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Original poster

Siberean husky or Labrador????

71 replies

Sami544 · 21/12/2020 14:09

Hi

we are going to start looking forward and to getting a dog. We are a family of 5 (3 older children, 17,14,11) and large house with good sized garden. Think dh said it was 65ft x 65ft. We have narrowed it down to a labrador or Siberean husky. I love the husky or Finnish Spitz but have read in some places that they are not that friendly and get bored easily.
But maybe the labrador does as well???

Any experiences of either??

OP posts:
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Original poster
Sami544 · 21/12/2020 14:13

oops just seen Siberian not Siberean :)

OP posts:
CremeEggThief · 21/12/2020 14:16

I am not a dog owner, but I am not sure a husky is a great family pet. I'd go for a labrador, if I were you.

Original poster
Sami544 · 21/12/2020 14:20

that was exactly my feeling. Love the look of huskies but they do have a demanding reputation.

OP posts:
Clymene · 21/12/2020 14:22

Please choose a dog based on its breed temperament, not on its looks.

Soubriquet · 21/12/2020 14:22

Unless you’re prepared to walk for miles a day and train the dog so they can run off lead, avoid the husky.

They are dogs made for endurance and can be very destructive when bored

maxelly · 21/12/2020 14:26

Labrador, definitely. Anything husky-like will have lots of genetic traits which make them not a great family pet, mainly their exercise needs - they are bred to run in the snow pulling a sled for 8 hours + per day, even if you have an extremely active lifestyle its unlikely you can provide enough exercise for a young energetic sled dog each and every day, and you'll end up with a bored, destructive, huge dog. Also any dog bred for work and not as a pet will likely have quite an aloof personality, they are loyal, brave dogs IMO but just not particularly cuddly. I'm sure there are breeders focussing on breeding them as pets/show dogs that may be eroding these traits but they really haven't been popular pets long enough for them to have been properly eliminated from the pool yet.

Labs have their issues too if not well brought up (like any dog), they are big dogs and need proper handling, they are usually very food and people oriented though so more trainable than the husky type.

Marvelle · 21/12/2020 14:26

They are dogs made for endurance and can be very destructive when bored

this - these dogs are bred to haul sleds over snow for HOURS!

Nookable · 21/12/2020 14:26

Have you ever had a dog before? Huskys aren't recommend for first time owners as they are strong willed and can be difficult to train. They also need a lot of exercise.

What made you narrow it down to these 2? Just they're quite different breeds so hard to tell what you're looking for. It might be worth posting on here what it is you want in a dog and what level of exercise, grooming, time at home etc you can give it and see if anyone has any suggestions of particular breeds that fit that.

Panicmode1 · 21/12/2020 14:33

Not the husky!! They are not an easy breed and as others have said, need hours and hours of exercise.

MrsFluffyMuff · 21/12/2020 14:44

Definitely would NOT recommend a husky. My ex had one, it was honestly such hard work. It could jump 5 or 6 ft fences with ease and would often escape the garden and chase cars. He would dig holes under the garden fence and escape that way too. His recall was non existant, if he was off lead and he saw something in the distance that caught his eye, another dog for example, he would be off and nothingcould get him to come back. My ex spent 3 hours looking for him one day, he got a call from the vets saying someone had handed him in. He never let him off again after that. He could not be left alone for even 5 minutes without being destructive. He ripped up the lino one day when ex had to go out unexpectedly, so he paid to have a new one put down. 4 weeks later the new lino was torn to shreds. He couldn't be crated as he would howl the place down continuously, so loud anyone passing the house could have heard it, it wouldn't have been fair on the neighbours to have to listen to it either. Hats off to my ex, he took him running every day, he gave him plenty of mental and physical excersise but it never seemed to be enough. He could get home from a 6 mile run and he would still have boundless energy. Unless you are able to channel their inner drive to pull sleds I wouldn't get one.

PegLegTrev · 21/12/2020 14:46

I have had both. I have also fostered huskies. Husky’s are brilliant for very active people. They have low attention spans and just like to run. They have high prey drive and so don’t always do well offlead (almost all husky charities or breeders will say don’t let them off lead at all), they’re stubborn and like doing their own thing. I ran half marathons with mine, he loved it. They’re lovely friendly dogs but don’t cope well as only dogs and if they’re not adequately exercised become quite destructive. They’re not easily motivated so generally aren’t so easily trained.

Labs are working breeds too, but more trainable and generally amendable. Also require lots of exercise but would enjoy some simple training, agility and walks (rather than runs). Better offlead. Do also become destructive when bored but less so than a husky.

