Parson Posted December 21, 2014 Report Share Posted December 21, 2014 Hello there, I’m bringing my 6-weeks old girl husky puppy home on Christmas day. I would love if you folks would share your knowledge and experience in terms of the first month training, diet, toys, exercise and over all keeping. Thanks a lot! I’m so happy to be part of this forum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mydiamond Posted December 21, 2014 Report Share Posted December 21, 2014 Hi and welcome x at six weeks old, she's probably going to present you issues with bite inhibition training. It's generally best to bring home a pup at 8 weeks of age. Invest on a set of ear plugs and take a nap while you still can good luck and don't hesitate to ask questions! x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BingBlaze n Skyla Posted December 21, 2014 Report Share Posted December 21, 2014 Welcome to the pack , surprised the breeder is letting it's pup's go at 6 weeks old and on Christmas day :-/ like liv said it's best to have them home at 8 weeks so they can learn doggy manners from its mum and siblings but we will help out where we can on any issues/questions that you might have :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carly Posted December 21, 2014 Report Share Posted December 21, 2014 Hello and welcome....I bought my Skye home at 12 weeks old and she presented us with plenty of issues even then (little moo that she was lol) sending lots of good luck and Happy Christmas :0) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mazz Posted December 21, 2014 Report Share Posted December 21, 2014 First off, welcome. And yes, it is best if a pup can stay with the litter until eight weeks, but it is what it is. We got Zoya when she was nine weeks old, and my gosh, she bit me with reckless abandon. So sometimes, it makes no difference, sometimes it makes a world of difference. Spend as much time as you can with your new pup. Start training simple things like sit, stay, shake. Praise and reward. Take the pup out a few minutes after play and training periods, a few minutes after waking up from sleep or naps, and a few minutes after eating. Get up every two hours every night and take the pup out for potty. And when they go potty outside make a huge fuss over them and shower with praise. When an accident happens inside, simply make no issue out of it. Clean up, and carry on. It's helpful if one person can take the pup outside right away while a second person cleans up. Kongs are good toys. Avoid rawhides, or any type of dried meat that comes out of China, be it beef, chicken, or other species. Play and training periods should be sort of short, maybe ten minutes, then take a break. I highly recommend crate training. You can do a search on this forum for threads on the topic. And by all means, schedule an appointment with your vet and have the pup checked out very soon, like within a few days. Also, have a fresh stool sample when you go and have them check for parasites. Many puppies have worms, and if not treated, can lead to other issues. Good luck. Get a few more posts under your belt so when you get this little fur baby, you can post some pics for all of us to enjoy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nstack1228 Posted December 21, 2014 Report Share Posted December 21, 2014 Good luck to you and yes be prepared for lots of fun/frustrations Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emma Posted December 21, 2014 Report Share Posted December 21, 2014 Welcome to the forum. Wishing you many happy years of happiness with your new little fur baby. [emoji1] xxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmscott Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 · Hidden Hidden I would not recommend bringing home the puppy if you can help it. There is no reason for bringing home a pup that young and plenty for them to stay with their dam and litter. A good breeder would not do that, let alone many would hold a puppy until at least January, rather than during a holiday. If you do bring her home, you will want to start looking in your area for reputable behavior based trainers. Here are a couple links for two highly respected trainers in the dog world. http://suzanneclothier.com/ http://www.clickertraining.com/ Link to comment
Jase Posted December 22, 2014 Report Share Posted December 22, 2014 Welcome to the forum Parson As others have said have a good think about what you might be about to get yourself into. Raising any puppy is difficult, raising an 8 week old Husky puppy is more difficult and challenging and raising a 6 week is going to be quite a bit harder again. I would concur with Jaimie here, if you are committed to going through with this, then call some trainers now, and book in some home visits for training that will start no more than a week after you get her. Make sure you have around 4 weeks of time off work or that someone will be at home during this time to be working on training and separation issues. I always worry when I hear about 6 week old pups being sold, especially at Christmas as there could be a whole host of problems from a puppy bred and sold like this that you won't know about until it is too late. It is quite possible that I am worrying too much about this and I really do wish you all the best You will get plenty of help here no matter which decision you make. