Hi everyone!

My wife and I live on Vancouver island, we both have really wanted a husky and finally are able to get one
Currently we have 2 hair less cats. I know not all huskies are good with cats but I have a lot of experience with dogs and am confident we can make it work.

Our new member (as long as she likes us at the meet and greet) is a 4 year old female. Her previous owner let her get over weight as they never had time for her. Being as he was in the military and my wofe is too I can understand how he was busy. He gave her up because he was having less and less time and felt that she deserved better.

The shelter has had her since Jan 23 and she has lost a lot of the excess weight. She doesnt much care for male dogs but they say she likes female dogs, though needs more socializing.

We are going to meet her and adopt her on Friday and I'm so excited. I'm in a wheelchair due to an illness and will be training her to help me out. Including helping me up hills, lol.

What would you recommend is a good way to start out our new relationship so she knows that we are able to take care of her and she doesn't need to be dominant? Thanks!

**EDIT** When I say dominant I mean taking charge. I know huskies are notoriously strong willed and free thinkers. The last dog I owned was a German Shredder...I mean shepherd, heh, and he really opened my eyes on how to be a more 'take charge' owner, compared to his 'brother' my elderly Golden retriever. Who was really more a goof ball and a lazy bum. I just wan to nip it in the butt before it even starts! I'm going to start slowly by gentle introductions (I am a shy person myself and understand shyness) between us and not immediately stomp in and be like "listen here dog!"

Our cats

One of the pictures the shelter has of her.

Welcome to the forum! We have a few people from the great white north hanging around here.

Training and consistency are going to help establish you as the owner and build your bond together. Getting her quickly to a routine you will be sticking with, feeding time, daily exercise, training time, etc. If you are filling all of her needs then she will know you are going to take care of her. It isn't so much about doing any one thing to settle her right off the bat so much as it is just taking care of her and diving right into how her new life is going to be. Don't let her get away with stuff you don't like just because she's new and you want her to get settled into her new home and people before you really start working. Get right to it.

As for the cats, huskies are not like dogs in general. Don't think of her like you have thought of other breeds in the past. Watch her like a hawk, make sure the cats have their own place to escape to and never trust her. I too have a cat. I thought with time my older husky would eventually "get used" to the cat. I too have had dogs all my life of many breeds. It's been a year and it hasn't happened yet. Just be prepared and capable of having your husky and your cats lead separated lives from each other if they don't come around to getting along.

I wouldn't be too quick to establish yourself as the leader. She won't need it. She'll be nervous about her new home and the people she's living around. No doubt she'll be curious about the cats as well, so introduce her to them slowly and keep an eye on her until you know she can be trusted around them. If she's one of those Huskies that wasn't raised around cats, she may view them as prey, and you may never be able to trust her around them. Make sure they have a place to go where the Husky can't get (be creative and pretend she's a secret agent because Huskies can get into a lot of places most other dogs can't).

Her adjustment period will last anywhere from a week to a month or two. At some point, you'll notice a change in her behavior, and that'll mean she's adjusted to her new home. When we adopted an American Eskimo that had been neglected in his previous home, it took two weeks for him to settle in. During that time period, he attached himself to my daughter, followed her everywhere, and became anxious when she wasn't around. After two weeks, he relaxed and doesn't become anxious anymore. He's still attached to her, but he no longer feels the need to be by her side every minute. So expect this same sort of thing with your new Husky.

Once she's adjusted to your home, you can start working with her on obedience training. Obedience training is a great way to establish yourself as the leader in the house. If you haven't had dogs in awhile, it might also be a good idea to sign up for obedience classes with her, even if only as a refresher course for you. It'll help you establish a relationship with her, and the schedule for the classes will also help keep you on track with her training.

Above all, though, enjoy having her as a family member! Huskies are amazing, and ever since I've owned my first two, I haven't been able to live without one without feeling like a piece of me is missing.

Welcome my fellow Canadian friend!

Thanks guys! I will be watching the dog and the cats closely we are blocking off an area that is the kitty 'safe zone' it also so happens to block off the litter pan from those 'delcious' treats the offer dogs (very ew, I know its just something dogs do but ew lol). I guess because my german shepherd was such a little terror at times because I had him from 12 weeks on I am so used to just laying the law down firmly.

Our breeders out here don't sell puppies usually until 12 weeks, and they cost a (small) fortune, I have breeder friends and know its just the price they pay to keep the bitch and her litter happy (not to mention renting a stud or whatever, and our vet prices are generally higher up here). I did have a husky in the past, but he was in his senior years, so he wasn't TOO interested in the cats. And my then at the time, former rescue cat, knew how to deal with dogs (we were a rescue of our own sorts) that wouldn't leave him alone that a couple good shots on the nose, a lot of cat noise and fluffing up and the husky learned that "ow that toy hurts me back. I don't like it!"

I'm so excited, I know I'm going to have to be very calm when I first meet her, just like the senior husky I rescued, where at the SPCA I sat in his room gently talking to him for about an hour and  half. He wouldnt' approach people normally and it took only 5-10 mins for him to warm up to me and then roll over and demand (how we found his bark had been removed. Poor dear) pets, loves. Then he threw a ball at my face, and tried to zoomie around his small room, so we went to the outside area where people can meet their new pets and he zoomed around, tackled me a few times and was so happy, he followed me around as I wandered and was instantly like "MY HUMAN THIS IS MY MOMMY I CAN GO HOME NOW KAY GUYS?!" LOL! I told my at the time husband (now ex) that I didn't care if I had to pawn him off the dog was coming home!

