[no1daddythepitbullfan]

I am seriously considering getting a Siberian Husky eventually. I have already read about them online, but I wanted to get some input from people who actually have them. In general, would you recommend them? Also, what is the maximum temperature they should be in, because I know that they are arctic dogs and temperature can be an issue sometimes.

Thanks!

 

[pirhana2268]

Hi, I have a year and a half old male siberian. They can adapt to warm weather well but they prefer to be in the ac in the daytime in the summer and go out when the sun goes down. Now in the winter you can`t keep them in even at 20 below they will just lay out like it`s nothing. A good fence is a plus because most of them like to get out and will run run run. Max on the other hand don`t try because he was brought home at 7 weeks old and had free run of the yard and house so he don`t get eagger to see what is out the front door. They are a pretty healthy breed however, we bought a female last nov. and after a few months she fell ill and finally a month later passes away at 5 months old. The vet belives it was luekemea because her blood was soo thin and had no plateletes in it at the end. So I found 2 females a red and white one like our baby girl that died and a black and white one. They are very pretty dogs and they can be stubborn. Some people say they are dumb because they can be a challange but they are VERY smart and will outsmart you if you are not carefull lol. I go pick our babies up the 28th of this month. I live in ohio where the weather gets hot and cold and he adapts well, he also has a kiddie pool to cool off in.

also go to www.huskycolors.com for lots of good info

 

[no1daddythepitbullfan]

Thank You for the information.

 

[GusNBellasMom]

I have a 4 month old boy and am also part of a husky forum. Huskies are high energy dogs. Boy do I mean HIGH. You walk a husky a mile a day they will want to do 1 1/2 the next They blow their coats twice a year. They blow ALOT of hair too. They are not the type of dog that can be trusted off lead unless in a secure area. They will run run run and not look back.

Heres a good site with the pros and cons:
http://www.siberianrescue.com/seneca.htm

 

[pirhana2268]

yea, I don`t do the walks because he hates to be in a harness. I have a pretty big back yard so I go out with him and get him running laps around the yard and pool. Sometimes I look out and he is doing it on his own. When he winds down he comes in. When I go get the other 2 he will have someone once agian to wear him down lol. Huskies normally do better in couples or packs because it keeps them from getting bored so easy. Max was raised with 2 cats and a shitzu and he got along well with them, he would chase the cats but didn`t do anything to them when he caught them. Now he`s all alone with the cats for a week and a half yet.

 

[Donna5503]

Hi...I adopted a 6 month old Siberian Husky from a Shelter in September -- he is now a year old and the greatest dog ever!

They are loyal, friendly, smart, clean & beautiful.....yes they love to run - so keep a close eye on them!

They have sensitive stomachs so feed them a gluten-free dog food along with fresh meat and veggies and fruit.....& they will thank you for it.

Good luck and enjoy your new friend!

 

[Erick Aguilar]

I do, an 8 month old copper male

Before you decide to purchase a husky puppy, ask yourself some questions and consider the following.
Can you resist buying the first cute puppy you see on impulse?
Are you prepared to make a commitment to a dog for the next 10 - 15 years?
Full responsibility for a dog is not a job for children, it requires responsible adult supervision.
The commitment is not a small one, training a Siberian Husky to be a pleasant companion requires considerable time and patience. Siberians don't become well behaved all by themselves! They require substantial attention and exercise throughout their lives, they are active and social animals and don't do well if stuck in the backyard and forgotten.
Do you have an appropriate environment for a puppy and are you willing to live with puppy mistakes............digging & chewing?
Do you have secure, adequate fencing for the adult dog?
Are you willing to spend the money it takes to provide appropriate care, including quality food and supplies, annual vaccines, heartworm/intestinal worm prevention, emergency veterinary care and spaying or neutering?
Are you willing to wait for the right puppy from the responsible breeder of your choice? Remember, finding the best puppy for you is well worth the wait.

Now lets look both sides of the mirror shall we?
Cons:
* Not a one man dog - anybody will do.
* He will not guard your property
* Strong desire to run - if he gets free he will not stop running or return.
* CANNOT BE WALKED WITHOUT A LEAD, EVER!
* Too independant and strong willed to ever be a candidate for obedience/training work.
* Keen and efficient hunter. Not good with ANY animal other than dogs.
* Needs enormous amounts of exercise.
* Very destructive, especially when a pup.
* ALWAYS needs company, human or dog.
* Needs a safely enclosed exercise area with high fences and locked gate.
* They love to dig, say gooodbye to your garden.
* Needs high quality food (speak to your breeder about this)
* Moults twice a year in copious amounts.

