Possibly adopting a Husky General Chat

we maybe offering a home to a 14 week old husky, the owner can not keep her due to ill health they have to rehome all three dogs. im trying to do some research at the moment, can anyone point me in the right direction as far as websites go? I read about the high exercise which she would get with my other two. not letting them off lead, can be distructive if not stimulated (have lots of kongs ect already). They need a firm but gental hand which is like michael.
Thanks
ATD x

Didn't you recently rehome your Staffie within the last few months because you said you couldn't cope with three dogs? if this is indeed the case, what makes you think that adding a more 'specialized' and demanding breed (in comparison to a Staffie) to your household is a good idea?

it wasnt the fact of having three dogs it was bandit was going for the other two, which was making it hard to cope with. we have had three dogs before which was fine. bandit has been rehomed to a friend and is a lot happier in a one dog household, but i do understand your concern we got rid of one dog and now looking at another.
ATD x

TBH I am surprised you want to import another potential problem into your life? You have had financial problems, post natal depression and got rid of a dog, is this the time to have another dog?

My fella wants his dog, I'm tryin to look intO it fully. Financial is sorted, my money is sorted And my OH has full time hours. My PND is now under control. I'm not 100% sure about another dog but like I said it is my OH wanting his dog. I'm 100% sure we did the right thing letting our friend have bandit, he is happier as a single dog household and we still see him.
ATD x

I've never owned this breed but there are a few, and a Malamute also, at our local park, and they are beautiful

One thing I have noticed, though, is that all the owners of these dogs do seem to have a difficult time. They can never let the dogs off lead and as the dogs are really, really strong, using a Flexi is hard.

One couple that I spoke to have a young female Husky and were having a really hard time with the training. The poor dog looked desperate for a good run.

I see in your posts that your OH is very keen but I would beseech you to both think long and hard. I LOVE Huskies and would love to have one - but I really get the impression that they are not like Spaniels and Labs etc

Seems to me that the owners who do really well with them are the folk who do real 'Husky' activities, with rigs and harnesses etc

TabJ is right - if you are going to take on a husky you may need to be prepared to work it, depending on the drive of that particular dog. They can be very destructive too. What you need to consider is whether you or your partner will have the time to bike/run/scooter the dog every day on top of looking after your other dogs, work, kids etc.

I have showed him some sites explaing that aren't you average dig they MUST have long walks/ jogs every day [obviously not as a pup] otherwise they can get destructive. Although we will both be working the pup will be older when this happens and we both work shifts so will rarely be home alone plus have the other two to keep her company. His heart is set on it and just wanted to look into what we are letting are selves in for and is there anything we could or should do in particular, I already have kongs ect
ATD x

Kismet is fine with a combination of walky dog attachment on the bike, long walks on a horse lunge line and lead walks and training walks (shorter walks where we stop frequently to work on commands)... She is not and has never been destructive, though recently we have started to have to work through separation anxiety howling... But we nearly have that licked now with a DAP plug in an extra morning walk and different enrichment activities when left.

Huskies are demanding yes... But they are also very rewarding!

Hay
What sort of enrichment do you do with kismet?
ATD x

I'm assuming his "heart is set" on this breed because he is attracted to the breeds looks? because evidently if you are close to taking on this young bitch and are still asking basic questions, I can't help but think you have decided on this for the wrong reasons.

I'm not going to comment on the breed because I've never owned one, but I do know the decision to take on such a breed should never be taken lightly.

Personally if I was working, had a baby under 6 months of age and had two other dogs, I'd focus on them rather than add another demanding, high-energy breed puppy to the household.

It's a breed he has always liked. We are researching it now to see if we could own one I was looking for websites ect to show him for and against owning one.
ATD x

Sorry ATD but I am in aggreement with the majority. If you had behavioural problems with your other dog you have no idea what your up aganist with a Husky. Try 1000 times more. I also see your OH is working FT and you are working also now....so who is going to "Work" with this dog. Kongs are not the answer, it's a 2-5 min fix then what will the dog do? Having a pup means you need to be there for most of the day, are you going to cage this pup while no-one is around and for how long....be honest! I have seen pups go loopy loo when released and can't mentally come down...Freedom! And this is because they have been caged far too long. So who is going to be taking the majority of responsibility for this dog?

