German Shepherd Malamute Huskey X

[ChickFlit]

We had a springer spaniel who died last year aged 16 and as a family we really miss her. There is someone local to me who has puppies a German Shepherd Malamute Huskey cross, she was going to sell these puppies, but has said we can have one for the cost of the vaccinations because the family where the dog is rehomed is more important to her. I have been invited to her home to meet the mum and dad of the puppies.

This is the longest period in my life I've been without a dog and I miss having one around, we don't want another Springer because we don't think we could ever get another dog like our old one if you know what I mean.

My aunt had German Shepherds and they were lovely dogs, my DH had a German Shepherd when he was a boy and loved his dog.

I've had a look on the net and people seem to be really happy with this particular cross breed of dog. Does anyone have any experience? Is it a good breed for a family dog? I have two DS's aged 8 and 6.

Just been chatting to my neighbour who is a cranky old bat at the best of times but she was in a foul mood today and she actually went mad, telling me I can't have that breed of dog, she knows what I'm like I shouldn't have a dog. I walked my dog three times a day for 16 years in whatever weather, and I work from home. I think her problem is she's 75 and has bad health she has a border collie dog who she allows to roam outside, so he considers my garden his garden etc. She has never asked me but I know that she assumes that when she dies I'll be taking her dog on and I probably will because there's no-one else.

Does anyone have this cross breed of dog, experience of this breed of dog? Do they make a good family pet? I've been pretty strict with my dogs in the past, no climbing on the furniture, sleep in their own beds, even only out in the garden when I'm out there.

All advice gratefully received.

[hephaestus]

As a Siberian husky owner this is not a cross I would recommend or encourage.

Northern inuits/British inuits/utonagans/'wolfdogs' are fast becoming the new status dog of choice (often marketed as supposed wolf hybrids) and it's a disaster waiting to happen - each of their composite breeds are large, powerful dogs and the malamute and husky are very specialist working dogs that require a distinctly different approach to a normal pet dog.

You may well, for example, end up with a dog that can never be let off the lead but which needs four hours of exercise per day, if they have much husky input!

In my experience they can also take on other husky traits like the predisposition to severe separation anxiety, digging, howling and extreme prey drive.

Have either of the parents been hip scored? This will be a very large weight-bearing dog and, from what limited data is available, these kind of dogs already have a much higher average hip score than any of their composite breeds. Unscrupulous breeders are churning these dogs out as wolf look-alikes without doing any kind of health tests.

I would strongly advise attending a working rally and talking to owners of huskies, malamutes and their crossbreeds to get a real picture of what these dogs are like to own. :)

[ChickFlit]

Thank you very much for your input - the hip scoring thing had been something that I was going to ask about.

Your other advice is very useful and I wasn't aware that people were breeding these puppies to be some sort of wolf hybrid. I actually think these puppies are the result of an accident between two family pets, but as I'm looking for a family dog maybe they're not for me.

Thanks again, you've helped me make my decision.

[raindroprhyme]

I would not get a malmute or a malmute cross as a family dog.

We have a siberian husky who is a fab family pet but needs loads of stimulation. (he is lazy but needs company all the time)

From what I remember of the research I did 3 years ago Malmutes can be very territorial, not good with unpredictable environments need copious amonuts of exercise. They thrive best in a structured environmnet with other dogs.

They will be gorgeous puppies no doubt but i as a husky owner wouldn't even reccomend my lazy sibe.

It was endless hard work for 18months and I threatend to rehome him numourous times. He was a houdidni escape artist, could climb our 6 foot fences then when we got bigger fences he moved garden furniture so he could jump them. Dug under a concrete plynth under the shed to get into nextdoors garden to jump their smaller fences. Destroyed several dining chairs.
The police got to know him really well from his escapes and would bring him home
We were at puppie classes every week for 2 years solid he still doesn't walk to heel or recall. Pretty good at everything else though.

So in summary think carefully speak to the relvant society.
HTH

[raindroprhyme]

The escaping by the way would be when I was there or when he opened the back door without me knowing.

Luckily he seems to have outgrown it and since we rescued a jack russell (who is known as the general) the husky isn't even allowed to go to bed without the JR permission.

[Laska]

I'm experienced with GSDs, and love the look of NIs / Utonagans, but would never own one, because I know that despite being used to a high-energy, intelligent, powerful breed, I'd quite possibly not adapt well to the husky/malamute traits, which I know can be very difficult. I feel they're really only for owners who can dedicate a massive amount of time to them, do cani-cross etc.

[CalamityKate]

What the others said.

Crossbreeds are like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get.

You may get a dog with the brains and trainability and velcro-dogginess of a GSD and the not-very-guardy-ness of a Husky/Malamute.

Or you might get a not particularly trainable, wants to run and run in a straight line for 14 hours given half a chance, escapee, guardy nightmare.

IE - the best traits of each breed or the worst. Or a bit of both.

[NewYearNewKnickersOnMyHead]

What about going for a rescue dog?

There are loads in resuces at the moment.

[ChickFlit]

Thank you all so much. I'm going to tell her no thanks, much as I'm at home all day and enjoy walking, I want a dog I can let off the lead who will come back, who I can let out in the garden safely without feeling the need to escape. I really appreciate everyone pointing out the huskey traits to me.

I need a trainable dog, we live in a very rural area, cows in the field next to the house etc.

I may try the dog rescues or I'll just sit back for a little while and see what happens, it's not imperative we get a dog, it's just these puppies came along and I do miss having a dog around, however once I've got it it's for keeps so it needs to be the right dog from the off.

Thanks again to all.

[raindroprhyme]

Good decision so many people get specialist breeds without doing their research and it just ends in tears for everyone involved.
I love my Siberian husky and will no doubt get another in the future. But i tell everyone don't get one.