Is This Breed For Me?

[BbySlth]

Hello everyone!

I was brought to this site not because I own a husky, but because I might in the near future. My husband wants to get a husky puppy. I would be the primary caretaker because he is in the military while I am home most of the day. I am excited to add a new family member to our family, but I have no experience with the breed and I'm a little bit weary because of what others have told me. I figured this would be a great place to get some real, reliable information on the breed and make sure it's the best fit for our family before adopting one.

 

If anyone could give me some information on what a husky needs in an owner I would greatly appreciate it!

[BingBlaze n Skyla]

Welcome to the pack , erm not really sure what to suggest , they are pack animals so u being home will help but they can be prone to separation anxiety , they cannot be let offlead , have a very high prey drive (cats small furry animals etc can be lunch) they also shed A LOT they blow their undercoats twice a year and can have sensitive stomachs when it comes to feeding , they can be destructive but that's mainly if they get bored and they can be very stubborn and have selective hearing , they need training not to pull on the lead or they will pull n they are a very strong breed they can be very independent and they do not make good guard dogs at all , but the fun you have with them and the love you get from them is all worth it

[a7xAda]

If you are looking for a strong minded, smart elec, nuisance of a dog that will brighten your every minute of the day, a husky is the right dog for you. They are extremely smart dogs which can be quite challenging as they have been known to throw tantrums when they don't get their way. Most are very vocal and will "argue" with you when you are asking them to do something. As stated above, they are very furry dogs that shed year round, and do a mass blowout about 2 times a years, have high drives to hunt small animals, and will walk you. With a devoted owner, proper training, and plenty of exercise, they are great dogs.

 

I know my intro may make me sound like a hater. I am the proud owner of a nuisance, who argues with, demands constant attention and is the true definition of a Diva. She makes me smile every second, even when I am scolding her. She is like having a small child.

 

All I can say is this. If you are prepared for a possibly high maintenance dog, a husky is a fine choice as they are great. If you are looking for a dog that is not quite as stubborn, and headstrong, who doenst require a lot once training is done, then a husky would not be a good choice.

[Removed #5]

If you are looking for a strong minded, smart elec, nuisance of a dog that will brighten your every minute of the day, a husky is the right dog for you. They are extremely smart dogs which can be quite challenging as they have been known to throw tantrums when they don't get their way. Most are very vocal and will "argue" with you when you are asking them to do something. As stated above, they are very furry dogs that shed year round, and do a mass blowout about 2 times a years, have high drives to hunt small animals, and will walk you. With a devoted owner, proper training, and plenty of exercise, they are great dogs.

 

I know my intro may make me sound like a hater. I am the proud owner of a nuisance, who argues with, demands constant attention and is the true definition of a Diva. She makes me smile every second, even when I am scolding her. She is like having a small child.

 

All I can say is this. If you are prepared for a possibly high maintenance dog, a husky is a fine choice as they are great. If you are looking for a dog that is not quite as stubborn, and headstrong, who doenst require a lot once training is done, then a husky would not be a good choice.

 

Did you really say possibly?????

[DuramaxDiesel]

If you have the time for them, the patience, the courage, the love, etc... then this is the breed for you.

 

They are stubborn, block headed (sometimes worse than my husband! lol! ), they have selective hearing, they argue with you, they test you at every given moment. They are hairy.... VERY Hairy animals. I sweep my floors every night and end up with a HUGE Family of Husky Dust Bunnies. They are picky eaters because of their stomachs. They love to Run, run, run. Walks every day are a must. They chew. They pounce. They go after animals because of their prey drive (unless you end up with a broken one like mine...lol who snuggles with our cat). They love attention, they love being at your side. They're not great guard dogs (at least mine's not). They pull on the leash and need to be trained not too, and even then, it's hard to train them to not do it. Like most dogs, they get muddy, they get dirty, etc. They can't, by ANY MEANS, be let off their lead unless they are in a very SECURE fenced in area. They like to run and most don't come back...due to being stolen or they get a wiff of something tasty and take off. They are escape artists. One of mine figured out how to open the kennel door. My other one figured out how to get the plastic tray out from under his crate, and put his feet through the bottom of the crate and walked around the house. He also knows how to undo latches. He knows how to open cabinet doors. They like to dig holes....BIG DEEP HOLES. They like to eat pillar candles, shred toys, not return tennis balls or play frisbee.

