Siberian Huskies

I agree, I dont think an Inuit would be the breed for you - they are X Mal and Husky with some GSD thrown in - not exactly low maintenance and you could end up with the worst of all 3 breeds as has already been mentioned. If you need something low maintenance you will have to look towards smaller breeds really.
 
katielou_houston said:
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.
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KH has pretty much summed it up, they are a dog I wouldn't consider because of what they need!
 
Jadeyandlaydey, I would not pick any of the Inuit/husky breeds/types for what you are looking for.
You, no offence, like a lot of people, are essentially seeming to go for a dog that looks cool and not thinking of the consequences. I am seeing tonnes of sibes, Akitas, mixes of those breeds etc, landing in rescue at ONE YEAR OLD because they are too much for their owners before they are even physically or mentally mature.
They do not fit your criteria at all.

I've had GSDs my whole life and would not take on a sibe or inuit type breed. Nor am I recommending a GSD for what you want. Quite the opposite.

Think long term, think about what lies in the future for you and the dog, not just the cute puppy phase and how cool a dog you will have.

Go for a quieter breed or as suggested, go to a rescue and help a middle-aged-older dog, mixed breed or otherwise, have a great life with you.
 
I have got an Alascan Malamute, she is from the rescue (Alascan Malamute Rescue UK) and she is the 2nd best dog I ever had (best dog was one of the Golden Retrievers I kept from my first litter). Shannon, the Mala, is brilliant with other dogs, she is off leash all the time, does not even try to chase or stray. I take her along to the stables and where ever I go (apart from bringing her to work). She lives with 5 Jack Russells who can be annoying at times but she is not aggressive towards them. Maybe I was just lucky with her, but I know some Mals who are really easy to keep, live happily with other dogs (and even cats), who can be handled by children and are really obedient. I think it's not really the breed that matters, but upbringing and training (also pedigree, just like with horses). You need tolerant neighbours, tho, cos they howl quite loudly and often. They are no dogs you can leave alone for a couple of hours and they need - but every dog needs that - quite a bit of exercise. You have to be strict, tho, as they are quite strong headed sometimes. Not a dog for someone with little dog experience I'd say...
don't forget that you need a VERY strong hoover...:D
 
Sorry, this is long, but I wanted to share my recent experience as I think it is relevant.

I understand where you are coming from - the husky type is very attractive to look at.

When we moved to our own farm & I gave up work we decided to get a dog. I went to a rehoming charity as I didn't want to get a small puppy. We were matched with a lovely border collie as I could offer hugh amounts of exercise & was around all day. Obedience training went very well. However, after 6 months of hard work & spending a fortune on a dog trainer, we still couldn't trust him off lead. He broke close to 10 lunge lines on walks, knocking me off my feet in the process, & rounded up the mountain sheep several times. In these circumstances recall was none existent, he wouldn't come back until he had has his fun. I could never relax or take my attention off him for a second when out. I just couldn't take the stress of him harming himself, livestock or me any more, owning a dog was supposed to enrich my life not add stress & worry (although I got very fit walking for 3 to 4 hours a day). I had to make the difficult decision to take him back - it broke my heart.

After that experience we decided to get a puppy & train from the start. We were attracted to the husky types, but after doing some research I knew in my heart that this was not what I needed. I wanted a dog which would follow me around with a stick in it's mouth wagging it's tail (a rose tinted view but you get the picture).

After being honest about the behaviours I wanted & going through all the breeds we ended up with a labrador (our last choice of dog really - hyper for 2 years & then fat & lazy). We got him from a breeder who sends a lot of his puppies to the Guide Dogs for the Blind, so they tend to be calm & trainable. Labs don't have to be overweight barrels on legs. Dylan hasn't destroyed anything. He doesn't chew any more than a normal puppy. He is a pleasure to own & compared to the collie he is very easy - he certainly has shown no desire to run off & would much rather be with me than anything else.

All puppies are cute. As Dylan grows up (he's nearly a year old now) I don't see a lab I see a loving, loyal, funny, intelligent friend. Let's face it, looks are not the most important thing are they?

Getting him was the right decision - no question.
 
CaveCanem said:
I am seeing tonnes of sibes, Akitas, mixes of those breeds etc, landing in rescue at ONE YEAR OLD because they are too much for their owners before they are even physically or mentally mature.
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Hah, indeed, I've never seen one advertised that wasn't in the 6-18 month age bracket. Teenagers are bloody hard work in all species.
 
