:yeahthat:
I have nothing against large (I own a Newf) or "aggressive" breeds (we also have a pit)
What I don't own is a dog with a high prey drive...or any prey drive at all.
It just wouldn't fit my lifestyle.
Siberian Husky, what are they like?
- Thread starter JessicaR
- Start date
Help Support Rabbit Talk Forum:
:yeahthat:
I have nothing against large (I own a Newf) or "aggressive" breeds (we also have a pit)
What I don't own is a dog with a high prey drive...or any prey drive at all.
It just wouldn't fit my lifestyle.
MamaSheepdog":cyamrdop said:
Probably puppy coat! When the standard poodle was the hardest to groom was during that transition from puppy fluff to adult coat. I swear if you just looked at the coat it would matt :shock: Grooming doesn't bother me, the only thing I wouldn't know how to do is strip a terrier coat.
Keeshond are beautiful, I wonder how hard show grooming would be? That's the problem with some breeds, yes I can do basic grooming fine its the show grooming that is killer :lol: Which is one reason why I wont get a poodle, way to much grooming involved for the show ring.
I am still thinking Aussie or GSD would be a good fit, now to decide which one.
Unfortunately show quality Aussies now have coats like ChowChows 
and are not very practical for a farm.
Up here the working type GSD are making a comeback in the show ring and that ridiculous crab walk is no longer in style but I don't know if the same can be said for the USA, I wasn't a fan of the walk in the GSD shown at Westminster.
Maybe one of the Belgian or Dutch Shepherds instead, there is less competition and I find that the differences between working and show bloodlines is less extreme.
and are not very practical for a farm.Up here the working type GSD are making a comeback in the show ring and that ridiculous crab walk is no longer in style but I don't know if the same can be said for the USA, I wasn't a fan of the walk in the GSD shown at Westminster.
Maybe one of the Belgian or Dutch Shepherds instead, there is less competition and I find that the differences between working and show bloodlines is less extreme.
I show in UKC and the GSD's there are less extreme and more of the working style unlike the AKC dogs. Aussies are the same way. I like the Belgian shepherds too but in UKC they are a pain to show because of the special judging they have to go through hardly any shows have them.
That's why I like UKC, they are more about preserving the breed as it was meant to be. No professional handlers or products allowed!
That's why I like UKC, they are more about preserving the breed as it was meant to be. No professional handlers or products allowed!
Schipperkesue
Well-known member
JessicaR":2noj4091 said:
UKC obedience trials are really a breath of fresh air! Most enjoyable to attend both as a spectator as well as a participant.
This has been a fun tread to read - recently had to say goodbye to our Husky mix girl (she was 15) There's nothing I can add about the breed, this thread just brought back some wonderful memories of Mica. You know, like having to swim across a large pond to drag her fluffy behind away from chasing ducks, Or that open cesspool she dove head first into. Driving the car all over God's Half-acre calling her name because when she escaped the only way to get her back was the promise of a car ride. The mice she captured and brought me... :lol: Honestly - I really Miss that #@#% Dog. She was a piece of work.
I always thought Samoyeds were lovely dogs but I've never owned or knew one.
I will say I am in love with English Shepherds - I was unaware that all those farm dogs everyone I know owned as a kid were actually a breed or at least a mix of a breed - nobody told me until I went looking for one Farm Aussies are wonderful too, I'd say they are like minded dogs. - My English/Aussie mix was THE. BEST. DOG. I know I am Biased but he was my loyal, loving partner till the end.
recently had to say goodbye to our Husky mix girl (she was 15) There's nothing I can add about the breed, this thread just brought back some wonderful memories of Mica. You know, like having to swim across a large pond to drag her fluffy behind away from chasing ducks, Or that open cesspool she dove head first into. Driving the car all over God's Half-acre calling her name because when she escaped the only way to get her back was the promise of a car ride. The mice she captured and brought me... :lol: Honestly - I really Miss that #@#% Dog. She was a piece of work. I always thought Samoyeds were lovely dogs but I've never owned or knew one.
I will say I am in love with English Shepherds - I was unaware that all those farm dogs everyone I know owned as a kid were actually a breed or at least a mix of a breed - nobody told me until I went looking for one
Farm Aussies are wonderful too, I'd say they are like minded dogs. - My English/Aussie mix was THE. BEST. DOG. I know I am Biased but he was my loyal, loving partner till the end.DogCatMom
Well-known member
JessicaR":y8v54868 said:
Two of GF's rescue Keeshonden had been in the show ring, believe it or not. They were absolutely stunning-looking dogs. Wow... But life interferes with our plans and our lives, and sometimes the most responsible thing to do is to ask the rescue group to find a good home for your dog.
