I want a dog...

[blackcob]

...like other women want babies. It's becoming an all-consuming need. I stare at dogs in the street and molest people with fluffy puppies (I totally understand now those women who snatch babies in supermarkets, I damn near walked off with a 16-week-old spaniel puppy the other day).

So why, why, when my OH finally capitulates and says he'll think about us having a dog, does he decide that he wants a bloody husky? Nothing else can be considered, apparently.

Yours forever dogless,

Blackcob.

 

[CorvusCorax]

Huskies are not an easy breed, especially for your first.

I think they are fab, but they need to run, and run, and run. Think about what they are/were originally used for - can you offer them that sort of life? Loads of running, biking etc? And can you cope with them expressing themselves in a negative fashion if they find themselves understimulated?

I know they look cool and they are lovely dogs, but they are hard work and need a tonne of exercise.
I can tell you here and now, local rescue over here, and Gumtree, and Donedeal are FULL of Sibes, Mals, Akitas and 'huskamutes' - because once they get a bit more grown up, they need a lot of stimulation and can get destructive or hard to cope with when that is not forthcoming.

If he likes the look of that sort of breed, may I suggest one of the smaller Spitz breeds, just as striking but a lot less work.

 

[Annette4]

I'm getting to be the same and I already have one!

CC makes a good point about Huskys....not a breed I'd consider for the same reasons....

Of course I think a Corgi would be a fab addition

 

[Ranyhyn]

Agreed CC, they are a dog I simply would not consider, simply because I cannot conceieve the amount of excercise a sled dog would need!

Spitz's are gorgeous! Elkhound?

 

[Slinkyunicorn]

Can totally understand you wanting to dog nap a spangle puppy

- you clearly have excellent taste in dogs and need to be encouraged......

 

[CorvusCorax]

Benjamin on here has an Elkhound. My mum's friend used to breed these and they can also be quite high maintenance but have no personal experience recently.

A Samoyed is another option, or the Japanese/Finnish/German Spitz.

The rescues are full of huskies, and there are breed specific rescues, if he is dead keen, BC.

DON'T FORGET CAYLA'S LITTER OF LOVELY BABY RESCUE SPANGLES!
(God, it hurt having to write that

)

 

[soloabe]

Agree with above they need so much exercise.
They are really popular here and Abe's best friend is a husky.

His owner spends close to 3 hours a day at the dog park with about an hour of that training to keep his mind going and the rest of it running and he says he still has to run him at night for 40 minutes or so otherwise he tears up the house or just never settles.

 

[blackcob]

[ QUOTE ]


I think they are fab, but they need to run, and run, and run. Think about what they are originally used for - can you offer them that sort of life? Loads of running, biking etc? And can you cope with them expressing themselves in a negative fashion if they find themselves understimulated?


[/ QUOTE ]

Would you mind coming down here and telling him that, please?

His friend at work has a 'huskamute' bitch which I think has set him off, she's a lovely looking dog but I am all too aware how much exercise they need. Don't get me wrong, I can offer an awful lot of exercise but I would rather a dog that I won't lose in the next county if it ever got loose.

His other friend at work has just bought a CKCS, why can't he have fallen for that one?

There is an absolutely lovely collie x advertised locally - an 18 month old neutered male, vaccinated, chipped and wormed who has proven too energetic for a working couple with a young baby. He'd be perfect but OH has poo-poohed the idea, collies obviously aren't 'cool' enough. Neither are JRTs, labs or dobes, the other breeds I've had before, or spangles, which I dearly want.

I'm not sure I ought to bring a dog into the house with such a juvenile specimen of man.

 

[Nickijem]

PMSL Blackcob!
I completely understand about your all consuming need for a dog. I have wanted a lab since we married over 5 years ago but OH wanted a JRT. Neither of us wanted kids however - at least we agreed on that!
Now we are getting a dog (TOMORROW!!!

) and it is neither a lab ao JRT - it is a springer spaniel!
Maybe you could come to some similar compromise

 

[kirstyhen]

[ QUOTE ]
Can totally understand you wanting to dog nap a spangle puppy

- you clearly have excellent taste in dogs and need to be encouraged......

