Are all dog breeds suitable as pets?

ISDW

This started on another thread, so rather than take it off topic too much, thought it might be an interesting one to discuss.

I have siberian huskies, love them to bits and got my first two as family pets. I would be hypocritical if I said I didn't think they should be kept as pets, but in all honesty, I think I'm coming round to that point of view. I've seen so many of them end up in shelters, dumped in pounds, or killed by farmers or run over because the owners didn't seem to realise that they are not a 'normal' family dog.

These are dogs that were bred to work, they need a lot of exercise to keep them fit and healthy, mentally as well as physically and a lot of people get them because they're cute, and don't realise what the breed is actually about.

Someone else on the other thread mentioned Patterdale terriers, there are a lot of breeds that are working dogs, that maybe being kept as a pet and getting one or two walks a day isn't enough for them?

I'm not a breed snob, I just thought this might be an interesting topic for discussion, I'm not having a go at anybody who has a pet 'working' dog, and I know the law isn't going to change so that working dogs can't be kept as pets.

Whispered

My opinion is that at some stage most dogs were bred for some sort of work. So long as an owner is willing to allow the dog do this, or adapt some way for them to use their natural talents, then I don't see why any breed shouldn't be a pet.

I also think it would be a dangerous thing to overly differentiate between a pet breed and a working breed because it would give lazy owners a chance to say "oh it's a pet breed, it doesn't need a walk every day".

I suppose what I'm trying to say is not all breeds are suitable for all owners, but where problems arise I would suggest that it's the owners fault, or a bad match up between breed and expectations (poor labs get this all the time). It's not that the dog breed itself is not a suitable pet.

andreac

It really all depends.

As you say, if you get a dog that is bred for purpose, hunting, herding etc, you need to be prepared to ensure these dogs are getting enough exercise and stimulation as its not fair on them otherwise and this is where the problem starts then and owners cant handle them when they become destructive due to boredom and lack of stimulation.

Theres a thread here where someone is looking for a Cocker Spaniel but the dog will be on its own all day and will not get enough exercise so this home would not be suitable for that type of dog.

I think most breeds make good pets only if the research is done correctly and the time and effort is put in to whatever training, exercise and lifestyle the dog needs.

carwash_2006

I do think it's not a simple matter and ultimately probably comes back to people needing to question very carefully what they want out of their pet dog and what breeds or mixes are likely to meet these needs.

I got my pair of Patterdale crosses as pets, now in fairness they were advertised as border terrier crosses and I had never heard of a Patterdale or seen a picture of one until I had had them about 3 years. There is no doubt that the boy is very strongly a patterdale, luckily for me I was a reasonably experienced dog owner, although these were the first dogs that I would have on my own, we had always had dogs in the family and I had been the main trainer of several of them from when I was a teenager. I also have some very useful family members when it comes to training as well. Had I been totally inexperienced I really don't like to think what sort of situation I would have ended up with at all and I do think there is a strong possibility that they could have ended up run over or in the pound before they were very old.

Now, if I had known they were part patterdale or even seen a picture of a patterdale before so I would have recognized the dad for what he was I would never have taken them and in a way I would have lost out on a lot as I have a wonderful bond with the wee lad. I do wish I had heeded the advice that was casually given me on not getting 2 dogs from the same litter though, but that is a whole other discussion.

Some people may not wanting a working dog to work as such, but will do fine with their working dog as a pet, others will end up in the pound as we see every day when they become too much for the owner that doesn't understand the needs of these dogs. Others still will just end up with miserable dogs and miserable owners and the owners will never fully understand where things have gone so wrong. With a lot of these dogs often some simple training will satisfy their needs and a strong bond with an owner. The job they do doesn't always have to be the one they were originally bred for. Of course a lot of them have a much greater need for exercise than most people can meet as well, although often agility, or some other energetic class can do a lot for them.

I'm sure we are going to get some very mixed opinions on this one and one thing that will always happen is that people make mistakes and misjudge things and being people we should not be judged on these alone, how we cope with our mistakes and try to rectify them is just as important.

lrushe

I don't think any breed wouldn't make a good pet, it is just that some people don't make good dog owners or end up with a breed that doesn't suit their lifestyle.
Take Boarder Collies as an example, there is nothing a dedicated owner cannot do with a breed like this and you don't have to have a flock of sheep and acres of land however left by itself for hours at a time and this breed can be a nightmare even dangerous.
It's true that alot of dogs don't get to pratice the jobs they were bred for but in this day and age there are plenty of alternatives like agility or flyball etc.