I plan on doing much the same with this beautiful girl. I'm going to approach quietly, and my wife (who isn't used to rescues) will follow my lead, and we'll talk softly, the we're going for a walk with the foster mom and the dog and I hope to play a little and get her to sing...Or I hope she sings! Her foster mom says she a VERY chatty husky, loves to sing and just tell you all about her day. I'll howl if I have to lol.



That is her standing with her side to her foster. To me she looks 100%, what do you guys think? Not that it's going to affect my decision to bring her home, I just want input so I know what breeds MAY be there to make sure I'm meeting her needs correctly. The Humane Society is completely sure she's 100% and I wouldn't be surprised seeing as there are a few show kennels either on the island, or just on the mainland.

CoraTheHusky wrote:

Welcome my fellow Canadian friend!

Hi Cora! We're moving to Toronto in a couple years!!!! So maybe we can make play dates in the (far) future!

OH! Also, we are changing her name from "Shila" To "Eluna" because 1) It doesn't match our naming scheme for our other animals.
2) Niether of us really like Shila (sorry to all the Shila/Shyla's out there)

So would it just be like training a puppy a name, when she responds treat?

Hi, welcome to the forums. very cool cats and beautiful husky. i hope it works out.

Thanks Red! Couldn't get her on Friday because wife was feeling under the weather and wasn't up to the drive (3 hours one way) So monday is gotcha day!!! Also our cats say thank you. We got them from a very reputable breeder who has become our friend (she loves the stories we tell her about our two). Can't wait for our new girl (we're a house full of girls) she's not too keen on male dogs, but seeing as Ky and I are both not so great with men this doesn't both us. We have friends who have very kind, older, male dogs that we can slowly start socializing with, before we introduce her to male dogs that are young and want to play! Your husky is so adorable, I literally just want to like hug her/him and snuggle them! Lol

Tomorrow is the day!!!

Good luck, and enjoy the ride!

Oh wow Mark your puppy is so cute and thank you. Got to get the excitement out at home so Im calm when we meet her lol

Congratulations and good luck to you she's very beautiful. And please keep us updated! Start a scrapbook in here for her too, we all love to see pics. There's even a place in here for scrapbooks with your kitties too any questions or concerns, we are all here to help each other out.

Thank you so much Jimmy! I must admit its a bit intimidating to get a rescue when so many of you have dohs from a breeder. But as this is my wife's first husky I though an older one wouldnt make her bonkers and think huskies are devil dogs lol! So excited tomorrow is the big day. We are having renaming dwbates so hopefullu when we meet her we'll know.

Good luck with your new girl! My boy Ami is a rescue as is my son's boy, Archer. I suspect at least as many people her have rescued as have bought pups directly from a breeder (ugh, its late - I almost said dealer )

Haha dealer! All i can think of is some person in a trench coat opening it up with a bunch of puppies magically hanging inside squirming "hey you....-shifty eyes- wanna buy a puppy? All brand name totally legit yeah?"

Kayliyth wrote:

Thank you so much Jimmy! I must admit its a bit intimidating to get a rescue when so many of you have dohs from a breeder. But as this is my wife's first husky I though an older one wouldnt make her bonkers and think huskies are devil dogs lol! So excited tomorrow is the big day. We are having renaming dwbates so hopefullu when we meet her we'll know.

I fully support anyone who wants to rescue dogs! I think it is a very noble thing! If I weren't planning to show my dog, I would've gotten one from a rescue too.

Thanks Jessie! We both love animals and it just made sense for us to adopt. Leaving soon squeee!

Kayliyth wrote:

Thank you so much Jimmy! I must admit its a bit intimidating to get a rescue when so many of you have dohs from a breeder. But as this is my wife's first husky I though an older one wouldnt make her bonkers and think huskies are devil dogs lol! So excited tomorrow is the big day. We are having renaming dwbates so hopefullu when we meet her we'll know.

I think there are more rescues here than breeder dogs so don't you dare feel intimidated. besides, it's now how or where we got our huskies, it's all about the huskies here and they give us plenty to chat about, hahaha

Haha excellent! I know some forums can be a bit..uh...stuck up? We don't care where she came from as long as she is happy coming home with us and prepared to have unconditional love and a good life for the rest of her life! I'm looking at agility and obedience classes (to help us bond with her). Our cats sense something is amiss (I'm up before 11am?! WHAT?!) but we've gave them extra love, and I broke out some new toys.

Hahaha, yeah, stuck up people suck. I hope you never feel that way here.

Sounds like a good plan! And lol with the kitties, our kids can be scary smart sometimes can't they! Hahaha.

So how much longer til you go get her?

In the car right now. Coffee then bank then 3hour drive. Roadtrip! Lol

Nice! Drive safe and...you're lucky! My drive was 9 hours, LOLOL

Its a total of 6 hours there and back. And we will! Poor wife has to do all the driving because of my disease.

Everyone meet our new baby Cara (care-ah). 4 years old she claimed us right away. We got happy woo woos and everything!

Awwww, she's so pretty. Pretty name too! Congratulations! I bet you all are tired!