Are Huskies good pet dogs?

golok

golok

Joined
Oct 20, 2000
Messages
4,453
Recently I watched a movie on TV called Iron Will.
The heroes in my opinion in the movie were the Huskies.

They are such beautiful dogs. I wonder if they survive well outside the cold climates.

Those Huskies which drag the sledges, are they specially trained?

Can a Huskie be a good guard dog or just a plain good old pal?


BraceNat96.jpg
 
Huskies is a name which covers a lot of ground. I'll assume it is a working dog from North of 60 degrees latitude in North America ,often used for pulling a sled and pack dog. They are considered the most "wolfish" of dogs having a pack mentality where each dog knows its place. This can make for a lot of dog fights so they need to be raised with other friendly dogs large and small , cats, farm animals etc. otherwise they will be aggressive towards these animals.

They don't make good guard dogs at all. They shed a lot , don't like warm weather. They like to run deer and kill things.

They do make OK pets but you gotta get them young , 6 weeks is the right age to get one. Needs plenty of exercise everyday. Better have a fenced yard with the fence buried as they like to dig. There are better dogs out there IMO.
 
Actually, the dog in "Iron Will" was an Alaskan Malamute, not a Husky, or should I say, not a Siberian Husky. As Pentlatch indicated, "husky" is used pretty informally to refer to many "wolf-like" dogs of mixed lineage. :confused:

A Siberian Husky is a much smaller dog than in the movie. They typically only weigh only about 40 lbs when fully grown. I wouldn't want you to but a Husky puppy only to be suprised when it never grew into the brute you were expecting. :eek: Huskies are very high-energy dogs, and are often given to yapping and howling. :(

In warmer climates, Huskies (as well as Malamutes) will never really grow into their winter coat. I've seen Huskies with very short fur in Southern California. Both breeds can be exceptionally beautiful.

Hope this helps.
 
At different times my father owned both a Siberian Husky and an Alaskan Malmute.

Both dogs were females adopted very young and raised as loved pets. They in turn were very loving and docile. When my daughters were small, my father would put them on the back of the Siberian husky, walk along side gently holding them in place while the Husky gave them a ride just as a pony would. Neither dog ever showed any sign of aggressive behavior, of course, I nor my father ever let my daughters alone with the dog. Actually, the Husky was very protective (mother-like) with my daughters when they were small.

The only thing my father complained about were their digging habits. An earlier forumite mentioned having a strong, well installed fence...it is essential. Also, I suggest it be a minimum of 6' high. On more than one occasion, I watched my fathers dog go over his 4.50' high fence when motivated. They can really jump! I also saw her catch a flying bird that swooped in a little to low and close to her one day.
 
Most huskies up here, north of 60, are a breed similar to siberians, but I have never seen a ull grown male less than 60lbs, with most running closer to 80lbs. The malamutes are upwards of 150lbs for a bigger one, and average around 120lbs. Both are working dogs that require lots of space to run. When off the leash they will run around, staying within the general area, but not at your side. By general area, I mean around 100-200 yards. They are faithful, but free. They do make pretty good guard dogs if trained properly, and can be good with children. They are not cocky or mean, but can pack with others and have been known to be violent. I was attacked by a pack of five 15 years ago. They were mostly attacking because it seemed like the thing to do. When I fought back they just kept running. According to the locals, this is what makes them so good. They are raised in a pack of 8-10, and used for pulling sleds and protecting camp from bears and would be thieves.

Hope this helps

Jim
 
I have a Samoyed(a Siberian sled dog). They love the winter and hate the summer. Samoyeds are all white, and weigh around 50lbs. They also have a continuous, very loud, annoying bark. :)

I think the digging instinct is in every sled dog. Mine has done a lot of damage digging.
 
Originally posted by Pentlatch
...They don't make good guard dogs at all. They shed a lot , don't like warm weather. They like to run deer and kill things.

...Better have a fenced yard with the fence buried as they like to dig. There are better dogs out there IMO.
Click to expand...

That sounds like the Husky I had.

I had a beautiful silver with blue eyes, but I would never have another.

They're hard to obedience train too.
 
golok,
General rule #1: Don't get a dog because it looked great in a movie!

You're doing the right research by asking past owners about the breed. Now get yourself down to the local animal shelter & let a mutt pick you!
 
I asked my wife, who is a vet, about Huskies. Her experience has been that they are cat killers. They are good with their own family, and can be trained, but they are on her list of dogs that she will never own. At present, we own a Boxer, a Boxer cross, a German Shepherd, and a Pug.

I personally am a German Shepherd man. They are extremely smart, loyal, and a trained one will get you all sorts of compliments. Very good for PR.

Scott
 
If you want a large dog with good temperment I would recommend a Shiloh Shepherd. The are are like a German Shepherd on steroids but with better temperment. Me my pup was 4 mon we wlked into a Petco and a toodler ran up to him and grabbed him around the head. Mars just stood there doing nothing. At 8 mon he is 95 lbs( on the vet's scale). They are expensive though $1000 for a pet quality is not uncommon. Visit http://www.shilohshepherd.com/

Bob
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top