 

I, however, would never choose a different breed and hope that nothing I said above scares you into not wanting one of these fuzzy horses I love Diesel more than anything and wouldn't change anything about him or anything that we have been through.

 

I am glad you have come here to have your question answered. Many people jump into owning Huskies and have a lack of patience and many of them wind up in shelters or on the streets. I am glad you are doing your research first.

[CARRINGTON]

I am a brand new husky owner and it is also my first dog. I did not do ANY homework but he was at our local humane society and needed a home so he came home with me. It was definitely a learning process. However, something I have learned that I am sure many can back me on is husky and listening never go in the same sentence. They are very high maintenance and need a lot of exercise. They usually do not do well with small animals as I have been told but there are many here on the site as well as me who have huskies and cats. If you get them young enough and teach them how to interact with the animals they usually do just fine. You always have to be the last one to get a word in and I strongly suggest the NILIF program which we have our husky on. Just google NILIF which stands for nothing in life is free and there are a lot of different links to look at and I would suggest looking at that and seeing if that is something that would suit you and your lifestyle. That has been the most successful for my husky and I and I am sure many others on here would recommend NILIF. Huskies have very sensitive stomach's especially to grain and corn, so starting him off on something such as TOTW and fromms would be a good way to go. They are very high energy and it seems like there are times my dog has sugar stashed places (maybe I should double check my house). They also need tons of exercise take their age in months and multiply it by 5 and that is how long each walk should be they will need multiple walks a day. Also if this is your first husky or dog period I would say puppy classes for sure. Balto is in puppy classes and it teaches him new things as well as teach us how to deal with him and have patience, while finding what works for him. Plus they get to play and socialize with other puppies and afterwards Balto is usually so tired he just goes to bed. They make great family dogs especially around little kids. I do not have kids but Balto loves them, if we are walking or at the dog park Balto will go up to a little kid to be petted and is very gentle. My 3 year old cousin will take his leash around the house and say come on doggy and balto will walk right beside him. Their love for you is something that cannot be replaced!!!! 

[jessiezara90]

Hmmmm have had a few people say to me they want get a husky and I always say read as much as you can before you get one and if you still want one then it's a good sign before I had Meeko I did alooooooot of reading and I have to say there is quite a bit of negative reading out there, Meeko is nearly a year now, and don't get me wrong it's challenging but I love him to pieces and wouldnt change him for the world. But I think I went into owning a husky being prepared for the worse lol:)

[LittleLuka]

Let's see our backyard looks like a war zone now, i eat, breathe, and drink husky hair, and no matter how often i clean my house is trashed five minutes later! Would i choose another breed? Not in a million years!

 

i think most of us didn't fully understand what we were getting ourselves into!

[Chula]

I am a brand new husky owner too. Have had Chula for 3.5 weeks, she is just over 12 weeks. My other half has had many dogs in his life, but none quite so stubborn as this lil girl. I had never had a puppy before, so what I've learned is that It is HARD to have a puppy, especially one that is high energy and very food driven. Be prepared to completely rearrange your life around his/her schedule, including waking up multiple times a night, taking her out to potty every hour during the day, trying to figure out ways to tire her out without overworking her baby joints - which I've found nearly impossible to do. I'm sure this may not be all huskies, but my puppy is SO excited all the time, SO full of energy, that there isn't time for cuddles. Every once in awhile she'll sit on my feet and snooze while I'm doing something in the kitchen but she's not curling up with me for sleepy time on the couch because LIFE IS JUST SO MUCH FUN WHEN YOU ARE A HUSKY PUPPY! My puppy will put her mouth on ANYTHING she finds (except cigarette butts on the sidewalk for some reason). I've read that some people don't crate, but I think most people seem to crate their puppy/youngster when they aren't home or else they come home to a completely destroyed house. I've already seen Chula trying to "dig" through the sofa cushions. She's destroyed her puppy bed. She eats pens, underwear, pennies, napkins, shoes...

