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

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.