Thinking of Getting a Husky!

[markquinton]

Sorry to butt in this thread

Jason Schrader - could you please tell me how you have managed to housebreak your huskies when they are puppies and you are working full time? I'm considering a Husky but there would be noone at home for 8 hours 1 day a week and this is not ideal when housebreaking a puppy.

Thanks

Mark

[Jay]

Sorry to butt in this thread

Jason Schrader - could you please tell me how you have managed to housebreak your huskies when they are puppies and you are working full time? I'm considering a Husky but there would be noone at home for 8 hours 1 day a week and this is not ideal when housebreaking a puppy.

Thanks

Mark

My huskies go in their crate at 7:00am, and I come home and about 12 noon for lunch, and they go back in their crates at about 1pm until my roommate gets home at 4:30pm. I have done this since I got them at 2 months old, and I have never had many issues with them going potty in their crates. The only exception is when I first got Nikko I made the mistake of leaving water in his crate and giving him too much room and a blanket, so he would pee in the crate. Once I figured that out, and gave him less room in the crate he was fine. The only other time either of them went in the crate is when I had them on a bland diet for diarrhea and fed them rice, and they peed in the crate from all of the water in the rice.

I wouldn’t leave them in the crate for 8 hours in a row until they are about 6-8 months old, since they would not be able to hold it for that long. If it is only 1 day a week, is there someone that could come by and let the dog out to potty during the day? Around here there are a few places that will actually come over and do that for you, or you could consider daycare for that one day a week.

[markquinton]

Thanks very much for taking time to answer, looks like it could work then if I can get someone to come round once a day to let them out.

[mirage1287]

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?

[Elyse]

That's what my Dad feels about crates, so Suka isn't crate trained.

BUT that's because of our lifestyle. There's always somebody at home, so he never needs to be crate trained. If we all have to go out, he stays in the back of the SUV for a few hours (weather/temperature permitting of course!) and he's fine with that. I think he'd rather stay in the SUV alone, than stay in the house alone. Which is weird, because the house is obviously a lot bigger than the SUV.

If it's a hot day and he can't stay in the car... we either pay for a doggie sitter, or take that time to have him groomed/bathed at Petsmart (a 5 hour job, believe it or not!).

I don't know if this will work, and I'm just speculating...but when your pup is fully grown and he's potty trained...if you have an extra room in the house, you could remove (most) things that are destructable and just put him in there? (with the door closed.) You can make it a positive space, "his" space. His crate can go in there, too, so he can go in his crate if he wants...?

[Jay]

I am in favor of crates especially when they are puppies. With all of the things around the house they could get into and destroy it is not worth it to leave them alone. Unless you have the ability to stay at home all day I really don't think it's cruel to have them in crate as long as you give them attention and exercise

[Stranger]

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?

mine are quite happy with it.

When we get up in the morning, they cant be bothered to get out the crate...and when its time for bed they run to the crate. if they didnt like it you'd know. it prevents them from damaging things, if thats what they are prone to do....which mine are.

ours is in the living room, door is always open until bed time or work time, soemtimes they go in there and snuggle up.

I felt bad about it until a couple of months ago i was off sick. i got up when other half did and stayed down stairs with the dogs while he was at work....guess what they did...

NOTHING, they slept all day, it wasnt till my OH got home that they resumed their old anticks of running around like made people....further more, as puppys they grow up and learn the routine....they dont know any different. we've left them out on a coulpe of occassions, sometimes the house is fine when we get back, other times...well lets just say it ment a couple of house washing and cleaning

Its personnal preference.

My friend recently rehomed his boxer because while he was at work, the dog got bored and proceded to chew up the sofa, curtains, etc etc...he culdnt handle replacing things all the time, crate training for him..he thought it was wrong so didnt do it. if only he had, i doubt he would of rehomed him. but thats an assumption.

as i said its personnal preference, nothing wrong with crate training, doesnt mean you need to use it for the rest of its life though xx

[Storm Angel n Auroras Mum]

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' date=' 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?[/quote']

my two love their crates. its their place. they often put themselves to bed.

[Malene S. Hansen]

I'm from Denmark, and here it is unheard to leave dogs in crates all day. Dogs are pack animals, and it is against their nature to be kept in crates.

Most huskies here roam freely around the house, while others are kept outside in a dog pen all day.

Isn't that possible in the US? Is it too hot?

We have two female huskies, that function as family dogs. They can pull a sled, as well as we go to dog training.

In my opinion it's a lifestyle to have sleddogs. You MUST be interested in hiking, running, sledding or other activities. A happy husky is a working husky.

If you give the dog something to do, then it can adapt to any living conditions.

Having only one husky, you will have problems with some howling. It is a aginst their nature to be left alone.

In nature wolfs are only left alone when they die. have that in mind.

- Malene

[BingBlaze n Skyla]

I'm from Denmark, and here it is unheard to leave dogs in crates all day. Dogs are pack animals, and it is against their nature to be kept in crates.

Most huskies here roam freely around the house, while others are kept outside in a dog pen all day.