Forgot to mention, the one thing I still need to work on with Dylan is lead work. He is so loyal & doing so well with all his training that I just don't put him on a lead enough (but I'm working on this & have joined a training class to force me to do more). He spends almost all day every day off lead with me. Ok, we live in a quiet location, but most of our walks are off lead, even in the Snowdon National park, which starts quarter of a mile up the road from our house. He doesn't chase livestock either if he is told to leave it, just a bit keen to greet people & other dogs, which is when I slip the lead on. BLISS
 
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All puppies chew hun. However a lab or lab x will walk for miles when it is old enough, be reliable off lead if you train it properly, trustworthy with strangers, children and other dogs if it is well bred and socialised and will NOT be podgy if properly fed and exercised (:mad::p sorry for the mini-rant, but it makes me cross when people go on about fat Labs - you should be going on about bad owners!). They will also deal with being alone for reasonable time periods without being unduly noisy or destructive.

We had our old lab for 16 years, he was an amazing dog and brilliant family friend. I would have another in a second.
 
Just to give you some indication of what you'd be letting yourself in for, I'm just finishing up my cup of tea and heading out for the second walk of the day. It's only 10.35 and there'll be two more walks plus a late-night wee walk (we have no garden) before the end of the day.

Right now it would be impossible to have a normal 9-5 job - I work evenings and weekends, leaving my partner with her then, and leave her alone for short periods in the day to attend uni. If, for example, my study partner wanted to go and get a coffee after a lecture to discuss something, I'd have to say no because I have to rush back for the dog. I can't take her riding with me, so I either have to be quick or arrange riding around my OH being home, and if there are sheep in the top field she has to be tied up on the yard while I muck out every morning.

Eventually - at least a year into the future, I suspect, but I've got two in which to make this happen - she will be able to be left for longer periods of time and I will be able to have a 'normal' job with the help of an extended lunch break or a dog walker. I will be looking at getting a second dog (not another sibe), at great expense and inconvenience, just to keep her company. We are planning to move house, when we wouldn't have moved at all if it weren't for her. Our social life is even more non-existent than it was before.

Is any of this putting you off, yet...?

I love her to bits and I'm willing to work through all the **** parts to get to the good bit, but with a lab or similar all this would have been done with six months ago. And when she runs off with somebody else's football, as she did last night, and proceeds to do triumphant laps of the field with it, I curse the day I didn't bring home a lab. :p
 
Ok Ok i get what your all saying ....
alot of you have mentioned German Shephards, so i did some research and found this
http://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/reviews/whiteshepherds.html
personality wise, Great!
Training, From what i know about GS theyre good
and lasty, looks, STUNNING!

I now know that those husky/inuit breeds are a bit out of my league, so ive done what youve said, gone and looked at OTHER breeds which i wouldnt nessissarily thought about.

Any Good And Bad Points About German Shephards/White German Shephards.

Downside....My mum doesnt like them :p............ :(
 
JadeyyAndLadyy said:
Ok Ok i get what your all saying ....
alot of you have mentioned German Shephards, so i did some research and found this
http://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/reviews/whiteshepherds.html
personality wise, Great!
Training, From what i know about GS theyre good
and lasty, looks, STUNNING!

I now know that those husky/inuit breeds are a bit out of my league, so ive done what youve said, gone and looked at OTHER breeds which i wouldnt nessissarily thought about.

Any Good And Bad Points About German Shephards/White German Shephards.

Downside....My mum doesnt like them :p............ :(
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If you look back through the thread you will see that the only point at which GSD's were mentioned you were advised NOT to get one!
 
JadeyyAndLadyy said:
You know what.
just forget about it
forget about this whole bloody thread
i wont get a bloody dog
end of.
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Just get a dog that will suit your life.

Dog that suits life + life that suits chosen dog = happiness

Dog that needs things that cannot be provided + owner that cannot provide these things = misery

Simples!
 
BlackCob

Compare that to my day.

I'm now sat down eating breakfast with a wet lab sleeping in his bed! So far we have been for our morning walk around my empty fields, playing fetch with the ball. We have fed & checked the sheep, with Dylan sat waiting at the field gate. I have bought the horses in, bringing 2 horses through the field gate whilst the 'pet' lambs were eating their breakfast in the same field, again with the dog sat by the gate waiting for me. All done off lead.

We will do chores outside during the day if the rain stops, if not we'll be in the house with the dog asleep. We'll go for a walk in the national park or down the lane this afternoon whilst practicing our training & then we have dog training tonight (which will probably be the first time he has a lead on today). Lovely.
 
JadeyyAndLadyy said:
You know what.
just forget about it
forget about this whole bloody thread
i wont get a bloody dog
end of.
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Don't be so immature, you just need to get a dog that suits. We aren't suggesting that you shouldnt have a dog, just that the breeds you are looking at unsuitable...to alot of people, most people....not just you.
 
