Need advice!

[FluffyDogs]

Hi all, I'm an experienced dog owner (2 dorbermans, rottweiller and a mongrel!) and I'm hoping to get a place with my guy soon. We 100% want a dog and have been considering the husky/malamute.

The trouble is that I'm hearing such a huge mixed review on both breeds, that it's just left me feeling a little confused as to whether or not we'd make good owners for it, and I'm hoping you can help!

I've read somewhere that huskies/malamutes should NEVER be off the lead, but to me this is a real shame as I love to see my dogs running and playing with others. But then somewhere else said it was ok? I've also heard that they can't be left alone in a house and that they're aggressive to other dogs.

As I'm aware of all the bad words spoken about dobermans/rotties and I'm very aware of how amazing mine were, it's tempting to say "well maybe this isn't the case, they just need training".... But I thought I'd come on here and find out from people who own them!

-Laura

[Lil Miss Bump]

Hey Laura good on you for doing your research. Having your husky off lead is a tentative subject on here as there are.a lot of conflicting opinions. Read asuch as you can, huskies and mals are nothing like other dogs. They are headstrong and stubborn but the most amazing family members.to have x

[PolarStorm]

i can't help you too much cos ive no experience with malmutes. But i do know that Huskies should not be let of the lead unless it has had a paramount of training! and i havent heard of too many huskies being aggressive to be honest. My girl would rather lick the face off someone!

Hope you get better advice!!

[Hyshqa]

There's a good recent thread regarding letting huskies offlead, I'd suggest checking it out. It basically comes down to your own choice - it IS possible to train a good recall on a husky or malamute but that will depend how much training you're willing to do with it, and how good the dog is at picking it up. A lot of people don't let theirs off, and for good reason - if they let their dogs off they'll run away or get into trouble.

As for leaving them alone in the house that shouldn't be a problem if you crate train the dog; they're known to be destructive and if left alone for a period of time you could return to torn up sofas, carpets, etc, but this does not mean ALL huskies or mals are like that, it is down to the individual dog.

I'm not sure about malamutes, but huskies are known to be friendly with people and dogs, not aggressive. They don't really have much loyalty and make friends with everyone Again this will be down to the individual but it would take some pretty bad cruelty, neglect or lack of socialisation to raise an aggressive husky!

[NeverShoutForever]

Okay, I hate how people say Huskies can not be off leash. It all depends on how you train them. Mine was walking off leash at 8 months old, and now she is about 1 year old. Its all in the training.

Now to pick if you want a Husky or Malamute.

First off both of them shed massivily, and will need a lot of grooming, They are also high energy dogs. They are also very stubborn dogs as they are very smart. They like to dig and can jump fences easily. So if any of this bugs you DO NOT GET ONE OF THESE DOGS, we don't need more to be in a rescue.

Now Huskies: They weight 45-70 pounds. They are active and playful. They may "talk" a lot. They have the possibility to get two different colored eyes(blue/brown) or all blue, or all brown. Not aggressive at all(unless towards animal it thinks is prey) also they are very independent.

Malamute. They weight 65-100 pounds. They are a little more aggressive then Huskies. They only have brown eyes.Same prey drive as huskies. Very independent

[Lil Miss Bump]

Good answer steph

[Paranormal Wolf]

I’ve not had my husky long but I have done some research on them and have owned various other breeds. Currently have my husky boy and a pit bull. I have not let my husky off lead and would not suggest it unless you have a fenced in yard and are going to be outside with them. Huskies have a high prey drive and will chase and possibly kill small animals including cats. Once prey mode hits it will be very hard to call your dog back. My friend had a malamute when she lived with me and he got off his chain one day (she only chained him when he went outside to potty) and he ran off. Luckily someone found him and called but he was quite far away in a short time.

As far as aggression goes a husky’s typical temperament is very friendly and non aggressive. They were bred to integrate into packs by the Chukchi so aggression would not have been tolerated. Most huskies love other dogs and people. My boy is unusual in that he is a bit shy around new people but he took up with our pit bull right away. The thing about leaving them home alone is they can become destructive when bored. I recommend crating any dog when they are to be home alone but that’s my personal opinion lol.

Huskies are great dogs as long as you know what to expect and are ready to give them the physical and mental stimulation they need. They are friendly and good natured, very smart yet very strong willed and stubborn. Training can be a challenge because of this but they are trainable. They really are great dogs, excellent working or companion dogs.

Hope this helps and didn't scare you away from them. They really are great dogs

[Andy]

OK from my own experience.