The Sweeper

No, not all breeds are suitable as family pets. If by 'family pet' you mean a dog that will function well in a social, family environment, have some attachment to children, have tolerance of visitors to the house etc, then no.

Dogs that I can think of offhand that are not 'pets' (still great dogs, IMHO, but not 'pets') include: presa canario, maremma, ovcharka - caucasian and central asian - and anatolian shepherd. I've met all five of these breeds in the hands of good owners, and they are fantastic dogs, and they should never be allowed within spitting distance of a suburban block with an unfocused owner.

carwash_2006

lrushe wrote: »

I don't think any breed wouldn't make a good pet, it is just that some people don't make good dog owners or end up with a breed that doesn't suit their lifestyle.
Take Boarder Collies as an example, there is nothing a dedicated owner cannot do with a breed like this and you don't have to have a flock of sheep and acres of land however left by itself for hours at a time and this breed can be a nightmare even dangerous.
It's true that alot of dogs don't get to pratice the jobs they were bred for but in this day and age there are plenty of alternatives like agility or flyball etc.

But there are lots of people with frustrated collies that would make perfectly adequate owners for a ****z tzu or bishon!

Just because you would not make a good collie owner does not mean you should not have a pet dog.

There is also more to managing some breeds that doing agility or flyball doesn't cover. I do train for agility with my lad, but I still have to be aware of the fact that he has a very high prey drive and have to be careful that he is not allowed to get into situations where he could do harm. This can also mean with other dogs even though he is dog friendly. If another dog comes to him with an attitude he is perfectly game for a fight and he could do a fair bit more damage with his physique than other dogs of a similar size.

I just don't think it is a simple matter at all.

lrushe

carwash_2006 wrote: »

But there are lots of people with frustrated collies that would make perfectly adequate owners for a ****z tzu or bishon!

Just because you would not make a good collie owner does not mean you should not have a pet dog.

Like I said some people end up with a dog unsuitabe for their lifestyle doesn't mean another dog wouldn't suit them.

carwash_2006 wrote: »

There is also more to managing some breeds that doing agility or flyball doesn't cover. I do train for agility with my lad, but I still have to be aware of the fact that he has a very high prey drive and have to be careful that he is not allowed to get into situations where he could do harm. This can also mean with other dogs even though he is dog friendly. If another dog comes to him with an attitude he is perfectly game for a fight and he could do a fair bit more damage with his physique than other dogs of a similar size.

I just don't think it is a simple matter at all.

Agility and flyball were two examples. There is tracking, carting, field work, advanced obedience...look hard enough there is something to suit every dog. Everyone has to manage their dog to some extent it's part of dog ownership and some people take it more seriously than others.

carwash_2006

Ok I think we're actually saying more or less the same things really :pac:

When you say you don't think any breed doesn't make a good pet, I think you mean in the hands of the right owner?

So maybe dogs should be differentiated into working pets and companion pets?

Bullseye1

Are all people suitable to keep pets is the bigger question.

Certain dogs need certain activities and surroundings to provide a stimulating environment. So while all dogs may be suitable as pets a proposed environment may not be suitable.

lrushe

carwash_2006 wrote: »

Ok I think we're actually saying more or less the same things really :pac:

I thought so too

carwash_2006 wrote: »

When you say you don't think any breed doesn't make a good pet, I think you mean in the hands of the right owner?

Exactly!

Shanao

The Sweeper wrote: »

No, not all breeds are suitable as family pets. If by 'family pet' you mean a dog that will function well in a social, family environment, have some attachment to children, have tolerance of visitors to the house etc, then no.

Dogs that I can think of offhand that are not 'pets' (still great dogs, IMHO, but not 'pets') include: presa canario, maremma, ovcharka - caucasian and central asian - and anatolian shepherd. I've met all five of these breeds in the hands of good owners, and they are fantastic dogs, and they should never be allowed within spitting distance of a suburban block with an unfocused owner.

Haven't had the privilege of meeting an Ovcharka yet, but I would definitely agree with you on the other three, and I'd add the Fila Brasiliero as well- a dog so renowned for its aggressiveness that the breed standard calls for judges to not touch the dogs at shows.

But again, like most people, I think any dog is fine once in the hands of an experienced, dedicated and responsible owner. People really need to start doing their research though and realise just what their dog was bred for and what it will be like as an adult before they decide on it. I'm sick of seeing dogs being given up because 'he got too big for the kids' when they've bought a st bernard, or 'he's digging up the garden' for a poor collie who's never walked.

