I had never had a dog before I got a husky. Now I have 3, and if I was able to, I'd like to have 6 or so! I'm in love!
They are a difficult breed though. I don't know if they're harder than other types of dogs, because I've never had another type of dog. I understand how many are dumped by people who wanted them based on looks alone, or that had no idea what they were getting into. DH and I were fully prepared. We met a woman in our neighbourhood with a husky, a we learned a little bit about the breed from her and she referred us to her breeder. We drove out to the kennel to meet the breeder and all the dogs. We stayed for close to 3 hours while the breeder told us all about the breed, told us stories, recommended book to us, and all that sort of stuff. It was like an interview. She asked us all about ourselves, our lifestyle, and our daily routine. And at this point, we weren't even going on the waiting list!
Our oldest dog was the WORST puppy. She made me cry a few times. I slept in my car a few times so I couldn't hear her screaming in her crate. I remember thinking she must be some sort of a husky/hellspawn mix or something. But, we loved her and we worked through it. It was a lot of hard work. About a year and a half of hard work! She's an amazing dog now. She's very calm and dignified. There is no trace of that hell puppy left. she grew to be so amazing, that we got 2 more. Actually, our last puppy (now 1 year old) was pretty rotten, but by this point, we knew that he was likely going to grow into a little gentleman (he did) so we were able to actually ENJOY his crazies.[
] We didn't get more dogs for her, she was perfectly happy being the center of our universe... We got them for us.
Our approach to raising them was to be prepared for anything and everything, and to never let our guard down. Ours aren't fence jumpers, but I'm sure that's because they've never been left out in the yard to discover they could jump the fence. They're rarely destructive, because they receive a lot of exercise, are crated when we aren't home, and watched closely when we are home. You MUST stay one step ahead of these guys!
They are stubborn and strong willed, but if you can learn the way they think, you can get them to work. Don't let anyone tell you they can't be trained. (But, I don't believe the breed can be trusted off leash, no matter how much you train them.) Mine attend classes and do very well. Dealing with them can feel like a battle of wits, though. Currently my problem is with my 1 y/o, who thinks it's appropriate for him to sit one foot BEHIND me, instead of right beside me during heeling exercises. I'm trying to convince him that I'm right, and he thinks I'm crazy for not giving him a click when he sits. He will sometimes spazz out in protest. [&:] Oh yeah, that reminds me, they can also be very embarrassing in public!
They are rowdy, dirty dogs. They have some innate attraction to mud. In the spring, my house gets so filthy I feel like I might as well set up my furniture in the yard. At least outside, the rain and wind might help with the hair and fur! When they blow their coats, they release an INSANE amount of hair. They try and sneak stuff in the house from outside--including opossums!
You should also have a sense of humor if you intend to own one. One time I came home to find my puppy had escaped from his crate and tried to EAT his way through the door. I laughed (after I made sure he hadn't ingested any wood, of course!)... and then I reinforced his crate. They're bouncy, loud, kooky dogs. There's a certain joie de vivre about them. I second joining the Sibernet-L mailing list. It will give you everything from a feel for the every day comings and goings of the average Sibe owner, to what its like to live with several troubled rescues. It's a great list.
I should note that every time I see a dog frolicikng off-leash, my heart aches. I will never have that with my dogs. Never ever... And that's the only thing I don't like about the breed.
I'm not trying to 'sell' Huskies, I'm just saying that if they're prepared, I think a dedicated novice can do it. Three years ago, I didn't even have a dog. I knew nothing of dogs, never even had one growing up! Now I have three, I formulate their raw diet myself, I attend classes 2 nights a week, and I spend my weekends sled training! I'm hooked! It was a bumpy ride at the start, but I did it.[
] Everyday is still work, though. I'm just used to it now.