**Calling All SIBERIAN PEOPLE!**

[pessimisaurus]

hey all, this is margaret- a.k.a. veegan, a.k.a. Brock's mom. Im no longer a vegan (just started eating cheese) so I cant really go by that name anymore! plus I felt I needed a fresh start.

Ive been away for a long time! not much has changed in my pack, still have just my 2 beasts Brock (the aussie, for those of you who dont know me) & Alki (pit bull), but one of my mews recently went to the bridge. So now its just Felix and Linus. I also added another bun last april.

The most exciting news is that I now live in a house! WOOT. Im still in Seattle, just farther from downtown. its soo much easier having all my pets in a house (even though its tiny!) and the dogs love having a yard! its also closer to the dog park, and a tad closer to work and most of my family & friends (even though I miss the city).

Im also working as a dog trainer now, though still have a lot to learn. I completed a 4 month learning program last summer through Seattle Dogworks, earning my Certificate in Canine Studies. currently Im doing board & trains in-home of puppies and adult dogs through the dog training studio, and still assisting in group classes several times a week. I will probably eventually do private training and teach classes, and will within the next year or 2, get my CTC at the SF SPCA academy for dog trainers.

so........ that about sums things up.. the main reason Im here though is for some info and advice. I know there are a lot of siberian owners here, and Ive always loved the PT community, so I figured this would be the best place to get the info Im looking for. Im looking to adopt a 3rd dog sometime within the next few months, and cant decide on a breed. Ive always assumed Id get another aussie, but now Im not so sure. I love that my current 2 dogs are so different, and I think I want another dog thats also different.

I recently had my eyes opened to the husky. I havent met a ton in my lifetime, but there have been a number of them that really captured my eye and heart and for some reason the other day it just occured to me how captivated Ive become. what I want in a dog is love of other dogs, love of all people, playfulness, energy, drive, goofiness and a unique personality. from what Ive seen in the siberians Ive met, and what Ive read about the breed, it would be a good fit. however, I believe in order to get a real feel for the personality of a breed you have to see how they interact day to day. since I cant really do that, Ive come to you guys to give me your insight!

so.. tell me, what is it like living with a husky? how do yours act with people they know? people they dont? dogs they know? dogs they dont? what are they like to train? how obedient would you say they are? are they hyperactive? how much exercise do yours need/get? what kinds of activities to you do with them? what funny quirks do they have? what are they like in the house? do they bark much? howl much? anything else???

thanks all!

and of course, here are some recent shots of my 2:


Alki from our camping trip to Leavenworth this fall


Brock snowshoeing last weekend

[Tollers-n-Dobes]

Welcome back! I was wondering where you went to, but I'm glad to hear that you're alright and that things are going so well for you. I'm sorry to hear about your cat, though. Brock and Alki are looking wonderful, as always.

As far as the Husky questions, I can't really help you there as I haven't had a ton of experience with the breed. Hopefully a Sibe person will see this soon though and be able to answer the questions.

[Kfamr]

Eeee! Margaret, it's so great to see you posting again. Especially great to see those two cuties. Gah, I love the one of Alki in your signature.

I'm sure you'll get tons of advice about Huskies here!

Sorry to hear about your kitty.

[husky 1]

i have had siberian huskies for 15 yrs now, i find living with sibes great fun, they love everyone, suka my older bitch is more reserved with folks but has always been so., mishka loves folks she knows , loves to meet folks she dosen't know too, tries to jump up on everyone & kisses them or tries to my girls meet other dogs eagerly & love to play, no aggressive behaviour either, so well socialised, they aren't good off leash i find , mine stay on leads or run with my bike, their recall isn't great, if something more interesting to them they ignore you / go deaf, very strong hunting instinct, very stuborn too, but mishka is quite obedient for a sibe. my garden is like a fortress , wood fence & mesh on top , 6 ft high, concrete all around base & mesh buried in concrete too so no digging out , good fence jumpers some are too. They don't really bark , sort of wooo wooo noises instead . no good as a watchdog. i used to race my sibes , but no longer as most now too old. But getting another male sibe pup on january 27th. so will have a running mate for mishka. If exercised enough they are fine in a house, can be very destructive if left alone for long periods with no activities or a buddy for company.mine get about 2-3 hrs exercise daily.

