Hi everyone, I have recentlly stumbled across the Utonagan breed and have pretty much fell in love with it. One thing I want to find out about them is how they cope if left for 2-3 hours? This time would be limited as it is unfair on a dog if it's going to be left, but there will be times where knowone will be around the house for a few hours. Has anyone with experience with this breed have any information or tips on this matter? Many thanks in advance, Aron
if you look up Utonagan on google you can visit the Utonagan society & breeders website im sure they will know a bit more!
hi Aron I see in your profile you own an (or more) Eurasier, I have NI similar breed to Utonagon and mine are fine if left for a few hours, other NI are not and can be destructive if left alone. I can't answer for Utes, but NI are best with another dog for company.
Hi I have a Utonagan (well 3/4 Ute 1/4 GSD), he is good to be left alone for a few hours. He is definitely happier being left though, if he has some dog company,he does settle down if left alone , but like I said he is fine if he is left with our other dog. He loves company human or canine , and I know he would not be happy if left alone for more then a few hours.He has not been destructive either, but I work from home, so that helps;-) I would suggest you really look into the breed, there are several societies, there are a few owners on here too, who will be more than happy to give you any advice you need. Really choose your breeder carefully, plesse make sure the parents are hipscored, and check for any epilepsy in the lines, also eye tested would be good. There are a lot of bad breeders who sell pups that aren't real Utonagans, or badly bred ones. so please be wary. The Utonagan Association, can put you in contact with good breeders, who health test their dogs. Also be aware that your life won't be the same . I f you want a chilled out lap dog they aren't for you,be prepared for a dog that could have the best or the worst of the original breeds, GSD, Alaskan Malamute and Siberian Husky. My boy is like a GSD in looks, but very much like a Mal in temperament and personality, in a good way;-) He is super friendly, too friendly sometimes a big goofball, who does like companionship, he loves to be out and about,loves to play. He is very good with other dogs.Very clever, and quick to learn. BUT he also has a high prey drive that I have to work with every day,I work hard on his recall everyday too, he can get bored training, so I keep it short and fun. He is also very inteligent, can open the fridge, cupboards, he is very big, and can just pop over a normal baby gate, so we have the worlds tallest dog gates, he can open doors. You can see him working things out;-) He also has a sensitive stomach, probably for the GSD, but I think Mals and Sibes can have those too. Like I said this is my boy, each dog is different of course If that hasn't put you off talk to other owners, go to shows, and get in touch with the organisations, to find a good breeder, please don't get one out of the paper or the web, as you really don't know what you are getting Anymore questions?? I will try and help , but Lucky Star on here has a full Utonagan, and she will be very helpful, she will probably come on and say about her Loki anyway. I would not be without Mack, but life would be quieter, but who wants a quiet life I hope that helps, I have been honest, I hope that hasn't put you off
I have 2 Utonagan girlies, they are nicknamed The Norties, although lots of people call them The Goodies now. My 2 are good at pretending to be The Goodies, but underneath it they are still really Nortie!!! Before I had them I had one of the original dogs bred by one of the original breeders, and she was absolutely marvellous, and I will always miss her personality and independent ways. They are very independent thinking dogs, and if you are looking for a dog that will display instant obedience and never offer any challenge to you, they are not for you. When I say challenge I don't mean that in a bad sort of way, what I mean is that if you are not a strong personality that can offer them strong leadership and confidence they will not 'buy into' you at all and hence you will not get the best from them. I have never ever had any problem with SA from them, nor from their Great Great Great Aunt, my previous girl. However I have always had more than one dog, and it was only in later years that Tawney, my old girl, was on her own, which latterly was for her benefit more than mine as I had been looking for the 'right pup' for a couple of years when she suffered a series of strokes which stopped me looking for a while. However I then came across my 2 from a Utonagan breeder, Sulin Kennels, in Wales who does, I sincerely believe, breed the absolute best Utonagan dogs there are.Her breed standard is based on the Canadian Timber Wolf. I consider myself incredibly lucky to have been able to get my 2 from her as she is notoriously 'picky' when choosing homes for her pups. They can be very destructive when babies, and I always say to potential owners that you need nerves of steel, the strength of 10 men and either be good at diy or an understanding builder!!! Mine have eaten kennels, next doors fence, my beloved Hunter Wellies, more collars and leads than I can count, broken my laptop by charging into the kitchen and getting caught in the wires and caused mayhem on numerous occasions. On the plus side they are very loyal, loving and a joy to be with.They travel exceptionally well, mine are very healthy friendly dogs. I leave them in my local kennels on many occasions when I am away and they settle there and make themselves at home. We have been to 2 NI events in the last 12 months and camped, and they just settled down as though they had always done it, so very adaptable as well. I have backpacks for my 2, and every week we go to the local market and they carry the shopping back, again they never bothered when I first introduced them to backpacks. As soon as the backpacks come out now there is a rush to see who can have their's on first, nothing (up to now anyway) fazes them, they take everything in their stride. Yes there is epilepsy in some lines, but there is in many KC reg dogs, as with many other hereditary illnesses. As these dogs were originally bred through GSD's, Mals and Sibes, they will sometimes carry the predisposition for these illnesses, but so do lots of other breeds of dogs. It is well to be aware of this, but do not let it cloud your judgement so as to obscure the breed itself. Below are some recent piccies of my 2.
Thanks for all the info and pics everyone, Its really good to have information from people that actually own the particular breed and know of any habits they have, just what I was after
Hi there Some good advice there from Moonstone. I have a Utonagan male of nearly 4. Sadly he is epileptic and it is in the breed, as are other health issues so as with any other breed, research very carefully and don't let anyone tell you there are no health issues. All breeds have them as you will know. There are a number of different groups that have been set up in order to represent the breed and many breeders. Read the websites and contact the members and seek someone who is clued up on lines and health. I can give you some pointers in this direction if you like. Regarding separation anxiety - my dog doesn't like being left alone. These dogs are very sociable and enjoy company and interactions. However, if he's had a good walk and food and I leave him something to play with, he's pretty good. He doesn't howl or bark (apart from when he's going through the seizure periods and then I don't leave him if I can help it), nor does he wreck my furniture. However, I do have to restrict his access to the house because he will pick out personal belongings and chew them. Things like jackets, boots, combs, glasses etc. but not the furniture. So I do have to keep these things out of his reach. We go through hell with the epilepsy and I cannot stand the thought of anyone breeding while ignoring health issues, pretending they don't exist and not informing puppy owners. Some of these health problems can come about for hereditary reasons, which is why I have said to you to speak to someone who has researched the lines and knows if there has been in-breeding and if there are health issues in the lines. My dog requires loads of exercise but from speaking to other owners that is not necessarily representative. He also hates other dogs but again, that seems to be from experiences he had as a puppy. He is exceptionally loving towards people and loves children, however is is very boisterous and playful so it's important to supervise all dog-child interactions. That goes without saying though as you should do that with any dog. He loves going in the car. He is very intelligent and loves mental and physical stimulation - games such as fetch, search, hide & seek and general training. He is very stubborn but responds well to positive training, rather than punishment and is terribly affectionate. My own dog has a high prey drive and will hunt and eat small furry creatures such as rabbits. For this reason I keep him well away from animals such as cats. My dog doesn't bark very much but he will howl along to singing. He doesn't bark when people knock at the door but will happily chew up the post - epecially if he thinks he can get a rise out of me. Anything else, just ask.