J&L, could I ask you, why do you want a dog? Start from there and see where you get. Some of the things you have said seem to suggest you are quite interested in how the dog looks, but in a relationship that could last 15 years looks are the least important thing! A stunning looking dog that is unhappy will make you unhappy and cause you all sorts of problems. A 'plain' looking dog that is a loving companion will soon come to look like the most beautiful looking dog in the world for you.

If the answer is to have a companion who fits in fairly easily with your life, a lab or golden retriever would be ideal. There is a reason these dogs are so popular. They have settled temperaments, are easy to train, require reasonable amounts of exercise and tend not to be dog or people aggressive. You can have hours of fun and companionship with such a dog and easily take it with you as your life changes. You have mentioned you are young, so I assume you may soon be going to college/uni, or getting your first job - it's worth considering a breed that will easily adjust to those changes.
 
So far today, Henry has had a quick loo break but no walk, he is asleep under my desk. At lunchtime we will go for a walk around the empty fields, then back to sleep again for him, stirring only when we have exciting visitors (to whom he will give his bed). Then after work we will go to the woods for about an hour with the dummies and do some training:)
 
JadeyyAndLadyy said:
You know what.
just forget about it
forget about this whole bloody thread
i wont get a bloody dog
end of.
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O.k I haven't commented on this thread as I have no experience of these breeds. However, you have been given lots of fantastic advice and help from numerous people on here that have.

You have repeatedly had the negatives pointed out to you and still are adamant that you will opt for a highly driven breed which requires a huge amount of dedication and exercise/training to get the best out of it.

There are breeds which we all admire i'm sure and would love to own but our lifestyles don't allow for us to give them what they need from life.

Your lifestyle would lend itself to an 'easier' breed i.e: a lab or lab x as has been said many times on here.

Please, consider the dog and be honest with what you have to offer him/her!
 
Please don't get upset with the comments on your post. People aren't saying don't get a dog. People aren't even really saying don't get a husky, just trying to point out the potential problems with owning one.

Only you know if you have the time, patience & experience to own one, I know I don't, much as I'd like to.

Having the wrong dog is really draining or it was for me. I took over my whole life. I can't tell you how amazing it is when you have a dog which enhances the life you have/want, having had one which changed my life beyond recognition & not in a good way.

No dog breed comes without pros & cons, the secret is to pick one which matches what you are looking for. Even then, not all dogs are true to breed - there are always exceptions to any rule.

Chose the breed you want to, just please do it with your eyes open, understanding what you could be letting yourself in for.
 
Hey no-ones trying to hurt or upset you - there are a lot of dog savvy people that are just trying to get you a dog that will suit you for LIFE, not just for a few months or years. Take the advice, its nigh on the best you'll get!
 
Booboos said:
J&L, but in a relationship that could last 15 years looks are the least important thing! A stunning looking dog that is unhappy will make you unhappy and cause you all sorts of problems. A 'plain' looking dog that is a loving companion will soon come to look like the most beautiful looking dog in the world for you.
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Booboos, you said it so much better than I did. When I said this....

All puppies are cute. As Dylan grows up (he's nearly a year old now) I don't see a lab I see a loving said:
I meant what she said!
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Go for a quieter breed or as suggested, go to a rescue and help a middle-aged-older dog, mixed breed or otherwise, have a great life with you.
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I couldn't agree more.

I think, also, you may be in school / college?? So will need to rely on others to help you dog walking duties if you decide to go for any of the high maintenance breeds you mention.......

I'm looking after my BF's little Bichon for the week. Small dogs are not really my thing - but she is just wonderful. Happy, trainable and not in need of hours of exercise. She's currently crashed out by my desk.

I walked her before work this morning for around 40 mins - quiet little amble round the park. And we'll go over the fields tonight for around an hour.
 
Kitsune said:
Hey no-ones trying to hurt or upset you - there are a lot of dog savvy people that are just trying to get you a dog that will suit you for LIFE, not just for a few months or years. Take the advice, its nigh on the best you'll get!
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I know, sorry, just getting frustrated, different people telling me different things, been spending hours everyday reading about different breeds, im not even getting one yet itll be months before i get one im just looking at different breeds and came on here looking for advise and definately got some, so thank you, but i think ill just leave this for now...
 
I understand that totally, it can be frustrating! But rest assured all this talking and research and thinking you are doing is going to mean you get the right dog in the end and end up being a great owner! Don't get disheartened honestly, no-one means any harm - everyone just wants to help and make sure you have a happy life with your dog!
 
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