the 3 verys... The are very playful, very active, and very vocal. Because of this they often end up in shelters. People get them and expect them to grow out of it thinking its a puppy thing... Its not. Most of the time they wont calm down at all until about 2 years of age and even then... its not all that much of a change.

If they get bored they make their own fun... this is usually by digging(through matresses is not unheard of) or by tearing things apart. Being that they love to run they are prone to running away. A Fence is a must... If they manage to tunnel under it you may want to try digging 8 inches down and 3 feet away from your fence and place some of the chainlink fence under the ground and make sure it is affixed to the bottom of the fence. This is actually what is done in wolf enclosure to make sure they cant tunnel out.

From what you were saying you want a dog that you can teach to do things and play fetch with. Huskies are among the most intelligent BUT they are not very tractable. A Husky will learn quickly but they have the power to decide if they want to listen which is a weaker trait in most dogs. A Husky also is not one for playing fetch. They get bored with it very quickly. Take Kino for example. He will fetch twice, on the third time he will go to the ball look at it then come back without it and go "what we going to do now".

If you want an intelegent dog that is tractable I strongly suggest Labradors. Cocoa, my childhood dog, was a chocolate lab. He was smart, good with kids, and loved playing fetch. To my understanding Golden Retreivers are much the same way.

All this being said Huskys are great dogs to have and often take their place as one of your kids. They are a breed like no other. Why do people love them so much? Its one of those things that not even a husky owner could answer fully. They Instantly become one of the family.

On a side note. Please dont get a dog to teach a child responsibility. Ultimately it is the adults responsibility to make sure the dog is well cared for. Im not saying that that is the reason you would get one... just warning against what a lot of people do.

[decksimus]

Good stuff, Erik. Thanks.

[JolieHusky]

Hi Dex,

It's great to see responsibility in dog ownership.

I am replying in regards to your post about the complaints of a Huskies way of being and their actions - and yet despite this the utter devotion of us Husky lovers.

I work with many breeds of dogs and many of them are family dogs. Growing up I generally had large breed dogs such as German Shepherds.

They are wondeful, loyal, trainable and protective - However after having my first Husky which is also part wolf the only thing I can say is that in comparison the Shepherds are boring!

Huskies have a feralness and independant nature that is wonderfully entertaining and enderaing but as previous people have said, it is this lack of domestication that can also make them difficult as a pet.

Huskies have a very, very high prey drive and the need to RUN. This is built into every Husky just as herding is in border collies, protectiveness in Shepherds and greediness in Labradors!

It's very pleasing to see some people who are able to let their huskies off - however as you have read that is rare. My dog has excellent recall - And immediatley returns in a sitting position in front of me away from dogs, people etc but that is AFTER she has checked the perimeter of the fencing in where she is!!! I have lost her a few times where she has always come back but as any Husky owner will tell you it is so heart breaking when they do that as you try not to imgaine the worse things that could happen.

I have noted that you have mentioned several times about the handling of the breed. Attention should always be paid to what requirements the breed needs but it is DOG before breed and the basics need to be established with any breed. Remember to view the dog as just that and not human as many dog lovers do. Dog's don't rationalise with things if they do anything there is a reason for it and they live in the moment. An unhappy, frustrated dog will show itself in many destructive ways - Eg; It doesn't know those are your favourite shows - It just knows they are yours as they have your scent on them!

Every dog needs to know that it's place in the pack and that is after all the humans in the household

Calm assertiveness and patience is needed with any dog but in particular with Huskies as someone previously mentioned they are not as adapt at playing retrieving games like many Gundogs like Labradors, Spaniels etc and need a lot

Huskies do not do well being left on their own - They are a pack animal as a dog and then even more as a Husky as they are bred to run as a pack. I work with many owners on seperation anxiety and if you are going to leave any dog on their own for a period of time they either need company from another dog or some sort of mental stimulation. There are toys such as Kongs where the dog has to work out how to get tasty treats out of it or raw beef marrowbone is a great way to stimulate them. To ensure your dog is as happy as it can be when you leave it - Must be exercised, fed (With time to relieve itself) and CALM when you leave.

I wouldn't recommend that any puppy of any breed be left alone for longer than 3 hours. Espiecally if crated. Dogs as a rule do not like to dirty their own sleeping area and it will make for a very unhappy puppy and encourage behavioural problems if they are forced to do this on a regular basis.

I appreciate what you say about not adopting an older puppy that someone else has brought up however unlike horses who are prey animals and tend to hold onto the way humans have ruined them - Dog's don't, and with the correct and consistent training any behaviours that you do not agree with can be eliminated. Dogs don't hold onto the past and don't think about what they are going to do in the future- we make mistakes when we constantly feel sorry for a mistreated dog as we are re emphasising that behaviour and blocking the dog to move on. Unless their is a medical condition in regards to their nervous system which can have an impact on their brain nature will try to make that dog balanced again. Sorry if that seems a bit long and drawn out but you need to balance the needs of the dogs as well as your own. Your wife will still be away for 8 hours at a time and that is not fullfilling the dog's needs - therefore a young dog rather than puppy may be able to cope with it more.

If your daughter is happy around large breeds and you are confident your wife can cope with the blowing of the coat, then in your situation and with your lifestyle and homestyle I would look at Alaskan Malamutes rather than a Husky for both your sakes.

They have similar characteristics to Huskies - being a snowdog, but these dogs are generally not used as working sled dogs anymore other than recreational and have better recall and able to be off the lead more often than Huskies. They are significantly larger than Huskies and do not have the blue eyes but as these breeds are not as inbred as many other popular kinds they are less likely to suffer from medical conditions (Other than those general to large breeds just simply due to their size and eventual old age) - Provided they have a balanced diet and wormed, and de - fleaed regularly. I personally know many malamutes owners and they are similar to the Husky in their friendliness and lack of protectiveness - however have similar traits in digging, chewing etc and again as they are quite independant too - even more important to ensure it knows it's place so that it can enjoy being a content dog instead of worrying about taking over.

Obviously you must do what is best for you and from working with many families and their furry family members this is my best advise to maybe help you.

[Cathy]

Informative post, Melissa! Rep added.

(of course, someone's rebuttal coming in 3 ... 2 ... 1 ...)

[Val (Zebedee)]

I agree with Cathy, very informative, added to rep also, lots of points covered in that post