Exercising Huskies and Malamutes Questions

I'm really interested in the excersize of Huskies and Malamutes...For anyone that works their dogs how often do you get to take them out with the rig...What do you do in the summer months...If you haven't been able to run them because it's too hot - what are they like on their lead walks? etc etc

I'm probably more interested in the Malamute side of things mostly due to their size as having a 100lb plus NI lad I know how it can be!

I run my NI with the springer attachment, they get lead walks but they can get off lead too...They are still not like your average dog happy to play fetch in the corner of a playing feild though - well my two arn't anyway - so it's no offlead park or crowded beach runs, just where there is minimum people to worry etc because they like to run fast and play hard...But I'm trying to imagine what it's like not having the offlead option at all - Not even in the depths of an out of the way forest etc.

Is it just something you easily adapt to and do the dogs get to know on collar and lead means no running free - so that they don't expect it (I know they get to know the difference of in harness and the collar)

It's just hard to imagine for me, going to the forest and having a lead walk as mine would go stir crazy - but then they are used to running free there so that must be the difference.

Anyway I find it all very interesting to see how people get the perfect balance and to hear everyones experiances

I was out last night in the rain running my dogs with the springer we have alot of fun doing that - are most of you still able to run in the not so summer temps we are having at the moment? My dogs get very hot with their thick coats too but i'm finding this stormy weather is allowing me to keep going out running them with the bike at the mo.

Regarding the enclosed spaces - if I take one of mine in a tennis court size space they will just stand there like 'well what next'! If I took both they might have a play but with one on it's own it's useless - you can see bordom creeping over their expression lol We have a couple good enclosed spaces here but they have to go together to get any benifit out of it unless there are other dogs to instigate play with of course.

Also interested in Mals over Sibes as with Sibes being smaller I think it's more of an option to use an extendable lead at least as one of a few other options of excersize...but with my NI I would never even think about it same with a Mal.

Another question how high is the fencing in the enclosed space some of you let them run free in

As if by magic.. LOL

I have two Malamutes (plus a Lab, a BC and a time share Border Terrier).

I run my Mals off lead most days and I have never had any problems with them although I do accept that people more knowledgeable than I about these types of dog do not recommend it, I feel that I know my own dogs and am in a position to keep them safe. We do not walk in enclosed places but not right by roads - they'd have to really want to disappear .. but they could if they wanted to! I carry sausages and have trained a good recall (we compete in obedience so I spend a lot more time training my dogs than most people I suspect) and have trained the drop command also.

I do run my dogs in harness as well - from the start if the cooler weather till about April we probably run them three times a week - anything between 2 and 8 miles depending on laziness of owners. They also do agility regularly.

Some days however we all just veg out and watch TV all evening!!!

I wouldn't judge anyone else for their choices as I know how unpleasant it can be - I have had many object to my dogs being off lead - BUT it works for ME. It may not work for others and I am aware of this and accept it. I put a LOT of time effort and work into my dogs ...

I didn't even have to do a thing! lol

Ahh but we have fabulous moderators

Ok.. not in any order..

We have a 6ft fence around our garden...

I let my dogs off lead once (maybe twice) a week in an enclosed space.. for a minimum of 30 minutes, maximum of 2 hours .. this area has a 6ft fence too..

We don't seriously work our dogs.. we work them in harness for fun.. the get out in the winter a couple of times a week again dependant on rain etc.... and in the summer maybe once.. in the cooler weather or later at night when its cooled down a bit..

They also get to go swimming on long lines!

They get 2 on lead walks a day, we have lunge lines for them (30ft).. and get to play in the garden all day..

If they don't get their run.walk etc for whatever reason they are happy to just curl up for a cuddle..

They don't go stir crazy.. thats just me

we aim to run ours three times a week when its cool enough, over a distance of 5-6 miles for each training session per team. when its warm, we either run very early or very late to avoid the heat, and run the dogs over a shorter distace.

