huskys are they a good type of dog to buy?

[Chicken Charlotte]

hi I want a husky what are there good and bad sides?

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Creepy Eyes...

They like the cold...

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

They are not creepy.


I raised and rescued Siberians for close to 14 years, as well as running a sled-dog team. Siberians are a VERY VERY high energy dog. The HAVE to have something to do or they will become destructive. They don't necessarily respond to training well, they are smart and get bored easily. They are the type of dog that if THEY don't want to do it, they wont. You generally cannot trust them off leash. You HAVE to make sure you are the dominant (alpha) member of the pack. They are VERY active and will run, bark, dig, bark, and play ALL day long, did I mention bark? They need lots of attention and lots of interaction. A lot of Huskies end up in shelters because people get them thinking they are getting a "pretty wolf" and them dump them in the shelters after they find out they can't handle them.

If you want a dog that will chill on the couch with you or that you can put outside all day while you go to work the Siberian is NOT the dog for you. They need constant supervision, I have had several over the years that can jump and CLEAR a 6 foot fence without even touching it.

Also, VERY high prey drive. They WILL eat your chickens cats and any other animal they can get their teeth on. I had one that jumped 2 6 foot fences and latched onto the back leg of a sheep that was easily 3x bigger than the dog.

The Siberian Husky has been described as a behavioral representative of the domestic dog's forebear, the wolf, exhibiting a wide range of its ancestors' behavior.[10] They are known to howl rather than bark.[11] Hyperactivity, displaying as an overactive hunting drive, a characteristic of kenneled dogs, is often noticeable in dogs released from their captive environment for exercise — a behavior welcome in hunting dogs but not in the family pet. The frequency of kenneled Siberian Huskies, especially for racing purposes, is rather high, as attributed through the history of the breed in North America. They are affectionate with people, but independent. A fifteen-minute daily obedience training class will serve well for Siberian Huskies.[12] Siberians need consistent training and do well with a positive reinforcement training program. They rank 45th in Stanley Coren's The Intelligence of Dogs, being of average working/obedience intelligence. They tend to run because they were at first bred to be sled dogs. Owners are advised to exercise caution when letting their Siberian Husky off the leash as the dog is likely to be miles away before looking around and realizing their owner is nowhere in sight. They also get bored easily, so playing with toys or throwing the ball at least once a day is essential. Failure to give them the attention or proper exercise they need can result in unwanted behavior, such as excessive howling, marking, chewing on furniture, or crying.[13]

I'm not trying to steer you away, but to let you know ahead of time that they are a HAND FULL.

The good sides; they are beautiful, loyal, friendly, and will work hard at whatever task you give them! I can't wait to have them again.

If you do want one PLEASE rescue it.

Read Wikipedia;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siberian_Husky​

 

[justbugged]

I have a little experience with Huskys, and what I would worry about is that the Huskys dogs I have met have all had a high prey drive. That means that you may find that you can never trust that the dog won't kill your chickens.

 

[melodie_a]

HAIR FACTORIES! Super duper shedders. They also tend to have a high prey drive and seem to have a higher tendancy to be "runners" and "escape artists." Fencing is suggested... HIGH fencing. They are also not the easiest dogs to train, you have to really work at it and even then if you are a weak leader at all you may not be successful. They are also high energy dogs (just think of what they are bred to do) and they need lots of exercise and mental stimulation or you may find that they like to redecorate your yard, house, etc.


They are usually friendly dogs though and they are very comical when they talk to you. They have big personalities.

 

[Rozzie]

I have to agree about the prey drive. I had an absolutely WONDERFUL husky while growing up -- had her from the time I was a tot until I was an adult. We also had one of her pups but gave him away when he was a year old.

My girl would kill ANY animal that came within her reach. Period. Anything. She didn't eat them, though. She wouldn't eat anything but Purina Puppy Chow...

 

[Illia]

Ah, they said it before me.

So glad there's other people who know about Huskies. The two biggest things I'd first warn about is the fencing/tendencies to run away, and their high energy/need to work.

 

[Queen Scoot]

i have a husky... tons of engery these are dogs that need to go go go!!
VERY high prey drive!!
very vocal they like to sing.

 

[welsummerchicks]

You better be very good at teaching a dog to heel, or you will be a sled.

Ditto all the high energy comments, this is definitely not a dog for everyone. And I wouldn't plunk them down loose in a yard full of chickens, little delectable miniature dogs, bunnies and goats, either.

It's what's for dinner, as they say.

 

[ChickenFanaticAB]

I have a 1/2 husky, and he definitely got all of the above! Would kill the chickens, tons of energy, and can't be trusted off leash. They require a LOT of exercise and discipline (though, like someone said, they choose what they want to do anyway...) and a very high fence! Ours easily sailed over a 4 ft fence, and even after installing a 6 ft fence he still goes under all the time. The plus side, he's great for hiking, is fun-loving and playful, and we can trust him around anyone, he's is a super balanced dog-as in, nothing gets to him, and we are never worried about him around kids or anyone for that matter...and yes, everyone usually notices his eyes...though most people think he's a lab because he is solid brown, but his mother was a husky, and his dad was a weimaraner, so we know better! Ours doesn't shed too much, but he has shorter hair, I guess a benefit of his mix. All that being said, he was a challenging pup, and I would probably never get a husky after having him. If you have the time and energy, they are great dogs, but definitely not 'easy' dogs.