Pros:
* Friendly with people of all ages.
*an honest dog - his body language and voice can be taken at face value - he says what he means.
* He has no guarding instinct and will greet and kiss any visitor (could also be seen as a con)
* long living, can reach upto 16 years of age
* Robust, athletic construction
* Travels well, new sights and sounds do not scare them
* Very intelligent
* Easy going and forgiving
* Very clean with no doggy smell
* Easy to groom
* they rarely bark, if ever. Although they do howl like a wolf
* They do not eat as much as other breeds their size
* Great with other dogs

That's just a little bit

 

[JustTess]

I thought about renaming my husky to "Troubles" because he seems to have so many lately

He has a sensitive stomach... and a sometimes too nervous temperment. If the people in his family are upset he gets upset and has a hard time eating.

He gets bored, grumbles like scooby doo, and has decided recently that he does not like vets. He is very clever and a clown. He knows how to get each one of us to chase him by grabbing something and prances infront of you as if to say "look what I got... do you want it back?"

I've seen him act like the biggest baby at the vet ... whining and huffing "don't touch my ear" and cried the most pittify helpless howl... only to find the vet laughing as she tells me there wasn't a thing wrong with his ear. (A few months ago)

He also acts like poo is the most disgusting thing in the world and he needs to get far away from it. So far, he loves his crate if the door is open.

Loves his daily walks and runs and best of all, gives the most genuine hug. He is definitely one I need to keep my eye on before mischief happens.

Now our terrier.... she's just the sweetest angel that I can't remember breaking any doggy rules.

 

[upendi'smommy]

I'd like to point out that some of this is very broad generalization and not true with every dog.

First:
* Too independant and strong willed to ever be a candidate for obedience/training work.

There are siberians who have and are titled and champions in obedience. And I know quite a few huskies that respond great to obedience/training.

* Keen and efficient hunter. Not good with ANY animal other than dogs.

If raised with them from puppies siberians can do well with other animals. I know three huskies personally that live with cats and get along great with them.

* Very destructive, especially when a pup.

The destructiveness can be avoided with proper exercise and training.

* ALWAYS needs company, human or dog.

They don't have to be with company 24/7. It's the same for any dog as far as this goes, no dog should be left alone for excessive amounts of time.

 

[Erick Aguilar]

I'd like to point out that some of this is very broad generalization and not true with every dog.

First:
* Too independant and strong willed to ever be a candidate for obedience/training work.

There are siberians who have and are titled and champions in obedience. And I know quite a few huskies that respond great to obedience/training.

* Keen and efficient hunter. Not good with ANY animal other than dogs.

If raised with them from puppies siberians can do well with other animals. I know three huskies personally that live with cats and get along great with them.

* Very destructive, especially when a pup.

The destructiveness can be avoided with proper exercise and training.

* ALWAYS needs company, human or dog.

They don't have to be with company 24/7. It's the same for any dog as far as this goes, no dog should be left alone for excessive amounts of time.

While what you say is very true and i truly respect your opinion, i have to generalize with this breed, make it look as if an average person, with an average, life,family, amount of time to spend, would get an average husky.

Why? because honestly you can't know what to expect from a husky, they are so different along their own breed, that you don't know what you are going to get.

 

[upendi'smommy]

While what you say is very true and i truly respect your opinion, i have to generalize with this breed, make it look as if an average person, with an average, life,family, amount of time to spend, would get an average husky.

Why? because honestly you can't know what to expect from a husky, they are so different along their own breed, that you don't know what you are going to get.

I understand. I just wanted to dispel some Siberian myths such as they can never get along with animals besides other dogs or that they are untrainable. I've had three sibes in the past and Upendi is gsdxhusky. And really I think that if someone doesn't have the time to train a dog, exercise it, and socialize it then they really shouldn't be having the dog in the first place.

 

[nekomi]

Willow is very much like the generalizations - hates being left alone for long periods, highly destructive, and has an epic prey drive. She requires a firm and consistent hand in training (I use positive reinforcement/clicker with her, but with her - give her an inch and she will take a mile - or two!!).

Bandit, on the other hand, is a very mellow boy who doesn't really get into trouble in the house, and loves our cats. Under the right conditions, he does better alone than Willow. He is very easily trained and very reliable, does well with clicker training, and generally pays more attention to me.

