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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think that huskies and malamutes have become the new Staffies?

102 replies

Rhine · 24/04/2014 14:42

This is something that concerns me greatly. Over the past year or so I've noticed an explosion in the numbers of people who own Huskies and Malamutes. I live near a block of council flats and there are at least four or five husky/malamute types of dog living there at the moment.

Obviously people can own whatever dog they like, but I have to question the mentality of someone who purchases a large working dog when they live in a pokey flat with no garden? It concerns me greatly as these dogs need a ot of exercise, probably more so than any other breed in fact as they were bread to pull sledges across the arctic. It worries me because it's quite clear people have taken them on without doing their research and realising just how much care they need.

I don't want to sound like a massive snob, but these new owners seem to be the kind of people who a few years ago would have opted for a Staffy instead. Animal shelters are full of them, give it a few years and they'll be full of husky type dogs instead...

OP posts:
GoooRooo · 25/04/2014 10:46

I have a 5 year old mal cross (she's crossed with a golden retriever - she's the hairiest dog on the planet). She was a rescue and is the softest, gentlest dog ever. She and my two year old absolutely adore each other.

She has good recall - although it took a while to teach her and she was 18 months when I got her.

She takes a lot of exercise though and if she doesn't get enough she digs up the garden which annoys DH no end. And there is fur EVERYWHERE. ALL THE TIME. No matter how much we brush her. I've given up on wearing black trousers. She's also very excitable, although we've got her out of the habit of jumping up at people like she did when we first got her because frankly she's huge and she scares folk. We also got her out of the habit of sleeping on the sofa.

She had very little training before we got her and I still struggle to walk her on a lead. Off the lead in a park she's fine and comes back no problem, on the lead she pulls and pulls and she's bloody strong. I've taken her to training classes but to no avail, she won't stop pulling. Tried lots of different harnesses. If I could get her out of the pulling habit she'd be the perfect dog - I can live with the fur!

RiverTam · 25/04/2014 10:49

Obviously people can own whatever dog they like

they can, but they sure as hell shouldn't - and I'm not just talking about top boys or whatever, I'm talking about middle-class people with their labs haring about all over the place, with the owner feebly shouting the dog's name about 15 times before the dog actually returns. See this all the time in my local parks.

AvonCallingBarksdale · 25/04/2014 10:53

Beautiful dogs, but really should have appropriate owners. That goes for all breeds. The number of dickheads round here walking their big dogs - labs, collies, dalmations, who really don't have a proper control over their dogs. DH was lurched at and chased by a bonkers labrador the other day when he was out running in teh woods. The stupid owner puffed up and said, "Oh, I don't think he likes your yellow jacket"! If I'd been out with the DC on my own, that would've been another place to cross off my list because of irresponsible owners Angry

Ohhelpohnoitsa · 25/04/2014 20:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Quoteunquote · 25/04/2014 20:27

Questions to ask yourself when thinking about getting huskies and malamutes,

  1. Do I live in the arctic or antarctic?

No,

  1. Do I live near the arctic or antarctic?

No,

then don't get a dog bred to live in a permanently cold climate.

OP, we get offered these dogs every week, 99% of people who get them cannot meet their needs, allmost are unaware of their needs, just another fashion for which the dog pays the price.

Humans are dicks.

Koothrapanties · 25/04/2014 20:37

There is a guy near me who has two huskies and he is the only person I know who actually understands what they need and bought them for the right reasons. He runs for miles and miles with them every day. They are the best behaved dogs I have ever met and they obey every command he gives them.

In contrast there are quite a few idiots people with out of control huskies on my estate and they are giving the breed a bad name. They are obviously not exercising them enough and the poor dogs are going mad because of it.

AreWeThereYeti · 25/04/2014 20:41

This looks about right Smile

To think that huskies and malamutes have become the new Staffies?
Bunbaker · 25/04/2014 20:52

"and Utonagen - which sorry Bunbaker are nothing like family friendly dogs, they are a mongrel disaster mix."

The owner of the dog wouldn't agree with you. He told me that they were bred to produce a dog that looked like a wolf. I must admit the German shepherd (we used to call them Alsations when I was a child, why the name change?) element concerns me. I was attacked by two Alsations as a child and am very wary of them.

BigBirdFlies · 25/04/2014 21:19

Dd told me German Shepherds were renamed as Alsatians when we were at war with Germany (not sure which war). So renaming the breed was political, and only in recent years has the name German Shepherd come back into usage. Not sure if this is true.

Bunbaker · 25/04/2014 21:24

OH was reading my post over my shoulder and told me the same thing.

CatOfTheDay · 25/04/2014 23:30

I always thought German Shepherds had longer hair and Alsatians had shorter hair - but could be totally wrong there!

Our old neighbours had a husky - she was a gorgeous dog, but they kept her shut in a tiny kitchen all the time and we never once saw her being walked - we did however see the floor covered in dog mess. Sad
She'd be standing by the back door with her paws up on the glass when we went past, howling mournfully.

We called the RSPCA cruelty line, hope they helped the poor thing (we've moved now so don't know, and don't want to call the RSPCA again to check as the one time we did, they kept harrassing us for money!)

