Considering getting a Siberian Husky.....

[Justpunchit]

So I have the chance to get a rescued 4 month old male Sibe puppy, my question is I hear there good with people and such but alot of people say that about almost every breed of dog. I have a son and constantly having people over. I always wanted a Siberian but is he going to be ok with my son and with strangers? I know there extremely active and I sit on 13 acres so I'm not worried about that. Any Sibe owners here? Anything else to keep in mind?

 

[JrTxJ]

My friend got one about 3 months ago, she was about that age, and she's awesome. Loves everyone...she is pretty timid so far. Best of luck, and if you'd want to talk to him, let me know as he's also in MA about an hour east of you.

 

[OverlandZJ]

How do you feel about hair?

Best friend had one for 14 years, was not kid or people friendly to most, but there were exceptions. My bud was single and lived alone when he was brought in as a pup.

I had a female for three years, chewed the furniture, chewed a hole in the wall, loved to take off. Never came back from the woods one day when let out.

 

[RCP Phx]

Do you have homeowners insurance?You could be dropped as they are on the list!

 

[Justpunchit]

I heard about the hair part, from what I read they blow their coat twice a year, that part doesn't bother me at all. But like you said Overland him not being to friendly to most is what I was worried about I think I'm gonna research this a bit more, and as for my homeowners insurance.. wow I never would of thought about that. Time to makes some calls to confirm. Thanks for the info guys!

 

[Ronbo]

My old roomate had one. It was friendly to everyone, but there were no little kids around. Destructive dog. My Lab would occasionally dig a hole, but his Husky would chew everything from walls, doors, patio, bicycles, bedsheets, power cords, bushes..etc. I thought it was just that particular dog, maybe not, but that was really annoying. As far as hair, it was everywhere. My Lab would shed, but it was a tiny fraction of the Husky's.

 

[redneckboarder]

i am a proud owner or 2 purebred huskies and the gf has an alskan husky

i will say that i will never own a different breed of dog. i have yet to meet a mean husky. that being said upbringing is very important. It only being 4 months old you should be all set with the training and stuff. they are very independent and training is a bit difficult sometimes but it is doable.

they are smart and get bored easily, thats when stuff gets chewed. i got 2 so they could play with eachother and i think that was a very good idea. theyve gone through one couch and a few down conforters but for being 12 yrs old thats not too bad.

i would do your research but id say go for it. my dogs love kids and other dogs but i have trained them to be like that. as for the hair yes they shed twice a year but thats more like they shed more than usual twice a year. we ended up getting leather couches to combat the hair.

also make sure he knows your the dominant person or youll get walked all over.

 

[urban yan]

You should get a siberian woman instead... they shed less.

 

[Ray H]

My wife and her room mate had one before we got married. That dog was a mess. It chewed, it snapped at just about everyone, it tore their apartment up trying to escape.
Huskys are escape artists, they cant stand being pinned up and will do anything to get loose. They arent what I would call "friendly".
Granted, their dog was a rescue (theres a reason it was in the rescue program) so it was most likely ruined by someone else before they got it, and they didnt help it out any because they couldnt handle it.
I was the only person that dog would listen to. The first day I met it, I sat on the sofa beside it and it snapped at me so I grabbed it and slammed it to the floor and pinned it there until it stopped struggling. After that, I was boss. That dog eventually went back to the Husky rescue program because it got to be too much for my wife and her room mate. Oddly enough my wifes ex room mate got another Husky a couple of years later. It bit her daughter, it is now also now in the rescue program.
Unless you and your family are willing to physically take charge of the dog, you will have issues with it. Good luck with it, they are a very pretty dog, I think that compared to other breeds they are just a little too wild and dominant to be a good family pet.

 

[jdougn]

I've owned a red/white Siberian Husky male (intact) with blue eyes since '05. He is great with people and older kids. He's too rough to leave off-leash around little kids since he will knock them over out of simple enthusiasm.
Although he lives with two other dogs (non-sibi's), he can be rough with other dogs. I got him when he was 8 months. Before I got him, he was raised with a full-grown Rottweiler which I'm told he bossed around all the time. He still thinks he's the boss of any other dog he sees. Other dogs don't appreciate this trait much, especially when it's their front yard.

My Siberian (and the other two dogs) is in the house when I'm home. When I go to work they go outside to a 10x10 kennel with 6' high walls & concrete floor. He'd go crazy cooped up inside all day and most certainly tear stuff up.