 

She's hard to walk because she wants to pull. Sometimes she'll pull so hard that her front feet will be off the ground and we have to stop and reset.

 

I'm grateful that I'm not doing it completely by myself because sometimes I just need a break from the insanity. If I had to do it alone, I'd probably find myself crying on the bathroom floor with my thumb in my mouth in the fetal position.

 

She is adorable, and hysterical, and sweet when she wants to be but I can honestly say I'm ready for the puppy stage to be OVER! If we get another Husky, I would rather it not be a baby!

 

Anyway, that's my experience with my Husky puppy. I love her to pieces, but man is she ever naughty.

[Jay]

I am a brand new husky owner too. Have had Chula for 3.5 weeks, she is just over 12 weeks. My other half has had many dogs in his life, but none quite so stubborn as this lil girl. I had never had a puppy before, so what I've learned is that It is HARD to have a puppy, especially one that is high energy and very food driven. Be prepared to completely rearrange your life around his/her schedule, including waking up multiple times a night, taking her out to potty every hour during the day, trying to figure out ways to tire her out without overworking her baby joints - which I've found nearly impossible to do. I'm sure this may not be all huskies, but my puppy is SO excited all the time, SO full of energy, that there isn't time for cuddles. Every once in awhile she'll sit on my feet and snooze while I'm doing something in the kitchen but she's not curling up with me for sleepy time on the couch because LIFE IS JUST SO MUCH FUN WHEN YOU ARE A HUSKY PUPPY! My puppy will put her mouth on ANYTHING she finds (except cigarette butts on the sidewalk for some reason). I've read that some people don't crate, but I think most people seem to crate their puppy/youngster when they aren't home or else they come home to a completely destroyed house. I've already seen Chula trying to "dig" through the sofa cushions. She's destroyed her puppy bed. She eats pens, underwear, pennies, napkins, shoes...

 

She's hard to walk because she wants to pull. Sometimes she'll pull so hard that her front feet will be off the ground and we have to stop and reset.

 

I'm grateful that I'm not doing it completely by myself because sometimes I just need a break from the insanity. If I had to do it alone, I'd probably find myself crying on the bathroom floor with my thumb in my mouth in the fetal position.

 

She is adorable, and hysterical, and sweet when she wants to be but I can honestly say I'm ready for the puppy stage to be OVER! If we get another Husky, I would rather it not be a baby!

 

Anyway, that's my experience with my Husky puppy. I love her to pieces, but man is she ever naughty.

HAHAHA!

 

I know how you feel!  Sounds a little like Nikko, but I think you have it worse than I did!  Nikko was pretty naughty and there were days were I wanted to run away screaming for sure.  I could not WAIT until it was over!  I must be mental because a few months later, what do I do?  I go get another one!  So I have been living with the puppy stage for a whole year now!

[Jay]

Back to the topic question - It really depends on your lifestyle if a husky is the right breed for you.  Although when I did the "tests" to see what breed was for you I think it told me a Boston Terrier was the perfect match.  As you can see I ignored that LOL.

 

Anyway, Huskies are stubborn, independent and very active dogs.  They are very smart, and can be difficult to train.  While a retreiver will play fetch all day, and obey every command, a Husky will think about it and whether or not they want to comply.  I have been pretty embarrassed in training classes when Nikko would do everything perfect at home but then decide during training he didn't feel like performing. 

 

Also, they shed...ALOT!  They also LOVE to dig.  And as it was mentioned they cannot be trusted off-leash,EVER!  They were bred to pull sleds and run and run and run!

 

But they are the most unique dogs ever, and have the BEST personality!  Sometimes I swear he has human thoughts LOL

[Applebear]

Research research research. Go meet huskies, meet breeders, meet the breed and spend a lot of time with them first. That is my advice. There are great things about them, but there are also a lot people don't realize until the dog is in their home and it's too late...many result in rehoming or shelter after owners realize their mistake.

