Stardancer85 Posted May 12, 2018 Report Share Posted May 12, 2018 Hi, we’re considering adopting a Siberian husky, and one particular dog we met today and clicked with exhibits some off-leash dog dominance. We didn’t witness it as we spent time with the dog today on leash, but it was described to us as her “checking other dogs” by running into them with her shoulder and biting at their necks when in an open field off leash (edit: open as in room to run around and play, but still secured. Not totally open, The rescue has quite a bit of acerage.). It has not been hard enough to draw blood. She is one year old. On the leash, we did have one occurrence today where another dog walked by and went to the end of his leash and up on his hind legs trying to get to her. She was up in a flash and went toward him, no lunging, barking, or anything I saw as aggressive, just alert and ready to go. I’m having a hard time finding resources to learn more about how my family would go about working with the dog on this issue. Is this a big deal? Moderately big deal? We spent some time talking to several of the rescue volunteers about it, and we’ve reached out to a local behaviorist to discuss. My biggest concern is that we are renting a house without a fenced in yard. Doggie day care was one of our ideas for helping her to get enough exercise without having room to run around off leash at our house, but until we can work with her on this issue, doggie day care wouldn’t work. She was GREAT with me and my husband on leash, so that’s good. We want to make sure that we can give her the exercise and stimulation she needs to be a happy, non-destructive husky. And that we (as inexperienced husky owners, I might add) are able to work on this with her. My secondary concern is that, without training, this will progress from dominant play (what it sounds like to me now) to dog aggression. Appreciate any guidance you all have! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BingBlaze n Skyla Posted May 12, 2018 Report Share Posted May 12, 2018 Huskies shouldn't be off lead anyway but if you're worried lots on on lead walks with calm friendly dogs and a behaviourist should help Sent from my [device_name] using http://Husky Owners mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachael_Astro Posted May 12, 2018 Report Share Posted May 12, 2018 As above huskies shouldn’t be let off lead, how are you planning on letting her go to the toilet without a fenced in yard? It’s not uncommon for huskies to play bite other dogs necks, mine do it all the time and I’ve seen lots of other huskies do this too, it’s just the way they play Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petertmartin Posted May 12, 2018 Report Share Posted May 12, 2018 Harlow is 1.5 and off lead at the park every day. She has a tendancy to run up to new dogs sniff each other then if they don't want to play she paws at them or tries to push them over (I'd say it happens about 50% of the time). As you can imagine most other dogs don't like this so it's caused a few scuffles. Luckily we go early in the morning and mostly the same dogs are there. She plays rough with a few other dogs at the park that bite at each others necks. This is normal play for some dogs. So too the shoulder checking and bumping into each other. She also wrestles with a 45kg Ridgeback where they stand up on their back legs. Unfortunately not every dog owner understands that they are just playing and become overly concerned. I'd say yours is similar and is playing. I haven't tried to ever try and train this out of her because I believe it's normal behaviour for dogs but if you are concerned then definitely speak to a trainer/behaviouristSent from my [device_name] using http://Husky Owners mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stardancer85 Posted May 13, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 13, 2018 Got it. The rescue organization brought it up to us as a specific issue, so my understanding is that it is a bit more than normal rough play behavior that they see all the time from their other huskies. They didn’t want us to have her too close to the other rescue huskies at the event today as well. Regarding huskies never being off lead, I hear that loud and clear in unconfined spaces. But my understanding is that generally at dog parks and at doggie day care, the dogs are not on leads, and it’s a no-no for there to be a mix of dogs and off leads. Am I incorrect? It sounds like taking her for walks/jogs and letting her run around the park on a longer lead would help us to meet her exercise needs? Regarding going to the bathroom without a fenced in yard, I expect that she would do her business on our walks or we’d have her on a secured longer lead with access to the yard when we are outside anyways or for short bathroom periods while we are supervising ONLY. She needs some work with housebreaking anyways, plus we would go pick up her poop even in our yard so this hasn’t been a big concern of ours. Fair? Thanks everyone, really appreciate the feedback so far. Oh I realize that there might be some confusion over my use of “open field.” Meaning a wide open space with room for the dogs to run around and play with each other, but still secured. