Marc Posted December 18, 2012 Report Share Posted December 18, 2012 I have seen a lot of people who have not had a husky as a first time dog and still been useless. You however have done your research, taken the time to ask questions on a forum and joined with people who know about them. To me thats a better start than most m8. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJS Posted December 20, 2012 Report Share Posted December 20, 2012 I must admit if we chose a mal then it would have to be a female, firstly because my wife wants to balance the male/female numbers in our home (already have 2 male cats, 1 female cat and 1 son) and also because they seem to be more slight in build and closer to the husky. I know this is not always the case though, One rule to follow... A Mal is only like a husky due their similar looks.... Completely different personality. Also bear in mind that both huskies and meals have a strong prey drive, so be careful with the cats!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markquinton Posted December 20, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2012 So RJS do you enjoy your Mal's personality? The ones I have met in general seem slightly less mental (although I have a soft spot for mental as in fun dogs) and less naughty but I read they can be more stubborn and sometimes have dog aggression. It also seems to me from what I have read that they don't seem to have such a strong desire for destruction (apart from the garden). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJS Posted December 21, 2012 Report Share Posted December 21, 2012 So RJS do you enjoy your Mal's personality? The ones I have met in general seem slightly less mental (although I have a soft spot for mental as in fun dogs) and less naughty but I read they can be more stubborn and sometimes have dog aggression. It also seems to me from what I have read that they don't seem to have such a strong desire for destruction (apart from the garden). Kodi is certainly a character. I love him to bits. When we come home from work, he greets us and actually hugs us!! Kodi's been socialised from the minute we brought him home, with other dogs, pups, kids, you name it. He's now 8 months old, and he is, to me, the perfect companion. He's only been aggressive once to another Husky. This was more retaliation than anything else. Stubborn is an understatement!! If Kodi doesn't want to do it, he he won't.... But I find that bribery gets you very far with him. Mals are very much food driven, so bribing him with food does work. The only damage that he's done, is chewed a bit of woodwork when he was teething. We tried all the lotions and potions that supposed to make them stop, but we got some advise to use washing up liquid, and that did stop the chewing. But... You need to ensure that they don't get bored when you leave them alone, otherwise they can become destructive. We use Kong toys which keep him occupied. He can be mental when the winds gets him. And can spend ages just running up and Dow. The stairs and hallway at home. If he wants to play, he will bring you the toy he wants you to play with him. They are very intelligent dogs!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niber Posted December 22, 2012 Report Share Posted December 22, 2012 I heard the same when I was thinking of getting Niber - they're for experienced owners only. Rubbish. He is my first and we're doing fine. Another way to think of it is that for your first dog you have more time, enthusiasm, novelty etc. If anything get a 'difficult' dog for your first one, because you will be so eager to form a bond and train a well behaved dog that you will commit more time to do so. Having said that, I wouldn't say Niber is a difficult dog - though I have nothing to compare that too. I advise people to research first, which you have, so let us know when you've got one. You getting a pup or rescue? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markquinton Posted December 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 22, 2012 I would seriously consider a rescue but my partner is adamant that she only wants a puppy so it has a better chance of getting along with our 3 cats. Thanks a lot for everyones views! Sent from my LT18i using Tapatalk 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJS Posted December 22, 2012 Report Share Posted December 22, 2012 I would seriously consider a rescue but my partner is adamant that she only wants a puppy so it has a better chance of getting along with our 3 cats. Thanks a lot for everyones views! Sent from my LT18i using Tapatalk 2 To be honest, I think a pup would be better. I know there's a lot of rescues out there, but, as we found with Sam, our Doberman that we had before Kodi, is what you see and read, isn't always what u get. At least with a puppy, there's more time to train him/her and for the pup to get along with the cats. With Sam, we were told that he was good with other dogs and with Kids... Within 1 week, he was constantly fighting with our other dog, he hated kids, even hated us!!! With a lot of tlc and training he became a lovely fellow, but we still couldn't have any children around the house..... I would go for a rescue as a second dog, but not a first... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Removed #2 Posted December 22, 2012 Report Share Posted December 22, 2012 Number one concern is your cats. I don't care if you get a pup and raise it with the cats, my Andy ended up in the system when he "played" with one of the cats and the cat didn't make it. Sibes (and from what I hear) Mals have a very strong prey drive. Even at dog parks you have to be very careful with those that don't separate small dogs from large ones. I reiterate everything that Austinville said. Love dog hair, love a clown, love a challenge, don't get angered if your walls are eaten, or for that matter your carpet and/or furniture. I saw two photos the other day of a sibe (I think it was on here, but I don't remember who posted) whose bone went under the sofa. She was too big to get under or to reach it, so in her wisdom, she realized it's location and when down from the top, by that, I mean "through" the leather sofa. Yikes! It was on here...I'll have to look for it again...so if whoever's it was reads this, please post it. My first sibe was a mix with a GSD. She was an angel, at first. Hid in the corner for 2 weeks. Her brother was 4 years older and a black lab, very laid back and tennis ball obsessed. If you want a dog that will play catch with you, walk with you off lead, come when called without question mostly...get a lab. After a while, Stormy and Logan were buddies, but she was relentless that all the bones and toys would be hers. She chased Logan endlessly even though she didn't want the balls, she just didn't want him to have them, and he always needed to have 2 in his mouth. We ended up in the emergency vet when she did not let go of his side and ripped a chunk out of poor Logan. He didn't even know what happened and it wasn't till I saw blood...nobody was mad, just crazy hard play. Huskies play rough. Things can and will get broken. Or they don't. All three of our current pack are rescues. Their owners didn't understand what was necessary and did not have the capacity to "listen" to what their husky needed. I'm glad, though sad they were neglected for so long. They are very spoiled now, and deserve every minute of it. Check out a few of our 90 videos and you can see the love, fun, and craziness that comes with a husky. Oh yea, something I haven't seen mentioned...it's difficult to have just one...and they are far happier with at least one buddy...Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Posted December 22, 2012 Report Share Posted December 22, 2012 What Nanci says is correct with the cats. One thing that you will have to accept is that its a risk as it is in their nature. Although that said we have 2 from pups who both dont even know the cat is there half the time (in fact Kaiser has been known to sleep next to her) and we have a rescue who was a nightmare with her to start with and is now ok, although we do keep our eye on Koda more carefully and would never leave the room with both of them in it. Kimba and Kaiser however are both absolutly fine with her. You just have to ensure its clear the cats are a no go area from the start, and continue that throughout his/her life. Its one thing you do have to be very strict with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mistyrayn Posted December 22, 2012 Report Share Posted December 22, 2012 i agree with a lot of what people have said... there is no reason why a first time owner can't have a husky or a Mal.. i was one !! my first dog of my own was a Husky and now i have 5.. allthough a husky and mal look similar they are very different dogs.. and you need to know if your house can take a big dog like a mal .. or maybe better to have a smaller one ..a husky.. what Nanci and Marc said about the cats i can only give my view having by saying the differences with all my 5 towards the 2 cats .. Tikaani i have had since Puppy and she pays no attention to the cats .. if they run she will chase for fun but i know she wont do anything. Nikita a rescue i have had since she was 3 yrs old and she pays no attention at all to the cats. Macie a welfare i have had since 8 month old. and at first it was hard work getting her to accept the cats.. back then i would not have 100% trusted her and was constantly on guard .but now nearly 3 years on she will make it look like she is gonna do something.. but i know she wont as she knows she gets a fuss for leaving the cat alone.. its like her game now..lol Cheya a welfare i have had for a year now she came to me at 3yr old and she i dont yet completely trust allthough she is getting better.. if cat walks she ignores.. any thing faster and she is there and has had the cat in her mouth once... but if i tell her to behave she will just watch the cat. Terra have had since a pup and is now 7 mth old... she looks at the cat and cant seem to work out what it is..but basically ignores them.. if your getting a pup thats prob the best as they soon realise that the cat is not fair game and prey... if your getting a welfare then the job will be harder but not impossible.. sadly with welfare dogs you dont get to know there full past.. this is only my opinion but i would never have a Mal and cats.. another comment i read that someone has put about what people say that a husky or mal is for only experienced owners...i agree that is rubbish...where did all these experienced owners start...with their 1st husky or mal.. i would guess that 90% never had another dog before hand... im not what i would class as an experienced owner as im still learning to this day.... think it was marc that made the comment that that you have made a good start as you have done more than what a lot of people have done.. you have done research and have joined a forum to ask questions. so you one step ahead already.. sadly to many people don't do their research thats why the rescue/ welfares are full to the brim.. .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Removed #2 Posted December 23, 2012 Report Share Posted December 23, 2012 I only have the strong opinion on the cat thing because of Andy. He ended up "in the system" so to speak because he saw it as prey. We never did get the whole story if he was raised with it, etc., but he was about 4 years old when it happened. We aren't cat people, so to us, it's a good match and I can't have imagined him being put down because of this since he's such a gentle, old soul! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Posted December 25, 2012 Report Share Posted December 25, 2012 Like I said before I don't agree with those who say a husky isn't for first time dog owners. When I got Nikko my brother had to chime in saying " you know they need lots of exercise" blah blah blah. As long as you do your research and are informed you'll be great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJS Posted December 26, 2012 Report Share Posted December 26, 2012 Like I said before I don't agree with those who say a husky isn't for first time dog owners. When I got Nikko my brother had to chime in saying " you know they need lots of exercise" blah blah blah. As long as you do your research and are informed you'll be great! I agree totally... a lot of things i've read is that Mals/Huskies are "specialised" breeds for experience handler only...but, how do you become experienced if you don't actually own one? to be honest, the more you read up front, the more you are prepared for. Don't get me wrong, there are things that will happen that aren't in the books, but, that's what this forum is for!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Posted December 26, 2012 Report Share Posted December 26, 2012 Don't get me wrong, there are things that will happen that aren't in the books, but, that's what this forum is for!!!! Exactly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mollys_mum Posted December 26, 2012 Report Share Posted December 26, 2012 Our experience: We got our first dog (a Sibe pup - Molly) in August the year before last. We had no prior experience of owning a dog other than the family dogs we'd had growing up in our parents' homes. We did, however, have 15 years experience with Siamese cats. It may sound weird, but Huskies, in some ways, are the dog equivalent to Siamese cats. Both are very vocal, both are fastidious cleaners, both are highly intelligent and both are highly independent. Since having Molly, we have gone on to re-home a Mal (Timber), and Mya (a Sibe) and all is pretty peaceful at home. By the way, I'd consider another. To be honest, I would not know what to do with a different breed of dog, and nor would I entertain one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markquinton Posted December 26, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 26, 2012 Molly's mum, how do you find the differences between your mal and sibes??? Sent from my LT18i using Tapatalk 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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