Thinking of adopting a husky...advice please :)

amg_89

Ok so here is my situation. I'm going to bulletpoint all the things I think need to be considered when you have a dog, and I'd like to hear arguments for and against adopting this husky. I'm not sure how old he is, but he's not a puppy anymore, that's for sure. Basically, I'm on the fence about it. I really would love to adopt him and give him a better life, but I've never owned a dog and I need some objective opinions about the situation so:
-I'm 21, living at home with my parents while I go to school.
-We have an indoor cat
-We have a big backyard
-I go to school full time with a part-time job (like 10 hours a week, maximum)
-I'm in a long-distance relationship (we normally see each other each weekend or every other weekend and live about 3 1/2 hours apart)

aaaaannd go!

DietingMommy08

Ok so here is my situation. I'm going to bulletpoint all the things I think need to be considered when you have a dog, and I'd like to hear arguments for and against adopting this husky. I'm not sure how old he is, but he's not a puppy anymore, that's for sure. Basically, I'm on the fence about it. I really would love to adopt him and give him a better life, but I've never owned a dog and I need some objective opinions about the situation so:
-I'm 21, living at home with my parents while I go to school.
-We have an indoor cat
-We have a big backyard
-I go to school full time with a part-time job (like 10 hours a week, maximum)
-I'm in a long-distance relationship (we normally see each other each weekend or every other weekend and live about 3 1/2 hours apart)

aaaaannd go!

I love huskys n they are very loyal dogs. I say as long as you can give the dog some attention each day then you should be fine.

ace175

I love huskys n they are very loyal dogs. I say as long as you can give the dog some attention each day then you should be fine.

I agree...and as long as everyone in the house is ok with it....I'd also suggest sitting on the idea for a bit, unless you already have been!

Huskies are soo cute!! A man who lives down the street has 3 all white ones, they're beautiful!

Bridge_CG

Huskies are suuuuch good dogs!!! Very sweet, loyal and smart. Just don't walk them on a harness, they'll want to pull you through the snow! I volunteer with the Animal Humane Society in NM so if you need any advice!

mamabear0222

husky's are great, I had my baby for 16 yrs until he passed. Some things you should know.

- they shed like crazy .. i mean TONS (we had to use a horse brush)
- they like to run ALOT
- they are a loveable and protective breed
- big dogs = big poops

having a dog is much like having a child .. if you want to go away, you need a sitter .. a dog that size will likely not go anywhere overnight with you ... and even though people say they will watch your dog .. most people dont want to when push comes to shove.

if you're ready to be committed .. go for it!!

Sherbog

Speaking as a parent.....it seems from your post your not financially able to support yourself (living at home) and your time to spend with a dog will be limited since your going to school full time and working part time. Be fair to the dog and your parents...give this more thought.

sarahbeth17

I have one that is 5 months old now so it might just be a puppy thing but she has LOTS of energy and likes to chew up everything. She ate a bird yesterday, not sure if it was alive when she got to it.... If the one you are getting is spayed/neutered then it will be easier. They are very beautiful and sweet dogs. They are not guard dogs at all, they love everyone! They howl though which is cool and horrible at the same time.

redsoxy

Huskies are wonderful dogs, but a bit of a difficult choice for your first dog. They can be pretty stubborn and can be a bit difficult to train at times. They can NEVER be let off leash in an unsecured area - as they have a natural instinct to run, run run, and will do so at the drop of a hat. Unless trained from a very young age, they can be questionable with small animals (cats, rabbits etc) - they have a very high natural prey drive.

All of that being said - huskies are very sweet, affectionate, athletic (great running partner!), social and have very few breed-wide temperament issuesor health issues.

If you are willing to give the dog quality time, exercise and not get upset or frustrated with their breed-qualities (shedding, running ,stubbornness, prey drive) - you will have a wonderful, long lived companion.

(I speak from experience, both being a previous owner of a husky and a certified dog trainer)

ShellyMacchi

i have a husky.. she is my walking partner *S*... Kita's pic is in my profile pics btw.
she is 12, going on 13..and most people cannot beleive her age as she acts like a much much younger dog.. though she has a bit of a heart issue so can't overdo the super long walks, but she adores her daily walks!

she adores cats.. she has her own personal herd of 3 of them (our cats, she has adopted them *L*)... all are fine with her.

she is shedding like mad right now... all that thick undercoat.. seems can never get rid of it all so always dog fluff somewhere in the house.

huskies are stubborn *L*... they will behave and do tricks etc etc etc so long as they figure there is something in it for them (aka.. a treat *L*)... but she is perfect for us as she does not require the constant personal attention many breeds seem to need.. she i quite happy to ignore us most of the time, unless she hears me cutting something in the kitchen or opening the fridge door .. then she manages to stretch out in middle of the kitchen floor.. 'in case' i lose my mind and drop some food *L*

