Siberian Husky??

MrsTinks

I don't think anyone meant to be rude - I certainly didn't.

However I work with dog rescue charities and have done for some years. What I say isn't because I think you will be an irresponcible owner - I don't know you from Adam But is based on MY experience both with dogs and with working with rescues. My dog was a rescue - she was touch and go whether they would let me re-home her (RSPCA) because of her behavioural problems. At 12 months old she'd had NO training, she was aggressive towards other dogs, not lead trained, hand shy and even now she covers in a corner if I try to use a broom on my floors. She's a strong dog but she has come on leaps and bounds
The cost has been private training lessons (and I have trained dogs too in the past!), weekly dog classes, agility classes in summer (too dark at night in winter), skirting boards and wall corners (yep she chewed them!), vet bills (including when she learnt to open the kitchen door and stole a chicken carkass I was going to use for stock - ate the whole thing... not good) and several other items like wireless PS2 controller, tv remote and anything left with in her reach... She's better now but be prepared for these potential costs... I know my dog was exceptionally troubled when I got her, but that could have happened with any dog...

If you do move with the forces - (and I am talking as a "navy brat") - think about quarentine... depending on where you are stationed you might not be able to avoid this under the dog passport! And they are expensive as it is! So would you put your dog through quarentine? Not only a huge financial cost but potentially damaging to the animal...

If you really think a Husky is for you then nothing we say will change your mind... but maybe contacting a breed rescue and askign if you can "foster" a husky for a month would give you a genuine idea of whether this IS the breed for you?
We don't have any with the orgnisation I work with at the moment or I'd have lent you one

LittleStar

Hi all ... thank you for your helpful comments, it has been greatly appreciated!

Smashing - I am currently situated in London, Kent. I do like the idea of getting a rescue dog, but am a little nervous of any problems I may have, like Tine said she had behavioural difficulties ... even though they can be quite naughty anyway ... would the resuce inform you beforehand? ... Also I quite like the idea that they do a home check and provide support

Thanks Justie - I will get into contact with them and also iI definately think I will go along to some of the sledding events to meet some of the owners, I would really really love to have this breed of dog but if they advise me against it then I guess i'd just have to grin and bear it

Tine - Thank you for your honesty, you really do need to know what were getting into beforehand ... I think the 'fostering' a husky is a *FAB* idea :):) ... my OH also thinks its a great idea so we'll def be doing it ... I really like the idea of getting a rescue dog, am a little worried about any problems, but both my OH and I think its the best thing to do ... give a btr life to a dog that didnt have a great start in life

Again thank you all so much for your advice, like I said I would really love to have a husky but if its not meant to be and the rescue/breeders don't think I can provide it with the right home, then it just wasnt ment to be xx

Justie

A very general observation is that rescues are more likely to be males and unneutered males at that... if you neuter then it helps a lot as it calms them down. If a rescues says, 'pulls on lead' - they mean he'll have your arm off if you're not careful. If they say 'doesn't get on with other male dogs' - they mean don't go near another male dog or you'll have no control over your boy. If they say 'ok with cats' - it means they like to chase them but so far haven't caught one . And so on... Most rescues don't have the dog in a home environment so it's hard for them to judge anything but the basics. And dogs under stress are hard to assess too. Our boy is basically very chilled but it took him a good 6 months to calm down and he was hyper outside the house. It can be very rewarding having a rescue but you never know their full history and you need to get the balance right between letting them get settled and not letting them get into bad habits.

Most rescues will give some form of support but not as much as you want. Having a good relationship with a trainer is the best advice I can give as they can help give you ideas of how to combat behavioural issues and how to socialise your dog and then to get them into training classes. It's a long process though whether with a pup or a rescue you should look at 2 years of hard work and then you'll have a lovely dog for life...

Good luck whatever dog you end up with.

