Siberian Huskies

JadeyyAndLadyy

JadeyyAndLadyy

Well-Known Member
Joined
13 May 2009
Messages
1,320
Location
oxfordshire
Visit site
Been thinking for a while now and been doing ALOT of research into different breeds of dogs.
My all time favourite dog is a Siberian Husky and reallllyyy want one, but after doing some research found they cannot be trusted off the leash :( which is a real shame....
Anyway, was also looking at other breeds such as akita inus, and alaskan malamutes. But in my research found aggression, posessivness, etc.
So...My question, does anyone on here own any of these breeds? preferably a husky, and tell me from your personal experience what theyre like?? Thanks :D
 
Yooohoooooooo, Blackcob! (she answers to that y'know) I'd imagine she'll be in shortly to offer her advice... :D


(Typical, she's gone! She'd be worth a PM though - as would be the lovely Cyrus)
 
Last edited:
You hollered? :D

They are without a doubt the most difficult dog breed I have ever encountered, in every single aspect of their behaviour. Are you running for the hills yet? :p

It's true that they cannot be trusted off-lead - I could get the other husky owner in my village to tell you the story of her three year old male who came back every single time except for the time he got onto a scent, turned up on the road three miles away and was hit by a 44 tonner. There are ways to cope however and it is entirely possible to exercise these dogs on-lead if you are dedicated and prepared.

Happy to answer any specific questions, as always. :) But very generally speaking I would not recommend them as a pet to anybody.
 
Oh Dear :(
so, difficult in every aspect, exactly how?
As in training wise, i know they become bored easily...
And i have a park about 1 min walk from my house so is it possible (for exercise) to use my horses lunge rope? (not sure how long it is but sure pretty much every one is the same size lol
i do have another dog (very old, about 15 years old i think!) he cant be trusted off the leash.
 
JadeyyAndLadyy said:
Oh Dear :(
so, difficult in every aspect, exactly how?
As in training wise, i know they become bored easily...
And i have a park about 1 min walk from my house so is it possible (for exercise) to use my horses lunge rope? (not sure how long it is but sure pretty much every one is the same size lol
i do have another dog (very old, about 15 years old i think!) he cant be trusted off the leash.
Click to expand...

Blackcob knows far more but from what i have experienced from dogs at our club they are intense.

They require far more motivation, repetitions to learn new things and when they decide they don't want to do something there is not much you can do about it.

They need a ton of exercise read much more than an hour a day the usual dog will be ok with.

And they can suffer with some pretty intense separation anxiety.
 
I have an Alaskan Malamute - he is only 5 months old so we are still in the early stages but I have found him to be very independant but loving, havent dared tried him off the leash as he would be gone, and as with Huskies they have little recall when they set their minds to something - extremely friendly with my 2 cats - great with my kids (14 and 11) but rubbish with my nephew who is 4 and just gets knocked over anytime he comes over. He is a very curious dog and in puppy classes has a reputation for being the ring leader and trouble maker of the class but, contrary to breed is turning out to be very trainable and enjoys his practice sessions in the garden.

Although he doesnt get walked much at the moment because of his age(they are prone to probs with their growing bones if walked too much too young), he will require a lot of walking when he is fully developed and I mean a lot of walking. He cant be left on his own for long periods during the day (oh's hours mean he is on his own 3 hours max any day plus his granny comes and spends time with him too cause she adores him) - Mals thrive on company and get bored and destructive if left alone for long periods, as I learned when my back kitchen hall lino was destroyed. I have read they are same sex aggressive but I have not experienced it yet - he is only 5 months old and loves anyone and anything at the moment - Cyrus will be able to tell you more - she is the Mal expert round these parts lol - in fact her Mal is related to mine :) They make rubbish guard dogs but they are protective over their "pack" - as my OH found out when he was tickling my daughter and the dog leapt on him barking at him cause he thought he was hurting her on account of all the screaming :D

I absolutely adore him, he is a fabulous dog but he is hard work.
 
Worked in a racing kennel a few winters back and as fantastic as they are I really wouldn't recommend a siberian unless you were racing/working them.

Mind, in the pet dog classes there are a few superstar malamutes!
I was always told malamutes were *****e at running - but perhaps that was to do with their build and not temperament!

I think with any of the breeds you listed you'll have your work cut out...!
 
Difficult in that they need a great deal of exercise - a minimum of two hours per day, more like three ideally for your sanity and theirs. An under-exercised husky is catastrophically destructive, vocal (your neighbours will hate you) and will easily scale or dig out of an 8ft fence to go and find something more interesting to do.

As a breed they are prone to crippling separation anxiety which will result in the behaviour mentioned above x100. They're usually okay with another settled dog but you have to consider what will happen if the other dog dies or is taken ill.

They don't do obedience training - they have the drive, focus and attention span of a gnat and the simplest things take ages to teach. Without spending quality time on training every single day they will walk all over you with anti-social behaviour like pulling, jumping up, mouthing etc.
 
katielou_houston said:
They require far more motivation, repetitions to learn new things and when they decide they don't want to do something there is not much you can do about it.
Click to expand...