Isn't that possible in the US? Is it too hot?

We have two female huskies, that function as family dogs. They can pull a sled, as well as we go to dog training.

In my opinion it's a lifestyle to have sleddogs. You MUST be interested in hiking, running, sledding or other activities. A happy husky is a working husky.

If you give the dog something to do, then it can adapt to any living conditions.

Having only one husky, you will have problems with some howling. It is a aginst their nature to be left alone.

In nature wolfs are only left alone when they die. have that in mind.

- Malene

i disagree - , i dont hike or run , sled or anything else , mine just get their normal walks , yeah sometimes i take them out on long leads so they can have a run around but thats it

not all single husky owners have problems with howling etc , it depends on how the dog is , some huskies are used to being on their own and have been trained to do so quite happily

[Stranger]

I'm from Denmark, and here it is unheard to leave dogs in crates all day. Dogs are pack animals, and it is against their nature to be kept in crates.

Most huskies here roam freely around the house, while others are kept outside in a dog pen all day.

Isn't that possible in the US? Is it too hot?

We have two female huskies, that function as family dogs. They can pull a sled, as well as we go to dog training.

In my opinion it's a lifestyle to have sleddogs. You MUST be interested in hiking, running, sledding or other activities. A happy husky is a working husky.

If you give the dog something to do, then it can adapt to any living conditions.

Having only one husky, you will have problems with some howling. It is a aginst their nature to be left alone.

In nature wolfs are only left alone when they die. have that in mind.

- Malene

on some part i aggree with you, but i dont think you must be interested in activities, its a given though that you will need to walk the dog/dogs. if you are lazy there is not point in getting a dog, but if you have the get up and go for a walk cause you know its good for the dog then thats a different store.

all in all though, we all have different opinions, and hearing others opinions is very useful when considering something like this..

although Dogs are pack animals, and huskys apear to be more so, some huskys are completely happy living alone, and can find it hard when another dog comes into the family, although they do adapt well.

i will agree that having more than one has its benifits and would be something to consider for the future, although i got two at once, people have said its best to train one to the standard you are happy with before introducing another puppy to themix, mind you with your present situation, you may find that getting another is not even an option.

Dogs are not stupid, they can adapt, and will adapt, as long as you dont ask them to do something to un reasonable...my opinion of course

[BlueWolf]

I'm from Denmark, and here it is unheard to leave dogs in crates all day. Dogs are pack animals, and it is against their nature to be kept in crates.

Most huskies here roam freely around the house, while others are kept outside in a dog pen all day.

Isn't that possible in the US? Is it too hot?

We have two female huskies, that function as family dogs. They can pull a sled, as well as we go to dog training.

In my opinion it's a lifestyle to have sleddogs. You MUST be interested in hiking, running, sledding or other activities. A happy husky is a working husky.

If you give the dog something to do, then it can adapt to any living conditions.

Having only one husky, you will have problems with some howling. It is a aginst their nature to be left alone.

In nature wolfs are only left alone when they die. have that in mind.

- Malene

Glala has no problems being alone in the house. Without Dana, or human around her.

Glala and Dana don't run (they don't like it for too long), never pulled a sled (they don't pull) and generally are fine with just the walks throughout the day. Of course we do go to the beach for a long walks and other things but nothing sleddog specific. After 30 minutes walking they are mostly done with it and want to go home again. Yet, they're perfect in the house, only destroyed something minor 3 years ago, don't howl and show no other signs of being bored. How does that work then?

What I'm saying here, not every husky is the same. You have different Siberian Husky breed lines to begin with and all kinds of mixes in between. Not that you should expect to get a laid back husky every time you buy one, but don't be surprised when you get one that doesn't require as much as you thought they would. I do agree that two is better than one, simply for having a playmate for when they need it. They are much more tolerant which being along in the house that way.

For first time husky buyers I would advice: Know what is waiting you, expect the worse, once you have your husky you'll quickly know which ones are true and which ones don't for him. It will only get better from there on

[Jay]

I'm from Denmark, and here it is unheard to leave dogs in crates all day. Dogs are pack animals, and it is against their nature to be kept in crates.

Most huskies here roam freely around the house, while others are kept outside in a dog pen all day.

Isn't that possible in the US? Is it too hot?

We have two female huskies, that function as family dogs. They can pull a sled, as well as we go to dog training.

In my opinion it's a lifestyle to have sleddogs. You MUST be interested in hiking, running, sledding or other activities. A happy husky is a working husky.

If you give the dog something to do, then it can adapt to any living conditions.

Having only one husky, you will have problems with some howling. It is a aginst their nature to be left alone.

In nature wolfs are only left alone when they die. have that in mind.

- Malene

I have to disagree here as well. My dog’s crates are their own private den, and they don’t mind at all going in there. If they were allowed to roam the house, there are many different things they can get into. Mine are both under a year old so I do not trust them alone roaming, however when they are older I might allow it. Also, isn’t an outside dog pen actually worse than putting them in a crate all day? I would not leave them outside in the elements. Where I live it can get up to 100 degrees F in the summer.

