Getting a Husky for Christmas

Hey Guys

It about 8 months since my last dog died. She was 15 and was a great pet. I have always wanted to get a Husky so i decided that the time is right.
I have decided to get one at christmas basically because i have 3 weeks holidays. So i will be there for the difficult training .
I am running into a little bit of an Issue as people are unwilling to sell to me for christmas for ovious resons. But due to the job that i am in , this is the best time for me to get one .
Anybody have any thoghts on it ?

ISDW

Hi Dre,

Hmmmm, this is a difficult one, because I would never rehome a dog near Christmas, for the obvious reasons you mention, however, what you have said about having 3 weeks holiday makes sense that it would be a good time for you. Christmas though can be a very difficult time in a household, lots of unusual excitement, extra people coming and going etc, so would the dog get into a routine even with your 3 weeks off?

Are you looking for a puppy, or would you consider an older dog? I run Irish Sled Dog Welfare, and whilst we don't have any huskies looking for a home right now, I'm sure this will change over the next few months. Please feel free to pm me, email or phone if you would be interested in a rescue dog, or if you have any questions on this gorgeous, but very difficult breed:D

Karen
085 1054009
irishsleddogs@btinternet.com

Dagon

I've always wanted a husky myself, lovely looking dogs. Apparently not as friendly as some dogs, and a little more independant. But I still love them..

My mum breeds pedigree dogs, and she is also very weary about selling at christmas. However, if the buyer is willing to travel to see the dog, she will often be able to tell if it's a genuine buyer just by talking or meeting the person.

So I'd say you could definitely get one for Christmas, but tell the seller you are prepared to travel to see the dog, and when you get there tell them your previous history of dog ownership. I'd be surprised if the seller deprived you after that...

Vel

There is a school of thought that says taking time off work to settle a dog in isn't necesarily that beneficial for the dog as it isn't the normal routine that the dog is going to have to get used to. When you then go back to work after spending a lot of time with the dog for 3 weeks, you might find you have a more unsettled, unhappy dog who has gotten used to you being around a lot. I think its best to get the dog used to what is going to be its daily routine straight away.

It sounds like the breeders you are approaching are being sensible in not wanting to rehome around Christmas so if you do happen to find one who will, check them out thoroughly!

I completly understand were you are all coming from about the christmas thing.
I am wanting to get a puppy so i can start training it.Also because i to have nieces and nephews and I know about all the issues with huskys and so on.
As i said christmas is the time i have most time off as i said and really i was hoping to do the house training around this time.It will be also quiet.
Thanks for all your comments on this.

conZ

A Husky has to be walked possibly about 10 miles a day, and if it doesn't get walked too often, it'll eventually get free and go off wandering by itself, and it can wander for miles, therefore hard to find... I've heard stories of one Husky running away from a house in County Limerick and found in the City.

You would want to be prepared to walk plenty, but you'd have to do more research into it as well - possibly ask owners/breeders about them., I'm not too well up on it tbh

I am fairly up there on what to do. I would like to meet an owner some time. I do plenty of walking so that shouldnt be a problem

whitser

get the huskie used to running beside you on the bike. you can give him all the running he needs then. but dont use this way of exercise til he's fully grown.

LadyTBolt

whitser wrote: »

get the huskie used to running beside you on the bike. you can give him all the running he needs then. but dont use this way of exercise til he's fully grown.

My partner was out running our dogs beside him on his bike one day (that he paid alot of money for the bike to do), when he was stopped by someone claiming to be ISPCA and said what he was doing was cruel. He was cycling on paths surrounded by fields and the dogs weren't on the footpath all the time, however the fact he was on the path at all was considered cruel.

No matter how good you think you are doing by your animals there is always somebody there to critisize. I think it's great exercise for the dog owner and the dog to go for a cycle.

whitser

i run mine all the time. i have 4 of them running beside me. as long you dont push the dogs too hard and arent dragging them along i cant see how its cruel. if thats cruel then so is putting a sled on a team of huskies!

I would be afrade they would run under the bike doing that .

kerrysgold

I think you'd be better off with an older dog as even if you have 3 weeks off, pups still need near constant supervision and company until they are older and being left alone all day isn't ideal at all. Will you be hiring somebody to come in during the middle of the day to take him out and break the day plus give him some exersize?

they do need an awful lot of exersize, the bike idea sounds good if you weren't planning on getting into sledding, I suppose as long as the dog doesn't try to run in front of you it would be a fun way to exersize him and they are bred to run for miles so should make the dog very happy.

Alun

LadyTBolt wrote: »

My partner was out running our dogs beside him on his bike one day (that he paid alot of money for the bike to do), when he was stopped by someone claiming to be ISPCA and said what he was doing was cruel. He was cycling on paths surrounded by fields and the dogs weren't on the footpath all the time, however the fact he was on the path at all was considered cruel.

No matter how good you think you are doing by your animals there is always somebody there to critisize. I think it's great exercise for the dog owner and the dog to go for a cycle.

You see people in the Netherlands doing this all the time! They have special attachments for their bikes with springs to attach the leads to. Here's a link (in Dutch) where you can see what I mean ...

http://www.dursydog.nl/index.asp?strPageType=productpagina&intHoofdgroepID=308&intSubgroepID=427&intProductID=36725

.. and some other typically dutch doggy accessories ...

http://www.dursydog.nl/index.asp?strPageType=categoriepagina&intHoofdgroepID=308&intSubgroepID=427

ISDW

There are attachments that you can get for bikes, called Springers, that allow the dog to run alongside the bike, and it has a shock absorber type thing built in.

Scootering is also very popular now with sled dog owners, you can't get any in this country, but there a few companies in the UK that sell them. Again though, you'd have to wait till the dog is much older if you do get a puppy.

AmyG

Deleted User wrote: »

Hey Guys

It about 8 months since my last dog died. She was 15 and was a great pet. I have always wanted to get a Husky so i decided that the time is right.
I have decided to get one at christmas basically because i have 3 weeks holidays. So i will be there for the difficult training .
I am running into a little bit of an Issue as people are unwilling to sell to me for christmas for ovious resons. But due to the job that i am in , this is the best time for me to get one .
Anybody have any thoghts on it ?

I got my dog last year at christmas (a samoyed husky) and i find it too was a good time as i had alot of free time for training. I say go for it. Your responsible enough to realise that the dog needs time to be trained!
If you look up kennel club owners and ring around you may find a bitch due about now and have the pup for christmas time...

cairns

Most reputable breeders will not allow a puppy go to a new home at Christmas. This is normally a busy time in a household and with people coming and going doors being left open or the pup getting accidentaly stood on and then there is the christmas tree with all those lovely enticing articles on it that are deadly to a puppy.
There are a hell of a lot of puppies purposely bred for the Christmas market so you will have to be even more careful than ever about where you buy.
Just because you are willing to travel will not be a guarantee to a breeder that it is the right home for their puppy. There is a huge amount of people looking for puppies in December and if you contact those people in January they no longer want a puppy so that is why good breeders even if they have puppies available will make people wait.

I would understand that too but i have to say im looking forward to christmas as its going to be relaxing this year. So i will be good for that .

Discodog

In England none of the newspapers including Free ads will advertise dogs near christmas. I would be highly suspicious of any breeder who had christmas puppies for sale. Try & get a rescued sled dog. So much nicer to give a deserving dog a home than a breeder a handfull of money to breed more dogs with.