TooManyDogs

The Sweeper wrote: »

Dogs that I can think of offhand that are not 'pets' (still great dogs, IMHO, but not 'pets') include: presa canario, maremma, ovcharka - caucasian and central asian - and anatolian shepherd.

I hadn't heard of most of those breeds!!!:eek: Will have to google them

I think it depends on what a person defines as a pet and what they want out of a dog. When I'm choosing a new dog competitive agility is firmly in the back of my mind. Too many people simply don't do any research on breeds and aren't honest enough with themselves about their lifestyle, they're captured by the cute pictures or even worse, movie dogs without realistically seeing how that breed would fit into their situation. So while I train all of my lot in agility am I dedicated enough to get a border collie?? Probably not, too many other things going on in my life at the moment.

I think there are quite a few dog breeds I think are not suitable pets for the 'standard' pet home like border collies, husky breeds, some of the native Irish terrier breeds.

hpsheba

Love this thread Karen I honesty don't know the answer though to your question.

I have 2 collies and a GSD cross. I don't do agility or flyball. They get 2 x 1 hours walks minimum a day. They come to work with me when I feel they need extra stimulation and other than that we have used daycare when I could not bring them to work. All the usual toys are here in the house Kongs, Puzzles etc and I think they have a great life BUT I have encountered the people who say to me that it is unfair (especially on the 2 collies) to have them living in a surburban built up area area. And I know of a case where a rescue turned down a similar home to mine for a collie as they felt it would not be a suitable home.

I found a website earlier this year and there were some dogs on that I had not heard of before and TBH some of them scared the s*it out of me and I work with dogs all day. Some breeds I would be wary of living in Ireland only because we do not as a nation have a great record of dealing with dog related issues but as always I do feel in general it depends on the owners and not so much the breed of dog.

magentas

Great thread! I wouldn't like to "label" dogs as working or pet/companion breeds. It's been said but absolutely agree that certain breeds only suit certains homes/people/situations etc.

However, I also believe that it doesn't just go by breed. I've 3 collies and they are each completely different...pup is typical wired and hyper! year old boy who has a real drive in him, NEEDS to be busy and is by far the most demanding of the three. Not getting him out is just not an option, rain hail or snow. It wouldn't be fair on him and I wouldn't have got him if I couldn't provide him with the outlets he needs. the oldest who is just over a year is more like a retired greyhound, she is just so calm and loves nothing more than to lie in front of the fireplace getting a rub!

My dad thinks I'm mad, he's a bit old-fashioned and thinks it's cruel to keep collies in an urban environment but he now sees the work we put in with them and I think I've changed his thinking...a little bit anyway!:D

As someone I know that runs a shelter put it ...dogs like border collies and huskies sometimes turn out to be too much dog for a normal pet:(

Simple solution IMO would be if people put a little research into their proposed breed BEFORE getting them.

Discodog

I am 100% certain that I could take a young pup of any breed & it would grow into a well socialised nice dog. The problem with many breeds are the people that are attracted to them. The PB ban in the UK has resulted in a huge upsurge in Staffies that are often bought as weapons.

The "husky" breeds suffer because of their similarity in appearance to Wolves. They appeal to people for all the wrong reasons & so often end up with the wrong owner.

Rotties, GSD's Dobies etc all suffer the same fate. All three can be wonderful family dogs but I often bought by people with a "protection" agenda.

There are no dangerous breeds, or breeds that can't make good pets but there are thousands of totally unsuitable owners. This often means that the dogs arrive in rescues with traits that have been encouraged by the previous owner.

I recently met a woman in my Vets with a very young Springer pup. She told me that she chose it because she was told that they were "calm & didn't need lots of exercise".

Hellrazer

I agree DD--Its not the dog breed--its the owners and the way its brought up.
However in saying that--Ive kept a fairly broad spectrum of dog breeds that I would consider well socialised and the only genuinely aggressive dog that bit me was a Westie-no matter what I did I couldnt calm that dogs aggressiveness.
I couldnt trust that dog around the kids and rehomed him to a nice old lady who lived on her own and to this day hes still a little b***ox with kids and I wouldnt trust him with any child.But thats only one dog out of probably 20.

carwash_2006

But Discodog, there is nothing wrong with people that want a chilled out dog as a pet that will hang around the house and garden, play with the kids and be perfectly happy with an average level of walking and all that with just a bit of training. But the fact is that dogs like huskies, certain terriers, a lot of collies and other breeds need a lot more than this.

