Hi, my name is Lidia, I just joined the forum as I'm a happy "husky mom" of a 6/7 months old fluffy husky named Rascal
I see most of you are from the US, I am from Ireland (but I'm Italian. And my partner is Finnish. We love a multicultural environment XD).
I was looking for a nice forum about Siberian Husky, as I would like to talk about my "little" Rascal, and I liked the name of this forum, the rules and the atmosphere here

So as mentioned, Rascal is a bit over 6 months now, I got him at the end of November last year, and he's the most cuddly dog I've ever seen. I think it's worth mentioning I previously had an Alaskan Malamute, when I was still living in Italy, and when getting a Husky I thought they'd be similar but no no, they are completely different XD

I had Rascal neutered a couple of days ago, at the moment he's wearing a "lamp" (as we like to call it) and he seems to be doing fine. I got him from a young couple living in a city nearby, they're not professional breeders, I know the father is from a champion's bloodline and the mother was adopted. I was able to see both parents and almost all the other puppies (except one which was already adopted). So as far as I know, there might be some "bloodline impurity" from his mother's side, although she looked very much like a perfect husky to me

The weird fact is that Rascal was the only one coming out with a super long, soft and fluffy coat, and he still has it all! I was reading about it online but I can't make it clear, someone call it long coat, someone woolly, someone plush coat. I absolutely don't care about dog shows or anything (in fact I had him neutered!) but I'm extremely curious to have some opinion about his coat Here's some picture of my fluffy love.

Love <3  

Here he was a bit over 3 months:

Hi and welcome! Ireland is on the top of my list of places I want to see.

Rascal is very cute. His face is really long, if I had to guess I might say he may have a tiny bit of collie of some sort in him. Regardless, he is cute and I look forward to more pics and stories of Rascal!

Hi Lidia and welcome to the forum from the south west part of Texas, USA!

Husky's are about the only breed I know where coat length, coat colour, eye color can be (almost?) anything and still fall within bred standard. My introduction to the breed was a short haired silver, so when *I* think Husky that's what I think, even though I currently have a long haired (but not a wooly) Husky and a very short Alaskan Husky.

I'll let someone who has a wooly comment on Rascal, to me he looks like he has longer hair but not quite the fullness of a wooly - but what do I know??

a little video


I'm still working on training him to behave in presence of my cats -.- He's nice with them as long as they don't move fast, if they do, he starts chasing them to play :p

MGoBlue wrote:

Hi and welcome! Ireland is on the top of my list of places I want to see.

Rascal is very cute. His face is really long, if I had to guess I might say he may have a tiny bit of collie of some sort in him. Regardless, he is cute and I look forward to more pics and stories of Rascal!

And you should visit here, it's such a beautiful Country. I can post some picture later

As for the Collie, yeah maybe, it's just weird considering there might only be impurity on the mother's side but she was the most "classic" looking husky (in my opinion, which is just an amateur's )

Here's the parents, plus a little intruder in the middle XD

Since wooly is a recessive trait, both parents could be pure and still produce a wooly. I have a wooly boy - his face has about as much hair as your Rascal. My boy is not anywhere near as full of fluff as I have seen online but has quite a bit more than Rascal - most notably in the leg "feathers" and his "pants". His belly and top sides are fairly close to Rascal.

amymeme wrote:

Since wooly is a recessive trait, both parents could be pure and still produce a wooly.  I have a wooly boy - his face has about as much hair as your Rascal.  My boy is not anywhere near as full of fluff as I have seen online but has quite a bit more than Rascal - most notably in the leg "feathers" and his "pants".  His belly and top sides are fairly close to Rascal.

Is he the one in your avatar? Wonderful dog! And yes reminds me a bit of Rascal!

That's interesting that those are the parents...I just don't see that dog coming from those two. But husky genetics can be funny.

Also, keep up the training with the cats! There are lots of members here that have cats and huskies, myself included. Ours does the same thing, they play together but if Myles runs, then Bode will chase and start playing too rough.

MGoBlue wrote:

Also, keep up the training with the cats! There are lots of members here that have cats and huskies, myself included. Ours does the same thing, they play together but if Myles runs, then Bode will chase and start playing too rough.

Yeah at the moment I keep them separated, my cats as you see in the video are really tiny (2 kg each vs his 17/18!) and they have always been indoor cats, no clue on how to play with a big dog :p Every time we let him free to run after them, he was chasing them and ended up scaring them like hell poor things. He's too bold for them! But not giving up, I hope he will slowly learn not to chase them :>

We still leave ours separated when we are not around and Bode is almost 3 years old. It's just not worth the risk that something could happen.

I recently added a cat to my herd and she had apparently been around dogs before because she's put my two in their places! But she's also learned not to run away from them because then they will chase - and come to a screeching halt when she stops and turns around!! I've never heard either of my two do more than a "yip" when confronting her so she apparently doesn't get her claws in too deep - just deep enough that they leave her alone.

(( oh, the cat just appeared on my doorstep (so to speak) a few weeks ago. the introduction was nerve wracking but it all has worked out well. They'll sleep within inches of each other and don't seem concerned. ))

aljones wrote:

I recently added a cat to my herd and she had apparently been around dogs before because she's put my two in their places!  But she's also learned not to run away from them because then they will chase - and come to a screeching halt when she stops and turns around!!  I've never heard either of my two do more than a "yip" when confronting her so she apparently doesn't get her claws in too deep - just deep enough that they leave her alone.

