laurakelly08 Posted February 13, 2015 Report Share Posted February 13, 2015 Hello everyone I've just joined this forum cause I've recently adopted a 7 months old husky boy named zeus. Me and my bf have been told by certain people and things we've found from Google they have to be crated for the rest of there lives cause they'll eat my house otherwise? Is this true? Seems ashame if it is cause I own another dog and they'll always be separated if that's the case. Another question I was wondering I hear there escape artists but how are they off the lead on park walks or woodland walks or is this another big no no? Any information anyone can give me to help us with our new pup would be much appreciated [emoji1] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotTheDogWhisperer Posted February 13, 2015 Report Share Posted February 13, 2015 All dogs can be destructive regardless of breed. It's generally considered a good idea to crate a dog when going out or leaving them for long periods of time so as to reduce the risk of damage; not just to your house but your dog too. But it doesn't mean that the dog needs to be crated 24/7. Depends on the dog too; some dogs are not destructive at all and don't need to be crated. As for the offlead question...they do have a reputation for having...questionable recall. Or unreliable recall. Having them offlead is not a good idea; mainly because of their prey drive, selective hearing, etc. Most people here will discourage having them offlead. You can buy these 100ft leads which are apparently a god-send; giving the dog almost the level of freedom they would have being offlead without actually being offlead. EDIT: This thread might help you with crate training: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurakelly08 Posted February 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2015 Thanks you for replying. I have a long lead and a long rope so I will continue to use that then. My other dog roams the house when I'm at work and she's good as gold she just sleeps all day until I'm home. I don't crate him at all when I'm here thou he comes to bed with me and is free to roam when I'm home I was just wondering how he would be while in was at work. He has 3 xxl cages connected together so he has lots of room in his crate just seems ashame he can't be free like the other dog but I suppose it'll be a trial and error case and ill gradually leave him bit by bit to see how he does behave alone without me. I was hoping the other dogs company would be enough for him to be alone without destroying things. I suppose I just hear different things from all kinds of people and I get a bit paranoid in what's right and wrong with him having never had this breed before. What's your advice on them with cats? I have 2 and he's frightened of them at the moment as he's so small but do you think he will still be ok when he gets bigger? I see YouTube videos of huskys with cats so I thought they'd be ok. He seems interested in what they are occasionally chases them around but so does my other dog x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jase Posted February 13, 2015 Report Share Posted February 13, 2015 Welcome to the forum, Zeus is gorgeous Destructiveness is not a certainty at all. You may find that Zeus is fine and will not get bored and destructive as you have another dog. You just need to see how you go. My boy is crate trained but he is left on his own in the house these days and I never have anything destroyed. I tend to agree that it is not really fair for one to be crated while the other gets free roam. Baby gates are good to block off areas that you deem necessary. Offleash? It's not worth the risk in my opinion. Too many sad tales of escaped dogs being run over or never coming back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurakelly08 Posted February 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2015 Thankyou jase ? I'm so pleased with him I just keep looking him saying to my bf how much I love him. He's so loving and follows me everywhere I feel like I'm his mommy ha ha. Thanks for the advice ill take it on board x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurakelly08 Posted February 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2015 As he is only 7 months and is still a nosey puppy should I wait until he's bigger before I test him outside the crate? X Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clare70 Posted February 13, 2015 Report Share Posted February 13, 2015 Hello, good on you for taking him on Some huskies are fine with cats and other small animals, especially if they've been raised with them. Personally I wouldn't mix the two but that's just me. When one of my dogs was 4.5 months old he caught and killed a squirrel. Huskies have a very high prey drive, so it's their natural instinct to chase/hunt smaller animals not necessarily to eat them but can injure or kill by just playing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emma Posted February 13, 2015 Report Share Posted February 13, 2015 Hi there and welcome to the fourm. I have one who l manged to successfully crate train as a pup and my cross breed who I didn't. thankfully Bear isn't destructive now that her separation anxiety is under control but Ice would get up to lots of mischief if I left him out of his crate when i went out. He actually really likes his crate now and sometimes I have a job trying to get him to come out of it, lol. Huskies have a high prey drive and are notoriously stubborn so things like a reliable recall and reliability around small furries are not something you can take for granted. It's simply not the way they're wired, they're really not like other breeds. Like mentioned long lines help to give some freedom and with regards to your cat be very careful to make sure they're not left alone together as when it comes to cats it can be a bit dicey. Things like stair gates can help to restrict access to certain areas and give the cats somewhere safe to hide if they feel threatened. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robke Posted February 13, 2015 Report Share Posted February 13, 2015 Mine are not crated at home on in the car and while camping (for my piece of mind and their safety)... offleash...unless they are in a very secure area yes otherwise NO LOL.