.:mike:.

Who has them? Saw the 'pets in the snow' thread - they just look stunning dogs. I've got a lurcher and she's lovely and very easy to look after. What are huskies like to look after? Anything special to know about them? I do like to get dogs from rescues to give them another chance at a good home, and sadly with lurchers or greyhounds a lot seem to end up there. Obviously you never know what you're going to get down this route but has anyone got a huskie from a rescue or did you get them as a pup?

sarasquares

iTrader: (1)

i dont have one anymore but my friend has



she should be coming for another visit today

.:mike:.

What a beautiful dog! Take some more pics today!

sarasquares

iTrader: (1)

it was dark when she came round so hopefully get some good pics later


she is so squashy and soft

ronjeramy

iTrader: (1)

I find coughing usually helps

sarasquares

iTrader: (1)

what, to dislodge a Hushy?

Snazy

I dont have a Husky so cant comment, but I do have 2 Alaskan Malamute's.
A joy to keep, a challenge to own, and a break from the norm

There are lots of Husky's and Mal's in rescue's though. Most buy them not realising that they are a bit of a handful, and just want a "pretty snow dog" And do no more research.

Both mine are pedigree, 1 from a pup, 1 from rescue. Plenty of people give rescues a chance. Only difference is with this kind of dog, if not raised well, or with poor blood lines you can have some serious issues to deal with.

Any questions on Malamutes that I can answer, fire away mate

I found this a while ago on the internet, and have to say it perfectly true...

.:mike:.

I liked this part of your quote snazy:

"If you don't like dog hair, want a protector, one to hang on your every word-don't get a Mal."

Well - you could just as easily apply that to rough coated lurchers! Do they all tend to drop a lot of hair then? How about being left on their own - any good or do they like to destroy the house?!

boxst

I looked into getting a huskie a few years ago. I seem to remember the ability to escape from almost anywhere and 'communal howling' put me off in the end.

Steve

sarasquares

iTrader: (1)

i was told to make sure all fencing was at least 6ft. mine could have climbed a telegraph pole if he wanted to. was too much responsibility in the end

Snazy

Partial myths, more to do with upbringing than anything else.

Mine dont howl unless you wind them up, or when the bitch goes into season (male howls loads, so goes to kennels lol)

We have 4ft fencing all round, and there has not to date been one attempt to jump it. That said, Tuvaaq can jump a 3ft barrier from sitting lol.
They are however good diggers, but thats easily defended against.

Dunno who said about the whole escaping thing, but they are the same as most dogs really, if they want out, they will find a way. Just a little more able.

They "can" have destructive tendancies, but again most are fine if stimulated, and kept entertained. Ours have been left up to 8 hours alone, with not so much as an accident in the house. The main key is exercise. Ours do about 10km a day on average, theysleep a LOT !! lol

As for leaving alone, same for any dog again, they are fine, but that should not be abused and left for 12 hours daily etc.

Mike, finally.... coats... Mal's have a great trick up their sleeve. Coat blowing. Mind blowing amounts of hair in a stupid amount of time. Its not normal moulting, its coat dropping, which comes out in MASSES!

Example.... dog brushed while blowing.


PS, not my dog.

delcbr

my workm8 bought one nothing but a nightmare the kids couldnt walk it the wife didint want to walk it.went to beahaviour classes was told they are the hardest dogs to train it even bit the woman who took the class!!!
he had so many problems with the dog one of which was when it bit his daughter on the hand and he still kept it!!!!
it also jumped over the sofa to run to the door and its paws landed on his face whilst lying on the sofa and put a deep cut on his face!!!
the last straw was when the family went out to find the place destroyed it even attacked the cereal box to which we commented so its a cereal killer!!!!
do you get the picture theres better dogs to choose from lol

drumsterphil

iTrader: (1)

I'm another Malamute owner - this is mine, Barney



I got Barney when he was 11 months old and his owner couldn't look after him - 9 months later and he's the dog I dreamed of - it's taken a lot of work but can't imagine life without him now.

You have to go in with your eyes WIDE-OPEN when you get a breed like this - the amount of exercise for one (as Snazy has pointed out) and the fact that they are very inquisitive - he'll want to know everything that you're up to.

Believe me it's worth it in the end though.

Dedrater

Is it true you can't ever fully trust these dogs? Someone has mentioned once they hear the 'call of the wild' they will bolt off?

True or fable?

greenonedave

Beautifull dogs,
there is a very informative article in March 2009 issue of Your Dog magazine,
all aspects of the breed are covered.
All the people that I have spoke to that have owned them have all said more or less the same, not for the inexeprienced but if you can handle them fantastic !

drumsterphil

iTrader: (1)

Yes and no.

I walk Barney on a long extending lead and he is quite happy at that. He also spends time with a dog-trainer (kinda like Cesar Milan) who takes a pack for a walk on his farm-land. In those circumstances pack instinct seems to take over and Barney is quite happy to walk off the lead as part of the pack showing no signs of bolting.

Just down from us we have a Mal and Huskie - the owner of those two will let the Mal off but never the Huskie which will just bolt and come back when she wants.

I'm currently training with Barney to try and get him to walk of the lead on his own.

Snazy

I have to say that is a very tainted opinion. Granted bad experience is not a good thig to go on, but it really depends what you want from a dog. Got time to spend with it, time to exercise it, and patience when training, Husky's and mal's from good blood lines are fine.

Get one from a farm, inbred for the fashion dog owners and suddenly you will have a bad experience.

As for trainers.... dont get me started on them. No they are not always as simple to teach with conventional methods, and thats why a lot of trainers dont like them.

