BKarchitect

I have a big wire crate for Sushi and Mochi. They escaped many times so we added a padlock. They kept escaping so we added a second padlock. No more escapes. But then they ate the plastic tray. Like...they actually broke of big chunks and started eating it. So we replaced the plastic tray with a real nice thick galvanized metal tray with a tall lip and smooth edges. Solved the problem and the LOVE the metal surface because it gets nice and cool. My previous husky also chewed/ate up the plastic tray and then proceeded to dig a hole in the carpet in both my bedroom and my in-laws guest room. So a metal tray is highly recommended plus if they ever have an accident it will be a cinch to clean (the tray anyways...)!

My wife and I took a trip up to the Canadian Rockies last week...no real wolf sightings in the wild (not unusual given that each pack requires about 1,000 acres of land per individual wolf) but we did visit an amazing wolf dog sanctuary, Yamnuska Wolfdog Sanctuary on the way from Calgary to Banff. We took a very informative tour through a couple of wolfdog enclosures ...one with high content wolfdogs and another with lower content wolfdogs. The photos below are from the high content pack...truly amazing and majestic creatures...their habits and pack behavior is definitely wolf-like, not dog-like. They did come up to us to take treats and get a few pets but they certainly are not creatures you would want to own unless you have serious land and serious time to devote to them and know what you are doing. Sadly...ownership of them in a 20th floor apartment in Calgary is not illegal so these guys are often abandoned or worse once it becomes clear to the novice owner that the idea of them as 'dogs' in the domesticated sense is a complete falsehood. The Sanctuary has like 169 acres and like 8 enclosures. Not a rescue in the true sense of the definition that they take in and move on any rescued wolfdog but all their pack were rescued and fixed. In total I think they had about a dozen high content wolfdogs and about a half-dozen lower content wolfdogs along with their resident malamute, GSD and an adorable coydog puppy named Rango. Great experience and if any of you ever take a trip to Alberta or are nearby another wolf or wolfdog sanctuary I highly recommend visiting and also donating money. It is an unforgettable experience.

National Dog Day is hard work!

Yeah I'm one of the suckers that just gets up and walks up and down a flight of stairs any night they need to go. Although to be honest, now a year old each, they can hold it just fine. Dinner is at 5 or 6 in the evening, last call for water is at 7 or 8 and then at around 9 or 10 they get their last walk before bed. They are pretty prompt at waking up at 5 am every single morning with potty zoomies unless they had a big hike or day care the day before. These times are built into my life now, I don't even need clocks. I couldn't sleep continuous past 5 am if there were no huskies and I wanted to now.

Where in MO are you at? <-------------Kansas City

Another husky. My guys love elk antlers more than anything in the world but I don't leave them unattended in the crate - they really chew them down into nubs over time and at that point they are a choking hazard. Mochi especially will try to fully eat and swallow all kinds of crap. Sushi would probably be ok with them unattended though...he's got a pretty weak jaw for a husky. The frozen peanut butter kongs work pretty well for 20-30 minutes which is about all you can ask for. Other toys in the crate especially plush toys will get entirely eaten if I leave them in there. It's really about getting them tired and training them to know the crate is a "resting" place. My guys over time have learned the crate is where they go to chill out and relax. They get a treat every time they go but the expectation is time for a rest. The crate is always open in the corner of the living room while we are around as well and sometimes they just go in on their own and take naps. It's just a plastic tray and a cage but psychologically its a place of comfort. My previous girl was not trained so properly with the crate and viewed it as a prison so the only solution for her when she was younger and I had to use the crate was to make sure she was tired.

He's lucky to have the two of you and when my wife and I were going through similar struggles it brought us a little comfort to think that the situation is not some terrible misfortune but rather it was meant to be because you can handle the stress and give him the care and attention and love he needs when too few others would!

You guys are awesome parents! Fingers crossed!

Cancer took my Yuki. The onset was sudden and severe so I really didn't have time to deliberate on chemo...she was a healthy 7 year-old husky about to go on our Sunday fun day hike one minute, dying in my arms the next minute on the way to the emergency vet and after being resuscitated several times we just let her go. Between that and our very next husky puppy we got, Sashimi - who we spent countless days and money on trying to save from a congenital birth defect...let's just say last summer was as rough a period as my wife and I have ever had. $10,000 and two beloved huskies over the rainbow bridge later and things finally turned around for us and our two husky pups Sushi and Mochi. So I totally understand the pain and trauma you are going through and I don't envy the choices you are going to have to make. Let's just hope for the best...either that it is a misdiagnosis or that if it is cancer, it is contained. There is no right or wrong decision if it is cancer in regards to how to handle it...I truly believe that. It is in our nature to second guess whatever decision we make when it comes to that. I keep thinking I spent so much money trying to "save" Sashimi and put her through an operation and pain and maybe I should have just let her go sooner. But then you stop and realize if you had made the opposite decision you would have the same doubts in reverse. So do what is in your heart, if that is what it comes down to, and try not to question yourself.

He's gorgeous...and has that look in his eyes like "I'm gonna be baaaaaad"!

Same as everyone, the pups will sometimes miss a meal here or there...its worst after we get back from the in-laws lake house because they feed them these moist, delicious kibbles there (we call it "crack' food) and then when they get back they basically won't eat their normal dry kibbles for up to a couple days. Sushi will chew it and then spit it out. They eventually get hungry after a while and will grudgingly go back to their normal food. If everything else is normal, it is probably not something you need to worry about...hunger will set in eventually.

Yuki liked to make dramatic leaps off of tall objects or walls but half the time would faceplant the landing. It was like for a split second she looked so graceful and then "WHAP"...head into the ground. Sushi is always trying to sit or lay on small pieces of furniture that he is obviously too big for so he will lay there with half his body hanging off for a while and then slowly his body just starts sliding off...usually when gravity finally pulls him off entirely he keeps his front legs extended out and moves his rear out so that he is doing a nice big stretch and then shoots us this look like "yeah I was getting tired of sitting here anyways, I'm just doing a stretch and then I am going to find a better spot".

I've done both the only "child" and two puppies at once. It was easier with two for me and my wife. There are times when it is definitely more work but the positives out-weighed the negatives. They feed at different bowls but they have always been in a single crate together. The biggest positive is that they play with each other and exude energy more in that way than getting bored and being destructive. That's not to say they don't do destructive things together at at times but you know, they are huskies. With somebody always being home you have an ideal situation, better than most that's for sure...I would not hesitate to raise two together if I were you. One husky is more work than most people can handle or realize but if you are able to do it...then two is not that much of a leap. Plus...they will love each other forever. Sushi and Mochi are soulmates

Dang...that's my problem...I need TWO padlocks on the crate to make it escape proof!

My heart goes out to you...don't lose hope and don't give up the search but also make sure to take care of yourself during this stressful time. Despite what we witness on the news, the world is generally full of good people who want to do the right thing so I am hopeful you and your daughter will be reunited with Kia Maria.