GF asked me to help her groom the former show dogs, since by the time she got Show Dog #1 I had worked in Shop #1. Kees need the basics, nothing special in the way of shaping the coat:
--clean the ears
--trim the feet, hocks, and nails
--brush out the undercoat and the outer coat (before *and* after the bath, if you can manage it)
--bathe when needed.
But none of her Kees, foster or resident--except for one with a chronic skin condition--needed bathing very often. My base guideline of bathing Berners once a month didn't apply to the Kees at all. Several of hers didn't need bathing (if the brushing was kept up) except for maybe three or so times a year.
Keep up with the feet and the brushing. Clippers not needed (unlike poodles). Wide-toothed comb (e.g., coarse Resco) works very well to test whether the Kees is adequately brushed. Check especially on the upper chest and front neck--matts love to hide out in the extra-dense coat there.Of course, if you have a blower, blowing out the undercoat is much faster than brushing it out, but beware of creating dryer knots.
Sounds a lot easier than the shelties! the biggest pain with them is getting the head and ears trimmed, I still haven't got that perfected yet! Then you got to trim the feet and hocks which isn't to bad, then all the line brushing :shock: its a pain when the dog doesn't want to lay on its side for an hour.
Schipperkesue
Well-known member
You know, if you like to show, don't want much show grooming and want a trainable dog, consider a Schipperke. I have had them for almost 25 years and love them!
The_Dutchess
Well-known member
My mother had a Husky when she was a little girl. He was such a great dog, and a soft pillow when watching a movie too! lol
One day when she was walking home from school, some dogs were chasing her, so she ran, and Cam-Chaka (the husky) chased them away.
But he was also a wimp. My mom was in the living room and all of the sudden she hears a big THUD! She goes into the kitchen and saw a dead bat and "dead" Cam-Chaka. A bat flew at the window and he freaked out and fainted!
Unfortunately, Cam-Chaka died at an early age from heat stroke, because the had him in Florida. (They got him at a pet store in the mall and didn't know)
I have always loved the breed and plan to get one eventually. <br /><br /> __________ Wed Mar 12, 2014 10:04 am __________ <br /><br /> My mom did say that when strangers or kids came over to play with her toys, he would bark. So they had to keep him tied up, but with proper training it's not a bad thing to have a protective dog, especially in this day and age.
One day when she was walking home from school, some dogs were chasing her, so she ran, and Cam-Chaka (the husky) chased them away.
But he was also a wimp. My mom was in the living room and all of the sudden she hears a big THUD! She goes into the kitchen and saw a dead bat and "dead" Cam-Chaka. A bat flew at the window and he freaked out and fainted!
Unfortunately, Cam-Chaka died at an early age from heat stroke, because the had him in Florida. (They got him at a pet store in the mall and didn't know)
I have always loved the breed and plan to get one eventually. <br /><br /> __________ Wed Mar 12, 2014 10:04 am __________ <br /><br /> My mom did say that when strangers or kids came over to play with her toys, he would bark. So they had to keep him tied up, but with proper training it's not a bad thing to have a protective dog, especially in this day and age.
I had a gorgeous one, before I got into shelties. Her name was Rhiannon, and she was a dark cinnamon with blue eyes. She was very well trained, did all the basic stuff, even did some hand commands, and was the best mannered husky I'd ever seen. I worked very hard on her- trying to make her into a good 'dog', problem is that their not really dogs, their quite primitive, much closer to wolves. They do what you want when they want to, their easily bored and destroy things, and yes they have a high prey drive, I've seen them jump up 6 feet and take a bird out of the air. I've heard firsthand the horror stories of how they just go into a killing frenzy and kill everything in sight, and how they lived with cats for years until suddenly one day they just killed all the cats in the house. Huskies have also been responsible for human fatalities in the past enough times that they are on some insurance companies do not insure list like pits and rotts. I loved my Sibe, but I never trusted her, one time she pulled a screen and a fan out of a window and escaped for 4 days. She'd listen in my presence, unless she saw something move and she'd get that feral look and I'd lost her. Took a lot of yelling to get her to refocus on me. I stopped letting her off leash very early, she was still a leggy pup- taught her to lunge like a horse around me to burn off the energy, always crated her when I was gone so she didn't go thru the window again- it wasn't worth it. If your used to shelties your going to be disapointed and seriously unhappy in time with a Sibe. They never stop running, they never stop destroying they never stop killing things. I have 6 shelties, most are soft, however I do have three here that aren't sissies, and basicly look you in the eye and say 'Up yours'. Ones a grandaughter of Harry Potter, others are a mix of Cedarhope Banchory and Bronwyn and other lines. Of course their all girls, boys are so squishy. Harder lines do exist in shelties. I know that Sibies are drop dead gorgeous, but pretty is as pretty does, and I cannot suggest one to anyone as a pet. They are working dogs.