This is the issue that ISDW is talking about, not people being attracted to breeds because of the public perception of the breed, that sor of owner is undoubtedly unsuitable for any breed of dog. Possibly the title should have included family pets rather than just pets.

Discodog

OK well here is my theory. I don't have any links or evidence so feel free to shoot it down.

We know that dogs developed a language & manner that endears them to us & makes us care for them even though they are no longer performing work. We all have dogs that exhibit this behaviour to please us.

Maybe in working breeds, that still have little close human contact, this language is not so highly developed. So for example a Husky doesn't have to endear itself to man to get food as long as it hauls a sledge. It's not going to be living in a house with a family & doesn't have to justify it's existence.

So perhaps the "social skills" of some working breeds are not as good as say your average Labrador (yes I know that Labs are still classed as a working breed).

All dogs have an inherent prey instinct/drive but we teach them to suppress it in order to please us & get free food in return. I am wondering if a 6 week old Husky pup reared as a family pet by knowlegable owners would have any desire to leave the sofa to pull a sled or chase a cat ?

My collie/lab seems totally chilled now but he wasn't when I got him. How much of the extra stimulation required by Collies, Setters etc is down to the people who buy them & the purpose for which they kept ?

carwash_2006

Note I said SOME collies. Certainly not all collies, but some seem to be more closely linked to their working instincts than others. Also in some of these breeds if the owners give them enough mental stimulation this can satisfy a lot in them.

The problem with a breed like huskies and some of the hunting terriers is that even while they get satisfaction from the mental stimulation and working with their owners, if the owners are not aware of the potential for these dogs to revert to type at any moment without warning.

The tale I was told by the Patterdale owner was of 2 pet Patterdales that were not given any real purpose in life, but did have lots of things to keep them busy. One day they were left alone in a garden with one of his heavily pregnant bitches when he paid a visit. All of a sudden this pair turned on the bitch and left her badly wounded before all the relevant owners were able to intervene. Now he learned a valuable, but expensive for the bitch, lesson that day about the dogs. He had never seen anything like this happen with the hunting dogs that he and his friends keep and breed very exclusively and rarely as they are all trained in a manner that focuses the instincts that came out that day in those pets.

The problem is that people tend to trust their pets, whereas some of these dogs can only be trusted to a point and we should always remember that sometimes instinct is stronger than environmental factors.

It is interesting that you mention the social skills of some of these breeds. I believe there is someone in Budapest who is studying that very topic, it will be interesting to see the results in years to come.

ISDW

Discodog wrote: »

OK well here is my theory. I don't have any links or evidence so feel free to shoot it down.

We know that dogs developed a language & manner that endears them to us & makes us care for them even though they are no longer performing work. We all have dogs that exhibit this behaviour to please us.

Maybe in working breeds, that still have little close human contact, this language is not so highly developed. So for example a Husky doesn't have to endear itself to man to get food as long as it hauls a sledge. It's not going to be living in a house with a family & doesn't have to justify it's existence.

So perhaps the "social skills" of some working breeds are not as good as say your average Labrador (yes I know that Labs are still classed as a working breed).

All dogs have an inherent prey instinct/drive but we teach them to suppress it in order to please us & get free food in return. I am wondering if a 6 week old Husky pup reared as a family pet by knowlegable owners would have any desire to leave the sofa to pull a sled or chase a cat ?

My collie/lab seems totally chilled now but he wasn't when I got him. How much of the extra stimulation required by Collies, Setters etc is down to the people who buy them & the purpose for which they kept ?

Talking purely about siberian huskies, they would sleep inside with the family at night for warmth, so are very human friendly and part of the family. I think one of the reasons they were chosen to do what they do though, is they are independent, a common way of explaining this is that if you were out on a frozen lake with a team of dogs, if the lead dog feels under his paws that the ice is thin, or sees a thin patch ahead, they need to be independent enough to go around it, and not just do as the musher tells them. A musher that orders the dog to carry on, and a team that listens won't last long, neither will the musher, so that independent, free-thinking trait is desirable in the breed whilst working like that.