[pessimisaurus]

thanks for the warm welcomes back

thanks for the info husky1! sounds a lot like what Im looking for. I do love a challenge, and am very used to an active, easily distracted, recall-less dog. aussies are extremely smart and easy to train, but the real challenge comes in convincing them to pay attention and do what you want when you want it. brock is so high drive that hes easily excited and distracted by simple things in the environment. so Ive learned quickly the importance of controling everything in his life, so I become relevant. haha so that aspect isnt of worry to me. I want an active dog, always willing to go places and do new things, and one that can keep up with my 2, but I dont want a dog that never settles in the house, or one that is always hyperactive and always anxious and busy. would you say huskies are easily excitable? or tend to be more calm or more hyperactive?

[husky 1]

It depends on the sibe you get. I have found most pups got from racing lines are more hyperactive than most pet/ show ones. mishka can get excitable & when she does get excited she tears around the house & garden , catapultes herself off of furniture too, ie--sofas, armchairs, so yes can be mad at times when playing, but settled in the home mostly, if content & properly exercised. can be very destructive at times too. so yes can be easily excited at times , but i love their madness & naughty character. you just need to let them know whos the boss.

[Glacier]

so.. tell me, what is it like living with a husky? how do yours act with people they know? people they dont? dogs they know? dogs they dont? what are they like to train? how obedient would you say they are? are they hyperactive? how much exercise do yours need/get? what kinds of activities to you do with them? what funny quirks do they have? what are they like in the house? do they bark much? howl much? anything else???

Welcome back.

What's it like living with huskies? Well, it's never boring.

They are extremely smart dogs, but also extremely difficult to train. Not that they can't learn, but you have to make it worth their while. They have no desire to please their owners. Most are not terribly food motivated so you have to come up with things they like as rewards instead of treats.

They are very stubborn and prone to selective hearing, particularly around the "come" command. Huskies have been bred for a very long time to run as far and as fast as they can in front of their humans! They don't come back when they are called and often end up a very long way from home before they stop running. They lack a homing instinct so if your husky escapes, chances are you are going to have to search for him, he is not going to reappear on his own!

A tired husky is a good husky. There is no such thing as too much exercise for a husky! Mine run over a 100km a week as sled dogs, plus all the playing in the yard, walks, ect. My 13 year old girl still runs, plays and still needs regular outings.

A bored husky is a dangerous dog--dangerous to your stuff and to himself! A bored husky will escape, chew things, destroy couches ect. If you don't amuse a husky, he will amuse himself however he can!

Huskies tend to be aloof with people they don't know. They are often aloof with people they adore. They are not underfoot, follow you every where kind of dogs. They are independant and will do their own thing. They are rarely aggressive towards people. Completely useless a guard dog. They might woo at an intruder, but they aren't going to protect your home.

With other dogs, females can be nasty to other females. Most of my pack is males. It's much easier to introduce a new male into my yard than a female. Most of the time they just want to play with new dogs. Occasionally they will battle for status or dominance. Dog aggression is not a huge issue in the breed, but it happens. Huskies play rough. They like to wrestle and it looks like fighting. Other dogs don't always appreciate that style of play!

Is your house fenced? How tall and what kind of fencing? Chainlink is a ladder to many huskies, mine included. My fence is 7 feet tall, made from big game fencing, buried underground so they can't dig under. You can't go anywhere in my yard without going through at least two gates. All gate latches have locks on them. Several of the dogs can open latches if they aren't locked. They are escape artists and just when you think the fence is husky-proof, they will show you a new weak spot!

Are you renting? Huskies dig and could be very destructive to your yard. We had two when we sold our last house. Took 3 truckloads of black dirt to fill in the holes in the backyard(a small city lot). The digging is instinct. They think it's fun and if you get one that is a digger, it's almost impossible to stop.