1. Off lead. . . Nope only in a secure fenced area.

Why ?

Huskies don't do recall very well. They are VERY easily distracted.

They love to chase and explore. They also love to play "Chase me"

Running off just as you get close.

Before you and they know it, they are out of sight and distracted and exploring.

Half an hour later they are miles away, still having fun.

They tend not to have a great HOMING instinct. So once lost, they wander

getting distracted, chasing cats and birds and crisp packets and stay lost

getting further from home.

It's a lesson we all learn. The hard way.

We ALL would love to let our Huskies off to run and play, but the risk is too great.

2. Can't be left alone in the house.

They are very social dogs, they LOVE company, when you go out they miss you.

They are massively intelligent dogs. They get bored easily, when they get bored they

get creative (destructive). You need to tire them out both physically AND mentally.

So when you go out they find STUFF to do. They are also very determined escape artists.

They want to try to find you, thick walls, fences, locked windows are no barrier to a determined husky.

3. Don't get on with other dogs

Bo!!ox (scuse my french)

Huskies love company especially other dogs.

However when they play, they play HARD.

Many people mistake their playfighting for REAL fighting.

Not so, there is a Massive, difference.

I have a white GSD, 2 Huskies and a Chihuahua.

While Occasionally Echo (GSD) launches into Darwin (husky) this is a problem with Echo

being very protective of us. And Daughtry (2nd Husky) is absolutely best friends with Dobby The Chihuahua

And Echo is her surrogate mum.

Hope this helps

[BlackDawn]

Hi all, I'm an experienced dog owner (2 dorbermans, rottweiller and a mongrel!) and I'm hoping to get a place with my guy soon. We 100% want a dog and have been considering the husky/malamute.

The trouble is that I'm hearing such a huge mixed review on both breeds, that it's just left me feeling a little confused as to whether or not we'd make good owners for it, and I'm hoping you can help!

I've read somewhere that huskies/malamutes should NEVER be off the lead, but to me this is a real shame as I love to see my dogs running and playing with others. But then somewhere else said it was ok? I've also heard that they can't be left alone in a house and that they're aggressive to other dogs.

As I'm aware of all the bad words spoken about dobermans/rotties and I'm very aware of how amazing mine were, it's tempting to say "well maybe this isn't the case, they just need training".... But I thought I'd come on here and find out from people who own them!

-Laura

Forgive me if my reply resembles any other replies, I didn't read them :x

When you say experienced dog owner, does that mean you own those dogs at this moment? Or owned them in the past?

Huskies and Malamutes are very similar. No, they should never be off lead unless they're in a properly fenced area. My 3mo pup took off the other day and, I had to run as fast as I could to catch her. Can you imagine chasing a full grown Husky? I leave my puppy alone in the house(sometimes she's crated) but the worse I've came home to is toilet paper chewed up on the floor(Its best to have a large collection of toys for them to entertain themselves with, I strategically place toys every 6 feet around the house). As for aggression towards other dogs, that is a complete lie. Thats like saying all pits are aggressive... It all depends on how the husky is trained, I would recommend socializing it as soon as possible. The only aggression I've ever seen out of my Husky is when me an my gf play fight. Bandit(my husky) will come over and grab my gf and try to tow her away by any means necessary. If I start saying ow she gets more aggressive. But I wouldn't dub that aggression, its merely loyalty in my eyes.

Just remember the Husky is an intelligent dog and, you'll be on your toes trying to keep up.

[persephona]

The issue of being allowed off-lead depends entirely on the dog. You can't know before getting the dog whether it will be one of those or not. I think the volume of work you have in front of you to teach perfect recall to a husky is not worth it, especially given the fact that someday they might forget it all and take off. So yeah, it can be done, but it depends on the dog you get mainly. I just wouldn't recommend it, they can be perfectly happy on a 100 ft lead, it's almost like being free.

We have never had any issues with our husky inside the house. Whenever we leave, he is allowed free run of our hallway (which is probably half the house) and sometimes some other rooms as well. We've never had any destruction, even when he was a puppy. Again, it all depends on the dog, but as a general rule, huskies do have a lot of potential for destruction. It really up to the owner how that issue is handled, but it's totally possible to have a well behaved, house trained husky that doesn't destroy stuff.

Aggressivity towards other dogs - they are very direct dogs and sometimes their approach is a bit intimidating, but I would really not use the word aggressive to describe husky as a breed. They are really friendly, towards other people and other dogs as well.

Forgot to mention something.