(( oh, the cat just appeared on my doorstep (so to speak) a few weeks ago.  the introduction was nerve wracking but it all has worked out well.  They'll sleep within inches of each other and don't seem concerned. ))

I think that's what most cats would do, but I think mine are a bit too spoiled :p To the point that sometimes they look at me knowing I'll pick them up and carry them where they want to go. They are just not used to any danger when "mummy" is around... They have no idea how to scratch a living being. Like MGoBlue said, I find it too risky to let them play. Pippi (the black and white one) just run away if he gets bold, and Lumi (the white-tortie) prefers to keep distance.

In my opinion, Rascal is a woolly, Amy, did you watch the video? I wasn't convinced until I saw that tail! Wow, that's a huge fluffy tail! The fluff behind and around the ears is a definite sign. Also, at 6 months, he doesn't yet have his adult coat, so it may yet fill out even more.

Here's a funny video I made yesterday. The cone because he's just been neutered, and apparently he's doing great :p
His new hobby is running at full speed across the room and bump into my legs with the cone.

Ha! Well, he definitely has the husky personality... Silliness is adorable, and the mouthing...

Adorable. My guy has had to have a cone on and off recently to help a leg wound to heal up. He hasn't quite figured out how to play with toys with it on like Rascal!

Welcome.
Your dog is beautiful and looks like a wooly to me.

I've been to Cork years ago.
We spent the night in a B&B on the way to Dublin from the Dingle Peninsula.
I vaguely remember a pub by the river.

My bet, too, is on wooly - while he does not have the prolific feathers that Ami does, his head, and especially the fluff around the ears really suggest it to me.  The silkiness of the outer coat, too (some places, I have seen reference to sub types of wooly where one is profuse undercoat and others is more long, silky outer coat. Not sure if this is really a valid distinction.) Also, even though the body coat and belly are not as enormous as some I've seen online, like Ami's body coat, it does obscure his lines and undulates when he moves. (I finally watched the video).

Good news?  He is stunningly beautiful, especially with that mask and the richness of his black parts.  Bad news?  You have an ongoing grooming challenge.  Since he is young, I urge you to accustom him to grooming now - my boy was adopted at about 1 year of age, and clearly, was NOT accustomed to grooming.  It has been an ongoing hassle to keep him free of matts, mostly around the ears, in his leg feathers and his pants.  Which is why, at the moment, he has a rather butchered haircut on his legs

There is some speculation that woolies have a lovely, sweet disposition.  Ami supports that belief, even if it is a myth.

jalepeno wrote:

Welcome.
Your dog is beautiful and looks like a wooly to me.

I've been to Cork years ago.
We spent the night in a B&B on the way to Dublin from the Dingle Peninsula.
I vaguely remember a pub by the river.

While I don't love particularly Cork city, I love the countryside here, loads of wonderful wild places! If you will ever visit here again, I can suggest you some!

amymeme wrote:

My bet, too, is on wooly - while he does not have the prolific feathers that Ami does, his head, and especially the fluff around the ears really suggest it to me.  The silkiness of the outer coat, too (some places, I have seen reference to sub types of wooly where one is profuse undercoat and others is more long, silky outer coat. Not sure if this is really a valid distinction.) Also, even though the body coat and belly are not as enormous as some I've seen online, like Ami's body coat, it does obscure his lines and undulates when he moves. (I finally watched the video).

Good news?  He is stunningly beautiful, especially with that mask and the richness of his black parts.  Bad news?  You have an ongoing grooming challenge.  Since he is young, I urge you to accustom him to grooming now - my boy was adopted at about 1 year of age, and clearly, was NOT accustomed to grooming.  It has been an ongoing hassle to keep him free of matts, mostly around the ears, in his leg feathers and his pants.  Which is why, at the moment, he has a rather butchered haircut on his legs Rolling Eyes

There is some speculation that woolies have a lovely, sweet disposition.  Ami supports that belief, even if it is a myth.

Me or my partner groom him almost every day, he loves to be brushed, and he doesn't mind some bath either!  The coat is incredibly soft everywhere, only the tail is a bit rough XD

And he is indeed super sweet, falls asleep in our lap, "hugs" us, and he's nice and likes to "kiss" everyone. I just have to keep an eye on him because he would probably run away with anyone who gives him some cuddle

Lily82 wrote:

And he is indeed super sweet, falls asleep in our lap, "hugs" us, and he's nice and likes to "kiss" everyone. I just have to keep an eye on him because he would probably run away with anyone who gives him some cuddle

Haha, typical husky for you!

Yeah I would have never expected that, my old Alaskan Malamute she was a "guard" dog, and wouldn't let anyone touch her aside from me and my parents or very good friends.
Apparently I got the two extremes for both breeds, as I read that sometimes malamutes are protective and guard dogs, while huskies are "everyone's dogs"

Lily82 wrote:

Me or my partner groom him almost every day, he loves to be brushed, and he doesn't mind some bath either!  The coat is incredibly soft everywhere, only the tail is a bit rough XD

And he is indeed super sweet, falls asleep in our lap, "hugs" us, and he's nice and likes to "kiss" everyone. I just have to keep an eye on him because he would probably run away with anyone who gives him some cuddle

You are so lucky - I end up either trussing Ami to a door knob or chasing him around the kitchen to groom

My biggest fear is someone will pull in the driveway, open a car door and away he will go...Ami just loves people. Really not keen on a whole lot of cuddles though - as sweet as he is, he is one of the more "keep your distance" kind of huskies. Sort of "look, don't touch" kind of boy

I think these 2 short vids could be fun for you then XD

Here he won't let me drink my coffee


This is what happens in the morning, he sleeps next to the bed but when we wake up, he wants to come in the bed with us to cuddle