Huskies seem to VERY much be creatures of habit... mine is actually even fussy about where she is willing to have a drink... ie, her bowl in her spot in the house is fine.. or her bowl in the backseat of the car she will also drink from.. but put that bowl on the ground beside the car after a long walk in a park, and you KNOW she is thirsty, she won't drink from it... is has to be in HER car or HER house *L*

good luck with your adoption!

edited to add:
Kita never barks.. except as a 'trick' to earn a treat, OR to tattle on one of the cats (only one of them, not them all) when he jumps up on a kitchen counter *L* She does however like to sing to the fire engines, police sirens and the icecream truck *L*
a previous poster mentioned them not being good offleash... SO true!!!!!!! she will take off and think nothing of just keep going and ignoring all attempts to get her to come back.

FairyMiss

might just want to go out an buy an new vaccuum. had one , found clumps of her hair in the oddest places, after she was gone even

FairyMiss

might just want to go out an buy an new vaccuum. had one , found clumps of her hair in the oddest places, after she was gone even

Suzannejl

Be aware, Huskies are BIG DIGGERS! They also shed!

Don't know if you have ever had a dog before or not. I have learned the hard way that dogs do not like to be left home alone, and can get very destructive. Yes this includes eating furniture!!! This is mostly true the first 5-7 years of their life. I kennel trained my dogs and they love it! When someone comes over that is allergic or afraid(little kids) of dogs, I just throw a treat in the kennel and say "Kennel" and she runs in! We start this the day the come home, and at night if they are puppies the first year or so. But most of all when we leave the house, she is in her kennel, safe and sound.

Good luck with what ever you decide. I love dogs, but I am very glad of the kenneling advice my friends parents(dog breeders) gave to me, just wish I had received it sooner! lol

LyssaMarie13

I would say no... Even with a big backyard I don't know that it'll be enough especially if you're not home all the time. The loooove to run! Like a lot. If you don't live in the country it's pry not a great idea. Or you have to plan and be committed to walking him a lot! I'm all for adopting, but since you've never had a dog it may be a good idea to get one without habits already. If you get one that isn't a puppy it could have some bad habits you don't know how to handle... Also they are a lot of work! Some people don't realize it. but my goodness I feel like I don't get to relax like I want to with my dogs. I have 2 small ones. If you're in a long distance relationship it could be hard to always take the dog too... Just some thoughts. Good luck!

RachelJE

I have 2 shepherd/husky mixes and they are the loves of my life. We adopted them at 8 weeks old, and they are remarkably intelligent dogs. They could sit on command the first day we got them, and quickly learned other commands like ringing a bell to go outside. That being said, there are things to consider with adopting an older dog. First, age. And you need to know the exact age. Often people adopt puppies because they are cute, don't work with them, don't train them and when the dog hits "adolescence" (around 9 months to 1 year of age) and are bigger, not so cute and are out of control, they dump them at the shelter. This is the age of most dogs (other than puppies) at the shelter. This doesn't mean you shouldn't adopt a dog that age, but he might require more work. You need to be prepared to walk the dog and spend time training him and working with him. It isn't enough to let him play in the yard. Dogs are pack animals and since he doens't have another dog to play with out there, he likely won't want to be out there very much alone. He will want to be with his "pack," which is you. Where are you getting the dog from? A reputable rescue group who has done appropriate aggression testing (especially as it relates to the cat)? You need to know about the cat, but also about food and people aggression. When you travel to visit your beau, who will watch the dog? Will you take him with you? Also, a note of personal experience - huskys are amazing, and intelligent, but also tend to be very stubborn. So this is something you will have to work on. You will have to establish yourself as the "alpha" (meaning YOU are in charge, not him). This will occur with structured, productive walks (him on a short lead close by your side a couple times a day). Also, teach him the "sit" command FIRST, and make him sit for everything - before you give him food, before you put a leash on, before you let him out the door. He should sit and wait for you to go down the steps before him, etc.

Those are just a few thoughts, but you can message me if you have any specific questions.

SLambertAlaska

I agree with a lot of the advice I see so far - both for and against. Huskies (or any large dog) take a lot of care: exercise, brushing, scooping, etc. but they are very loveable and want to have a relationship with their owners.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet it: How do your parents feel about having a large dog in their back yard? Are they prepared to take care of it when you are out of town? Do they care if they have brown spots all over the yard by next summer where the dog has "done its thing" ? How do they feel about dog hair in their house? Even if its an "outdoor" dog, dog hair WILL get inside.