[/ QUOTE ]

What she said....

I could almost be tempted to have a AM/SH, they are beautiful dogs and I'm sure I'd get into the whole sled racing scene, however I CANNOT abide the racket they make!! My Landlords have 2 6 month old Husky/Malamute crosses, and they are the noisiest mutts!
Same with Staffies, I just can't stand the noise!

My little snot bag doesn't make a peep anymore. He used to squeak and howl when left, but my Landlord couldn't hear a thing, unlike his ruddy dogs!

 

[blackcob]

[ QUOTE ]
Can totally understand you wanting to dog nap a spangle puppy

- you clearly have excellent taste in dogs and need to be encouraged......

[/ QUOTE ]

You should have seen it - I was nearly in tears - it was teeny weeny, a little liver and white springer with GIGANTIC ears, being carried about by a big burly chap who looked a little embarassed to be carrying such a tiny scrap of a dog. It was the most adorable thing I've ever seen.

 

[frankie7]

how about an inuit? OH liked huskys too but knew they were not reliable off the lead and needed so much exercise, so we got Chimo

she is lovely, a bit of a handful sometimes but everyone stops me to say how beautiful she is!!

please excuse the garden...

 

[Slinkyunicorn]

Just for you here is Sweep as a puppy.....

 

[blackcob]

[ QUOTE ]
I CANNOT abide the racket they make!! My Landlords have 2 6 month old Husky/Malamute crosses, and they are the noisiest mutts!
Same with Staffies, I just can't stand the noise!


[/ QUOTE ]

This was my other argument! Now we've moved we're mid-terrace and although the previous owners said that the neighbours were fine about their dogs, I'm guessing that a continuous AWOOO-OOOO-WOOO will get their attention.

My childhood friend bred staffies and, although lovely, all I remember of their house was a constant whining and whinging sound like bored children.

 

[Annette4]

Well if we're posted cute puppy pics.....

 

[FinnishLapphund]

No, no just get a Finnish Lapphund!

Just look at these puppies

and compare those to these

He wont be able to tell the difference until it is grown up and then he will already be besotted in it! Case solved!

Or just make sure to go and collect it on your own, whose heart would not melt meeting...

 

[CorvusCorax]

Frankie, aren't Inuits a cross of other husky breeds? Please correct me if I am wrong

Sorry if this sounds like a sweeping statement, but a lone husky in a mid terrace sounds like a nightmare - they are very vocal and they are a pack animal - it really isn't an ideal situation.
BC, if your fella is prepared to put in the work, fair play to him, but I really wouldn't want to be on here when the puppy is 12 months old and bringing your house down because he hasn't been taken for his morning run

Print off this thread for him to read, if the message isn't getting through from you?

He needs to stop thinking about how cool it will look and think about being the best home available to the best type of dog to suit your lifestyle. Your house and garden might not look very cool

KarynK's sister, plus Suzysparkle, Minkymoo (I think) and Cyrus all have/race huskies so I am sure they can advise if you want to send them a PM.

Sorry if I sound preachy, but I have heard of so many people buying these breeds for looks and it ending in disaster - mainly for the poor dog.

 

[kirstyhen]

Stop, everytime I see a picture of Jack as a puppy (that is his name isn;t it??

) I NEED a corgi!!

 

[CAYLA]

We always get huskys and mals in our rescue, we have 1 in now, and to be honest we try our hardest to get them into husky racing teams and not place them into homes....they simply need to be exercise/stimulation far more than the avergae home can offer and kept in a single dog house hold they suffer horrendous seperation anxiety, esp in a houshold where the owners work, as they are a pack animal and do love to be around their own kind.......I would definatly get your OH to atleast read this thread and also PM Cyrus on here or KarynK......they can give you advice, and as they have a high pray drive, then off lead exercise is a distant memorey,they very popular rescue candidates....due to their beauty and misunderstanding of their needs.
You also need an escape proof garden as a bored husky can dig craters the size of a small country to escape.
Insurance is expensive and they can suffer dietry intolerance commonly (sensitive stomach) so feeding a good quality specialised diet or barf maybe required.
All things to keep in mind.