 

Now it's going to seem like I'm trying to discourage you, but I'm not...if you are the right personality fit, they will make the best damn dog ever and you will probably be like a lot here and want to get another before you know it. When I got my chow/husky mix, there was only one thing I was hesitant on and that was he was half husky...I do NOT say that because I think  huskies are a horrible breed, not at all. I consider myself a fairly responsible dog owner and I don't just go buy/adopt a dog on a whim. But I was naive when I told myself, "If he's too husky-like when I meet him, I won't bring him home." 

 

The thing with me is I'm a very laid back, low key person. I am a hermit, afraid of social situations most the time and you're not going to find me out there absorbing the world for all the glory it is. I prefer quiet, solitude and calmness. Husky is total oppisite...bring it on, they love a good run and stimulation of all sorts. They are independent, stubborn and will push every button you have in about 10 different colors. I have really turned around a lot of what I knew about dog ownership for Ro...I changed up my training methods, tried new things and even picked up a trike [more for myself at the time, but I adjusted it so he could come too...he goes 5 miles easily]. he had horrible separation anxiety the first year, still even has it a bit now [but much-much better]. He use to SCREAM when another dog was present out on walks or in the yard, he pulled, yowled and made scenes. I was so frustrated for a long time. But there's also another side, he's so happy and loving, he has tons of charisma and character...I can't help but smile when he comes in a room. He slides his nose under my arm or hand and before I know it he's leaning against me, giving me his version of a hug and cuddle time. We sit there silently, his tail wagging the entire time as I stroke his face, ears, neck, etc.. And though I still struggle with the things we clash on, with hard work...it does and can get to a point of harmony...with saying that, I am also a person of patience.

 

So huskies are a lot of things, and I admit...I will probably never ever own another husky [mix in my case] again. I love Rolyx, I really-really do, but if I'm honest...he'd probably be happier with someone else more active and can match his wits. lol Just do all the research you can, meet the breed and really understand them before you decide. I think they are wonderful dogs for the right people, and I know I'm one of the few exceptions who stuck it out and kept a dog that doesn't really match my lifestyle or personalty super well...and though I love Ro to death, I think it's important to share my experience so they can see both sides. 

 

Best of luck on whatever you decide! 

[a7xAda]

Did you really say possibly?????

Well I didn't want to scare the original poster lol!!!

[Osinn11]

Couldn't agree more with everything that's already been said. I always add this in because alot of people forget to think about what it costs to have and keep a pet! Make sure you are prepared for the financial burden of owning a Husky! Between food, Vet costs and possible destruction. Huskies or any breed can become expensive!  

[Jay]

Omg I could not agree more. We did a calculation and it is a minimum amount of 15k for the lifetime and that doesn't include injuries or illness. Just in the first 6 months with Nikko we spent $4,000 Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Julieanne]

If it's something you want and feel like you could cope with the breed after doing some research into it then I don't see why not. As long as you would like a Husky too because it may not work otherwise if your looking after the dog that he wanted.

 

As for the puppy stage, I have never had much of a problem with it. Mine is just over 4 months and he has been an absolute dream apart from a few pairs of destroyed undies and long life milk drinks over the floor lol.

I really can't understand why people find the puppy stage so exhausting, mine just wants heaps of cuddles, love and food

[Chula]

I find it exhausting because my puppy doesn't want cuddles and love. She wants to eat my face! I suppose just like children each puppy is different.

[Julieanne]

I find it exhausting because my puppy doesn't want cuddles and love. She wants to eat my face! I suppose just like children each puppy is different.

 

Rafeal is certainly an exception to the breed. I'm sure Chula will get better over time. When I first got Rafeal it took a bit of time for him to accept me. 3 1/2 weeks isn't long so I'm sure she (Chula) will come around and want to behave well for you.

[Chula]

I can say that she literally requires constant attention any time she's not in her crate. Or else I'll find her eating the Wii controller or stripping paint off the molding. She is inexhaustible. We both work outside the house so I'm sure that adds to her craziness when we are home.