So, it really does depend on the individual dog, although both my guys are mixes, so you can take it with a grain of salt if you wish. I figure between the two of them I have experience with 1 whole husky.

 

[Erick Aguilar]

I understand. I just wanted to dispel some Siberian myths such as they can never get along with animals besides other dogs or that they are untrainable. I've had three sibes in the past and Upendi is gsdxhusky. And really I think that if someone doesn't have the time to train a dog, exercise it, and socialize it then they really shouldn't be having the dog in the first place.

Lol, yeah.. it's a shame people think Huskies can't be trained.. owners just need to be more consistent with huskies...
That's why we need to make people know what it takes to own a Husky, or any other active dog breed.

 

[upendi'smommy]

Lol, yeah.. it's a shame people think Huskies can't be trained.. owners just need to be more consistent with huskies...
That's why we need to make people know what it takes to own a Husky, or any other active dog breed.

True enough, it's also important to go through a reputable breeder, simply because as a general rule you'll end up with a more stable temperament, than a byb sibe.

 

[JustTess]

Perhaps many have found it difficult to train huskies with traditional training methods (?). If finding I have to out wit him with a little more novelty that with Lola (our terrier). He's the first dog I've seen devise a plan and test it out to see if he can get what he wants Lola to do.

 

[TapOut64]

I currently have three Siberian Husky's and I had two prior to these. They are a very very high energy dog and need room to exercize. Jumping a fence is not so much an issue but digging under one is. I had to put fencing material around the perimeter of my yard to keep them in. They love to dig and need a yard where they have the free will to do so. Any small animal other than a dog that gets into my back yard has not left it alive. I don't want to sound extreme but Siberian Husky's are great hunters. Mine have killed cats, a raccoon, opossums, a rabbit, numerous squirrels and birds. If a dog with a dead bird in it's mouth is not something that you want to see, then you may not want a Husky.

Having said all that, I love this breed of dog and will never own any other. They are very friendly and great with children. They are not good guard dogs as they want to play with everyone. They will bark and keep strangers away however. Here's my current three napping.

When Kodi was a pup.

 

[Erick Aguilar]

True enough, it's also important to go through a reputable breeder, simply because as a general rule you'll end up with a more stable temperament, than a byb sibe.

True, my Husky came from a ''byb'' so to speak, my friends husky couple had an accidental litter.. and i was available to pick this guy up.

We have been having a bit of temperament issues, but we are working on them with much success, on the bright side, Apollo is a very intelligent dog, a dream to train, though he's been having the urge to be on higher rank than my other dog Prudi.

Besides temperament, genetics are also very important, which is why you must talk about this with the breeder you pick.. i admit i'm on a wildcard with apollo because, even though none of their parents had Displasya, they didn't have gene tests done for this litter.

Indeed... some Huskies have a very high prey drive.. HOWEVER, i learned that with self control training their prey drive reduces drastically.

 

[Donna5503]

Hi everyone...I adopted my Sibe in September - he was 6 mo old -- he is now 1 yr and he is a really great dog!

At first he was very skiddish - but now he loves everyone! No problems at all -- except he is a very finicky eater!

He is only 1 yr old though, still a pup in my eyes -- do you think his behavior will change to be like you have listed....everything you've stated sorta scares me...

 

[TapOut64]

Every dog is different, I can only speak of my experiences with my 5 Husky's. Maybe the fact that I have a lot of squirrels in my neighborhood triggers their prey instincts.

 

[jconli]

We adopted Casey as a puppy at the shelter (DNA testing has since revealed he is at least 75% husky). He is now 9 months old. Overall, he is a great dog! He is so friendly- loves all people and dogs. He is pretty hyper, still, but no more so than other puppies we have had. I hear huskies can be destructive, but we haven't given Casey the chance. When we are not home, he is either outside in the dog kennel (we have a low fence so we have a dog run), or inside in his crate. Therefore, we have not had anything destroyed. We take him for two 15 minute walks a day, and usually another 10 minute bike ride. On weekends we sometimes go snowshoeing for an hour. Then we play with him in the house, etc. He gets more tired with mental games. He does fine with this. He loves the cold, and wants to sleep outside. Yes, he does dig outside, but this summer we will try the sandbox idea. He gets along fine with our cats. He is very smart, and is learning commands. My biggest complaint about Casey right now would be that he pulls so much during walks, but we are working on that. Overall, he is a great dog, and I would recommend a husky!