I also see from your profile you have only trained your dogs up to a small handful of commands....so what training classes are you signing up to and what kind of classes?

I don't mean to sound harsh, but if I was sitting in front of you and your OH I would have to be honest with you both and advise you to work with your other dogs first and get them trained up in a training class first before you consider any other dog coming into your household. I respect that you are a dog lover, but loving dogs is not enough! Do you have a couple of hours everyday of your lives to work with your own dogs well then, double that with a Husky?

Sorry don't mean to put you off but in my opinion the pup would be better off with someone who is familiar and has experience with this breed. My fear would be in a year you'll be rehoming it and that is not good for the dog. And you sound like you want to do what's best for the dog.

I am at at home for 6 months yet. My dogs are only taught basic commands as that is what they need to know to get by sit stay leave come ect
I have left message with training classes which people have suggested on here before.
I do want to do what is best for the dog which is why I'm researching it rather than just going to get it.
ATD x

Will your OH be fine with running/biking/long walks before and after work, all year round? It is easy to exercise a dog that is allowed off lead, but he will have to be very creative and 'involved' with a dog that will spend the majority of its time restrained. It sounds quite romantic, but in winter when it is below freezing, icy and he is knackered after a long day, the reality of taking the dog out for its nightly cross country run probably won't be so appealing.

Bear in mind that it will also probably mean separate walks a lot of the time because of a Huskies different needs in comparison to your existing dogs.

How long will an adult need running each day I'm struggling to find a figure I know they all differ
ATD x

i have 6 pures and two crosses .. what do u want to know?

who is the breeder of this pup? do they know what is happening?

breaks my heart,so many people get sibes and give them up at weeks old!!...usually through no fault of there own...sibe pups at 'weeks' old are not that different to any other pup!

i do worry,tho,along with other things mentioned i believe u said you tell your dogs off by smacking them?with any dog...but even more so sibes 'trust' is a big issue,u have to remember they dont 'need' us,they are more like cats....u need to work on that bond,which is strengthened even more by positive happy methods

Have to agree with the rest, this is not a good situation for you or the dog.

You have a young baby , you already have two dogs, both of you are in work ( even with your maternity leave) , will you have the time to devote to this dog when you are tired from work and a baby to look after.

You already have two dogs that will take up both of your time, taking on a third, and given the breed is in my opinion a mistake, and can see a thread in a few mths time of you having to re home it ...........

tell your OH, that we cant always have what we want when we want it... wait till a natural wastage happens, then get the breed he always wanted.

The Huskies I know can happily run for hours - and then still be bursting with energy. Remind your OH: this is a breed that instinctively wants and NEEDS to run!

Several of the people I meet with Huskies are downright miserable - they thought that training a Husky would be similar to training the other breeds they've had, and now they are frustrated.

In one very sad case, the wife actually told me she 'doesn't like' the Husky because she simply cannot get the dog to obey a single command...


You sound like you really want to do the best thing all round, maybe get in touch with some breed clubs and then pass the info on to your other OH?

Again, remind him that he's going to have to spend HOURS working with a Husky and that is WHILE he watches most other dog owners strolling along while their dogs play and run off leash...

I have a friend who has recently (18mths) ago got their first Siberian Husky, he is adorable , stunning dog.......... they have always had Rotties, and fancied a change, boy do they know it, she says , Harvey is like nothing they have ever had before, they did their research and knew (to a point) what they were taking on ,,but in reality its came as big shock.

She is lucky, they are retired active people, and can give him the time and exercise he needs, he is never on his own for long, he gets the walks he needs.. she has joined a club where she meets like minded people, so is out all weekend with him.

She loves him to bits , he gets what he needs, but even with the research she did , it hit her in the face how much the breed actually needs.