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parson Posted December 23, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 23, 2014 I like to thank all of you for giving me priceless tips. What I’ve gathered from all the posts here and additional outside research Huskies, other than their great looks, have very little else to offer. I’ve read posts from getting plenty of sleep before I bring the puppy home, to buy ear plugs, to take 4 weeks off from work to train the puppy, to be prepared to exercise the dog 4 hours a day or longer or they can be massively destructive, to they make absolutely terrible watchdogs, to they are scape artists and at the slightest chance they will ditch, to make sure I have 6 feet tall yard walls, to have wall posts 2 feet deep, and on and on. I began to wonder maybe these dogs don't want to be a pet to begin with! The final blow came when the seller wasn’t willing to hold on to her puppy for another 2 weeks until she’s 8 weeks old as I was advised to do. I asked her to keep her until she's 8 weeks and she refused and some how managed to sell her to another sucker within an hour! All together I’m relieved the decision was made for me. I think I’ll instead go for something more trainable like a retriever and not with so much downside. Again I’m plenty thankful for all your input. You’re either very protective of your dogs, or huskies are truly a hard breed to train and raise, or perhaps both! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mydiamond Posted December 23, 2014 Report Share Posted December 23, 2014 I like to thank all of you for giving me priceless tips. What I’ve gathered from all the posts here and additional outside research Huskies, other than their great looks, have very little else to offer. I’ve read posts from getting plenty of sleep before I bring the puppy home, to buy ear plugs, to take 4 weeks off from work to train the puppy, to be prepared to exercise the dog 4 hours a day or longer or they can be massively destructive, to they make absolutely terrible watchdogs, to they are scape artists and at the slightest chance they will ditch, to make sure I have 6 feet tall yard walls, to have wall posts 2 feet deep, and on and on. I began to wonder maybe these dogs don't want to be a pet to begin with! The final blow came when the seller wasn’t willing to hold on to her puppy for another 2 weeks until she’s 8 weeks old as I was advised to do. I asked her to keep her until she's 8 weeks and she refused and some how managed to sell her to another sucker within an hour! All together I’m relieved the decision was made for me. I think I’ll instead go for something more trainable like a retriever and not with so much downside. Again I’m plenty thankful for all your input. You’re either very protective of your dogs, or huskies are truly a hard breed to train and raise, or perhaps both! Looks like you've encountered a backyard breeder sorry to hear about that. If you need tips about finding a reputable breeder (means they won't let you down like this one), of ANY breed, don't be shy to ask. We're pretty good at that (not me, but hey ho). The Siberian Husky is indeed not your typical dog. They are a very unique breed that is absolutely more than just looks. But under the long hours of exercise, their insane level of stubbornness, their tendency to escape, the amount of holes they've made on your once-lovely yard, and their infinite shedding, they give back what you invested on them sevenfold good luck on your search x EDIT: Oh oh last one last one! I'd just like to comment that these dogs indeed don't want to be pets to begin with. They've never been just pets. Their ancestors were crucial means of transportation and bond very closely with the tribe members' children. They demand to be viewed as an equal companion Now I can't speak for the entire breed since Dime is my first dog ever, but I do know that I train Dime by keeping in mind that he has a mind (and opinions) of his own. Most other dogs merely demand instructions. But not these guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jase Posted December 23, 2014 Report Share Posted December 23, 2014 Hi Parson, I think you have been wise to look at all of the pros and cons. I am sorry that the breeder that you encountered was not a good one, but count your blessings that you asked the questions. Huskies are a wonderful breed and certainly capable of being well trained and great companions. I don't think they are ideal for first time dog owners but this can be overcome with the help of a good trainer. A friend told me the other day their vet said and I quote, " I love Huskies but I could never own a dog smarter than me" My boy is not fussy, is not destructive, eats anything, is relatively obedient on most occasions and never tries to escape. I researched for around a year, met plenty of breeders before I got Ronin. I also have the help of a professional trainer. So all the good things can be achieved with lots of work There are so many wonderful dog breeds and careful selection of what suits your lifestyle is a good first step. The hardest thing is waiting for the right dog and this means plenty of research into reputable breeders. I still maintain that most of the things I mention in my earlier post are universal to all dogs breeds. I am sure I am not alone in hoping that you will post here and please let us