huskys are they a good type of dog to buy?

[taraann81]

Vvhen I met my DH, he had an ancient husky(i think he vvas 16 at the time). Even at that age, vvith his hips going, he barked alot and vvould bounce around often , BUT.... He only shed once a year...for 365 days.

 

[patandchickens]

IMO this is definitely one of the dog breeds you would want to get to know some of them pretty well before actually acquiring one. People buy 'em for looks, or because they read two sentences of the breed description in a book somewhere, and it ends up badly. Great dogs IF that is the particular kind of dog you want and can deal with.

JMHO,

Pat

 

[michickenwrangler]

Mine is a lab/husky cross.

As you can see, her prey drive isn't the strongest, lol

But as a pup she was very high energy and the only way I could wear her out was to take her on the trail as I rode a horse! Her coat is so much softer and fluffier than a lab's coat--but she sheds! Oh, how she sheds!

When family comes up to visit, my of my family has sporting dogs: labs, golden retrivers or pointers and they are amazed that she can go through the woods with minimal sounds. She moves more like a wolf than a lab or golden does and is much more alert and wary around people she doesn't know.

She does love the cold though and loves the first snow of the year!

 

[Brindlebtch]

No, a husky would not be the kind of dog you should buy.

 

[apdan]

OK... so I am gonna stick out like a sore thumb here

I have had 2 huskys..... They love to dig dig dig and run run run!! BUT, neither of mine had a high prey drive towards my chickens. The first one we got from the pound was over a year old, we had him for quite a while and he loved to run. It dosen't help that the neighbors dogs run as well, the one day we came home and he had chewed right thru his run cable. One day he took off and he never came back, we have a deep suspicion that the nieghbor shot him because around the same time our other neighbors dog disappeared as well. BUT he would only leave when we weren't home, we could work outside all day with him loose and he would stay home. We also had someone steal him one time.. that wasn't a good situation either. He was gorgeous, all white with cream on his head and the prettiest ice blue eyes.

We now have another husky/lab mix we got him from the pound as a puppy. He is AWESOME, well of course he likes to dig dig dig and chew chew chew but I mean my retreiver/lab mix who is about a month younger than him does the same thing. He stays in the yard, dosen't chase the chickens, bunnies, cats, ducks, turkeys, or goats. (the chickens lay eggs in his dog house) He likes to chase our steer but they have a little game that they play. He chases the steer and then the steer chases him and he chases the steer, and so on.. He would stay in bed with me all day if he could, and if not in bed he would lay on the floor or sit in the chair all day with me. When we are not home he stays on his cable run outside and has a dog house full of straw, he sings to me whenever I come home. He is great with kids, and is great on a leash. BUT!! like everyone else said they are a high energy dog, he has another dog his age to play with, and if he gets off his run he leaves and goes for a swim in the pond and comes back. We are currently trying to break him from chasing deer, which this time of the year is interesting.

BUT he has only left the yard once to chase one and that was a couple months ago.

I would highly recommend doing research on the breed and making sure that it is what you want.

But unlike everyone else I completely trust mine around all my birds and cats. He was raised to not touch them and he dosen't he dosen't even look twice at them. Personally I think that it is how the dog is raised.

 

[Katy]

I have two that are 1/2 husky......same mother different litters. I have a neighbor that won't spay or nueter

Now that they are older they aren't quite as full of energy as they once were, but they are still both very active. Gypsy has always been a house dog and Koda started out as one but prefers being outside so he's outside full time.

They've never bothered the cattle, but Koda did kill some of my chickens when I didn't shut a gate to a pen once. They've been raised with cats so they've never bothered them.....but they keep the rabbit population down around the farm.

They make great pets, but not one you can just ignore and pet once or twice a day.

Gypsy

Koda

 

[BlackBart]

I had experience with sled dogs up North. They are always tied up, they are working dogs.
I brought a pup home with me.

Smart, head strong, hairy, selectively deaf, needs a lot of exercise and brushing. Mine was raised to be good with the other animals. Hated Robins and Ravens. Loved almost all people.
Good scarey looking guard dog but if somebody fed him he would probably show the burgler where the good stuff was kept.
I would never get another one unless I was into sledding.

 

[apdan]

Quote:
I will have to see if I can upload a picture but your Gypsy looks almost exactly like my Bruiser!!!!!

 

[Hound]

I had a roommate whose family were an example in what happens if you own a Husky and are not 100% committed 100% of the time. For some unknown reason they had three and a Malamute. Their house was truly disgusting. I'm not Martha Stewart, but everything looked like it was made of wool from the thick white hairy coating. They were atrocious on a leash. If they got loose they would be gone for the rest of the day at least, and run run run. For some reason on rare occasions said roommate would take the dogs walking and let them loose... then he would run run run for the rest of the day trying to find them. Imagine a hound that runs off at top speed instead of just ignoring you, and you're somewhat close.

I'm sure in the right situation they're great dogs. However I believe it's extremely important to consider a breed's original purpose and how it might fit into your lifestyle, and not too many of us are dog sledders or Eskimos. They were bred to run no matter what, which can make life a little too interesting for my taste.

 

[woodmort]

I had a good friend who had one--he'd let it out and then called the local paper to place an ad to get it back. Also did not do well in the summer. These aren't house pets or for someone that isn't going to commit to 24/7 care.