Huskies are going to be the next Staffs, aren't they?

[MartyrStewart]

I hope I am wrong.

I have noticed a LOT of people recently with young husky dogs. I have got a feeling that this time next year the rescues will be full of them once they reach adolescence and the twunts that bought them as status dogs realise they are actually bloody hard work.

[Slubberdegullion]

Did any one see the It's me or the dog episode with the bloke, his adolescent husky and his poor poor girlfriend who was at home all day trying and failing to look after it ?

The whole scenario was a giant time bomb waiting to go off, and the bloke just couldn't see it.

[lisad123]

Oh yes I remember that one, poor girl was being mouthed no end, and clearly scared of dog. Poor doggy also Lives in basement

[Slubberdegullion]

It was horrifying. The mouthing, the humping, the spraying all over the bed, the (seemingly) complete lack of exercise or training. That poor woman. That poor dog.

[toboldlygo]

Huskies should not be big by any stretch of the imagination, breed standard is maximum of 23" to the shoulder for dogs, bitches even smaller, it's the bloody BYBs who are churning out these giant malformed dogs in the search for ones that look wolfy and charge extra for blue eyes.

I volunteer for the Siberian Husky Welfare Association and, according to the founder, this breed is 'in crisis'. SHCGB Welfare restrict their intake to KC registered dogs only and are still inundated, there was talk of accepting dogs only from registered SHCGB members, such was the depleted state of their funds. SHWA still take in any dog, including unreg ones, thankfully.

'Dogs with Aspergers' is actually pretty apt, no offence intended, they are so totally unlike other dogs. This page is an excellent summary of why, because of their history, they are unsuited to life as a family pet and must never be let off the lead unless in an enclosed space (and for a husky, an enclosed space is a pretty narrow definition involving 8ft chainlink fences).

The breed was only introduced to the UK in the 70's by people importing dogs for racing purposes and was thus kept very closed off and exclusive for a long time, to get your hands on one you needed to be involved with the sledding scene and prove yourself to one of the few people breeding them as racing dogs. Of course, this wouldn't last and now you can get your hands on one very easily. The worst bit is that huskies are known for their excellent health, dysplasia is basically unknown in these dogs, even the hereditary eye conditions from which they can suffer are extremely rare. They are notoriously long-lived and sound dogs but the combined efforts of the BYBs will soon eliminate all of that.

I love my dogs to bits and I will always have huskies but I would never, ever recommend them to anyone. Ownership of them involves a complete lifestyle change and is incompatible with 'normal' family and working life.

[ebbandflow]

I know absolutely nothing about dogs. However, have noticed that my 7 year old dd really loves the look of huskies. So maybe (sadly) young kids are badgering their parents for this breed.

[Elibean]

There was one, beautiful Husky in our area years ago....now suddenly its like a Husky explosion.

They are beautiful, but some of the people I see being walked by them walking them just don't look in control of the situation, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if they were the next Staffy as you say OP

But possibly harder to re-home, by the sound of it

[MrsZoidberg]

toboldlygo can you get SHWA to look out for these 56 dogs? I was very worried for them when I read that the RSPCA had them.

[MartyrStewart]

That's a really good link, toboldlygo, and has reinforced why they would not be the dog for me, despite how gorgeous I think they are

[SoftSheen]

A husky would be my dream dog (or in fact a pair of huskies). I think that they are absolutely beautiful and I love their independent and energetic natures. Living in a small terraced house in a city with a miniscule garden and a baby I wouldn't even contemplate taking one on. Once I win the lottery however :)

[toboldlygo]

Don't judge too hard, if mine see a squirrel I can temporarily appear out of control of the situation.

They are very hard to re-home, incidentally SHWA will let them go to people who haven't had huskies before but it's a pretty stringent home check to make sure you know what you're in for, and of course they will take the dog back no questions asked at any point. Quite a few do get handed back, despite the checks!

Huge numbers are given up between the ages of 6-24 months when the cute fluffy puppy becomes a nightmare adolescent and has run off/chased livestock/killed the pet cat or rabbit/can't be walked as too strong and underexercised/is mouthing the kids.

[misdee]

diesal

[Booboostoo]

A Husky is not a dog, it's a lifestyle. They require such specialised treatement and dedicated attention they are easily the most demanding breed of dog anyone could chose. If they are becoming increasingly popular it will result in complete disaster.