If you are really considering a husky, I feel I should really point out the fact that these dogs are not loyal at all! They are friendly to literally everybody, even the burglar that's just breaking into your house. They love meeting new people and they will forget all about you when they've got more interesting stuff going on around them. You mentioned you have dobermans and rotties and to my knowledge these are all loyal dogs. Of course, personality comes into play as well, but you will rarely meet a husky that is truly loyal. Sadly, I think mine would probably even let himself be stolen.

It is rewarding to have a husky, as they are very affectionate dogs, but sometimes it can make you feel very frustrated as well. They don't have that innate trait of listening to their owner that most other breeds have. You have to put a lot of work into them to make them listen to you like a poodle would, for example.

All other issues can be addressed one way or another, but I can tell you it is really annoying to have a dog that will readily leave you for the first novelty coming his way.

[Tan J P]

A lot of things also depend on their age too

i have 3

Marley is almost 3...........he has a sock and knicker fetish but just likes to suck them!!

Tia is 1 and a half..........she isnt a chewer and so so friendly

both of these are rescues

then we have Shadow......she'll be 1 in july,and we got her as a puppy,she likes to chew at the mo but is getting better,that said its only silly things nothing that has cost us a fortune....yet!!

they are all very friendly, although Marley can be bit grumpy round other males.....not aggressive just grompy

the mals it is said can be same dog aggressive.....but it really does depend on the dog.

if you value your prize lawn and flowers and dont have 6ft fence,then think very carefully

although again not every dog is the same,some are so laid back its unbelieveable.

do you know any1 who has 1 already?maybe you could actually go somewhere and see them in the flesh and see for yourself how they are and how they interact.

[BlackDawn]

If you are really considering a husky, I feel I should really point out the fact that these dogs are not loyal at all! They are friendly to literally everybody, even the burglar that's just breaking into your house. They love meeting new people and they will forget all about you when they've got more interesting stuff going on around them. You mentioned you have dobermans and rotties and to my knowledge these are all loyal dogs. Of course, personality comes into play as well, but you will rarely meet a husky that is truly loyal. Sadly, I think mine would probably even let himself be stolen.

Thats not really loyalty your talking about there, your husky would protect you. They just don't have the word Home in their vocabulary and will leave and not come back willingly.

[BingBlaze n Skyla]

ill give my advice on my 2

offlead - NO my male would NEVER come back - my girl has an ok recall (work in progress) but i NEVER let her offlead - after all she is a husky - i know sum1 who let her huskies offlead for YEARS always came back brilliant recall - one day sum1 left their gate open - only 1 husky came home - she has no idea where her other boy is or if he is even still alive! - i use 100ft leads for when they can have a run around on a field n they have great fun its much safer and i know im going home with both my huskies n not just their bodies - harsh but true

loyalty - yes mine are loyal - my girl tends to only listen to me BUT if they were to get loose i have no doubt they would be loyal to any1 who found them n kept them (if that was the case)

destruction - yes and no - my male never really chewed anything - he likes paper thats it , my girl caused THOUSANDS of pounds worth of damage in about 2 months - so we crate trained her so when we left - she stayed safe n our house stayed in one peice - she tried to chew our fish tank wire which could have killed her and set our house alight!

digging - again yes and no - if they get the chance to dig they will - so we dont give them that chance - if you pride yourself on a nice perfect garden and house - then dont get a husky lol all the mud n fur is pretty much daily in a husky-owners life

training - my girl was/is easy to train because she LOVES food, Blaze is VERY fussy so is abit harder to train but he is a quick learner when he puts his mind to it

exercise - again depends on the husky - mine are quite content only getting 2 or 3 walks a day and the rest of the time they either play with each other or chill out n are very mellow

agressive? nope - their body language can be fairly hard for other dogs to read - ears up and forward tail held up ect but they are very friendly - if not socialised well though you will probs find yourself with a few problems (ive heard mals can be same sex aggressive but not sure how true this is as ive never owned one)

erm cant think of anything else atm

[Paranormal Wolf]

I'm far from an expert on malamutes but my friend has a beautiful white mal with blue eyes. He is very friendly with everyone and from what I know has no dog aggression. He lived with us for a short time when we had several dogs and when my friend moved he lived with another male dog. They don't let him off lead as he has ran away before.

