siberian_wolf Posted February 5, 2009 Report Share Posted February 5, 2009 Adding to the last thread I added (Is the Siberian Right For You). Again if there is anything you want to explain in more detail or add anything please do so Other considerations to take in before getting a Siberian 1. Children Before getting any dog, your children or any children that may come over to visit must be taken into consideration. Fortunately, many siberian huskies are good with children and very few are not. A big factor can depend on what the children are like with the dog. Children who are cruel and careless with dogs should not be kept with a siberian husky as this can cause behavioural issues with the sibe. If you have children like this and are looking at buying them a dog to give them responsibilities then you are going about this the wrong way. As an adult, or being alpha / pack leader it is your responsibility to care for the dog, not your childs. Children should be considered as puppies in these sorts of cases as like a puppy your child is still learning and should not be given the responsibility of owning a dog! This does not mean that you cant have your child help with certain duties of owning a dog as this can help your sibe to associate their position in the pack and can sometimes help creating an ever loving bond between your child and your sibe. These sort of duties may include: 1. Walking 2. Grooming 3. Feeding 4. Playing fetch You may even make one or all of these your childs job but the dog is ALWAYS your responsibility. To put he point into better perspective, if your child forgets to feed the dog, then it your responsibility to feed them. If you are not prepared to keep these things in mind when keeping a dog and children together then you should not get a dog or any animal. As many children will after a while, they may become bored of the dog and this will mean that you have to take FULL responsibility for the dog and not blame it on your children that they didnt get fed or walked, etc. Many dogs are fine with older children but not so much on children under the age of 3. In this case it is strongly advised that you ALWAYS supervise your children and your dog together at all times. Many children are also allergic to pet hair and it is recommended that you get your child tested for any dog allergies before deciding on getting a Husky as this breed does shed a lot. 2. Finance The sibe can be an expensive breed to keep. You should always make sure you can initially afford a sibe before going ahead to buy one and it can be a good idea to always keep some money aside for emergency purposes. The initial cost to buy a puppy can cost anything from 650-800+ (From a reputable breeder) and to adopt a sibe can cost anywhere from 50+ (From either a private sale or directly from an animal shelter). The initial buying of the Sibe can be the cheapest part of starting your way to owning a siberian. Before you bring you sibe home you need to take into account of what you will need to equip yourself with ready for when he/she come to your home. This can be: 1. Food and water bowls 2. Food 3. Crate (it is a good idea to buy one that will still supply sufficient space for when your sibe is fully grown, to save on expenses) 4. Toys (Hard rubber toys are best to buy as they are more durable) 5. Treats 6. Bed 7. Grooming brushes 8. Dog/puppy shampoo (baby shampoo can also be used) 9. Collar 10. Lead 11. Harness or Head collar, if you are planning on using one Other expenses to take into account are medical expenses. These can vary throughout your dogs life and can also be very expensive. A way to prevent high costing vet bills is to have your dog insured by a reputable company that will supply you sufficient cover. The cheapest pet insurance provider is not always the best as they may not supply enough coverage but the most expensive is also not always the best so it is bet to look around and compare each insurance company to enable you to get the best coverage. Insurance can depend on different factors like, the breed, the area you live, the dogs age, if the dog has any current medical conditions, if the dog is micro-chipped, etc, as to how much it will cost. The above is only necessary items require for a dog. Many people will get into other parts which will require more expense. With the siberian there are other factors like, racing, showing that you may become fond of doing or you may take your sibe to general training classes (such as puppy school or obedience) and more advanced training classes (such as agility) which, ultimately cost more. Another factor, especially with the siberian, is they are a very addictive breed and many people find it difficult to have just one and will want a second. In this case you will need to, at least, double the costing! 3. Your Home If you are the type of person who enjoys a neat, tidy and well decorated home who does not like things being destroyed or out of place then do not have a sibe. The siberian does have the reputation of being destructive and factors such as easily becoming bored can bring out this destructive behaviour. One advantage the siberian does have is they are very clean dogs and dont tend to carry the famous doggy odour around the house like many other breeds. Adding to this, they are also clean eaters and dont tend to make a lot of mess with food. To disadvantage this they do shed a lot, especially during hot weather, being an arctic breed so you will find your home becoming covered in husky hairs unless you keep on top of it and brush your sibe regularly. 4. Time Although the sibe is meant to be independent, it is a well known fact that they always crave the attention from humans. If you buy a puppy sibe, the more time you spend with him/her then more well adjusted an happy he/she will be when they reach adulthood. This point also goes to rescue sibes. Being very much a family dog loving the attention, if left alone for long periods when young can (and very often will) lead to separation anxiety developing casing other behavioural issues developing if not diagnosed and treated properly. This can be reduced by keeping two together as many times they will keep each other entertained but you, as the owner, will also need to take into consideration of popping into them or getting a neighbour to pop in and let them into the garden and play with them for a while so they can associate you as alpha within the pack. 5. Exercise Being a sled dog, the siberian requires a lot of exercise every day. If put into a routine, your husky can be ok with long walks but you will need to supply them with more vigorous exercise such as, running/jogging, swimming, or sledding (what most huskies will simply love to do more than anything) as well to keep up with their high energy needs. During hot seasons (summer), daily exercise is still a vital requirement but you will need to ensure that your husky does not overheat. Many people will give their sibe their most vigorous exercise during the cooler hours (i.e. early morning and late evening) and will give them more gentle exercise (i.e. walking) during the daytime. It is advised that you carry a bottle of water and a travel bowl around and stop for water stops during hot weather. Remember your husky is an arctic breed and they are not fond of heat! You need to make sure that your garden is well fenced and is 100% escape proof. Huskies will try anything and everything to try and escape. They are also a predatory dog and will usually chase anything that look edible. This can be various animals like, cats, mice, rats, birds, livestock, horses, rabbits, squirrels, etc. Most of the time if a husky cannot go over the fence, they will try to dig underneath it! 6. Commitment Although all the above are very important factors when owning a dog, commitment from the whole household has to be an extremely vital part in owning any dog to help keep the happiness, stableness and pleasure which should come from owning a dog. Before you decide on getting ANY dog you and your entire household need decide on the following factors: Who will be primarily responsible for the dog (i.e. paying for the dog, getting insurance, doing anything that gets forgotten by the other member of household as in feeding) Who will be exercising the dog Who will be feeding the dog Who will be taking the dog to vets Who will groom and bath the dog Who will be responsible for training/playing And so on You can slit these chores so everyone plays a certain part in caring for the dog but you need to ensure that everyone agrees and understands their role. By not doing this you may find yourself in problems such as someone saying Im not the one who wanted the dog in the first place or Why I should have to do everything. These problems can result in your sibe picking up on the tension and causing problems, not to mention slit ups! It is vital for yourself and your dog to agree on these factors to avoid and misunderstanding. Some people will write each responsibility down and who is responsible to help each member to remember their role and everyone elses role so if they forget, the other can either remind them or do it for them to keep the environment stable and stress free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunc Posted February 5, 2009 Report Share Posted February 5, 2009 Will follow a long post with a short one. Great post Rep given Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mistyrayn Posted February 5, 2009 Report Share Posted February 5, 2009 fantastic post......well done for putting it on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siberian_wolf Posted February 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2009 fantastic post......well done for putting it on can you tell I was having an intelligent few hours last night, lol? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted February 5, 2009 Report Share Posted February 5, 2009 great post, added to rep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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