New Adult Husky- need some advice please

[KMS]

 

 She growls and is very posesive towards her toys and food but I’m working on it. I’m expecting to get bitten at some point (she has bitten family members in the past).

She knows commands and when she gets comfortable she’s sweet just a lot of energy-she never was taken out to exercise  before so now I’m making her run in the dog park and trying to teach her to walk on leash so maybe she can run with me. She is very smart and is learning. My brother and his girlfriend were talking about taking her back after getting a trainer but do you guys think this could work? I really don’t know much about this. She’s unpredictable and already killed a small dog, I don’t trust her around my niece. 

Do you guys think aggression training is going to help enough to make her safe around an infant? 
how to take care of her hair holy c**p there’s husky hair everywhere, I have been grooming her every day but she doesn’t like it so is hard to push those boundaries. Is there any product I can buy? 
how much exercise does she need and how should I start her off so she doesn’t get injured?

[wolfpup]

I am afraid I don't know what 'aggression training' consists of - so have not idea on that.   However I would suggest that depends entirely on the trainer, methods used - and the individual dog.    If you suspect there may be a problem with a young child - common sense says to keep them apart.   Its just not worth the risk.

My latest rescue boy was very possessive with toys  - causing fights between him and my smaller husky - my existing boy came off worse every time as the ney boy is bigger and far stronger.    I took all toys away and they have not been allowed any since (over a year now).      If the trigger is not there then there is no reason for the behaviour.   At a later date I will try slowly re-introducing a toy or two to see what happens  - if there is still a scrap then toys will be permanently banned.

When you mentioned running your dog in the park  - is this off lead  (i.e. a secure park?)   If so are other dogs allowed in at the same time?   If your dog has already killed a smaller dog then this is obviously not a good idea.      I would trust Marley with any dog   -  not so Mikey  - if it is smaller than say a West  Highland Terrier I have to keep Mikey tightly controlled.   Likewise I have to keep my cat permanently separated from Mikey  - it would not end well for the cat.

I did have a problem with food agression  and its took nearly a year to get this sorted completely -  but the agression was mainly directed at my other dog  - not me  -  so it was relatively simple to sort out  - they now eat side by side  (well 2-3 of feet apart) - but I still stand between them.    If Mikey leaves something and walks away and Marley goes over to it  a fight will ensue  -  but I am always around to split them up  (we are both retired).

 

How old is your dog  -  how long have you known her / had her.

[Shepsky5]

She has "resource guarding"...
although it can be trained/modified (there are various approaches, I don't have experience with this at all, so I don't know what works) -
for now, you can start managing by not leaving her toys lying around, and feeding her in crate or behind a closed door so nobody gets hurt passing by.

Agree with wolfpup about not letting her offleash around other dogs, especially small ones! 

Would not leave her alone with the infant ever. Even gentle family dogs with no history, have hurt infants accidentally. 

Husky fur: Sorry! Good vacuum.....😁?

Hating grooming: Maybe find a moment when your husky is relaxed, and approach her nicely and give her just a few gentle strokes, praise her and give a treat. Then next time, a few more strokes...then next time, few more. Let her realize that it's pleasant! My dog loves being groomed, I think it feels like being petted/scritched all over.

How much exercise? Not sure, since it varies a lot! But if she settles down calmly and seems relaxed when you get home, it's probably enough...
mine has two 45 min-1 hr walks a day and sometimes plays tug/chase in the backyard - he is about 10. I don't think she would get injured unless you were over-pushing /forcing her in some way? 

On "will this work"...I forgot to add that since your dog has a "bite history", you'll always have to manage her and be careful...it will never be like you just got a golden retriever puppy...if you want to keep her, you'll need to accept that your dog will need to be managed in a careful way for her whole life.

We adopted an adult rescue (german shepherd/husky mix) and there are things that I will need to carefully "manage" for the rest of his life (like being careful about letting strangers pet him, and always having him wear a muzzle to the vet's office). But to me, it's worth it! Because he's great in all the other ways.

re Walking on leash: Huskies are pullers, it's true! With my guy, when he pulled hard, I just stopped walking. When he stopped, looked back and made slack in the leash, I started walking again. It didn't take long for him to figure out that it was good to keep slack in the leash! (He will still pull hard if he sees running deer, or a running cat, but I can live with that). We took a basic obedience class, that also helped a lot.