Booboostoo · 26/04/2014 08:22

Bunbaker there is always an exception to every rule, but it does sound like this guy doesn't know much about the mix. GSD with husky is a relatively recent 'favourite' mix, it tends to result in dogs that have the worst characteristics of both breeds. I can't see how throwing the Mal in there is going to improve matters. With any new mix you also have to consider that you will need generations and generations of breeding before you have any chance in hell of influencing genetic characteristis, so any claims about temperament for this mix in general should be taken with a pinch of salt!

CatOfTheDay there are long-haired and short-haired versions of GSDs, although they compete in different classes in the Kennel Club and long-haired are considered a fault by other breeding organisations. GSD and Alsatian refers to the same breed, the name Alsatian was used by the KC after WWI. You may find that some people refer to the German working lines as GSD, and the KC show lines (which some claim are too sloping in the back) as Alsatian.

Bunbaker · 26/04/2014 08:32

He probably doesn't Boooboostoo. He is the sort of man who is "always right" if you know what I mean. I think he believes they are good family pets because he wants to.

MiaowTheCat · 26/04/2014 08:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Booboostoo · 26/04/2014 09:10

There are loads of Huskies in Greece, it's the latest craze. That tells you all really.

Bunbaker · 26/04/2014 09:20

Huskies in Greece? Poor dogs Sad

Melonbreath · 26/04/2014 09:41

Round here people seem all about the Akita. I'm looking at the rescue centres for a dog but they are all staffies, akitas and huskies who haven't been trained at all and I wouldn't be able to trust them with my dd which is a must.
It's very sad.

ILoveCoreyHaim · 26/04/2014 11:45

Its always a risk taking a dog from the pound with no history. I have done it twice over the years and have been lucky in my choices but i know other's who haven't had much success. Go through a reputable rescue org who pull dogs from the pound off 7 day stray holds and put them in foster homes to access them so have a real idea what the dog is like and what the dog needs

BinarySolo · 27/04/2014 12:23

About 8 years ago I lived in Milton Keynes and met a bloke walking a rather large white fluffy wolf dog. He'd imported it from Canada and it was about 1/8 wolf. Gorgeous looking thing but huge and not done growing. I asked him about temperament and he said it was great, it was a lovely dog and played with my springer pup very gently. BUT he had a very young baby. Honestly, I think it was just an accident waiting to happen.

SugarcoatedPoisonApple · 27/04/2014 15:20

YANBU and I say this as the owner of two Alaskan malamutes.

Malamutes do best in an environment with plenty of space, and preferably with some territory of their own, and they don't get either of those in a cramped flat.

They also need plenty of exercise, because they're work dogs, taking them for a walk around the block a couple of times a day is not adequate exercise for a Mal.

My husband takes our Mals on his runs, I take them to a state park a few miles north of our home where they can swim in the lake (although not all Mals like swimming, thankfully ours do) and we go on weekly hikes as a family. Plus on top of that, we have eight acres of land, and as our fences are high enough and very secure, I can let them out when we're at home and they'll just run and run and run.

It's very dangerous when Mals don't get enough exercise, that's when they start to exhibit bad behavior, which yes can end up meaning they bite someone. And if you also add in a lack of space, and the Mal (or Mals) not having some territory of their own, it can make it worse.

I believe a young child was killed by a Malamute in the UK a few months back, and it wouldn't surprise me one bit, if the dog in question wasn't being exercised adequately and didn't have much space.

Personally, I think it's about time that ownership of such dogs was restricted, and for people to be able to prove they meet the necessary care requirements these beautiful, intelligent and powerful creatures deserve.

MsFanackerPants · 27/04/2014 15:50

YANBU. I used to volunteer for a dogs home and o er the years there I saw the breeds change from Staffies to Huskies/Mals and increasingly akitas. I posted a few weeks ago about SIL and BIL getting an akita, both work full time and are in forces housing with the low wire fences. They haven't done classes, they think it will be ok because they had the dog stay with a friend for a few weeks and the friend "trained" it. I predict either rehoming or a destroyed house and miserable dog this time next year.

Fullpleatherjacket · 27/04/2014 15:59

YANBU.

Saw huskies in a Christmas display a few years back and was v. struck with how bouncy they were. They also stunk. Not at all suitable for being cooped up with limited chance for exercise.

Frogisatwat · 27/04/2014 16:17

Without fail these dogs go for my dog every time I am out walking with him. If I see one when I am out I have to turn back. I am terrified of getting caught up in an attack. I have a dalmatian so I wonder whether its something in the breed that these malamutes/huskies particularly dislike.

AlpacaPicnic · 27/04/2014 16:38

Husky puppies are so cute! But I agree, its time to introduce licensing and IQ tests for dog owners to encourage responsible ownership.
Mind you, some days I think that about having babies too...

giggly · 27/04/2014 17:13

I thought I'd seen it all until it saw a guy with 2 huskies here in Western Australia, I kid you not. Seen lots about in the last year bearing in mind we have average temp of 35 and above for at least 4 months with frequent temps of 40 ++++