Can a Siberian husky live with small dogs and cats? Questions

after doing yet more research on sibes (having read through all the threads on here, and the siberian husky club of great britain website) i found one called sibe space.

this one has brought up a few issues that i could do with you sibe owners answering.

one thing i read was "people who shouldnt own a sibe are people who have small dogs and cats"

now i know they are a dog that has a high prey drive, but i also know someone who breeds both huskys and cresteds, and they live together happily.

i understand that they may accept your own cat, but anyone else's is fair game..

surely though saying not to own one at all if you have a small dog or cat is a bit extreme?

this site does also give the whole alpha thing of walking in before the dog, eating before the dog etc

everything else ive read (the breed club website being one of the best) seems to make sense to me, and i feel i could do everything they ask, but is this the general rule for a lot of breeders, they wont home a husky to someone who has small dogs or cats?

Well its a good job that Kiska's breeder never followed this as we had 3 cats and two smaller dogs when we got kiska. We still have 1 cat and my nans Lhasa that she lives with and never had a problem.

Kiska is also fine with other cats that come into the garden, doesnt bat an eyelid and never has. I think so long as they grow up with them then i dont see it being a problem. Small furries are another matter of course . .

Many people have issues with Sibes and cats and sibes and pet rabbits etc = however I don't know any Sibes who view small dogs as prey.

I recently rehomed a Norfolk Terrier X puppy to a Sibe owning family and have no concerns.

I would not be worried about the cresties

thanks for the replies. i understand about the issue with small furries, and even cats, but to say if you have them then you cant own a sibe... :?

I havent met any dog that views small dogs as prey, Cassie has the highest prey drive of all our dogs but she is fine with little dogs. Not even at a distance has she ever got that look or chased them, she knows they are dogs.

thanks. i also own cats though and have two. i wouldnt want the cats to be put in danger because of a dog, but i imagine, being brought up with a specific two from a puppy, would be a bit different than seeing a random one in the street?

That is something to consider with any dog, but if you are thinking of a puppy then I would say that would definitely not be an issue.

ETA: If anything, growing up with a cat would make the dog better with cats in general. My dad told me of a bloke who bred working dogs, he kept a siamese so all the dogs would be ok with cats and know not to harm them.

thanks. my cats are quite confident anyway. in fact all 3 of my dogs are scared of my ginger cat, they no not to mess with her

If a husky pup is bought up with a cat then i think they would be ok but other cats that are not the family are a different matter . my 3 are fine with small dogs. Small critters like rabbits,birds etc are not safe with a husky around.

Well I understand that. Like I said any other cat fair game, but the ones they are brought up with they accept.

Don't have any other small animals so that wouldn't be a problem. Won't have any other cats bar the two I have now either.

So should I ignore the info this site is giving, and think that yes a husky could live with cats and small dogs, providing it's brought in as a puppy?

I have never had a husky living with cats, small dogs only huskies so i wouldnt really know how the dog would react living with cats/small dogs ,sorry. A sibe that i know of that was rehomed to a family with a cat got on ok but they had the husky / cat seperated so they never met. I wouldnt suggest ignoring what the husky site is saying as sibes can have a terribly high prey drive .

I know of huskies who have lived with cats (and snuggled up at night with them) and then just turned and killed them. I wouldn't ever leave them unattended with a cat.

I'd never leave the dogs and cats alone together anyway. Our dogs and cats are separated at night, or if we go out. This information wasn't on the breed club website, which is why I questioned it, as I've never read that if Someone owned a small dog or cat then they couldn't own a sibe.

I wouldn't leave one with a cat unattended. My cats aren't the type to cuddle with the dogs anyway, they put up with each other, but aren't friends.

I have came across a few cases where sibes have killed small dogs. Predatory drift is something all sibe owners are mindful of. I know one of my girls would instinctively lock on to a fast moving small critter in the distance if she were free running. She interacts daily with little dogs when we are out and about (on lead) and shows no predatory behaviour towards them, they all love her Jacub on the other hand lifts up his skirt and runs when the little ones bark at him

My mates who live with sibes and cats are sensible and take precausions to keep both safe, sure you would be the same

Take care.

Seoniad.

thanks for that. i certainly would take precautions, just like i would with the little dogs too.

You just have to be sensible. I know homes with sibes and cats in them and one day the husky has just turned on the cat :-( I know others that have lived together happily and there has never been a problem. They have a prey drive and as with any dog can be unpredictable.

Some do.

It is usually where there is a significant size difference.

I have known of a few instances of small dogs killed by much larger dogs in what had evidently been predatory attacks, sometimes after a chase, sometimes just an immediate pounce and grab.

Sometimes they can be fine together until a sudden sharp or fast movement triggers a predatory response.

It's rare for Siberians to attack small dogs (though not the other way round in my experience) - they seem to be able to recognise a fellow canine. Cats are another kettle of lunch however, and I would never trust a Sibe with a cat - even if they have been brought up together. We always make this very clear to people with cats who want to take on a Siberian. It will be a risk and if it all goes wrong it is the owner's fault, not the dog's.

Mick

So I find this really disheartening my girlfriend has like 9 cats living with us and I was going to get myself a husky as a companion for myself to have as a adventurous travel puppy and now it seems like this is a bad idea