[Deleted User]

my dd and her dh were on tour with the army in Calgary when they got their husky via a dog sledding course during the last few months of her tour. He is a dog who needs to run free off the lead several times a day ie running on a lead in a park will not do. Bear in mind that he is handicapped but runs and runs and never loses steam. Coyotes are plentiful around the calgary base and will act in packs to entice dogs towards them so having a free-running dog is stressful

Transport back to the uk cost £1000 by the way

Forces quarters in Canada do not allow dogs to be alone in the garden and dogs have to be kept in the house when the owner is out. It was a difficult few months for them. The winters were bitter and from april to october the mosquitoes made being out too long, unbearable. The dog is now trained but he has certainly done his share of chewing, table legs, sofas, trousers and so on

I certainly didn`t intend to be rude but dog breeds do seem to come and go in phases (not directed at the op at all by the way) and siberian husky seems to be very `in` at the moment. They had their male husky neutered by the way and also had a neutered male companion dog prior to getting the husky, so he always had company. They also have many acres of woodland and common land to run around as they live in a rural area but the husky never tires

MrsTinks

LittleStar wrote:

would the resuce inform you beforehand? ... Also I quite like the idea that they do a home check and provide support

Pick a reputable rescue and yes they will have a great support system... try going through the breed rescue though. If anyone can really help you with the breed specifics of a husky and what issues you might encounter it is them! Otherwise go for the larger rescues - RSPCA gets a lot of stick at times but their home checks in my experience is pretty thorough and they were very responcible when I adopted my dog -I got the third degree not only from the rescue staff but also from the home checker (and I have to say we do the same with the organisation I work with )

LittleStar wrote:

Tine - Thank you for your honesty, you really do need to know what were getting into beforehand ... I think the 'fostering' a husky is a *FAB* idea :):) ... my OH also thinks its a great idea so we'll def be doing it ... I really like the idea of getting a rescue dog, am a little worried about any problems, but both my OH and I think its the best thing to do ... give a btr life to a dog that didnt have a great start in life

Ofcourse it's a fab idea! I had it after all :rotfl: Just kidding. Rehoming is by far the best thing. Ok you have to be careful and pick your dog carefully - whilst puppies are ready to be moulded rescue dogs often come with suitcases full of issues. Spend time visiting the rescue and the dog before deciding that it's the one for you.

LittleStar wrote:

Again thank you all so much for your advice, like I said I would really love to have a husky but if its not meant to be and the rescue/breeders don't think I can provide it with the right home, then it just wasnt ment to be xx

Now THAT is what I was hoping to hear - not being funny, but that is THE best attitude to have. I wanted a pure GSD... I got a GSD/collie cross... I'm a sucker! I saw a gorgeous face, read her story and I was sold. I KNEW we were the home for her. It's nearly a year now... and we're about to take our Kennel Club Good Citizen Silver Award Hopefully by the end of the summer we'll have Gold and we might even start competing in obedience classes... Not bad for a dog that was deemed "virtually unhomable" huh?

Across the sofa the lays a slightly tubby *sigh* pooch... she's happy, secure and safe. She has a family that loves her, cats to chase and a field at the end of the road to chase balls in. She so very nearly got put down and knowing that - well those chewed table legs just seem so unimportant...

Rescue dogs... we can't save them all... but that doesn't mean we're gonna stop trying

Mrs_pbradley936

How about a retired sled dog? I bet there must be lots who are not as fit as they were but would be wonderful pets. Do they offer those in the same way the offer retired Greyhounds?

j_davies

As for the dog itself DONT BOTHER my brother has one and he has taken it to dog classes and had all sorts of training and they all say the same its the type of dog, they need lots of walking so it cant be left alone in the day as thats cruel anyway but huskies go up the wall, also the stink because of the grease gland on their bellys and they will run away if give half the chance, at the end of the day they are not the most loyal quiet pets, expect to run after the thing.

thesaint

I think my brother must've been lucky, his husky didn't smell or dig up my carpets, she barked/howled only once or twice the whole time she came to stay with me for three months.
I must admit that I had to keep an eye on her off her lead because she didn't have much road sense. She was perfect with my son as well.

Smashing

Justie wrote:

A very general observation is that rescues are more likely to be males and unneutered males at that...

Depends on the rescue. Many I know will not rehome an uneutered animal because of the unscrupulous people out there who will use them as breeding machines.

Once again the amout of support you get depends largely on the rescue.

And yes, a bad example of the breed will put anyone of for life, but many are poorly behaved because they have been kept in unsuitable conditions and have had a lack of training in their younger years. Yes, that cute little furball WILL destroy your house if you leave it to its own devices.

LittleStar - I'm PM'ing a link that may help.

Firefly

http://www.champdogsforum.co.uk

You'll find lots of advice and first hand experience from some very helpful Sibe owning members via the above link.