Mine don't bark, but they sing several times a day. Anvik screams like he's being killed when he's alone. Muskwa actually got the SPCA called on us once when we lived in the city. He was howling while getting a bath and our neighbors were sure we were beating him. The SPCA officer who responded laughed and left in 5 seconds once he saw a young husky was responsible for the racket!

If you live somewhere warm, you'll need to make sure your husky has a way to escape the heat. (Airconditioning ect).

I would say they are a mix of calm and hyper. They have bursts of energy(that can last hours) where they are totally hyper and then spend just as long lounging about. As puppies, they are hyper and go through an acting out teenager stage at about 9 to 18 months!

They do shed alot, especially when they blow their coats(up to twice a year). The hair literally comes off in handfuls during coat blows. People will ask if your dog has mange!

My biggest concern for you would be your small creatures. Huskies have a prey drive, many of them have very strong prey drives. Most huskies can not live with cats, bunnies, rats, gerbils, even small dogs. They will kill them. I have a friend who's husky opened her daughter's very secure gerbil cage and ate all the gerbils! I have cats, but my cats are never allowed outside and the dogs are never left unsupervised with them inside. If I can't watch the dogs, they are confined to a cat free area of the house or outside. My dogs have killed one of my cats when she escaped and got outside. Finding her little broken body was the worst moment of my life. Before you get a husky, you need to be very sure your smaller creatures are safe from the dog.

Good luck with your decision. Huskies aren't the right breed for everyone, but for the right person they are the perfect breed!

edited to add:
Here's a site with photographic evidence of typical husky behavior:
http://www.gimpydogs.com/breedstuff/huskybreed.html
Some of my dogs are featured at their naughty best!

[pessimisaurus]

more great info- thanks!

I have a 6-ft wooden fence, and *NEVER* leave my dogs out unattended. the yard is small and pretty much only used for potty then right back in. (though I imagine in the summer we'll be out there more!) do you think thats a safe enough enclosure??? I cant imagine a dog walking out the door and instantly jumping a fence while its being watched..

[Glacier]

I cant imagine a dog walking out the door and instantly jumping a fence while its being watched..

LOL, then you've never owned a husky! I've watched Mac do exactly that!

Six feet is probably plenty for most huskies though. You might have to reinforce the bottom so he can't dig out, but if supervised, he shouldn't have time to dig out before you notice!

[tikeyas_mom]

what is it like living with a husky? how do yours act with people they know? people they dont? dogs they know? dogs they dont? what are they like to train? how obedient would you say they are? are they hyperactive? how much exercise do yours need/get? what kinds of activities to you do with them? what funny quirks do they have? what are they like in the house? do they bark much? howl much? anything else???

Well Life with a husky is very interesting.. they are like no other breed int he world, they are great family dogs, love the "pack mantality".. Tikeya is totally fine with all people she meets and children/babies as well.. Now Some Siberian huskies can become VERY dominant, and they always want to be alpha (even if they are the weaker of the dogs)..

They also NEVER forget.. Tikeya has gotten into a fight with a few dogs, and she STILL remembers where they live, and growls everytime she sees them.. Siberian huskies need alot of daily excercize, in order to keep weight down.. I noticed when Tikeya was younger she was almost anerexic with her eating, and VERY hyper.. Now that she has ages She eats alot more and has SLOWed right down. I notice Tikeya likes to have a routine to their day (fed, walked, sleep same time everyday), You can do all types of agility/showing/therapy/ anything with your sibe (Except fetch) ..I have yet to meet a sibe who likes to fetch (mainly when there is water around)..

Most Sibes Dont like the water so much, I think it has to do with intincts (walking on ice, if they fall through?? Who knows, But Tikeya hates the water, and so does my friends siberian husky.. .. Also Siberian huskies (If Bored) will be distructive (chewing, digging, escaping out of the yard and taking off for hours) ... or howl (to answer you noisyness question: YES YES YES they are VERY noisy!!!)... Tikeya has been a "inside dog" ever since she was a pupski, and we have had the pound called on us because people thought we might be hurting Tikeya, if she is left outside for 10 min alone she Freaks out "Howling and screaming like shes being beaten.".. I would have it no other way .. Siberian huskies can be tricky to train though *they are VERY stubborn*, not to mention they are prey driven... *Tikeya has killed her share of Birds/rodents.... * in other words "patience is a vertue"
I couldnt personally ever see my self living with out a siberian husky in my life.. They are by far my favorite breed.. but again They can be VERRY noisy.. lol

Siberian huskies ARE NOT for everyone ... I suggest you do a month of research before jumping into the breed *maybe talk to some breeders too*...

