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!