Greetings all,

I'm a new servant to a 2.5-3yo rescue husky named Bella. I'm not new to dogs and am very comfortable with spaniels and boxers, but the husky world has been a revelation to me, and by revelation I mean a humbling, frustrating, and funny experience.

She's a precocious, sweet, beautiful brat and I love her, but I think I'm about to lose my mind.

Questions:

-How long does this shedding coat thing last? I'm about to lose it if I eat anymore hair and it is everywhere. I know it's cruel and unusual to have a husky in Houston summers, but I'm trying my best and she will not stop shedding despite the furminator, grooming, etc. Brushing her is an exercise in self-flagellation because it seems the more I brush, the more comes out!

-My husky LOVES certain toys, but she love them to the point that when she gets them, she literally cries like she's in pain. It's the oddest thing and I don't know what to do about it. I obviously want to make her happy/comfortable, but the things that she loves, she obsess over and won't stop whining/crying out of, what I perceive, as pure joy.

I have many more idiosyncrasies to work out, but I felt as a newbie to the forum, I'd start with my 2 most pressing issues.

Thanks in advance for any advice given.

-Vik

Welcome fellow Texan to the forum. My girl has a short coat, so no blow coat yet, neighbor's husky different story. Just keep on brushing and invest in a coat rake. There are some good threads in the grooming section.

Ah the toy thing, whining will come and go, but I think the reason for it is because she wants you to play with her. Make a little room in the hose, don't need much, maybe a hallway and play mini fetch. My girl loves this at the hottest time of the day. Walking early morning and late evenings(yes both) will tire her out some. After a walk I'll give my girl a cow ear or something she can chew for awhile, redirection to something less aggravating to you.

See if that helps. Thank you for getting her, most people want puppies. Adult huskies are wonderful, and you will find how different and charming they really are. They are full of personality, I love how unique they really are compared to other breeds.

Renee

BTW we need pics      

Thank you for the advice. I've tried the "fetch" thing which always worked with my boxers, but she seriously covets her toys and it's getting a bit annoying that giving her something she loves will ensure more endless whining.

I will post pics as soon as I figure out how to do so.....

Hi there. I was surprised to see that your husky whines with a toy because ours does that too! If you give her a treat or she finds a special toy, she gets all excited and starts whining like she is in pain or upset. It is very strange. It usually is when we are already playing with her, so it doesn't seem like she is asking for that. She sometimes takes the treat into another room while crying/whining. Our girl is about 11 months old and she has been doing that for a few months now.

Dizzy does that too, especially with his squirrel. He seems to be emotionally attached to it and gets upset if I squeak it. When it squeaks, he gets very concerned and comes over to me. I hold it out to him, and he gently takes it and then carries it to his crate, puts it down and licks it. He treats it like a baby. He also gets that way about bones or chews that he really likes, but wants to hide and save for later. He would get so upset and stressed out by pig ears I had to stop giving them all together. He gets one every now and then, but if he doesn't eat it right away I have to take it away because he carries it around whining and trying to hide it, but he can never find a perfect spot, and ends up rubbing all the fur off his nose trying to cover it up with the carpet. He's got bones stashed all over the apartment.

He also used to whine if I gave him a pig ear, rawhide, or a bully stick after his dinner. I realized it was because his tummy was too full and he didn't feel good, but wanted to eat the treat. So I just started waiting before giving him anything following his dinner and that solved that issue for the most part.

You will get used to the hair, eventually you will come to the realization you will never win the battle. I was constantly vacuuming and worrying in the beginning about keeping up with it, but eventually it just becomes a part of your life. Probably not what you wanted to hear but some huskies shed more than others too and you might just have a major shedder!

Jen, it still amazes me how much dizzy and siku are the same dog! Siku does all of that stuff except its a frog not a squirrel!

As I was typing that, I was thinking of that video you posted of Siku with his bone. How he was talking to it and softly pawing it. Ha ha.

Miya does it with anything that squeaks as well, I swear she thinks something is in there and doesn't want to hurt it and yet still wants to play with it, lol. She did the whining thing for about 3 or 4 days and has stopped, for her it comes and goes.