My nephew wanted a Husky but his mom vetod it so he is trying to get a new breed ive never heard of - a Klee Kai - that are mini huskies developed from small Siberians, Mini American Eskimos and Schipperkes
But I don't think they can be shown in the AKA
http://www.alaskankleekaiscam.com/alask ... the-breed/
But I don't think they can be shown in the AKA
http://www.alaskankleekaiscam.com/alask ... the-breed/
Schipperkesue
Well-known member
You are correct, Dood, they are a recently created breed.
MamaSheepdog
Well-known member
Wow, those are cute dogs!
It sounds like their temperament is much the same, activity wise, as Sibe's though. But they got the "I hate strangers" mentality from the American Eskimo breed.
My Eskie was very standoffish with strangers, but as long as people ignored her and let her approach them she was fine.
It sounds like their temperament is much the same, activity wise, as Sibe's though. But they got the "I hate strangers" mentality from the American Eskimo breed.
My Eskie was very standoffish with strangers, but as long as people ignored her and let her approach them she was fine.
Schipperkesue
Well-known member
Here is a description of the breed by a friend of mine, Arcticsun Kennels (show/working siberians):
Siberian Huskies are a wonderful breed. In a nutshell, they can never be off leash, a loose Siberian is a gone Siberian. They will not stick around the farm, a sled dog that won't leave home will not get you very far. They are predatory with small animals. A Siberian that cant feed itself would starve to death in the arctic. A bored Siberian will find horrible ways of entertaining themselves. They are a pack animal. YOU will be its pack. It does not need to be DOING things with you. Just BEING with you is quality time. So you watching TV or on the computer or doing laundry is fine with the sibe if they are in the house. Siberian do NOT need miles and miles of exercise. In fact the more you exercise it, the more it will need. You are better off with a fenced yard and/or a chain. We use 10 foot chains on our guys, but a zip line can be any length and you can do a 15 even 20 foot chain. Just remember to make it appropriately tough. You WILL need to up the security around your small animals. Incvivible fencing might work, it does with SOME siberians. Put it on full ZAP the first time you use it. Wet down he dog's neck too.
Your Siberian will not play fetch, it will not come when called, it will not live to obey your every command. It will think for itself, it will see you as a leader but also as a buddy, not a master. It will shed twice a year, prodigious amounts. Spayed Siberians shed less in volume but over a longer period of time.
I loooove my siberians. If you are ready for them, they are amazing. I have siberian that would never go into the chicken pen because either A) too scary,( that is my big macho leader King), or B) too icky (Princess Ayla). or C) too much like work (Flo). On the other hand I have chainlink around my birds for a reason and little Sally tore down a panel and wiped out part of a flock in seconds.
Most of my Siberians are great house dogs, but I do not leave them alone in the house. Some of my guys are demons on sled, but in the house they lay comatose on the couch and it is a fight to get them outside.
I loooove my Siberians. They are not for everyone, but if you click with one , it is wonderful and very different from what it is like to have a herding breed sitting at your feet gazing loving y at you just waiting for you to utter the next command.
For hiking in the woods and such. I have some that I can have off leash, I have some that can have a long line dragging, I have some that I have on a long line and I hold it, and some that unless they are in harness and hooked to an anchor, we don't go anywhere near the trails.
Hope this helps!
Siberian Huskies are a wonderful breed. In a nutshell, they can never be off leash, a loose Siberian is a gone Siberian. They will not stick around the farm, a sled dog that won't leave home will not get you very far. They are predatory with small animals. A Siberian that cant feed itself would starve to death in the arctic. A bored Siberian will find horrible ways of entertaining themselves. They are a pack animal. YOU will be its pack. It does not need to be DOING things with you. Just BEING with you is quality time. So you watching TV or on the computer or doing laundry is fine with the sibe if they are in the house. Siberian do NOT need miles and miles of exercise. In fact the more you exercise it, the more it will need. You are better off with a fenced yard and/or a chain. We use 10 foot chains on our guys, but a zip line can be any length and you can do a 15 even 20 foot chain. Just remember to make it appropriately tough. You WILL need to up the security around your small animals. Incvivible fencing might work, it does with SOME siberians. Put it on full ZAP the first time you use it. Wet down he dog's neck too.