[Michelej]

My 2 are so different. Harley is a mammys boy and follows me everywhere. I can let him off lead as he refuses to let me out of his sight so always comes back to me - not instantly though, has to be in his own time so I pretend I'm leaving him - this works. Chena...different story!!! I had so much stress with her, I built a 22' x 11' dog run, 7' high, she managed to climb over the fence and escape Luckily she liked to cover her tracks from the mornings walk, so I could always find he - eventually! Telephone wires, mail, table legs, you name it, would get chewed!! So I got her her own little mate - Harley! Now I can leave them all day if I had too and they are fine. My only problem now is the climbing gates and bannisters to pay a furry visit to my bed : ) Chena will hunt little birds in the garden and keep a ;stash' under the bush but deffinately NOT aggressive with dogs or babies. I love the breed (I look after 5) but would NOT recommend going into this lightly, they are a difficult breed to rehome.

[husky princess]

well done for researching. I can go from my experience

I have storm who is a welfare dog. Absolutly loving, retrieves like a lab and is your best friend. Plays all day long and loves water. hes hard work i'll tell ya! he did have seperation anxiety initially.

I have thunder who was a pup from a well researched breeder and is a dream. Soooo calm and relaxed. sooooo loving.

They are both the best companions

I run mine on a rig and they are well exercised but as a result are calm and content at home. we dont have any chewing or seperation anxiety. they are both crate trained and are rarely left for more than 3hrs. We would NEVER allow off lead not only the breed charcteristic is head strong and are destined to run but i have seen for myself how fast they go and how far. They literally run and go 'deaf'. Only yesterday someone elses husky got off and his owner was calling him and calling him....nope he didnt even think about slowing down let alone stopping and turning around. a few weeks ago there was a husky who travelled over 40miles in 1 night.

Its a massive risk and to put that risk in place when its not needed to me is madness. You are liable for their actions all the time - so if they killed life stock the farmer can shoot your dog, your dog causes a car accident - your liable for it etc.

I use long 50ft leads so they have an 'off lead' experience so the risk is removed.

My experience with mals is far less but from what i gather they can be more temperamental and dominant (thus agressive) and you need to be really careful what breed lines you buy etc. the average male is 50kgs so walking isnt necessary a breeze!!

I receommend you go along to a husky / mal dog show and meet some dogs and breeders

[Kirbysowner]

what you have heard is right and wrong. Huskies, as with any other animals, vary massively from dog to dog. Majority of huskies cannot and should not be left off leash. Some people will claim that it is possible, but they dont realize that being good off leash is a rare trait not often seen in this breed, and even if you have trained them does not guarantee anything.

Huskies are pack animals and it is possible to leave them alone in the house, but you have to train and confine them. otherwise you can expect massive destruction. Even if you exercise them, they will have lots of energy after a couple of hours of napping. and a bored husky is a destructive one.

as far as aggression goes, people always get that mixed up. Huskies are by no means aggressive but they like to play rough, which confuses people and makes them think they are fighting.

[Michelej]

Tyra digging!!

[Mistyrayn]

i can only speak from my own experiences.. Huskies very rarely are vicious dogs.. out of all the people i know with huskies which is a lot lol so you can imagine how many huskies that is when some of them have 4 / 6 or even 8 s etc and they have never had problems.. some of my friends and training partners have had huskies for many years without a problem .. but having said that there is always that odd one out but i think you will find an aggresive husky is a rare thing.. its more the owners that make them that way..

now as for malamutes.. thats different IMO.. they tend to be a lot more problamatic.. a friend of mine has 4 and he is forever stopping fights and has had some serious injury to himself and the dogs as a result..

ask an husky owner who races there dogs how they feel about passing a team of Malamutes.. and most will say i try not to unless a wide trail and have the speed to pass quickly..

i have been training with my friends who have Mal's and they have had to stop and hold there dogs so i can pass otherwise they will try to have a go at mine as i pass.and even then they have pulled him over trying to get at us and he is a big big guy..

personally i would say go for husky but its your choice to decide what works for you.. i would not recomend a mali if you have young children as just one knock from a dog that big will send the child into next thursday..

[sutsibe]

Okay, I hate how people say Huskies can not be off leash. It all depends on how you train them. Mine was walking off leash at 8 months old, and now she is about 1 year old. Its all in the training.

I disagree. I have had more than 20 Siberians over the past years (I currently have13), and while I have had three or four that were reasonably trustworthy (there were/are circumstances where I still would not/will not take the chance!), there are many I wouldn't ever trust off lead! It depends more on the individual dog's personality, in my opinion. For some, the desire to run and see what's over the horizon is much stronger than any training could be. It isn't that they aren't loyal or don't love me, but that they are energetic, curious, and just plain fun-loving!

I have also had several dogs through the years that while intact, were to some extent same-sex aggressive, particularly when in season (the bitches, obviously) or when there were bitches (or other bitches) around in season.