- Redneckboarder hit on the main issues.
- They are very independently minded dogs and are not as easy to train. (They had to be smart and stubborn enough not to pull a dog sled out onto thin ice.)
- You must have consistent and proper training that keeps you in command. See the Dog Whisperer on National Geographic Channel or the link here: Cesar Millan - the Dog Whisperer
- They are high energy dogs so you must be high energy also! Do you like going for long walks or runs everyday? Then a siberian may be for you. And just letting the dog run in the back yard really won't do. The walk/run also bonds the dog to you and when done properly helps keep you dominate.
- The long walk/run diffuses some of the energy and helps reduce chewing, digging, escape attempts, and other destructive behavior.
- In general, Siberians like digging which means you can't leave the dog loose in the back yard all day long since they'll dig out.
- They like to run run run. But, you can't let a sibierian off-leash outside a fenced area. They may take off and run 10 miles but they have no homing sense and it won't be able to find its way home. They were originally bred by nomads and that trait continues.
- My siberian "blows" his coat twice a year. Takes daily grooming and frequent baths (using conditioner) to keep the intense shedding short and sweet. The rest of the year he only needs groomed once a week or so and sheds very little.

My siberian is great and I really enjoy his company. Right now he's rolling on his back trying to get me to rub his belly.
Hope this helps,
DougN

 

[Emerscape]

Unfortunately I can't speak much to the Siberian Husky but I've got a 5 year old Newfoundland and am more than willing to provide information on a Newfie if you are interested. Newfies are extremely smart dogs, easy to train and great with children.


Large/Giant breeds are great fun, but certainly a change in lifestyle. I never considered the hair to be an issue but it really does end up everywhere. Do I care? no not really. You kind of get used to finding it in your food, on your clothes and at your office.

Best of luck with whatever you go with.

 

[redneckboarder]

i wouldnt get into how other folks dogs are mean and they bite. that is 100% upbringing

while a husky is a close realtive of the wolf they are an extremely friendly breed. read any book by anyone and it will tell you that huskies are worthless as guard dogs

if you train the dog to be a good dog (it is doable) then it will be

both of my dogs would never ever bite anyone under any circumstances and i beleive that 110% echo was a rescue that we got when she was 5 and we knew nothing of her upbringing. her only downfall is that she has the husky talk a LOT and shes kinda loud

ivan we hav had since 8 wks and hes the best behaved dog ive ever met, when he takes a treat it is with the gentlest mouth.

id say go for it as long as your going to be able to dedicate the training and exercise time

i bought a longboard so they can pull me on it and wear themselves out faster than if i took them for a walk...that was the best idea ever. and in winter i throw on the snowboard and go on a snowmobile trail for a run with them

 

[planefixer]

I had one for 10 1/2 years (he died of diabetes in '08 ) and he liked all people from small children to old geezers - not a mean bone in his body.He got along with other dogs and cats just fine.His only problems were that he could be very stubborn at times and he was an escape artist.

 

[redneckboarder]

theyre all stuborn and escape artists

i watched ivan slip out under a chain link fence with apporx a 6" hole under it while he was wearing a radar dish from the vet

the buried electric fence has worked wonders for them though

 

[jdougn]

...i bought a longboard so they can pull me on it and wear themselves out faster than if i took them for a walk...that was the best idea ever. and in winter i throw on the snowboard and go on a snowmobile trail for a run with them

I've thought about using my one dog with my snowboard. What is a longboard? Surely not a surfboard is it? I use a device called a "springer" that allows my Siberian to pull a bicycle safely.

theyre all stuborn and escape artists
i watched ivan slip out under a chain link fence with apporx a 6" hole under it while he was wearing a radar dish from the vet the buried electric fence has worked wonders for them though

My siberian disassembled the aluminum ties that hold the chainlink fence to the horizontal rails to get out of his kennel. What brand buried fence are you using? I'd heard they don't work well with siberians but you're obviously having a different experience.

thanks, DougN

 

[redneckboarder]

just a long skateboard so you dont get death wobble and fall off ( i still have rocks in my shoulder from a husky ride on pavement)

i dunno what brand it is but u gotta train them a lil bit but they dont wanna get zapped as much as we dont. they listen

my female has destroyed 2 kennels, like the front was in 15 peices, but she never wrecked anything in the house so we just let her go now

hijack to discuss husky stories haha