 

[blackcob]

[ QUOTE ]


A Samoyed is another option, or the Japanese/Finnish/German Spitz.

The rescues are full of huskies, and there are breed specific rescues, if he is dead keen, BC.

DON'T FORGET CAYLA'S LITTER OF LOVELY BABY RESCUE SPANGLES!
(God, it hurt having to write that

)

[/ QUOTE ]

Samoyeds are out on account of being 'hairy furballs' (his words, not mine) and to be honest the idea of one of those fluffy white dogs hitting the mud patch at the yard fills me with dread.

I've sent him some links about Spitzs but I'm not holding out too much hope. If he wants a 'status' dog I've offered a compromise on an EBT but he doesn't like those either...

Doesn't matter if he's keen, he's not having one. I hate thick dogs that don't recall.

Whereabouts in the world is Cayla?

 

[CorvusCorax]

Above you

Huskies are mostly white too????? Good luck taking a husky to the yard, and ever seeing it again

 

[kirstyhen]

[ QUOTE ]


Doesn't matter if he's keen, he's not having one. I hate thick dogs that don't recall.

[/ QUOTE ]

In that case a Spaniel may be out, unless you put in LOTS of work on it!

They can recall, and they can be fab at it, but they are sods when they get after something!

 

[prosefullstop]

How about a Keeshond? They are a breed with a lovely temperament, have a Husky look to them, but are smaller and much less work.

 

[Ranyhyn]

Thats what I was looking for! Well done Prose, not an elkhound a Keeshond!

 

[blackcob]

[ QUOTE ]

BC, if your fella is prepared to put in the work, fair play to him, but I really wouldn't want to be on here when the puppy is 12 months old and bringing your house down because he hasn't been taken for his morning run

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm going blue in the face telling him this, I really am.

He's not prepared to put in that kind of work; it'll be muggins here walking it morning and night on weekdays and he might deign to come out with us at weekends.

Don't worry, no need to preach, I know what a stupid idea it is - I just want to rant and rave about the injustice of it all!

It's annoying me now as we could offer a brilliant home to a rescue dog and in fact I'd prefer a slightly older dog - I haven't done the puppy stage for years and years and would rather not start in a rented house with chewable skirting.

I want a medium-sized, short-haired dog, 12 months plus, who'll hop in the car and come with me to the yard morning and night, come biking with me at weekends, sleep in front of the fire for the rest of the day and be happy to be left for four hours twice a week while I'm at uni. That's do-able, right?

 

[frankie7]

CC yeah sort of, they were crossed and then bread together (if that makes sense?)

she is usually quiet, the occasional woo wooo if she is excited but gets confused by the jrt barking!!

 

[Annette4]

[ QUOTE ]
Stop, everytime I see a picture of Jack as a puppy (that is his name isn;t it??

) I NEED a corgi!!

[/ QUOTE ]


You do NEED a Corgi....everyone needs a corgi!! I'm becoming increasingly tempted to get another one instead of a GSD

 

[CorvusCorax]

It is totally doable, I'm just not sure a husky is that dog, although like I say maybe the husky people will come on and explain better.

Argh, forgot a Keeshond!

I am struggling for 'unusual' and low maintenance, they seem to be mutually exclusive - I thought about Basenjis (UnaB on here has one) but I am not sure how they would be as pets.

 

[soloabe]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]


I want a medium-sized, short-haired dog, 12 months plus, who'll hop in the car and come with me to the yard morning and night, come biking with me at weekends, sleep in front of the fire for the rest of the day and be happy to be left for four hours twice a week while I'm at uni. That's do-able, right?

[/ QUOTE ]

You need Abe.

Tell your OH he can even come with the cool hat.

Free to a good home he just chewed my coat because i left treats in the pocket.

 

[Slinkyunicorn]

[ QUOTE ]

I want a medium-sized, short-haired dog, 12 months plus, who'll hop in the car and come with me to the yard morning and night, come biking with me at weekends, sleep in front of the fire for the rest of the day and be happy to be left for four hours twice a week while I'm at uni. That's do-able, right?

[/ QUOTE ]

Sounds like the Max-i-moo........another gratuitous photo....