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clare70 Posted February 13, 2015 Report Share Posted February 13, 2015 I don't and haven't crated any of mine but only had one of them as a puppy. I have a large conservatory which is the dogs room, so when I go out I leave them in there. I'm not sure I'd leave a pup free to wander for any length of time, husky pups can get bored pretty quickly and love to chew, I wouldn't risk him chewing through a cable or getting something stuck in his throat. Many members on here have had instances where their dogs have eaten socks etc and have had to go to the vets, which of course can be expensive let alone the danger to the dog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BingBlaze n Skyla Posted February 13, 2015 Report Share Posted February 13, 2015 Welcome to the pack , some huskies do need to be crated when you go out my girl used to as she chewed everything now tho she gets full run of the house , my boy never needed to be crated , offlead is a big no with these dogs even if u have one that's good offlead it only takes one moment for them to ignore u and run Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jase Posted February 13, 2015 Report Share Posted February 13, 2015 As he is only 7 months and is still a nosey puppy should I wait until he's bigger before I test him outside the crate? X I think Ronin was 6 or 7 months when I trusted him out of the crate, but I don't have cats so your situation might be different?? Ronin is still nosey at nearly 16 months LOL. He will steal my daughters toys if he can We use baby gates to block off my daughters room as she always forgets to shut her door and Ronin will run or tip-toe in to this room of treasures Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurakelly08 Posted February 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2015 Thanks everyone I do watch him around the cats and I keep on at him not to chase and to leave them alone he soon settles in there company but ill always watch them and keep them mostly separated. As for chewing up socks zeus swallowed a whole sock last week and then sicked it back up whole a lucky escape really x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robke Posted February 13, 2015 Report Share Posted February 13, 2015 I have a sock stealer....Alpha now steals them and comes and brings them to us for an exchange of a treat and he does not swallow them any more...being sick with them is gross enough just think when they come out the other end when a wee bit of help is needed... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurakelly08 Posted February 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2015 Ha ha ha how horrible. I personally don't seen the attraction but they must in there own way x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chula Posted February 13, 2015 Report Share Posted February 13, 2015 I think that as he is only 7 months, you might want to consider crate training him until you are certain he's not going to eat things - not just for the damage it causes to your house, but because it can cause damage to your dog. I know from experience that having to have their bellies cut open because they ate something that won't pass and hasn't been vomited up is not only expensive, but terrifying. Things are replaceable. Your dog isn't. That said, mine is no longer crated if I'm out of the house for a few hours. She is still crated if she is left alone for more than 4 hours or so, except the one time I stayed overnight somewhere after drinking too much and she was left to wander overnight. She was fine. But at 7 months, there is absolutely NO WAY I would have left her to roam free for longer than 15-20 minutes. Mine will never be off lead outside of an enclosed area. Ever. It is just not worth the risk. She has plenty of opportunities to be in large places that are secure, as well as running on a long lead at a park or in the river. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Posted February 13, 2015 Report Share Posted February 13, 2015 I agree that crate training would be the way to go, especially at that age. Mine are 3-4 years old and are still crated when I am gone. And I would also not risk letting them off leash in a non-secured area... BTW Emily, I am jealous that you can leave Chula out of her crate for a few hours...I leave Nikko alone for a few minutes and there is a 90% chance something will be chewed up and/or destroyed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOBELHOWLUC49 Posted February 13, 2015 Report Share Posted February 13, 2015 Noah my Husky has free roam of the house and after he was neutered has become the most reliable of all of them. Mind you Howler and Lucky (Malamutes/Husky) are only pups (nearly 6 months) so they are kept in the kitchen un crated. If you do this just make sure anything they can harm them selves on are out of reach or put away, unplug anything electrical. Bella is the cat watcher and will just follow him every where. I would not recommend letting of in an un enclosed area. 90% I know Noah will come back 10% does not want to be thought of. Every dog is individual and you will have to take small steps to gauge the nature and then appropriate how you manage Zeus. What breed is your other dog?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurakelly08 Posted February 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2015 Thanks chula for your feedback much appreciated. What age would you recommend for them 2 be tested at being alone out of there crate? X Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurakelly08 Posted February 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2015 My other dog is a staff x lab Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOBELHOWLUC49 Posted February 13, 2015 Report Share Posted February 13, 2015 How is Zeus with her what's her name sorry if you have already given the name and age. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurakelly08 Posted February 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2015 The staff x lab is called lola she's about 4-5 years old although still seems a puppy herself. She's a rescue aswell was used for breeding. And zeus is the 7 months old husky pup. They get along well although lola is boss she tells him his place all the time she's very jealous girl. Zeus is bouncy and what you'd expect from a puppy lola plays when it suits her any other time her attitude is get out my way there my owners but we treat them the same and love them both the same. I've only had zeus 3weeks so she's still getting used to him but each day gets better Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurakelly08 Posted February 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2015 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurakelly08 Posted February 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2015 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jase Posted February 14, 2015 Report Share Posted February 14, 2015 What you could do is let up a camera like a web cam or security camera and see what happens when you are not there. They look so great together and if you leave plenty of safe enrichment chews and toys etc this may help. I agree that there is always a danger of chewing or swallowing something, but you need to puppy proof your house anyway, or at least in areas he will have access to. As I mentioned earlier baby gates are great so you can close off certain areas and this will also give a safe haven for the cat to escape to. If you just had Zeus then I would be more inclined to recommend the crate for whenever you are out, but as Lola has free access to roam around, I worry that Zeus will see this and become more stressed especially as they seem very close and comfortable together. Also, Zeus will learn from Lola, and will probably try an emulate certain behaviours from her. I would imagine this to be a positive thing for Zeus. As mentioned earlier I am a firm believer in crate training but each and every case will have pros and cons so you need to weigh up the physical risks together with the potential stress of separation from Lola at times when you are away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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