mirage1287

I guess I'm just concerned with the fact that it sounds like I won't be able to leave the Husky alone for long periods of time in the house without forcing it into the crate...unlike a lab, which after about a year or so does pretty well inside the house by itself. As someone without a wife/family living in the house and just roommates who are around at random/inconsistent hours, do you guys think this is a problem?

This brings up something else that I've been thinking a lot about lately...I know that I've read so many times about how crates are not evil/they're for the husky's own safety, but I also feel weird about forcing the dog to be locked in a crate for 8-9 hours a day, 5 days a week...what about their quality of life?

Hey everyone, thanks so very much for all the great posts! Based on everything you've said so far, I guess I do have one major concern. I'm finishing up my last year of grad school, and so have probably about a year or so to raise a puppy, but after that I'll be entering the working world. That means that a dog I get might potentially be alone for a good portion of the working hours during the week day. I would try to send the dog to daycare as often as possible, but I also wouldn't want to force the dog to stay in a crate most of the day. Ideally, I'd want a dog that would be ok to move around the house freely, but it sounds like this would be a problem for an unsupervised Husky?

Thank you for the welcome! I'm thinking of getting one from a breeder but I was also reading through the sticky post about warnings and I'm a little scared to get one now heh. It sounds like they're really great dogs but there's the potential for a lot of complications?

Hi all, I am seriously considering getting a Husky and wanted to get your advice on whether or not I should. A little bit of background, I live in Southern CA and am in my final year of grad school. I live in a pretty spacious townhome and there is a yard, although it's a communal yard. I've had a dog before (a lab). Given my living situation, do you think it's a good idea to get a husky? I would be able to take it on walks several times a day for exercise, and although I do occassionally have full day weekend commitments, I'd be willing to board the dog or put it in daycare during those periods. Also, the climate in Southern CA is warm/hot...how well would a Husky respond to conditions like that (especially for things like hikes?) I've done some basic research but I'd love to hear from actual owners...how well do Huskies play with others? In terms of temperment, is it also better to get a female than a male? Thank you!

Hi everyone, I'm thinking of getting a husky at the end of the summer, but I wanted to hear the advice from some owners before I move any further in the process. I know that Huskies are a breed that takes a lot of work to raise, and so even though I really would love to raise one, I want to make sure that it's also in the best interests of the dog/that I think everything through very carefully. A bit of background, I'm currently a grad student living in California. I'm planning to move into a house next year with some friends, so I should have a yard. It'll also be my last year of school next year, so if I was to raise a puppy, next year would be the year I'd have to do it before I likely start working. It wouldn't be my first dog either, I had a lab a few years ago. If I were to get a puppy next year, I'd likely be gone for at least a few hours out of the day because of class, or if I were to work part-time. I'd be living with several friends though, and our schedules would all be different, so it would likely work out that the puppy wouldn't be left alone for very long (if at all). One of my bigger concerns though is what happens when I eventually get a full-time job (which would most likely be around the time of August in 2013). Are any of you working professionals that have huskies? At that point, I'd be willing to take the dog on morning/evening runs, and to try and work it out to come home during lunch breaks even, or to pay for dog daycare, but I don't know if that'll be enough for this particular type of dog. Any thoughts? Thanks so much for any advice.