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJWR Posted May 13, 2018 Report Share Posted May 13, 2018 Here you go..... even the dogs trust wanted to stop them "attacking" each other. Its playing. Get yourself a walking belt and go running. watch out with long leads as you might find your husky runs full pelt and then comes to a sudden stop. Or they dance about and get tangled. If you you don't mind me asking, how have you managed to get a husky whilst renting? Landlords aren't usually that willing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachael_Astro Posted May 13, 2018 Report Share Posted May 13, 2018 Ahh ok, I’ve got 2 huskies and my first never pooped out on a walk til we got our second husky, now he prefers to go on walks than in the garden. My second one has never ever pooped on a walk, my other half took them on a 10 mile walk yesterday and he did absolutely nothing! Yet he goes every time I let him out in the garden. Not all huskies are like that but you would need to prepared for that to potentially happen. That’s good about it being a secure area to let the dog out in, huskies have no recall and a very high prey drive so letting them off lead in an insecure area is a no no (Astros dad ran off and was shot by a farmer) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stardancer85 Posted May 13, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 13, 2018 RJWR, thank you. Beautiful dogs! We specifically sought out a rental that allowed pets without breed restrictions. It’s a single family home so no issues with slippery slope or with disruptive behavior, and it’s his only rental so I don’t know that he really thinks through these kinds of issues the way a business would. We have good insurance to protect the landlord from personal injury claims and are committed to crate training, so that also helps to address the two biggest concerns with dogs in rentals (property destruction and aggression). That being said, we’re planning to buy a house next year, so it might be that the rescue decides we would be better off waiting until then. We’ll see! Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Posted May 15, 2018 Report Share Posted May 15, 2018 I think most of your questions were answered, especially with the off lead issue with Huskies. As far as enclosed dog parks and doggie daycare, I think those are fine places for them to be off lead and get some exercise. I still am cautious in dog parks, because most that I have been to only have 4 foot fence. Mine are preoccupied with sniffing and running and not trying to find a way out. In a back yard, I would worry about them getting bored and finding a way over the fence as they usually need a 6 foot privacy fence with no way to dig underneath. Also, I think even a rental with loose restrictions would be fine, but every rescue is difference. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petertmartin Posted May 17, 2018 Report Share Posted May 17, 2018 I think most of your questions were answered, especially with the off lead issue with Huskies. As far as enclosed dog parks and doggie daycare, I think those are fine places for them to be off lead and get some exercise. I still am cautious in dog parks, because most that I have been to only have 4 foot fence. Mine are preoccupied with sniffing and running and not trying to find a way out. In a back yard, I would worry about them getting bored and finding a way over the fence as they usually need a 6 foot privacy fence with no way to dig underneath. Also, I think even a rental with loose restrictions would be fine, but every rescue is difference. Good luck! Yep our local dog park has open sections where they have run away a few times and only short 3-4 foot fences. It's owners risk but she loves running around with other dogs so I let her. The key is working on recall which she's been pretty good with Sent from my [device_name] using http://Husky Owners mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markulous Posted May 19, 2018 Report Share Posted May 19, 2018 We take ours to the rescue's offlead which has a 6 foot fence which none have yet attempted (though one of ours has, in the past before we adopted him, cleared a 7 foor fence) Ours love the offlead for the space to indulge in some good dog-on-dog play (of the Husky kind). We get all sorts coming in, different breeds, ages, etc and there's never any problems that aren't just a bit of over-enthusiastic play 😊 Back in the garden, this is 1 year old foster boy Hunter on the left doing his shark impression to 12 year old perpetual puppy, adopted Luka Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJWR Posted May 19, 2018 Report Share Posted May 19, 2018 I thought my pair were scary......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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