Also, I don’t believe that you MUST be interested in hiking running or sledding to have a well adjusted, happy husky. I don’t own a sled, and I am not a runner and both my pups are just fine. One thing I will agree is that if you are a couch potato then you should not get a husky. They do have lots of energy and will need to be walked and exercised often.

I do think having 2 huskies is better than one, but that does not mean that you have to get a second one for your dog to be happy. Plenty of people have just one husky and I am sure that they are fine.

[Elyse]

I have to disagree here as well. My dog’s crates are their own private den, and they don’t mind at all going in there. If they were allowed to roam the house, there are many different things they can get into. Mine are both under a year old so I do not trust them alone roaming, however when they are older I might allow it. Also, isn’t an outside dog pen actually worse than putting them in a crate all day? I would not leave them outside in the elements. Where I live it can get up to 100 degrees F in the summer.

Also, I don’t believe that you MUST be interested in hiking running or sledding to have a well adjusted, happy husky. I don’t own a sled, and I am not a runner and both my pups are just fine. One thing I will agree is that if you are a couch potato then you should not get a husky. They do have lots of energy and will need to be walked and exercised often.

I do think having 2 huskies is better than one, but that does not mean that you have to get a second one for your dog to be happy. Plenty of people have just one husky and I am sure that they are fine.

Suka's fine with being the only dog in the house, but I'm not! Lol

My boy is happy with just a 50 min walk a day. Dog park once in awhile. Though, he's one of the lazy huskies!

[Removed #5]

Malene obviously raised some interesting opinions so I'm not going to comment further there.

The one point I *would* like to make for James ( [MENTION=7788]mirage1287[/MENTION] ) which runs in a different direction than you all have taken. Having a crate that the dog feels is his den is not only protection for your house, it's also protective of the dog. I'd be - can't think of the right word - distraught to say the least, if I were to come home and find that one of mine had decided to chew on an electric cord! Jumping up on a book case to investigate some bug that flew though could be just as disastrous. Besides the obvious damage to the house, there are all kinds of ways an untrained dog can harm themselves.

James, the attitude you want you dog to have is that it's his crate, his home, his den, his safe place. Then you're not really confining him, you're letting him be the den animal he really is. While crates can be abused a good owner let the crates be a constructive tool in rearing a dog, not a penalty or confinement for misbehaviour.

[Jay]

Suka's fine with being the only dog in the house, but I'm not! Lol

My boy is happy with just a 50 min walk a day. Dog park once in awhile. Though, he's one of the lazy huskies!

That's why I got another one too! LOL Both my boys get an hour of walks per day but more on the weekends. I used to take Nikko to the dog park but I haven't taken him in awhile because Yukon isn't old enough to go yet.

[Jay]

Malene obviously raised some interesting opinions so I'm not going to comment further there.

The one point I *would* like to make for James ( @mirage1287 ) which runs in a different direction than you all have taken. Having a crate that the dog feels is his den is not only protection for your house, it's also protective of the dog. I'd be - can't think of the right word - distraught to say the least, if I were to come home and find that one of mine had decided to chew on an electric cord! Jumping up on a book case to investigate some bug that flew though could be just as disastrous. Besides the obvious damage to the house, there are all kinds of ways an untrained dog can harm themselves.

James, the attitude you want you dog to have is that it's his crate, his home, his den, his safe place. Then you're not really confining him, you're letting him be the den animal he really is. While crates can be abused a good owner let the crates be a constructive tool in rearing a dog, not a penalty or confinement for misbehaviour.

I think that is key..that it is NOT for confinement or misbehavior! I have never used the crate as punishment. I try to make them WANT to go inside, and it is their own personal space. Even when they are downstairs in the living room I will frequently find them either under my desk or under the coffee table!

[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?

[Jay]

It is dependent on many things. If you get a puppy plan on a long time having to use a crate. I think some may be able to be left out of a crate but personally I don't want to take that chance of him getting bored and eating my couch! Also puppies can't be left alone for more than a few hours. It sounds like to me that gettin a rescue that is older might be a better way to go

[Stranger]

Not all people crate their huskys, i believe for their safety and my house that its the best course of action, however my previous dog was never crated (not a husky).

is it worth considering another breed? and at a later date getting a husky?

if it wasnt for the fact i rent, and all the recent dog thefts i would consider a kennel outside in the garden...

Not all huskys are distructive, but they are intelligent, and require stimulation while you are out, weither it means a good couple of hours chewing something, or making your front room look like the north pole

You need to ask yourself this...if you got a husky, and you decided not to crate it, IF this husky was left alone all day (mine are let for at least 8-9 hours) how much damage could it do to its self and your property, and how many times are you willing to replace things?

But then on the other side of the coin, you could get a husky who is quite happy with its own company, the toys you have provided are ample for it and you never have a problem.

Any dog can be distructive, crate training is "ONE" way (there are many more) to reduce the frustration, and "ive had enough" atitude that you tend to get after replacing items time and time again.