Northern Inuit/British Timber Dogs

[CatchIt]

Hello!

I'm looking to see if any MNers have either of the above breeds. I'm looking to get one in 2019 when dd is nearly 8 and ds will be 3.

A bit of background, we currently have a Malamute bitch, she's 9 and is a nice dog. However, she's very much dh's dog and isn't great with other dogs out and about but is ok with other dogs of the same type like other Mals, Sibes etc. She's ok with the children and tolerates them but we're obviously careful that neither children are left alone with her.

Im a sahm and I have a horse. I want a dog that I can take hacking with me and therefore will be more trainable than a Mal.

I'd like to take the new dog gun dog training as I feel it would benefit the dog long term. Our yard (where I keep the horse) is very dog oriented and would provide the perfect opportunity for dog socialisation and we have a massive garden so I'm sure I've got all bases covered.

I've met one NI and he was gorgeous, very friendly and well behaved. His owner told me about the breeder she got him from and I'd like to start there.

Can anyone tell me if they have one and what life is like with them? I'm good with large breeds, training etc but really want to know what their trainability is like and anything else coming from someone who has one.

Many thanks!

Thank you @Ylvamoon & @noitsnotteatimeyet, that's very interesting. It's the recall I'm most concerned about, our Mal doesn't have great recall and being a bitch isn't great with other dogs. I'm thinking of getting a boy as personally I prefer boy animals.

@Ylvamoon would you be so kind as to pm me the breeder you refer to? I'd be interested in taking a look.

Thanks to those who have answered my question!

@Bubble2bubble that's a really good idea. I'd like to visit a breeder to get a good idea, unfortunately I'm south and most are up north! 🙄😂

Well the dog you described as wanting is the exact profile of a retriever/lab so I don’t think the previous posters were trying to piss you off, just give you other options!

I am interested in buying a 2 seater Ferrari because I think they look cool.

I am planning to use it to ferry the kids to and from school, and occasionally go off-roading. My partner has a Porsche and I want something similar but a bit more practical. I recently met someone who had a Ferrari and I really liked it. I thought I’d post here and ask if anyone owns a Ferrari and thinks they might be suitable for my needs?

I have a few friends who own 4x4 type vehicles and they say if I do some specialist off-road training once a week I should be able to take my Ferrari off road. What do you think?

OP, in the kindest possible way, your post is bonkers! Why are you so set on a husky/wolf lookalike dog when their innate traits (independence, untrainability) are so incompatible with you say you want? Why not just find a dog breed that suits your needs? Or is it all about looks?

Golden retrievers look lovely and they are easy to train, good with children and good with other dogs!

Ok, it seems that most posters are unable to read my post properly so I'll put it into bite size chunks to make it easier to understand:

• I'd like to know if anyone has a Northern Inuit or a British Timber Dog

• I'd like to know what's their trainability is like

• the type of training I'd like to use is that of a gundog trainer as I feel it's better than a wishywashy puppy class environment

• I'd like to know if anybody can tell me what they're like.

• I've explained that I have the space, time and energy for such a dog.

• I've explained that I have a Malamute so am familiar with breeds such as this.

If I hadn't put any of the above in my post then people would be bitching about this, that and the other and derailing the thread as people so often tend to do on MN.

It's incredibly frustrating when you're trying to get proper advice about something and some posters simply have to be a smart arse about it.

Ffs, I wish I hadn't bothered. Thank you to those who have bothered to both read my post and give me a sensible answer.

@Ickyockycocky I don't want a fucking retriever!!!!

I haven't asked for advice about a retriever or a Labrador or any other breed of dog!!.

Gundog training isn't just for shooting. It's a valuable training method I would like to use should I get a Northern Inuit or British Timber Dog. Gah!!! 😩

Sorry Catchit if you don’t like some of the answers. It is a public forum though so you are going to have difficulty policing who is allowed to comment.

Why not post the question on a dog forum or breed specific site? I strongly suspect you’ll get also get most people on them giving you the same answers you are getting here tbh.

Why are you so set on gundog style training when you are not interested in gundogs? The training will be based on making use of the traits of gundogs not sled breeds. You sound very frustrated with the answers here but just don’t seem to have thought it through very deeply yet.

Thank you @Laurel543 for your reply, yes, I am getting frustrated!!

I want to use GD training as I feel it will keep my dog interested in learning and most importantly, will help with heel work and recall.

Dh got his Mal before we met, she was about 9 months old when we did. Her training has been minimal though fortunately she's fairly lazy and usually tends to do as I tell her (not dh mind!).