Rest of exercise: We do have flexi-leads, but not a big fan, I prefer webbing lunge lines (for horses)

Fencing: following a badly injured dog, who escaped despite the 7ft boundry fence and hedge, we now have 4ft electrified poultry netting around the boundry. Very low voltage so no harm to the dogs, but enough of a deterrent for them to steer clear of it after a couple of minor 'stings' off it (they dont go near it now at all and we could actually switch it off, were it not for the very same dog knowing if its active of not by the quiet pulsed 'click' it gives off). also serves to keep naigbouring cats OUT.

my dogs depending on my work shifts get a long walk one day and a run with my bike the other, most nights they get to run off lead in an enclosed area attached to my place of work, most times they do take this off lead time as a time to do a lot of running about with each other playing chase, but I would imagine if there was only one dog it would spend the same time just sniffing about,I noticed that in the hot summer months the dogs are quite happy to just lounge about all the time. but in the cooler part of the evening I still take them to the off lead area to have a bit of a play, even if I dont take them out on the lead or springer. I also now cut the food intake down when they are less active, as they tend to go to fat my younger two and willow could possibly reliable to be ok off lead, but I dont take the chance, I have had too many close calls in the past to be fooled by them lst year I didnt have much opportunity to work them in harness due to circumstances beyond my control, I am hoping when the cooler months arrive again I can get back to it as the dogs do really enjoy it.

Mo

We don't work ours as such, ie we don't race him (we've only one Husky and you need 2 for a rig - although we hope he's not going to be an only boy for much longer so who knows?), but he'll get run with a mountian bike, TBH that for practical reasons is only at the weekend (my OH does this as he's an experienced mountain biker and I'm not but I may take up cani-cross), although only in the cooler weather. He does suffer from the heat even just walking, it's surprising 'cos to me it's not hot, but to him it is. When he runs around now, he often gives up quite quickly and just lies down .
During the week it's 2 walks about 6-8 miles every day, but I take 2 leads with me including a flexi 8 m lead and every morning I use that around the local National Trust parkland, so he does run around the fields, but there are livestock in the vicinity and the notices clearly state 'please keep your dog on a lead' - although as usual I'm about the only dog walker who takes any notice of this.
Personally I don't let him run free in unenclosed areas, 'cos he has a very high prey drive (every outing is a hunt to him), so even if I found an isolated woodland walk I couldn't trust him, and it would be just my luck that there would be a field of sheep nearby (even if he was 100% reliable to recall I wouldn't be able to relax). But I respect the opinions of those who can, that's great.
Right now as we've just moved I haven't found any areas I would deem to be safe and enclosed except our garden (min 6 ft fencing all round). And he has a low boredom threshold, so it's not long before he'd be looking for a way out to get to the more exciting things outside the safe area.
In some people's opinion it may not be perfect, but we do the best we can and always will do ;-)

Winter :
2 Walks a day on lead, every day, sometimes we use the lunge, so they can walk a bit further. We usually run them on the rig 2-4 times a week, depending on other things, and if they can be bothered !

Summer ;
2 walks a day on lead, every day, sometimes with lunge. We sometimes put them on the springer a couple of times a week, depending on if it's cool enough at night. My dogs aren't morning dogs so early morning is out of the question !!

This isnt regimental, and often, their daily walk is enough for them, and they are just fine to veg out and curl up by the sofa

They also have river swims now and again, but that too depends on the weather and if Kaiy wants to get his toes wet !!! Seku loves it either way and resembles a Hippo ......lol

malady my pup kavik loves to swim also , the bitches just doggy paddle up to their elbows , but kavik will swim for ages if i let him , this swimming is great exercise & build muscle too .

It's interesting seeing what everyone does

lol......mine's the other way around..........my bitch loves it and we have to drag her out, but my boy is a bit of a fanny, and barely gets his toes wet. I can even see the expression on his face saying "oh on, that's WAAAAYYYYY too cold"

Aside from pulling a sled.. they also like to pull me on a snowboard or skateboard... They also love to just run-run-run around in the yard.

3 out of 5 of our huskies (Suka, Balto & Chinnok) go for 2-3 hours of off lead exercise in the park daily.

Kaya who's 9 years goes for max of 2 hours off lead and Kato who's 13years goes for an hour off lead exercise daily.

Rain, hail or shine

My 3 sibes are given two walks a day lasting approx 30-45mins each walk. All three run free in our local parks, all three are trustworthy off their leads and come back on the first call.

Two of ours also love to splash about in lakes but none of them will swim

LOL... I have to let my crew off lead... If I walked 13 dogs seperately for 30-45 mins, twice a day... I would never sleep... They are super good sports about it though.. They stay in the yard despite the neighbors 30+ barn cats, barking dogs down the block, and foot & car traffic on our road.

Autumn and Winter:

We take them training ( rig ) three times a week, and walk them. We have just found a HUGE tennis court, that has four double tennis courts in it and only one main gate for in and out all of them and so they can have a good run off lead in a secure area.

Summer and any warm days:

They chill out, will take them for walks on cool days with no humidity. They run around the garden, we have quite a good sized one, and again there is the tennis courts.

Jan.

Oh I can add mine excercise on a bouncy castle,trampoline and swimming pool..