<span title="Huskies???????????????????????">Huskies??????????????????...</span>

Question

I am trying to convince my parents to buy a husky. I am wondering if they are good family pets?

Answer 1

I used to be the owner of a husky. He was the best dog and friend I had ever had. He was so smart and intelligent. I also had him house broken in one day. He would do anything that I would tell him. Also, very gentle with my daughter and watched over her like she was his own. Siberian Huskies are strong, compact, working dogs. They do need lots of exercise and attention. I walked Kimo twice a day. But I would highly recommend a husky to anyone. I&#039;ve been looking for  another one myself. My passed away several years ago. Their also such a beautiful dog and easy to maintain. They do shed off in the  fall and need lots of brushing.  

Answer 2

How big is your yard? If you do not have a big yard where the husky can run as much as he/she likes, whenever he/she likes, do not get one. Walks will not satisfy a husky&#039;s need for exercise.

They are GREAT family dogs.. But only for families that will not have small children poking and prodding. They are extremely intelligent and learn quickly, but have a lot of energy and their priorities in life are &#039;PLAY!&#039; first, and all basic needs after that. They only shed twice a year but when they do it&#039;s a pain. If you get one, just brush them during this time and pull as much of their loose fur out as you can so it doesn&#039;t get all over the house.

They are absolutely horrible guard dogs because, as a whole, they&#039;d be more interested in saying hello to a robber than attacking them.

They are massive diggers and will dig out of a fenced yard, and they will run away.. I&#039;ve had that happen twice with my old boy. Lucky we got him back.

Yes, they are a bit stubborn. Not stupid, they might seem dumb when they &#039;don&#039;t get&#039; that they&#039;re not supposed to, say, jump on furniture. They just don&#039;t care. They&#039;d rather make their own rules.

They are very clean dogs, they do not require regular baths as they will spend hours grooming themselves. Like cats, actually.

Speaking of cats, huskies and cats don&#039;t mix. Nor do huskies and bunnies, guinea pigs, or small dogs! On the upside, however, a husky will keep your yard squirrel and possum free! :)

I absolutely love huskies and think they&#039;re simply the best, and I guarantee that if you get a husky and take it for a walk, people WILL stop and compliment your dog. I guarantee it.

Answer 3

Okay, lets clear some things up here. I have to wonder if most of these people answering have ever even owned a Husky? Ulva hit the mark on this one with their answer.

Yes, Huskies are a LOT of work. I mean a lot. Most people have no clue what they&#039;re getting into, and therefore you find a lot of huskies in shelters.

This breed CAN get along with cats. Now with that said you do have to be careful. Not all of them get along with cats. Mine happens to love my two cats. He chases them in fun, and they chase him. My sisters Husky also gets along with cats. This is not going to be the case with every single husky.

Also, just because he gets along with my cats doesn&#039;t mean he likes other peoples cats.

He HATES squirrels. Our yard is relatively squirrel free.

You mentioned you have two acres. All that space isn&#039;t going to help unless it&#039;s fenced. Huskies are nomads. They run and they wander and most of the time they do not come back. Mine has never returned on his own. A fence is a must with this breed. You also have to be careful because they will dig under or climb over to get out. I&#039;ve seen mine climb our fence. I call them hairy houdinis.

I noticed you connected to me through Yahoo answers so I&#039;ll spare my whole speech and you can look up my previous answers if you want. =) Also feel free to email me if you have certain questions.

Bottom line, Huskies are really great pets. I wouldn&#039;t trade mine for anything. They&#039;re just not for everyone!

Good luck! =)  

Answer 4

Ulva said it all for this one, however, I think instead of &quot;disruptive&quot;, it should be &quot;destructive&quot;.

:)

Answer 5

great pets. just be prepared for much shedding. and keep them well exercised. they are gorgouse

Answer 6

Huskies are really great dogs, but they need lots of exercise. They also shed alot during their shedding seasons. But other than that, a Husky should make a great pet.

Answer 7

Of all the dogs I&#039;ve owned, my favorite was my husky, Nakita.  But, I will never own another husky!  They&#039;re just not meant to be pets.

Huskies and malamutes are the closest relatives to wolves.  They are very difficult to train, even for an experienced owner.  They need more exercise than you will believe, and are nearly impossible to walk, since they are bred to pull (and are incredibly strong, too.)  They have wanderlust, and are creative enough to find ways out of your yard.

They&#039;re smart.  Much too smart.  Any husky in an inexperienced home will quickly become the alpha dog, and you won&#039;t be able to tell it anything.  And on top of all that, their thick fur makes them uncomfortable in warm climates (read: places you like to live)

Not to mention it&#039;s very difficult to bathe them, since they hate water almost as much as cats!

Please consider a more agreeable breed, like a german shepherd, or a golden retriever.

Answer 8

Siberians are great dogs for the right owner.

But, if you don&#039;t have hours a day to committ to the dog, and for the next 15 years, then they are an awful choice.  

They can be good family pets, but can also be one person dogs.  

They are not particularly loyal, so if you or another member of the family forgets to close the gate, the dog will be gone with little hope of returning.

They also have a very high prey drive.  Have a cat?  Or any squirrels or chihuahuas around?  Bad match.

I&#039;m just curious why you would be so set on a breed that you don&#039;t know alot about?  

They are not a dog for a first time owner.  They can be very stubborn and are incredibly difficult to train.  

You need to visit http://www.shca.org to learn more about the breed from people who know it inside and out.

GL to you and your family.  

Added:  An hour a day of walking is not going to cut it.  I&#039;m talking about 2-5 hours a day of exercise and work.  

On top of that, who will inherit this resopnsibility when you move out of the house?

Riding horses is a great first step, but Siberians simply aren&#039;t great first dogs.  It&#039;s not just a matter of &quot;taking control&quot; - it&#039;s knowing how to properly do it.  And, it&#039;s everyone in the family doing the same.

Answer 9

This breed is NOT a breed for everyone by any stretch of the imagination!

Siberians are:

--  Not like your “average” dog.

-- High Energy (A bored Husky is a destructive Husky!).

-- Independent (They have no trouble ignoring you, They don’t live to please you).

--Willfull and mischievous and very strong willed. (Can you live with a 2 year old

    for14+years?).

-- Very Friendly (want a guard dog? Think again!).

-- Too smart for most people. (They require firm and consistent training).

-- Prey Driven (They may kill small animals, including cats).

-- Loud (they will howl &amp; “talk” ).

-- MUST have a fenced in yard and NEVER be allowed off-lead.

-- Big time shedders.(and twice a year they blow their coat.. This takes shedding to a  

    whole new level).

-- Diggers by nature

Siberians make excellent pets for the right people. Research the breed thoroughly before disiding to &quot;convince&quot; your parents!

--*IF* you honestly believe that your family can handle a Siberian..

either go through a reputable breeder or a rescue. Never a poorly bred dog from a BYB/Puppymill.

Add-

Cheers Paws (y)

Answer 10

If you don&#039;t know much about Huskies, then my best advice is to do a lot of research on them, and understand what you are getting into.. Yes all medium and long hair dogs shed a lot.. that is a given.. But their attitudes do differ.. Please do research before getting a dog.. They are great dogs, but high maintenance..  

Answer 11

they are fantastic pets, i used to have a husky called polo, and he was so sweet, tho they do need ALOT of excercise, and when you come home from going out expect to be knocked on the floor and licked to death!