Hello!

[Otterclaw]

Hey, there. My name is Rachel and I'm 24. I currently live in rural New Hampshire (USA) with my husband. We've been married about 3 years and just had our first kid: a husky puppy we adopted from Mexico named Oxxo. (Named after a Mexican convenience store we frequented for snacks.) He is not technically a rescue but his adoption did involve a Facebook comment, a shady basement in Guadalajara, a last minute decision to fly home with a puppy, and a forged vet document from a slightly intoxicated veterinarian. Kind of par for the course in Mexico.

I am not a first time dog owner, but my first dog was a golden retriever. Unfortunately my mom didn't train our golden well (and we got her when I was 8, so I was not exactly a dog training expert) and she became SO naughty. My mom didn't have the patience for her and tied her outside most of the day, which only compounded the problem. I am incredibly stressed about making similar mistakes with Oxxo. I will never forget walking down the street, sobbing and clutching my aching arm as I told my clueless dog she better stop pulling on the leash because mom said if she didn't start behaving, we were going to give her away.

Oxxo is 3 and 1/2 months old and already a better dog than she was. Obviously I'm older now and completely in control of his training. I watch training videos and read articles constantly. I enjoy his personality, his spirit, and his goofy vocalizations. That being said, every time we encounter a hiccup, I worry myself sick about it, because all I read about on the internet is how destructive and unmanageable huskies can be. Some people have told me it is better to have two huskies, or at least some other kind of dog, but I'm not sure if I could handle another one right now.

Finally, I didn't expect to be raising a puppy during a pandemic. In some ways, it's a good thing -- he keeps me on my feet, keeps me outdoors, and gives me something to focus on. I was temporarily laid off due to COVID so I have nothing but time. On the other hand, his puppy training classes were cancelled, dog parks are closed, and consequently his socialization has come to a grinding halt. I can't even get his next round of shots for another month because the vet had to push back our appointment. I had planned on bringing him to a great puppy daycare program every couple of weeks just to give myself a day off, but no such luck. I especially miss driving to my friends' farm and letting him play with my friends' dogs in the fields. I'm the master of this puppy...but now that I'm trapped in the house, sometimes I feel more like his slave. 😕

BUT. I am not all complaints. I do love him. I am grateful that my husband and I are safe, and that we are on this new dog adventure together. I would love to meet all of you and hear from the husky community, and how you and your huskies are handling COVID-19.

One more thing: anyone know how much exercise I should be giving him? I've heard 5 minutes per month of age up to 2x a day because of their developing joints, but that would only 15 minutes for him. He seems to have WAY more energy than that. But I have noticed if I push him too hard, he actually becomes MORE energetic and misbehaved. I guess there must be a sweet spot in the middle.

Thanks for reading!

[robke]

   To. 

[BingBlaze n Skyla]

Welcome

Yep 5 mins per month of age per walk , mental stimulation is the way to go for tiring out pups do some obedience and trick training , play hide and seek with treats etc