[Elyse]

Not sure if anyone has mentioned this, but they have a high prey drive, so expect them to kill things.

 

They are a breed meant to pull, so thus, they will PULL. It's hard to train them out of it, but it is possible for some of them. And they are strong. My boy, who is 8 years old and has joint problems, is still strong enough to pull my Dad over easily, and he's a heavy guy. (240 pounds, I think?)

 

They cannot be kept off lead - EVER! This is due to, because of the combination of their selective hearing/stubbornness and high prey drive, they won't listen to you to come back!

 

I also want to echo the others' concerns about being able to afford one financially: make sure you can do it. Calculate in everything: food, unexpected vet expenses, pet insurance monthly premiums (if you choose to go that route - I recommend it highly if you're getting an older rescue), possible damage caused by your husky, etc.

As with every breed, you should calculate costs for the breed's average lifespan (for huskies its around 12-13 years?). As they get older, things get more expensive (insurance premiums, they may require joint supplements that isn't covered under insurance, may develop chronic problems, etc) so be sure to factor that in.

 

Make sure you are committed to owning a dog for the next 12-13 years. Dogs, especially huskies, are a lifestyle change. They need a lot of exercise.

 

I want to say a rescue is more affordable than a puppy (you save money because you don't have to pay for all those puppy shots, and the adoption fees are usually relatively cheap than buying a puppy), but unexpected costs may come up with the rescue (you find out they have a  that pet insurance doesn't cover).

 

I would personally recommend getting a rescue (get one from the shelter) than a puppy.

 

Please let us know what you decide.

[Keeonah]

I totally agree with everything that has been said. I do, however, have one reservation. You mentioned that your husband is in the military. Unfortunately it is a known fact that huskies do not normally fit into a  military family life. Only today it has been mentioned about a husky coming from a rescue that had previously been owned by a military family that hadn't the time to look after it. There is also the moving around to think about. This may not be the case for you but it is something to bear in mind. It is a big decision to make. I had no intention of ever having another dog after I lost my GSD a few years ago. However we took our daughter to look at a husky pup and the wife fell in love with one. We now have six. Our house is constantly messy, we never really go out anymore. we never have people wanting to visit unless they are around or own huskies themselves but, you know what, I don't care. I wouldn't change it for anything. Our life is our dogs and our dogs are our life. Good luck with whatever decision you make and if you should decide that a husky is for you then you are on the best website to gain any help and advice that you may need 

 

Gary.

[a7xAda]

Gary raised a very good point about being a military family. My husband is also military and a husky is a big dog to move. The only reason we took a dog in now is because we aren't leaving St. Louis and my husband is about to get out of the service. If I knew I still had many years of possible moves and the searches of finding places that will allow pets and everything else that goes into being a relocated pet owner, i wouldn't have taken her. Weigh that in as you make your decision, whether it be about a husky or a dog in general. I had cats for the longest because they are compatible with the military lifestyle.

[BbySlth]

Thanks for all the advice! Sorry it took me so long to reply. I've been on vacation.

 

I'm not too worried about them not being left alone since I'm home all the time except for running minor errands that don't take more than an hour. The prey drive also doesn't worry me as we have no other small animals to worry about.

I plan on getting a dog of my own as well so the husky will have a dog companion. I know someone mentioned them being pack animals and I hope that applies to other dogs as well as humans.

It seems like it's a fairly interesting and loving breed. I've had one or two hardheaded dogs over the years and while it's not exactly something I look for in a dog I believe that I could manage. The thing that will probably bother me the most is the shedding. I can deal, but that will probably be the most annoying thing for me to have to deal with.

 

As for us being a navy family...I can't get into my husbands job too much, but we are at the same location for the rest of his career so that shouldn't be a problem.

[Jay]

Having two dogs will help out keeping them both occupied and wear each other out!  Huskies being hard headed is an understatement though!  I put both of mine through training classes, and they still decide when they want to behave and obey!  If you have any questions feel free to ask