?'s On Carpet Digging

mallyrk, has no issue with  them escaping.

especially with the dogs trying to run me over.

 
I'm concerned about this behavior. Dogs crashing past you on stairs is SO dangerous. Maybe you should teach the dogs to WAIT at the top/bottom until you finish negotiating them.
 
I also think when starting to let dogs have more freedom, you don't just let them have the whole house the first day. Gradually expand the area they are allowed to have-- from crate to having a dog-proofed room or an x-pen for a couple of weeks. Then maybe access to two rooms, and so on. And giving them things to work at, like stuffed kongs, is a really good idea. As is increasing exercise. It's practically impossible to properly exercise a husky, which is why they have such a rep for escaping and running off and being destructive. They are bred to run all day every day. A tired dog will sleep all day while you're gone, but unless your husky is run hard for hours he's never tired.

Russell, I don't have a problem with them trying to escape.. thankfully. []
 
I had them at obedience classes when they were both around 5-6 months old. They know their basic commands well, and for a husky, their recall is wonderful. Huskys that I have had in the past once outside full of distractions, won't come back when they are called, these two are great at it.
 
Callie, you made some awsome ideas... I never thought of the pulley idea. I have taught both of them to pull the laundry out of the dryer into seperate clothes baskets, lol.. so that would probably be a fun thing to try. We do play a lot of fetch, only with a tennis ball. That seems to help release energy. They never really got into the Kongs, even when I treat filled them with goodies and froze them.

I realize they both need more things to do, but latley, I haven't had the time or energy to do it, so I guess this is a problem i'm going to have to work with. I do not want to rehome them, and I refuse to have an outside dog.. Hopefully it's something I can take care of before baby comes.
 
Thank you for your help!

well i'm glad your dogs aren't crazier than most huskies (in ways of escape) i just somehow assumed that was a problem with the 'jumping the gate' while you were gone.

i was a knucklehead, i usually read all the replys before i make one, but i think i skipped  your second entry. anyway. My dogs always were bad stair runners. in fact, mine used to stand on the landing and if i was going too slow he pushed me! needless to say that behavior needed to be corrected. i tell him to either 'go ahead' or 'wait and okay'. he gets underfoot (2 staircases to the laundry room and 11 person laundry!) and it can be a pain -- i wouldn't take any chances on falling, make the hubby do it []. i always 'drag' the baskets behind me instead of carrying them, its easier

Good luck!

ORIGINAL: calliecritturs

Lordy, Janet I MISSED YOU SO MUCH when you were gone!!!  You're awesome!!  thanks

                   


Me, too.  Who knows how many dogs you have saved as our "link queen"? 

Me, too. Who knows how many dogs you have saved as our "link queen"?

Careful, guys!  I can feel my head swelling.  []

Some dogs just don't 'get' Kongs as stuffing things -- I'm saying go THROW THEM.  They bounce weird -- and you can get a dog totally hooked on them because they will bounce all over the place so the dog can't typically anticipate where it's going to go.
 
I think you will find if you go back and work *with* them more -- that is going to help.