Breed choice (what are NIs like as pets) General Chat

I don't have an NI, but I don't think that they would have a problem...we go to the dog park and my husky plays will all sorts of dogs, big and little...and they play back. I have met many people on the NIS forum that have different types of dogs with their NI...you should be fine if you want two different breeds. Have you considered rescuing? If they are older, you will have a better idea of how well they will be with other dogs.

We have considered rescuing, but up until we manage to get Mandy's older dog problem sorted out it's a bit of a no go unless there are pups in need of a home. Everyone knows where there are St Ber pups, but as discussed in another thread, it may be some time before they come up for rehoming, if at all (fingers crossed). I have been looking for NI's in need of rescue, but cos they aren't as abundant as other breeds, those that come up in rescue, such as NIS rescue, are generally already spoken for

Hi Skooshbag

Right this is my see on NI's as pets -

If you are willing to spend the time and go through the hard times they are great!!

All of my guy's and the NI fosters I have had have been great with my daughter, she is 7 now, and I have beed fostering NI's for 2yrs, before that all sorts of breeds for 3years.

I will tell you this, NI's are not easy! They often suffer from Separation Anxiety, which can entail destructive behaviour, defication, urination and lots of noise due to stress of being left alone. In gen NI's need constant compainy 24/7, however there are exceptions as with all breeds. It took me almost 2yrs to get my eldest NI to the point where I can leave him without coming home to a desaster area! But my 2nd eldest has NEVER had a prob at being left when I go out.

They also tend to have a high pray drive, I can not trust ANY of my dogs with live stock, my eldest dog was drought up with cats, but if he mets a dif cat he goes into hunt mode!

On the brightside, they are very loving and do fit in to familes very well, so long as the familey is willing to spend the time to train the dog and the dog has lots of things to do, and has compainy most if not all the of time! Basicly it is a case of what you put in you will get back.... in time.

I love the challange so NI's and simular breeds are great for me, however I would not recommend this or simular breeds to novice dog owners, or people that are used to the likes of labs, GSD's etc. You really cannot compair the breeds, IMHO GSD's are such an easy going breed, I love them and hope to get another in the furture, but NI's are SOOOO diff, they can be hard work!

If you do choose to go for an NI, be v v careful as most if not all NI lines are riddled with health problems, also some have aggressive tendencies. I have a list of health problems within the NI breed on my website.

Sorry, I know it's a typo but this made me chuckle.

I've never owned a dog that had a desperate need to go to Church everyday! ;-)

PMSL sorry I'm dyslexic and spell things as they sound, you know what I ment though?

So is it spelt prey?

I found your websites Cheyenne, they're good. I bookmarked them so's I can have a proper look later, thanks

Oh yeh, sorry tis split into 2 at the mo, will be adding pics to the new website soon.

I know i'm not near you but you are more then welcome to visit to meet my lot if you wish, my door is always open

Thanks, I'll bear that in mind, hopefully I should have my trike on the road by summer so I can see a road trip somewhere down the line.

Yeah, but who cares! Cheered me up no end!

LOL

Well, I will not be in MK for much longer as i an moving to Sunderland very soon

well thats not far from me at all

PMSL

Well I must say it made me laugh too when you pointed it out, hay tis my good deed for the day... I cheered someone up lol ;-)

I know many NI's and do not see the riddled with health problems that are repeatedly brought up. I have one NI with epilepsy in her lines. That is down to the dreadful breeder that she came from. As for the aggressive tendancies, I also personally don't know of any that have been brought up properly that have grown up with aggressive tendancies.

Oh right!

Well i am moving there during the school half term which starts on the 13th of Feb... gunna be a nightmere lol :?

And can't work out way you feel the need to quote me :?

The OP asked for peoples experience/oppinion on NI's as a pets, I gave mine... Why are you unable to give yours without quoteing me :? We all have our own take on it, why involve me in yours

Are you saying that epilepsy just pops up with one breeder, and that there is not an origin from which it came from?

And you are also saying that aggressive tendancies are not genetic in anyway, and are purely down to the way you bring the dog up, yes?

Oh and to answer your qeustion about who I would recommed this breed to Abby, I wouldn't ;-)

Edited for spelling.

Oooo kinda nearish to me, maybe we could meet for walkies!!!


As for being good with children my son is 5 and autistic, I got my eldest NI (Angel) when Logan was 1 so they have all been raised around children and are great with them, especially the girls, I sometimes wonder if Misty thinks shes Logan's mum!! They can get a bit giddy at times (usually if we get visitors coz we don't get many and so can get a bit over bouncy) but I can't fault their temprements. I have a baby due in 8 weeks and I can honestly say I have no concearns over how my dogs will be with the new addition.

Sorry, I'm coming to this thread late and apologies if some of this has been said before.

Firstly, and in general, at this moment in time, with the "breed" in such disarray, I would not touch an NI/Ute etc with someone else's bargepole (unless it was a rescue - but I would do nothing to encourage the continued breeding of these dogs).

Secondly, if you are likely to have a "variety of animals,mainly rats, hamsters and cats" in the house, I would avoid anything which has husky in the mix. Husky pups can (sometimes) get on with cats if they grow up with them, but other small furries, birds, and new cats will be fair game and may well end up as a between-meal snack for your dog.

Huskies are great with children, but for me, the small animal thing would make them (or dogs like NIs with a fair amount of husky in the mix) a definite no-no!

Mick

no need to fear, we haven't had any small and furry animals for a good long while now