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

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.

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!

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.

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)

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Of all the comments I havent seen someone say this, all dogs are different. Mine is a rescue and he is part husky and part...well, I'm not really sure, but:
-He DOES SHED ALL THE TIME!!
-They do not just blow out twice a year. Mine sheds all year round
- He does love to run, but he was trained from weening to come when called and he does so very obediently.
-He gets jealous.
-He sees me knitting or working on a project and if he is left in the house alone with it it is in shreds. But he won't touch it otherwise (once again, taught at a very young age not to chew on things that are not his.)
-He is very independent. He usually does his own thing and we do ours, but he still loves to be cuddled and hugged or scratched down.
-He loves his schedule. If we don't get up by 7:30 he wakes us up. Once he's out of the bedroom he wants to be loved on then about 45 minutes later he's asleep in his bed for an hour or so. He eats at the same times every day and has to go out at the same times every day. Part of this is, I'm sure, because we put him on a schedule to make potty times easier, but he loves his schedule for sure.

Bottom line, if you have time to love your dog and treat it like a member of the family you'll do fine. They are pack animals and if you are not willing to include them in things as part of the pack they will be unhappy. You want a happy puppy!!! And don't be afraid to adopt a husky/mutt. They are very intelligent if you get a good mix, and there's not a not good husky - just not good training.

oh and if you scold them , they talk back worse than a teenager

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)

I WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE!! Please do not be selfish. Think of the dog. Yes you love it you want to save it and those are really, really good things. Think of how you would feel being cooped up in a house all day and only getting attention for a couple of hours before you go to bed. You want to go outside and not just the backyard, you want to run, you need to run or you will go crazy! Please be fair to the dog. Quality time means training time. You've heard it before, a well trained dog is a happy dog. I just got a Jack russell and didn't realize that doggie school is a good $200 for 6 - 8 weeks! I was shocked. Then there are the vet bills for shots and check ups. The food is like feeding another adult. My dog got into snail bait and it almost killed him. The high estimate on that bill was $1500! Accidents happen and you have to be able to afford that when you least want to spend the money. They take credit cards and cash only and payment up front! You need to spend time daily grooming the dog. You need to bathe the dog regularly. THen here is the flea/heartworm/tick medicines which are also not cheap. Unless you can devote quality time each day giving your dog your undivided attention, walking at least 30 minutes at a minimun each day and have a house with a big yard where he won't feel so cooped up, I'd say, no. Be fair to the dog. THey are like having a 3 year old child to look after. They don't do well when left alone a lot. You should take your cat to meet the dog. Our local shelter insists on all family members and pets meeting the animal first to see if there are any major conflicts. Good advice.

if you've never owned a dog..a husky is not the way to go.

they are a high maintenance dog..meaning they need grooming every day, Proper exercise and discipline. they are very loving and good with kids and other animals..dont like to be left alone, hard to house break, and dont like the heat. they need constant and firm leadership or they could become defiant and not listen to commands and prone to seperation anxiety and can tear up your house

WOW! thanks for your feedback! Some other things you all should know, after reading the replies:

I run half marathons, so the exercise will actually fit with my training.
I've been running with the dogs at the shelter and that is where i fell in love with this guy. I've run with him quite a few times and his good behavior is one of the reasons i fell for him.

There are two main things I am worried about: the cost, and the possibility that my parents will have to help out a lot. I hate to put that burden on them. I'll be a senior in college and my class load should be fairly light, but you never know until you get into the semester. So while they love dogs and are on board with me if I decide to adopt Bo, there's a chance I'd have to spend more time at school than planned. That'd be like me adopting a child and then being like "welp, here ya go, peace out". I've got a lot more thinking to do. Keep the advice coming, I'll still be reading it! I'll let you all know when I decide for sure!

Edit to add: the shelter I would be adopting from pays for a microchip, vaccines, and a spay or neuter.

And the other option is to keep giving to the dogs as you currently do! There is nothing wrong with running with the shelter dogs as you have been doing, either.

And what happens next year? You begin a whole new phase of your life filled with the unknown for you and certainly for the dog.

I am glad you are taking your time to consider what you want versus what is best for the dog.