[ragged]

In defense of Huskies I know a few that don't live on huge tracts of land and don't present such huge problems to their owners as described here, the ones I know are healthy, well-adjusted, not destructive, well-trained & malleable to do their owner's bidding, if not that friendly to family outsiders.

One is out walking a lot, though, and the other one (big soft wimp) teams up with a staffy-Husky-unknown X (she's the alpha animal in the household, actually) to go sledding (or whatever it is they can do on snow-less ground) for miles & miles, several times a week.

It's like any dog, though, they all need (& deserve) a lot.

[Goldenbrown1981]

We quite fancied a Husky when we were trying to choose a breed. I've wanted one ever since I watched lost Boys! But naturally, the one on film was perfect! After some research we decided that it probably wasn't the breed for us, and I didn't even know the half of what I know now. We also looked at a breed called Tamascans (which I've since discovered are a bit controversial apparently) but again, not a breed suited to us.

A lot of people round here got Husky pups in the summer, they are SO massively cute but I haven't seen any of them since August, when they would have it about the 5/6 month mark. No prizes for guessing what happened to them...

Why do people insist on treating dogs like handbags? You can't get one just because they are in style (says the girl with a poodle x, but that's not the point!)

[toboldlygo]

MrsZ - there was an ongoing discussion about those dogs that appears to have been deleted. Apparently the three husky rescues are not able to be involved at this point because while the case is ongoing the dogs must remain in the care of the RSPCA - going by previous cases, this means that they will remain kennelled for anything up to a year or so. We all know what the RSPCA are like. I would not be surprised that after a year of being kenneled with inadequate socialisation and training the majority will be put to sleep as 'unhomeable'.

Words cannot express how angry this makes me but, until their investigation is complete, they can not or will not attempt to rehome these dogs.

[toboldlygo]

Hi Booboos.

[Ephiny]

Speaking of handbags, I was reading the other day that a lot of the tiny breeds ('handbag dogs') are starting to end up in rescue now, due to people buying them as fashion accessories. And of course not training/exercising/socialising them or in any way treating them as dogs, then getting rid of them when they entirely unsurprisingly have some behavioural problems.

Sadly becoming 'fashionable' seems to spell disaster for a breed more often than not.

[toboldlygo]

ragged - I don't actually have a garden at all and manage to keep the buggers happy and healthy. It's all about how much effort the owners are willing to put in. Another big thumbs-up for SHWA who will, almost uniquely among rescues, rehome to people without gardens so long as they can prove that they are happy to walk for three hours a day every day in all weathers.

They most definitely ought to be friendly to strangers though, it is one of their defining characteristics.

[WoodRose]

Talkingnonsense - Your cocker sounds lovely! Unfortunately, ,many of the working cocker owners I have come across lately don't "do" dirt and don't understand why a gentle on lead stroll to and from the cafe is enough for their cocker. After all, it has been enough for their cav, bishon, etc. I fear they are popular around these parts because of their novelty value (North London) and because they are gorgeous looking dogs. I would have a working cocker in a heart beat, but, as an owner of 2 border collies, exercise and mud are the very fabric of my life!

[IsabelNecessaryOnABike]

A man round the corner from me has a husky. I was take my dog for a walk a few weeks ago and he was out with his husky. The husky got very excited when he saw my dog. He ran towards my dog and was so strong he pulled his 6ft owner over too. His owner could not get him back under control at all. I had to pick up my dog and throw her over our garden fence before the husky back off. He was like a big bear rather than a dog.

[toboldlygo]

Are we sure that all of these giant dogs are huskies? As I mentioned before they ought to be fairly small dogs. There's a good page here. I know the BYBs are doing their best to change this but in all likelihood a lot are mistaken for Alaskan malamutes (which really are huge!) or akitas. Huskies are much more finer-boned 'racy' dogs with no extremes of appearance, size or coat.

[MartyrStewart]

My friend has a Mal - he looks like a cross between a wolf and a bearcub

Definitely huskies I'm seeing. Not huge, but a huge handful.

[toboldlygo]

"Not huge, but a huge handful."

I like that phrase.

[MrsZoidberg]

The size thing is interesting. My girl looks quite delicate but we were stunned when we had her weighed recently that she is 43.3Kg. She was heavier than our big GSD . It's weird though, we still see her as a baby even though she's now 4.

I've seen the odd comment about them being standoffish - is this a fairly regular trait? Our girl loves everyone - whether they want her to or not . And is very demanding and cuddly with us. We have fallen madly in love with the breed (what harm could another one do ) but it is only based on our girl's character.