Should I get a Siberian Husky?

Question

My Grandma has an eight year old Husky that she can no longer take care of. My husband nad I are considering bringinhim to our house, but I"m a little nervous about him with our two cats. Anyone have a husky that can give me some advice? He's a really nice dog.

My cats are five and three, and very large (15lbs), but both kinda skitterish and never have they seena dog before.

Answer 1

I have 3 Huskys. Two of which are rescue Huskys and one I got from a friend. These dogs are very hard to deal with and as I like to describe them they are the ADHD dogs of the dog world (I can say this because I am ADHD and I have two sons who are ADHD). These dogs retain all of the instincts they were created with and it is very hard to break them from the behaviors. Besides the shedding, which they do profusley, they are known for killing cats and any other creature they see as prey. Mine live with 2 cats but they see them as part of the pack. However, they like to chase and aggravate the cats also. They are highly intellegent but only do what they want to do when they want to do it. You can never trust them off lead they will run off and do not come back when called. There are exceptions that and I have seen those that are not as likley but they are few and far between. I have worked with mine but if they ever got off lead outside of the back yard they wouldn't come back.They require a lot of attention, grooming and working with. Before you make a decision, Please do research and more research. Talk to everyone and anyone that has huskys. I did my homework and still was not prepared to handle these guys. Mine all live in the house and one sleeps in the bed with us and I wouldn't trade them for anything.

Answer 2

I have a Siberian Husky.. Now I have had her from a puppy and she is an excellent dog. I find with Huskys there very stubborn and she does like to escape from the yard . As for exercise she runs in my yard for about 1 hour a day with my other 2 dogs. I think its better to have more than just one dog with a huskie that way they have the "pack" feeling and keeps them from getting bored. I also have 2 cats. The one cat was there before all the dogs and she accepted all 3 dog and 1 more cat into the house. It took about two weeks and now they all even play together. Cats can be very adaptable. I say try it out..... But I don't recommend a huskie unless you are able to take them for long walks or have a fenced yard

Answer 3

Julie*, siberian huskys are not one of the most returned breeds because of a problem that they have, it is because of a problem that the OWNER HAS! NO dog has an unfixable problem, only the person who owns the dog does. It is like pitbulls, they have a bad rep because of THEIR OWNERS, not because they wanted that rep. Hukys make great pets but if he chases other animals then he might not be suited to your home. If he doesn't (chase other animals) then you should try it. Bring him home for a few days and see if they all get on okay, but remember there will probably be a little bit of an upset for the first few days, especially because your cats have never seen a dog before. If all goes well then I don't see why you shouldn't take him. There is just one more thing that I want to say, you have to remember that huskys need not just quite alot of exercise but that they also need to be groomed once a month at least and that Huskys can be quite heavy shedders.

Answer 4

It all depends on if the husky has seen cats before and how it reacted. My husky was trained by my cat, so if your cats want to remain the heads of the house, they might do the same thing. But at this point my cats are more violent than my dog because they are the head of the pack.

Answer 5

I agree with the "test run" at your house and make sure he's well supervised! It is a rare husky that isn't interested in catching cats. And don't bring the cats to his house--he will defend his territory and hurt the cats!

Also, make sure your house and yard are absolutely escape-proof. That means all fences should be sunk into concrete, not dirt, and at least 6 feet tall with no weak spots. It sounds like at 8 years old, he may be past the prime destruction age, but better to be safe than sorry.

And last, do you have the time and energy to give him the exercise he needs? Huskies have endless amounts of energy and need lots of mental stimulation too. The trade off is that they are gorgeous, sweet, intelligent, amazing dogs.

Good luck!

Answer 6

That really depends. Siberian huskies require a lot of exercise. Do you have a home big enough to have a dog that has exercise needs? Do you have enough time to spend with the dog? Some breeds of dogs do okay with cats, some don't. I would recommend that the dog meet on neutral grounds and see how the dog reacts.

Answer 7

I have a Husky. I love him to death, hate his coat. Since you have 2 cats, you are used to the hair all over the house. Mine sheds year round. He is a great companion and great with my 3 year old. Mine doesn't bother my parents cats when we go home by them. Just make sure you are aware of the exercise that they need and the attention. Since they are pack dogs, they can be quite destructive if need be. I think you should go for it if you are up to it. They also will run if not on a leash, so if you don't have a fence good luck. Mine will run forever it seems like before he comes home. He is worth it though.....despite the hair all over. Good Luck

Answer 8

I dont have a huskey but my best friend does. Some can be aggressive but some are not. Take a cat of yours over there and see how the dog acts toward the cat. If it doesnt do any thing to it and just sits there it will be fine in your home. If not and it just wants to fight with the cat it may not be the best of ideas. If you just want the dog and it acts negative toward the cat maybe go to Pets Mart and they will train the dog for a low fee.

Answer 9

Can you kind of "test drive" him for a week in your house to see how he does? Usually animals can get used to eachother and will come to an "understanding" about territory and pecking order, but sometimes that takes a few days. The dog will be nervous in a new place, so he has to adapt, and your cats might freak out that there's a dog in their home. How old are your cats, and are they male or female?

Answer 10

Only if you have experience with them. They are one of the most "returned" dogs there is because of their natural behaviors that you can not and will not be able to change. They do not like to be confined - in a yard or a house. They have a great need to roam and wander, just as they would in the wilderness, and become excellent escape artists to facilitate this need. Do some serious research before deciding if this is the breed for you. Contact a local rescue group, they will be able to answer all your questions.