know if you have any questions about finding a good breeder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parson Posted December 23, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 23, 2014 I had a dog some 20 years ago, so I suppose that does make me a 1st time owner. I can't begin to tell how helpful your and other owners input and comments have been. I would've never forgiven myself for assuming responsibility for such a beautiful creature and then become overwhelmed beyond any hope. I will continue to enjoy and appreciate the beauty and the majesty of this breed from distance and envy those who have had the patience to properly train this lovable dog. They are truly the most beautiful dogs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Posted December 23, 2014 Report Share Posted December 23, 2014 Like Jase said, they can be great dogs, but you need to be prepared to put in a lot of work to get them there. I read about all the same things about huskies as you mentioned in your post and it worried me sick, but I still went ahead. I've never had a problem with any of those traits (perhaps I just got lucky), but you've gotta be right on top of your game or they'll overrun you. This is the first dog I've personally owned but had heaps as family pets. Good luck with your search though. It's good you're doing your research as so many people don't, and it's the exact reason animal rescues even exist. But you're more than welcome on here regardless of whether you have a husky or not Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jase Posted December 23, 2014 Report Share Posted December 23, 2014 I had a dog some 20 years ago, so I suppose that does make me a 1st time owner. I can't begin to tell how helpful your and other owners input and comments have been. I would've never forgiven myself for assuming responsibility for such a beautiful creature and then become overwhelmed beyond any hope. I will continue to enjoy and appreciate the beauty and the majesty of this breed from distance and envy those who have had the patience to properly train this lovable dog. They are truly the most beautiful dogs! I wish there were more people like you Have a look at Australian Shepherds as well as Golden Retrievers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mydiamond Posted December 23, 2014 Report Share Posted December 23, 2014 No don't listen to Jase, GSDs are obviously the second-best (( I sense a breed war coming up )) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Posted December 23, 2014 Report Share Posted December 23, 2014 Would be a fight between an Aussie Shepherd and a GSD for me. I think GSD's tend to be a little more stubborn though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmscott Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 · Hidden Hidden If you like the energy of these dogs, but want a more biddable breed, the UKC and AKC website offers lists of sporting dogs. These breeds will be some of the best 'buddy' type dogs. While sibes can indeed be amazing and wonderful friends, some days they are also the asshole roommates that you wish would pitch in on the bills. And as others have said, thank you so VERY much for being the right kind of owner that researches, listens, and makes the best decision for the dogs. Link to comment
jmscott Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 · Hidden Hidden https://www.akc.org/breeds/sporting_group.cfm UKC calls them the Gun Dog Grouphttp://www.ukcdogs.com/Web.nsf/WebPages/Registration/BreedStandards Link to comment
Jase Posted December 23, 2014 Report Share Posted December 23, 2014 GSDs are great, it is just very hard to get a good balance of health and temperament these days. It can be done, but the potential owner needs to be aware that they are also a dog that requires experienced training and handling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Posted December 23, 2014 Report Share Posted December 23, 2014 por que no los dos? But yeah, don't ask me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jase Posted December 23, 2014 Report Share Posted December 23, 2014 oh and the Flat Coat Retrievers I have met have been wonderful wiggle-bums Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BingBlaze n Skyla Posted December 23, 2014 Report Share Posted December 23, 2014 Sorry to hear the breeder was like that :-/ even if u do decide that a husky isn't for u you are still more than welcome here should u need any advice :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clare70 Posted December 23, 2014 Report Share Posted December 23, 2014 To put it into perspective, my 15 year old son said the other day 'Mum, when I'm older I want to have a dog but I won't have a husky, they are too much hard work' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goingsolo Posted December 23, 2014 Report Share Posted December 23, 2014 All puppies and dogs take hard work and dedication. Take your time and carry on with the research, have you looked into adoption? Both my boys rescue dogs Solo came as a 2 yr old he is the most demanding stubborn loving furball we've owned. He loves lying in the way saying no and refusing to listen but then he comes fof a hug and all is forgiven lol. Hope you find your doggy companion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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