Hi! My name is Greta and I'm a new "mom" to Lutsen (loot-sen). My boyfriend and I researched huskies for awhile before deciding to go with one. He has had experience raising a husky mix from pup to full grown but we had never had a full bred dog either of us so I wanted to make sure we were a right home for our guy! He is 9 weeks old (we got him last week) and already he fits right in. We met him at 4 weeks old and he chose us for sure! I had corresponded with a family who has a recreational dog sled team up in northern MN and they made the experience of getting a puppy AMAZING. Both of Lutsen's parents are sled dogs so I want to ensure that when he gets bigger we will have lots of exercising adventures together.

I've heard/read all of the horror stories of Huskies being notorious runners/diggers etc. I am not going to lie they make me so nervous! Our backyard is bigger and 6 ft fenced. Even so, I know no one's back yard is perfect and sometimes when they have the idea in their minds to bolt then they do! Also, I have had friends that have had Huskies that could be off leash no problem, so I am sure like all other breeds every individual dog is different.

That being said, I was wondering if any of you have any exercise activities that you recommend as Lutsen grows up so I can keep him occupied and happy!

This is him by the way!

Such a cutie. Welcome to the forum. Not all huskies are the escape artists of legend...though some certainly are. I believe boredom has a lot to do with it but that's just my opinion. There are tricks - if she's a climber, a coyote roller can stop the climbing. If she's a digger, than chicken wire or concrete buried a few inches down (the chicken wire held in place with landscape staples and covered with dirt, gravel, mulch or lawn is easier in my book). For jumping, making the fence higher. For any of these either an invisible fence wire run under or on top of the existing fence or a line of electric fence like used for livestock would give additional security.

As long as we were home, our 4 ft chain link with ample places to crawl under, was sufficient to keep Ami contained. I never tried leaving him loose out there if we are not home, he was tethered to an overhead trolley - which, by the way, he learned to unsnap the snap shackle so now his tether has 2 snap shackles - he apparently gives up when he's got one undone and finds he's still tethered. BUt, now that we have invisible fence and he comes and goes as he wants, he seems to have no issues being on his trolley when we are not home - I haven't found a snapshackle unhitched in over a year, now.

As for exercise, besides leash walking (for now, no more than 5 min per month of age in any one walk, can be multiple per day), as an adult she can bike with you (walkydog like attachments or on harness and pulling bike), walking/hiking with backpack, skijoring, flirt poles, chasing toys you throw. Trips to the dog park, doggy daycare...to my mind, nothing exercises a husky like another husky. In house or out, though in house can get a bit...risky

Thank you for the tips! Your post makes me feel less nervous for the future! Better to be prepared than be sorry later! We are a super active couple. We own our home and Lutsen has a ton of space. We both come from multiple dog homes in the past so Ryan wants to eventually get Lutsen a friend! There is a dog park right by our house that I want to introduce him to! Minnesota is experiencing a much warmer winter this year than usual so unfortunately Lutsen hasn't seen his first real snow fall yet!

Our schedules are great for having this type of breed. He is crate training right now and its going fairly well. Honestly as long as I run around the yard with him after potty/poop time he only lets out a little howl of "really mom the kennel again?" but then stops! I usually am home around 3pm and my boyfriend gets home from work at noon so the most he is alone is 3-4 hours give or take.

He is getting more and more comfortable with initiating play time. Last week he was getting used to his new surroundings without his liter-mates so play time was usually brought on by me or Ryan. This week has been really fun seeing him so excited when I get home! Ryan will play with him around noon when he gets home then we exercise with him together when I get home.

It will be interesting to see what he is like when he gets bigger!

Congrats very cute looking pup.

Where about in Minnesota you guys at if you don't mind me asking? Grew up there before I left for the Military. Had a Husky I always used to take up north during the winter. Could never get him to come inside after the snow was on the ground.

We recently bought our first home in cottage grove, mn! Its just a little south of the cities a suburb so Lutsen has a huge back yard! Minnesota usually has snow this time of year but the little guys gonna have to wait a couple more weeks. My boyfriend and I both snowboard and I've heard of skijoring with a snowboard so when lutsens older that might be fun to try!

Bandit2497 wrote:

Had a Husky I always used to take up north during the winter. Could never get him to come inside after the snow was on the ground.

We got maybe an inch overnight and are still having flurries. The beastie boys woke as a 8, snarfed down there breakfast and went out. We fell back asleep and per usual the doggy doorbell rang, woke up and it was 11:30 They came inside, had a quick snack and a drink and were standing at the door..."come on Mom...there's SNOW out there They are out again, don't know where but the pawprints in the snow look like "The Family Circus"!

I wish we could get a doggie door bell! How cute! We have a huge deck with stairs Lutsen has to climb so that's probably not an option!