(((Wow I just wrote a novel))

[pessimisaurus]

hahaha loving all the stories and info thanks!

[pessimisaurus]

*bump* c'mon I know theres more of you out there!!

[lute]

welcome back!

I saw someone posted this already and I agree compleatly, it's never a boring with a sibe around! They are an origonal breed. definatly NOT for everyone! What you described as what you want in a dog pretty much described a sibe...to a certain point. to get a sibe to the perfect little angel with other dogs and people is a ton of socialization. I socialized my Gracie out the wazoo, but because she's a dominant female that was unspayed until last year she has certain dogs she doesn't like. Normally other dominate dogs. Gracie just loves every person she meets though.

PREPAIR FOR HAIR!!! Lots and LOTS of brushing, lots and LOTS of shedding! Hope you don't mind a little bit of youur sibe going everywhere with you! I've found that if I brush Gracie out everyday the shedding goes down dramaticly.

Sibes are one of the harder breeds to train. Only because they are so dern indipendant and have selective hearing. They are smart though, you just have to figure out ways to keep the dog interested. Food is popular with this breed.


I hope this helps you a lil. I just woke up so I'm still waking up.

[Anita Cholaine]

Welcome back! Your two pups are GORGEOUS! I really hope we see them more in the future.

I'm sorry I can't really say much about Huskies, but you're getting tons of great information from Sibe people! I'm sure it will be really useful for you.

[cyber-sibes]

Welcome back! I owned cats for twenty years before getting my first sibe, Star, almost 10 years ago. She didn't seem all that different from my cats, she's very smart, independent, feisty, fastidious, listens but doesn't alwasys obey, ignores me unless she wants attention, and you can't bribe her with food. A real "queen of the universe" personality, so catlike! Turns out sibes are known as "the cats of the dog world."

As everyone has said, you must keep them contained, they don't stick around or come find you. They love to dig dens in the summer, and dig when they're bored or stressed. Their high prey drive is legendary - Star has a kill list as long as my arm, and she's never been allowed to run free. If it wanders into the kennel...it doesn't walk out.

As for exercise, a dogpark is perfect because they can run around like maniacs & still be contained. They love a good walk. There's a lot of other things you can do with them, too - they have great endurance.

Mine live mainly outdoors, but the stories I hear they can be very destructive indoors. With Star getting older, I've been allowing them to come & go in my studio building. I see their territorial nature there - if it's on top of my tables, they leave it alone, but if it's on the floor - it's theirs! I have to be careful to put anything paper up.

They are good with people, very gentle, make lousy watch dogs, and are good with each other most of the time. I had another female dog, though, and she & Star fought viciously on several occasions (the husky won). Now I have a male & a female, and I can't get over how well they get along. I think as long as only one dog has an alpha personality, everything's cool.

Sibes can be pretty active when they are young, but I wouldn't say they are hyper as a breed trait. Mine are very laid back & incredibly quiet, rarely a woo out of them. Star can get pretty bossy at the dog park & will bark at dogs she thinks are misbehaving. She makes an interesting variety of sounds when she want to. Sherman rarely barks, but if he gets frightened or jurt, you'd think someone was stomping all over him from the racket. Star did howl like a banshee as a puppy - our neighbors were alarmed that she might be hurt or was being abused.

They are fun-loving dogs, mischevious on occasion, and love attention, but tend to be aloof. They have great curisoity about everything. I guess their main trait is their independance. They understand perfectly well what you want them to do, but won't do it unless they want to. You do need to maintain your status as pack leader.

Remember, this breed gives you potato chip syndrome - you can't have just one!