Many of my friends at the yard have used this particular method of training and I've seen the benefit of it. I don't enjoy badly behaved dogs so I'd like to be able to teach my dog as best as I can. This is why I've asked whether anyone has one and how they are like to train. I don't think it's a particularly difficult question, but in true MN manner, the obtuse and ridiculous have simply had to have a poke. 🙄🤯

No experience of the breed but I’d say if she doesn’t like other dogs out except a few breeds I wouldn’t assume she’d like another dog living with her. Can’t you just do this extra stuff with your current dog?

@Ditzyitzy funnily enough she's perfectly fine with her kind as I've already mentioned

A friend of ours recently got a Mal pup (to replace one who'd died of old age just so you are all aware) and she got on great with it.

She doesn't like terriers as they always try to have a pop at her and she hates Border Collies ever since an off lead one attacked her whilst she was on the lead. I feel that it's these instances that have made her unpleasant to other dogs. The old 'don't worry my dog is just playing' brigade.

What you need is a werewolf to match you for charm

Of course your friends with labradors have recommended gundog training - they're gun dogs. I have a collie who has developed obedience and impulse control fantastically through agility. It doesn't mean I'd recommend agility training to every dog out there though. The analogy about the cars is a good one.

Malamutes and huskies have been being bred for pet homes for a good 10+ years as commonplace so they are more suited to pet homes with their extreme traits being somewhat diluted. Northern Inuit dogs are still very "new" and I think most would struggle in a pet home.

You can't just judge the health of an animal by comparing some photos you found online. Parents should be health tested (very different to having a health check at the vets) and genetically screened where necessary. Information regarding previous generations would help, although it'd be difficult as they're not recognised by the Kennel club.

You seem very hung up on looks rather than health or purpose. How will a thick double coated dog cope on a hack in the height of summer? How will you hack with a dog that potentially can't be let off lead?

My personal opinion? You'd be better off forgetting about looks for now and putting together a list of qualities you do/don't want in a dog and going from there. From what you've said you want in this thread, except looks, a northern breed sled dog doesn't fit what you're looking for.

Also as I previously mentioned, they're exempt from most pet insurance companies, so you'd be footing the bill for all medical treatment and also have no third party liability cover.

For a new breed, they are absolutely riddled with Heath problems. There has been so much infighting and appalling practices by breeders in the early stages that no genetic/parental history can be taken as accurate (most NIs) suffer from chronic interbreeding and I don't believe that anyone who truly cares about dogs should be breeding them or purchasing one. Sorry op.

To be honest op you already have one wolf-type breed that isn’t properly trained and cannot be left alone with your children, I’m not sure why you think adding a second one to the mix is going to be any different?

2 points is like to make.

1. @TeddyIsaHe no responsible person should ever, ever leave their children alone with a dog. My children give her cuddles and play with her quite happily. I don't leave them alone together. More fool you if you think your dog is so perfect that you can I hope I never read about your children in the newspaper.

2. if we weren't allowed to pick our dogs on looks, then 90% of dog owners are irresponsible. There are very few dogs who are bred with sole working purpose in modern day life. What function does a pug have for example? To look childlike, because I certainly see very little purpose in them otherwise, the same could be said for many other breeds.

Our dog can sit and wait for about 3 seconds. She enjoys lying by the fire, going for walks and waiting for food to drop next to ds. She's a happy, nice, family dog.

I'm sorry I ever posted for advice. Clearly MN dog house is not the place to ask for serious advice unless you want a Labrador.

I thank those few who have replied with sensible answers either way. For everyone else, enjoy your Dog superiority. 🙄

You have been given serious advice, you’re just choosing to ignore the very valid points being made to you because it’s not what you want to hear.

What serious advice?! I've thanked those that have bothered to read my post and advised accordingly and I'm choosing to ignore those who have clearly no idea of the breed and therefore can't give the advice I'm after. Surely that's the point of advice or doesn't that apply here? 🧐

If you'd like to know what consists of constructive advice, read this thread, it may help some of our in the future:

www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?200-Northern-Inuit-Dog

This is the kind of information I was after, knowledgeable and informative both for and against.

The general consensus is to not get one as it’s a silly idea! Plenty of people have pointed out lots of reasons why. You just want someone to come along and say “oh they’re SO easy to train, no health problems and they’re fabulous family dogs!” No one is able to say that because they aren’t any of those things.

Please feel free to point out the poster who actually have one and have said this. Perhaps I missed it?

• has

Isn’t more telling that no one has one? That would speak volumes to me.