Your Siberian will not play fetch, it will not come when called, it will not live to obey your every command. It will think for itself, it will see you as a leader but also as a buddy, not a master. It will shed twice a year, prodigious amounts. Spayed Siberians shed less in volume but over a longer period of time.
I loooove my siberians. If you are ready for them, they are amazing. I have siberian that would never go into the chicken pen because either A) too scary,( that is my big macho leader King), or B) too icky (Princess Ayla). or C) too much like work (Flo). On the other hand I have chainlink around my birds for a reason and little Sally tore down a panel and wiped out part of a flock in seconds.
Most of my Siberians are great house dogs, but I do not leave them alone in the house. Some of my guys are demons on sled, but in the house they lay comatose on the couch and it is a fight to get them outside.
I loooove my Siberians. They are not for everyone, but if you click with one , it is wonderful and very different from what it is like to have a herding breed sitting at your feet gazing loving y at you just waiting for you to utter the next command.
For hiking in the woods and such. I have some that I can have off leash, I have some that can have a long line dragging, I have some that I have on a long line and I hold it, and some that unless they are in harness and hooked to an anchor, we don't go anywhere near the trails.
Hope this helps!
Klee Kia's can be shown in UKC which is what I would be showing in, but I am looking to get a bigger dog, and I believe the biggest AKK is around the size of a sheltie. After talking with my hubs we think a GSD or Doberman would probably be the best.
We don't live in a big city, only 10,000 people but since we live in between Columbus and Detroit, the drug activity has jumped big time, especially heroin! We have had a lot more break ins and assaults. I am home by myself while the kids are in school, and hubs job has been requiring him to travel more often so there are times he is gone from anywhere from a couple of days to a couple of weeks. I am not normally a paranoid person, but I would feel better if I had a more intimidating looking dog.
We don't live in a big city, only 10,000 people but since we live in between Columbus and Detroit, the drug activity has jumped big time, especially heroin! We have had a lot more break ins and assaults. I am home by myself while the kids are in school, and hubs job has been requiring him to travel more often so there are times he is gone from anywhere from a couple of days to a couple of weeks. I am not normally a paranoid person, but I would feel better if I had a more intimidating looking dog.
Schipperkesue
Well-known member
Sibes do not make food guard dogs. They will usher the thief in and show him how to open the fridge! If the Klee Kai is too small, then you won't be looking at Schips. But they are great guard dogs!
Oh my no Sibes won't guard anything, they often won't even do a warning 'bark' if someone shows up, and they do this yodel thing, and howl from time to time. Mine never barked, never was aggressive towards any human, even strangers, never warned me that someone was coming. As for shedding I'd say that one Sibie is equal to 2.3 shelties, and as the Sibes fur is finer easier to inhale. I don't miss that. Between a GSD and a Dobe I'd pick the Dobe, I was raised with them as my dad showed and bred them. Their smart, scary smart, are as a rule healthier than most GSD's- although every breed has their share of genetic conditions. I've found GSD's to be more quick to bite than most Dobes- Dobes use their paws a lot like a cat, if their going to bite you they grab and pull you in then use their mouth. Of course German bred anything is going to be harder than American bred. I like Dobes, will never have one again, I just have no use for a protective high drive breed. I like little foofy dogs that tell me whats going on so that I can then protect myself.
I know sibes don't guard but I thought maybe they would be big enough to be scary looking.
I grew up with GSD's and have raised 3 Dobermans, so I am pretty familiar with both breeds. I just cant decide between the 2 :lol: I think finding one that I like will be hard.
I am going to make a pro and con list for the breeds I am considering so I can better choose. Unlike other people *cough* my brother, I take a while to research my dogs before I get one. In the meantime I think the next pup I raise will be a Doberman.
I grew up with GSD's and have raised 3 Dobermans, so I am pretty familiar with both breeds. I just cant decide between the 2 :lol: I think finding one that I like will be hard.
I am going to make a pro and con list for the breeds I am considering so I can better choose. Unlike other people *cough* my brother, I take a while to research my dogs before I get one. In the meantime I think the next pup I raise will be a Doberman.
IF I ever did get a Dobie again it would be a fawn female- every bit as gorgeous as a husky. The fawns have always made me stop dead in my tracks and just stare, and there's a shrewd mind behind that pretty face.