To answer your question - I hand reared a litter of husky pups. I kept one, Vince, and he loves to work. He hasn't chased cats, he grew up with one and they were very good friends when he was a pup, however I wouldn't trust him alone with our cats. He did join in with the killing of a hare that got into our back yard:( His sister lives locally, was rehomed by one of the vet nurses that helped to deliver the litter. She went to live with her owner at 8 weeks of age. She lives in a family home, also lives with a cat, however, she escaped from her garden once and ran miles literally, ignoring her owner's calls. She has never mushed, yet, but will be starting soon.

All of my dogs live inside with me and my family, at the moment there are 5 dogs asleep on my bed, 4 of them are huskies. All of my friends that have sibes consider them part of the family, whether they work or not. It is because people are knowledgeable dog owners I think that they don't trust the dogs with small animals, or allow them off lead. It has been tried many times DD, unfortunately it has been proven again and again that some things are just hard wired into a breed, and nothing we humans can do will change that.

Unfortunately there are too many stories about huskies that have grown up with cats and then one day killed a cat they've known all of their lives. Dogs that have grown up in a family home, not necessarily ever worked, I'm thinking in particular of one family I know in the UK, 9 years their dog had lived with their cat. Never worn a mushing harness, was a much loved family pet (still is) and they came home one day to find the cat in pieces. Devastating.

I guess my take on it, is that with a working breed like that, unless you fulfill the working need in the dog, then they won't be happy. If you can walk 10 miles a day at a good pace with the dog, great, that could be enough. I just find it much easier to run them 3/4 miles in harness, wears them out much quicker:D

Discodog

ISDW wrote: »

at the moment there are 5 dogs asleep on my bed, 4 of them are huskies.

Ok so it's nearly time for you to go to bed ..........in your kennel

Oranage2

I think once you can fulfil the dogs needs then its ok to have that breed as a pet. There are some tricky breeds because of their size power and exercise needs but if you have the time and have or seek the expertise than owning whatever breed shouldn't be a problem.

Like most people say some breeds have some instincts hard wired into their brains like collies herding, terriers hunting and huskies with a high pray drive but what about pit bulls and fighting other dogs?

Just wondering would it be possible some fighting breeds just don't like other dogs?

piperh

carwash_2006 wrote: »

The tale I was told by the Patterdale owner was of 2 pet Patterdales that were not given any real purpose in life, but did have lots of things to keep them busy. One day they were left alone in a garden with one of his heavily pregnant bitches when he paid a visit. All of a sudden this pair turned on the bitch and left her badly wounded before all the relevant owners were able to intervene. Now he learned a valuable, but expensive for the bitch, lesson that day about the dogs. He had never seen anything like this happen with the hunting dogs that he and his friends keep and breed very exclusively and rarely as they are all trained in a manner that focuses the instincts that came out that day in those pets.

My last dog was a patterdale and she was amazingly loyal and loved nothing more than being around people and other dogs. however we did keep her busy where possible(she had arthritus) and always worked on training when she couldn't take proper exercise.

I think the most important thing is owner awareness of the breed needs and being able/prepared to meet these.

ISDW

Oranage2 wrote: »

I think once you can fulfil the dogs needs then its ok to have that breed as a pet. There are some tricky breeds because of their size power and exercise needs but if you have the time and have or seek the expertise than owning whatever breed shouldn't be a problem.

Like most people say some breeds have some instincts hard wired into their brains like collies herding, terriers hunting and huskies with a high pray drive but what about pit bulls and fighting other dogs?

Just wondering would it be possible some fighting breeds just don't like other dogs?

Thats where I struggle really on this, I am totally opposed to breed specific legislation (BSL), but if I think that some breeds are hard wired one way, and thats the way they are, then I almost have to say that there is some reasoning behind BSL:(:confused:

mymo

To me looking for a dog breed was about how the dog would fit in with our lives, I like several breeds, but wanted a dog that would be a part of our family and like the things we do.
That ruled out certain breeds, the amount of exercise ruled out others, health issues yet more breeds(I wanted a healthy breed of dog). I did a lot of research, spoke to a lot of people, and ended up with two great (if crazy) dogs.

For me the question would be, are all families suitable for certain breeds?

I am against breed specific legislation, but I do believe there should be some way of stopping just anyone getting certain breeds, the poor dogs are the ones that suffer when some idiot gets a dog to look tough, etc. Whether that is strict and expensive licenses or forced training of owners, registration etc, I don't know, but something needs to be done.

carwash_2006

piperh wrote: »

My last dog was a patterdale and she was amazingly loyal and loved nothing more than being around people and other dogs. however we did keep her busy where possible(she had arthritus) and always worked on training when she couldn't take proper exercise.

