ron2
Posted : 11/5/2006 4:50:18 PM
It sounds like different breeds have similar needs, though for sometimes different reasons.
I wound up in this bass akwards. I didn't have a clue. But I always wanted a dog of my own, to keep. A friend of ours who owned Shadow was wanting to rehome him. Her adoptive family was going to put him to sleep just to be mean to her and had already done so with a few of her cats. Within an hour, she brought him to us. Within another hour, he was mine. The turning point was when I was talking about our huge backyard and the squirrels. Then, he was all over me. He was listed as a Husky/Lab mix. And I started learning. Fast. Once I surmised that he was primarily Siberian Husky, even though he didn't look exactly like "Demon" from "Snowdogs," I read up on on those breed traits and his behavior made sense. This, in turn, changed my expectations and made things flow a little better.
Very social, very smart, easily distracted and can run between 30 and 40 mph off leash. The one thing that might have given me pause for thought is the ability to "forget" training when it suits them. In my reading, for example, there was a case of a guy with a Sibe that had off-leash obedience awards. One day, the dog sniffed or saw something interesting and bolted, never to be seen again. Never walk a Sibe off leash. Then again, most of their breeding wasn't specifically for recall or obedience postures. Their traditional training was to pull and run in front while heeding calls from behind. At the end of the day, they eat and crash.
Shadow grew up with a tomcat and a Jack Russel Terrier. So, he did learn early on not to eat cats and other small dogs. But squirrels and mice are fair game. He can track scent like a lab, burrow like a terrier, and stalk like a wolf or a cat. He thinks he's a lap pet and is all about the cuddle. It is cute when he's in my lap and lets his head plop on my chest, nuzzling his head or muzzle under my chin.
Feeding is different, the exercise requirement is daily. Plays hard. Separation anxiety, which has gotten better over the years.
So, in advice to someone considering getting a Siberian Husky;
They pull like a freight train and run fast enough to get a speeding ticket. And can run at top speed for 10 minutes or more. One case involved a guy who's Sibe got out. An hour later, he got a call from a friend who lived 30 miles away. The dog made 30 miles an hour. That is, running near top speed for an hour. Just to visit. And they want to do this every day, sometimes many times a day.
They can forget training. They are rank oriented and must know their place, however you do that. Otherwise, they can get rank confusion, especially around children, which are about the size of another dog. Like any dog, play between dogs and children should always be supervised with plenty of training for both.
When bored or frustrated or anxious they will destroy stuff. I have three dead plastic water sprinklers to attest to that.
They are loyal and people-friendly and want to give you a flying 60+ pound hug.
Magnificent in stature, astoundingly beautiful in markings, and awesome to behold at full speed.
Years down the road it will be time for Shadow to go to the Bridge.
Would I get another Sibe? Yes, without hesitation,when it's time. I know what to expect and how to deal with it. And thanks to the misjudgement of others, I will have plenty to choose from at the shelter or a breed rescue.