PegLegTrev · 21/12/2020 14:48

As missfluffy said - my husky had terrible separation anxiety. The only place he was happy to be left for more than 5 mins was the boot of my car. I could never leave him for even an hour to do a food shop.

Original poster
Sami544 · 21/12/2020 15:22

you have settled my mind. A labrador it is. I work 2 days a week, apart from that at home. We love being out and about so want a dog who loves long walks. Lots of countryside where we live. Want a dog who is friendly but not a small one that would be quite yappy.

Have friends with huskies in Scandi countries but yes like someone here they are huge into running.
Have not had a dog before, only cats. But now no cats around and I am not working as much. I suppose we went with idea of a labrador as have family and friends with them and they seem like a lovely temperament which would fit well with us.

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vanillandhoney · 21/12/2020 15:25

Please don't get a husky. They should only go to specialist homes imo - they're not family pets. They're working dogs.

They've been bred to run for hours and hours a day. A plod around the streets on the lead just won't cut it. They suffer from separation anxiety, are excellent escape artists, become destructive when bored and have exceedingly high prey drives.

A family member of mine owns one - she runs ten miles with it every single morning. It also gets two other shorter walks each day (at lunch and each evening). She can bring it to work with her so it's not left alone. However, it can't no longer go off-lead as it's taken off and killed two sheep in two separate incidents.

Don't get me wrong, she's a lovely dog and she gets loads of exercise but you can't train the prey drive out of a husky. She's a LOT of work and a lifestyle rather than a pet.

Go for a labrador.

steppemum · 21/12/2020 15:31

If you have not had a dog before, can I recommend that you do a bit more research about a dog's needs.

You will need to walk a lab for at least as hour a day. Preferrably more.

Labs can be lovely. But they are very different. I have met labs who are horrednous and some which are gentlt, family dogs, very affectionate and loving. You need to find someone with a gentle natured dog who breeds.

They can be very food orientated and terrible food thieves.
having said that, if you put the time into training, they can be lovely lovely dogs.

Original poster
Sami544 · 21/12/2020 15:58

can I ask how much dog walkers generally cost? I don't work more than 2 days a week and love long walks in the countryside near us. My boys also really want to be able to walk a dog on their own so this dog would certainly get out a lot.

Do labs get bored if left on their own if we did find a gentle one? How long could you leave them?

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Delatron · 21/12/2020 15:59

I have a lab. Just do lots of research and think through the consequences of having a large breed dog. Yes they are food oriented so training can be easy in some areas.
However my lab has a strong prey drive. So will chase anything small and furry and fast and no food will distract him from that.

He is also fear reactive so we can’t ever have him off lead. For a working gun dog breed it’s so hard having to exercise him on lead. It takes hours and no fun for either of us.

I love him but a smaller dog would have been earlier in so many ways. Just don’t think automatically lab= easy dog. I have done so much training with him too.

Delatron · 21/12/2020 15:59

Easier not earlier

Original poster
Sami544 · 21/12/2020 15:59

at the moment this is still very much in research stage and see what is around. Not a dog for Christmas situation.

OP posts:
Delatron · 21/12/2020 16:01

If exercised I can leave my lab for a few hours and he will sleep. He doesn’t have any separation issues. They’re all different though.

TheMandalorian · 21/12/2020 16:06

I think you need to do a lot more research on different breed characteristics. Here is one such website.
There are also websites which can narrow down your household needs.
Have you thought about a border collie or rough coat collie? Cocker spaniel? Plenty of choices of breeds which would suit.
A husky is not really suited to British life. You would need to live in the Scottish Highlands i imagine.
dogtime.com/dog-breeds/characteristics

ClaireP20 · 21/12/2020 16:10

Or, you know, not buying from a breeder and instead getting one from a dog's home...

myfatiguehastiredness · 21/12/2020 16:32

If you are thinking of a rough collie, get in touch with the website collielife and pay your fiver to be on the puppy list.

ChorleyFMcominginyourears · 21/12/2020 16:38

I've had a husky before and currently have a labrador and would pick labrador any day of the week, they're more cuddly and easy to train, huskies can be very stubborn and can be destructive if bored yet get bored easily whereas our labrador would do literally anything asked of her if she thinks she will get a biscuit out of it 😂

Santaisironingwrappingpaper · 21/12/2020 16:41

Currently have a 7 yo husky... Def not an average ddog. Def not for a first time ddog owner.. She is amazing and prob would do it again but wouldn't recommend one!!