I think the most important thing is owner awareness of the breed needs and being able/prepared to meet these.

This is exactly what I think, but so often people will not listen to the people who really know the breeds about what the dogs need. You just get the "ah sure it's just a dog, what harm can they do?"

Patterdales are extremely loyal and adore being around people, but they will always have that independent streak and the instinct to kill and fight is extremely strong. People need to be careful of them around other dogs because one of the things they were bred for was to chase a fox into a den that could not be dug out and kill it, so they could be capable of inflicting serious damage on another dog despite their fairly small stature. If another dog comes to them with an attitude they will generally not turn down the challenge, this is the main reason why my fella only gets off the lead on the beach when it's quiet and the girl generally never as she is not as well bonded with me so I don't trust her recall.

Demonique

The Sweeper wrote: »

No, not all breeds are suitable as family pets. If by 'family pet' you mean a dog that will function well in a social, family environment, have some attachment to children, have tolerance of visitors to the house etc, then no.

Dogs that I can think of offhand that are not 'pets' (still great dogs, IMHO, but not 'pets') include: presa canario, maremma, ovcharka - caucasian and central asian - and anatolian shepherd. I've met all five of these breeds in the hands of good owners, and they are fantastic dogs, and they should never be allowed within spitting distance of a suburban block with an unfocused owner.

Add Fila Brasileiro, Japanese Tosa and Dogo Argentino to that list. The Fila bonds with its family and doesn't tolerate strangers and can go as far to attack them.

sambuka41

I think the expectations before getting the dog are important too. My most recent dog is a cross between a Pom and a Sheltie (vets best guess). I had been looking for a Pom because I wanted a small lap dog type (not because Im lazy or don't understand what it takes to have an active dog, I had a very active and challenging Westie for years)

Anyway she is bigger than a Pom and has oodles of energy, more than any medium size dog I've come across,I think she'd give the bigger guys a run for their money!! And I swear she has ADHD!!!:p:p She seriously has issues focusing. I had to completely change my expectations for my dog. I loved her so I changed; but it can be hard sometimes when you had an idea about why you were getting a dog and it's not that. She has to be walked for at least an hour a day or her behaviour is woeful!!!!!!!!:D

So even though I had an idea of what her temperament might be because of her breed(s) I still had to change because of her specific personality. Sometimes it seems like people need to change to fit a dog in their lives, some will do this, some won't. Other expect that a dog will just slot into their lives exactly as they are now. So expectations make a big difference.

TOOYOUNGTODIE

I really believe its all about the owner and that no breed of dog is vicious unless provoked.

I have a full male patterdale, and he gets on great with my other dog and the cat, but he has attacked other dogs (vet bill of 245€) and has grappled with cats. I dont walk him off the lead anywhere as I would hate to have to put him down for attacking another dog. I do canicross with my two and they love it. I think its a great way to really tire them out, and they get 3 5k runs a week at least.

I would also agree that there is no way to combat instinct, no amont of training, fear, common sense etc will outdo the instinct that is deep in the breed. I knew when my patterdale was 16 weeks old that he was fearless, he bit and wouldnt let go of a Rodesian Ridgeback on Bettystown, gave the poor dog a nasty bite on the neck, needed 4 stitches:(. how the ridgeback didnt swallow him whole I dont know.

Dog owners need to take responsibility, know their own limits and respect the dog they have

ABitofsense

I have a 7 month old husky but i did ALOT of research before i got one. I have him as a pet and not for sledding or anything like that. He is extremely intelligent would do tricks for me and not my girlfriend as he knows im the boss. He loves his walks and jogs (twice daily). he will let let you know if he hasnt being walked before 10 in the morning as he will bark/howl. He sleeps out side in a kennel at night and enjoys it more than being inside (when its dry :rolleyes:).. He is loves his cuddles but only when he wants them. I "husky proofed" the house and garden before i got him, but he has a hole bigger than himself dug already in the garden and somehow (still dont know how yet) got at my electric lawnmover and ate every wire off it (100 squid for new one).

I met walking a lady with a husky the same age as mine a couple month back. She got the pup for her young daughter as she loves them and had no research done on the breed at all. The pup looked sick and extremely under weight (half the size of mine). She said how she was feeding it tinned pedigree chum dog food but the pup was getting sick and diarrhea.
It was really sad to see the pup like that. I havent meet them walking since.

I definetly think a husky is a great pet but only if you have the research done on their requirements.
A tired husky is a very happy husky