Agree with the fact that huskies are becoming the next 'in' breed, like staffies, and I could cry because they are such difficult dogs to care for and the breed rescues are filling up like you wouldn't believe. The vast majority are surrendered to rescue between five and eighteen months of age, when they are no longer cute balls of fluff and suddenly become hormonal teenagers who need vast amounts of exercise and company.
I came from a family that pretty much only had working gundogs and terriers and I too was of the opinion that firm, consistent training would get me somewhere that no other husky owner had yet achieved. I scoffed at all the breed literature - no recall? Please, consistent long line training would work on any dog!
Would it bollocks. It was a baptism of fire with my first bitch and she is relatively easy compared to some of the hardcore working strains. THEY CANNOT BE LET OFF THE LEAD. I cannot stress that enough. Consistent training will get you something like a 95% recall, and this must be taught in case of emergencies, collar slipping etc. but in an open space they will just piss off and you will be lucky to ever see them again (and if you do, it might be as a patch of fur and gore on the side of the road).
I am lucky enough to have access to securely fenced fields where mine can run off lead a few times a week but even then it's a case of constant vigilance, a 6ft fence is nothing to them as they will simply dig underneath. Long lines can be used in less secure places but are a pain in the arse and not likely to be considered by a rufty-tufty gundog man.
The solution is to work them in harness. I would go as far as to say that they need to work in harness to be happy, healthy and mentally fulfilled dogs. It's an expensive hobby, lots of specialist gear is needed. Even for something like Cani-x, running with your dog, a waist belt, bungee line and harness for the dog will easily set you back £100. A racing rig is £500+. A van or large 4x4 kitted out with dog cages, a rig carrier, a sleeping area, all gear for you and the dogs, membership fees, entry fees, forestry permits will cost thousands.
The dogs can't race over 15 degrees so keeping them ticking over in the summer months involves 4am starts. Even just walking them in this weather can be difficult, it's early starts and late nights to get the coolest temps. Mine have around three hours per day of walking, on lead, 10-12 miles every single day, plus an early morning training run twice a week, plus weekly obedience classes. They are very smart but very stubborn. One of mine is doing well at agility (class is held in a fenced compound) but by god has it been a long hard road to get there.
A single husky is very likely to suffer from separation anxiety, and this may manifest in earsplitting howling, messing in the house, chewing household objects, general destruction. Google 'Siberian husky damage'. Some have ripped apart entired sofas, eaten through wooden doors and chewed through plaster walls. They thrive on company, human and canine, and will be desperately unhappy if left for long. It will not end well if they are left alone for a full working day (besides which, a full working day will not allow enough time to walk them adequately).
They don't bark at the door, or at strangers, and won't guard your house or you in the slightest. However, they will howl - they howl when they're happy, sad, bored, tired, excited, playful, hungry...
They shed heavily all year round. I hoover twice a day and have to empty the Dyson each time. Twice a year they 'blow' the coat, shedding the thick undercoat, binbagfuls come out of each dog. The house, your clothes and all your posessions are continually covered in long white hairs.
On the plus side, they suffer from very few inherited conditions with almost no incidence of HD or the like (though the fucking backyard breeders are doing their best to eradicate this with unscrupulous breeding), are generally a healthy and robust breed and very long lived (14 being average; some continue working into their teens). They do have a tendency to gastroenteric conditions as most cannot tolerate a cereal based diet, as with all modern dog food, and do best on a raw/BARF diet. They also don't have that 'dog' smell and are less likely to make your house stink of greasy dog.
If you get into the working thing they are tremendous fun, the husky community is fantastic and I've met some very good friends. I have never been in better physical or mental shape than since I've been walking and running every single day. Despite the hair everywhere they give very good cuddles and are great for warming your feet. Training them to do a simple thing is so much more rewarding because you've had to work hard for it. I respect their independent attitude - they are smarter and faster than me, why should they do anything I tell them if there's no benefit to them? They are also of course very beautiful, striking dogs and that is their downfall.
Some links:
Siberian Husky Welfare Association
Siberian Husky Club GB - both of these have a phone number to call and will happily discuss with you whether or not you are suitable to own a husky.
SibeSpace
SHWA Facebook page including 'So you want to own a Siberian husky...'