For me, choosing the right breeder, the right bloodlines, and dedicating enough time and attention to the dog has proven one thing.. they are amazing dogs to own. And I know plenty more very happy owners. There are of course the exceptions, and I would not for one second say they are angels or perfect. But I dont think there is any breed without its runts.

Best thing to do would be to foster one for a week or 2, and make your own decision on the breed.
These are NOT run of the mill dogs, so dont expect them to be

Phil... spot on
I cant imagine going home to any other breed now that we have the 2, its even better

Mike.... if you ever want to meet and spend some time with a Mal or husky im sure it can be arranged. Thats the way to decide

Snazy

Strong willed, and high prey drive. They will go wandering for a long time given the chance. Enclosed spaces, we let ours off the lead, any other place, on the lead at all times. Chasing prey, forget it, they are gone lol.
Not to say its impossible, just prefer not to take the chance with ours

Dave "not for the inexeprienced but if you can handle them fantastic !" Just about spot on really mate. Not the best for a first dog. (speaking mal here not husky)

hux309

Snaz been meaning to ask, the name am i right in thinking it's from voyager?

drumsterphil

iTrader: (1)

When I first got Barney I was intending to put him in a doggy creche during the day while I work. The creche I found was run by a woman who had all the certificates etc on handling dogs. However, the night before his first day she decides she didn't want anything to do with a Malamute and doesn't want to see him.

Through pure luck I found a guy who runs a creche out of his farm. He's ex-army and as he puts it not a people-person but a dog-person. He took Barney in and it was immediately obvious that Barney had no problems socialising with other dogs so that is where he now goes udirng the week while I'm at work - I drop him off and pick him up just like you would a child at kindergarten.

The great thing is that it allows Barney to be a dog. He runs around the farm all day and plays with the other dogs getting lots of exercise and socialising skills. He's best friends with a little Beagle bitch and the two are like Bonny & Clyde - always up to mischief.

Mals have a bad reputation but give them the right stimulus and enviroment to live and they are fantastic dogs - I'm very lucky to have found someone to look after Barney when I can't who is so passionate and caring about dogs in the way I am.

Snazy

Tuvaaq...... is an Inuit name meaning Hunter
I get asked that all the time, or the other one is "why Tu Pac" lol

Snazy

Sounds like a typical story. We had the same with a professional qualified groomer, as soon as "malamute" was mentioned, they didnt want to do the job!
We are lucky with kennels though, and when the big guy goes in, they always fight over who is walking him first. Then have some great tales to tell when I collect

Our 2 socialise really well too, most of the time, but any sign of aggression towards them is not taken kindly. And correction occurs lol

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

Souns to me that if you dont spend every waking hour stimulating, walking, brushing, watching, petting, feeding then you will have big problems, buy the wrong one and and you will still have the problems, only worse.

Lovely Dog but way too much work for me, three kids demand enough attention without what would ammount to another.

Snazy, I admire your dedication !

drumsterphil

iTrader: (1)

Mind you, if I had fiver for every time someone said 'Nice Huskie, Mister' I'd be a rich man lol

Snazy

lol not at all mate. Far from the true picture.

I walk mine for 40-60 mins each in the morning, then go to work for 11.30. Then they are either alone or just with my mum for the day until about 7pm

About 9pm they get another 40-60 min walk together.
lol not sure where you got the brushing watching petting thing from lol.
They love their own company, so petting is up to the owner. Keep their coats well, so brushing is not an hourly thing.

Like I say, reading between the lines, and only reading the horror stories is a sure way to get the wrong impression of a breed.

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

Yes, I agree, I am still smarting from our experience with Bob the Border Collie, no matter what we did we couldnt leave him, he would tear the place up, he had to go back when he pulled the architrave off the kitchen door, not bothered about the damage (now fixed) but the bundle of mains cables he was having a nosh on as well was the main problem. With our old one being put down, the one we looked after for my brother in a law a few times being run over, it was a bad year for dogs in our house.

To be honest it has put me off but the local car spares shop has a little long haired Jack Russell pup (not for sale) and I wanted to take him home .

fatscoobfella1

iTrader: (1)

^^^^^^^^^^^^^

@ Jacko

That applies to most large breeds..The bigger the dog the more looking after it will take..

Have learned this over many years with Rotties,Sheps and Pyrenean mountain dogs.

Snazy

lol tell me about it, I just ignore it now, or on a bad day, ignore them

J4CKO yeah I can imagine mate, that was a bad experience, god knows how hard you tried there mate, I feel for you I really do.
But its not really fair to say all large dogs are the same. Especially if you saw just HOW MUCH our 2 sleep lol.

They do need stimulation, but then all dogs do. But they are a little more needy, so more exercise is good

They are without a doubt an exceptional breed (Mals), and once you see a group walking or working, you can understand it all a little better. I would encourage ANY potential person considering such a breed to go along to an organised meet, and spend some time. You wil see how different the characters can all be, and just how they differ from other breeds.

Snazy

Some dogs suffer seperation problems, all sizes. And they will all become panicked and destructive, as well as hyper and insecure.
Its not so much a breeding thing, its more an individual thing. Only thing you can do is start the separation early in life, and make it as gentle and non distressing as possible.

Mine are fine on their own out the back, love spending time with me just lazing about, walking up Snowdon, or just messing about on a long walk.

b road blaster

mines a huskymute and must say have found him to be the best dog i have
had ,he is well behaved never eaten the house eneywhere as sazy says though he does get a lot of walks around 2 1/2-3 hrs a day and leaves hair/fur everywhere not jokeing when i say we been getting a carrier bag a night off him for the last week
got him as a pup but yes you can get them from shelters

8 weeks old (ignore the date on pic)


now at 13 mths