And of course, you need to cover the dog allergy question, but I presume that's not an issue.

I sure hope you post your final decision - and if you adopt, a picture of the dog would be great, too!

muzicgurl02

Huskies are wonderful dogs. However:
- You need to brush them everyday because they shed like crazy.
- Give them baths once in a while, unless you like the smell of sweaty dog
- You need to take it on long walks every day, since they have lots of energy.
- You need to consider taking dog obedience classes so you know how to control your dog and understand the commands to give - most humane societies offer classes for that
- You need to find a vet and update shots and vaccinations for it
- Make a budget for dog food, leashes, collars, vet appointments/medications and decide if you can afford it or not
- Make sure that it will get along with your cat first before bringing it home, otherwise all hell can break loose if the cat doesn't like the dog
- Husky's love attention and will want to please you so don't get too busy with school and work

I wish you the best and hope everything will work out for you and your new doggie.

tolygal

It sounds as though your parents may need to take on much responsibility for the dog - what do they think about this? Dogs are expensive between vet bills, flea stuff, heart worm meds, food, etc. And they are not like cats - they cannot be left alone when you go away for a day (or more). They want (need) company and companionship. So if you can't be there and can't take him/her with you and can't afford their care, I'd say let someone who is in a better dog-friendly situation adopt him.

ladysown

First: find out if he is cat proof. Huskies tend to have a HIGH prey drive and see cats as well...prey (which to dogs they quite frankly are).

Second: find out how old he is and how much exercise he requires. Do expect he'll need at least 1 hour of exercise in the morning and a good 1/2 hour at night.

Third: do have time to give him a job? Huskies need good mental stimulation to keep themselves from becoming medium-sized distructobots.

Fourth : are you prepared to the sheer amount of shedding they do? generally twice a year.

Five: be aware the most huskies are as smart as whips. Smart dogs need intelligent and leader type people or they will do their best to become the leader. Dogs leading people.....generally not a good idea as usually we don't speak dog as well as they do.

Huskies are lovely, lovely animals and I have enjoyed most of the ones I've met. I have met some that were simply with the wrong people. I've met runners...lovely social beasts who like being with their people but are built to be independent, responsive dogs that can for the most part take care of themselves. A smart, sharp looking well-behaved husky is a good thing to behold...but make sure you are the right person for the dog.

TankGirl71

I have a Husky mix- love him to death BUT. Zero recall, if he slips his collar or busts out a screen door he is in the wind. I spend the next hour driving in my car looking for him with a knot in my stomach hoping he doesn't get hit by a car. Up my butt so bad I nearly trip over him at every turn. Separation anxiety. Vocal. Blows a ridiculous amount of fur every spring and summer. Oddly, sleeps next to one of my cats but chases the other. They are high energy and high maintenance. Doesn't sound like your lifestyle would really fit.

RachelJE

What others said about shedding is so true. But get a furminator and use it frequently, and you'll be fine. My dogs love it, and it makes me happy b/c it cuts down on the shedding issues. It really cleans out that crazy undercoat.

Also - HUGE yes on the crate training!!!! When mine were puppies they chewed everything - walls, cabinets, took wallpaper off the walls, floorboards, etc. We crate trained them and even now (they are 8), they have to be in a smaller space when we are gone. We don't use a crate anymore, but they go in their "house" which is our mudroom with a baby gate up. It just keeps them calmer. In the wild, dogs have dens where they bed down - this is the same concept. It is a comfort to them to have a smaller space. Not cruel at all. Last week I came home and the gate to our dog's area had come undone. I thought our male was going to blow a gasket he was SO SO SO anxious!! Even at their age, they still need that comfort when mom is gone.

withchaco

Huskies and other sled dogs (malamutes, samoyeds...) tend to be difficult to train. They're stubborn, and smart enough to notice and take advantage of EVERY weakness you have. I honestly would not recommend a sledding breed to anyone who's not experienced with dogs!

Like TankGirl71 said, ZERO RECALL. Don't expect them to come to you if they're off the leash. They know it's their chance to run free, and they'll grab the opportunity with both paws.

You need to make sure the dog gets walked three times a day (totaling 1.5 hour at LEAST), rain or shine, and some running too. If you have a nice sized fenced-in yard, that's great, but don't expect to be able to just put your husky in the yard and relax... You need to watch the dog to make sure he doesn't escape. They are escape artists and can dig a tunnel under the fence, climb over chain link fences, etc.

All in all, it's not impossible, but it will be insanely challenging! Are you AND your parents up for the challenge?

Contrary to popular belief, huskies are medium sized dogs, not large. Most large "huskies" you see are actually malamutes, probably.