Haha, this, very true. The last dog I did obedience/agility style stuff with was a JRT, not a typically obedient breed, and he learnt new behaviours in single sessions of 5-10 reps. Dax learns new behaviours in more like 30-40 reps over a number of days - not because she is stupid, you see, rather that she just doesn't give a damn about interpreting what I want and will simply shut down when she's had enough. Motivation is hard, the majority aren't bothered about food, toys or your approval.

That said, I wouldn't change her for the world - it's a million times more satisfying when she gets something right because of all the effort we've put in to get there. :)
 
Ok well youve all made a very good point and think ill wait till im OLDER before i consider getting one ;)

So...any reccommendations on a breed? prefereably one easy to train, good off leash, likes to have a good run around but doesnt NEED hours of it every single day just to keep it sane.... i was thinking maybe a border collie, but after reading about them (workaholics, like to stalk/round up, seperation anxiety, etc) thinking, maybe a bit too much? your views on this breed please? or any other reccommendations? Thanks everyone :D x
 
My god, if those are your criteria then you are definitely looking at the wrong breeds! :eek:

I'd recommend that you start looking at toy breeds and/or an older rescue dog of any mixed breed.
 
JadeyyAndLadyy said:
Ok well youve all made a very good point and think ill wait till im OLDER before i consider getting one ;)

So...any reccommendations on a breed? prefereably one easy to train, good off leash, likes to have a good run around but doesnt NEED hours of it every single day just to keep it sane.... i was thinking maybe a border collie, but after reading about them (workaholics, like to stalk/round up, seperation anxiety, etc) thinking, maybe a bit too much? your views on this breed please? or any other reccommendations? Thanks everyone :D x
Click to expand...

Every dog is going to need at least an hours exercise a day.

A border collie is going to need closer to the 3 hours.

How about an older JRT or a Lab or a mix breed?
 
Cyrus said:
Mad is an understatement, cant wait to get them back in harness walks just arent enough anymore they where absolutely heaving the OH along yesterday on their walk
Click to expand...

We are getting Korben one of them rigs on wheels for him to pull - not for competing, just for exercising - he can run round the park with the kids in tow :D
 
katielou_houston said:
Every dog is going to need at least an hours exercise a day.

A border collie is going to need closer to the 3 hours.

How about an older JRT or a Lab or a mix breed?
Click to expand...

Thing is, a dog which i can train to be trusted off leash will be alot easier to exercise (take it down the field, take it to the park for a run around for an hour every evening and daily walks) my JRT is getting on a bit now and likes to sit around most of the day and is good on his daily walks (cant take him off leash or id never see him again) so id love something i can freely run around with, without getting tangled in the lead! lol
what mix breeds would you reccommend? x
 
JadeyyAndLadyy said:
Thing is, a dog which i can train to be trusted off leash will be alot easier to exercise (take it down the field, take it to the park for a run around for an hour every evening and daily walks) my JRT is getting on a bit now and likes to sit around most of the day and is good on his daily walks (cant take him off leash or id never see him again) so id love something i can freely run around with, without getting tangled in the lead! lol
what mix breeds would you reccommend? x
Click to expand...

A lab would be good for you then. But with any dog you have to commit to training and exercise for the dog every day.

Sounds like some kind of lab or lab mix would be good for you.
 
Cyrus said:
Mad is an understatement, cant wait to get them back in harness walks just arent enough anymore they where absolutely heaving the OH along yesterday on their walk
Click to expand...

We went up Snowdon a few days ago and that left mine asleep for most of the next day, if only I had the time and energy to do that a couple of times a week! :eek:

I'm going to ask for a Pawtrekker for christmas. :D
 
I have a British Inuit ... looks somewhat like a husky, but shape-wise somewhat like a GSD.

Absolutely fantastic pets - easy to train, very intelligent, brilliant off lead (I let mine run around the horse field) brilliant with animals - horses, other dogs, chickens, sheep ...

Here she is (in her element) ...
Picture152.jpg
 
blackcob said:
We went up Snowdon a few days ago and that left mine asleep for most of the next day, if only I had the time and energy to do that a couple of times a week! :eek:

I'm going to ask for a Pawtrekker for christmas. :D
Click to expand...

we did a 10 miler they where digging their claws into the soil thats how hard they where pulling OH had to go for a bit of a run with them to take the initial tickle out their feet but they still pulled most of the way
Loco of course trotted alongside mummy like the little angel she is
 
Jenna500 said:
I have a British Inuit ... looks somewhat like a husky, but shape-wise somewhat like a GSD.

Absolutely fantastic pets - easy to train, very intelligent, brilliant off lead (I let mine run around the horse field) brilliant with animals - horses, other dogs, chickens, sheep ...

Here she is (in her element) ...
Picture152.jpg
Click to expand...

omg STUNNING!!! ill def do some research!! :D thanks xx
 
jenna500 and OP, i have an inuit too, Chimo. she is a lovely dog, her recall is a bit iffy but is getting better - she is 3 now. does agility and obedience, i doubt she will ever be a champion but she did come 3rd in a horse and hound competition a few weeks ago, even though i was scared of the horses!! see my post earlier today to see her having fun in the mud!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top