Hi all! My name's Steph, and this is our little Kaya!



We just got her last night from a gentleman north of town who could no longer commute across Houston to take care of his outdoor dogs. Kaya is eight weeks old — She's got a couple of minor things that need taking care of (fleas, nails clipped, probably worms), but she's a sweetheart!

We were told she is a husky mix. We're not quite sure with what. Her dad looks like a brindle wolf more than anything (haven't obtained a copy of the photo yet), and this right here's her mum.



We felt that our miniature schnauzer, Lindsay, needed an energetic and larger playmate to keep her uplifted. Despite only being 20 pounds, she HATES hanging out with small dogs and lazy dogs!



So there you have it! Our now-bigger happy family!

Any speculation on her breed mixture? Any tips on what we should be aware of as a first-time husky owner? We've raised puppies before, so we certainly have the basics down — but what sets huskies apart?

Thanks!

welcome to the forum fellow Texan...What a cutie you got there. Hmmmm, she is too young to really give a good guess, her mom looks husky and maybe mal, wide ear placement smaller ears than a husky. I guess I am the resident guesser of mixed breeds here on the forum, lol. Your description of dad, well, haha no such thing as a brindle wolf, but I imagine it's merely a description and without a pic, my best guess maybe a Dutch Shepherd, since they can come in a brindle type coat, and well people like to call shepherds wolfy looking, haha. So a pic of him would be helpful. Give her a few months to develop her coat and we could give a better guess.

As far as what separates huskies....lots of energy, but from the pic seems like you have that under control, lol, they do love being part of a pack. They do play rough, but know how to make it look crazy, but really they are goof balls. I guess the big thing is that they are a very mouthy breed when they are pups. Most complaints of new husky owners is not knowing that their behavior is NOT aggressive, and very normal, if you are familiar with gsd or lab pups kinda similar, they can be land sharks and want to nip and bite, some like to be jumpy at you, pull on sleeves, things of that nature. Knowing that a husky pup is a high drive pup, knowing that they are naturally curious, and use their mouths to communicate will help you tremendously.

This forum is very helpful, lots of great people, so any questions you have ask. And we love pics here!

Well, let's see, where do I start this ....???

First off, I'm LMAO - unless you've raised a Husky puppy, you haven't *really* raised a puppy!!  Get ready for the time of your life!!

Then of course there's Welcome from the other side of our Great State, I'm over in the Big Bend area, so ...

Oh, shoot, that wasn't the one I wanted, but it'll do ...

Momma looks like she's probably a pure bred Husky or close.  I'm going to reserve judgement on what the 'mix' in him might be.  Once he gets a couple of months older I'll be willing to take some guesses - but for the nonce, he's a puppy.

I lived over in/around Houston before I retired so I can sympathize with someone not wanting to travel across the city to care for a dog - *I* didn't want to travel 'cross Houston for work!

I'm giving you fair warning, a Husky is *NOT* like any other dog you've ever had.  For starters, they're probably more intelligent than most of your friends (you, of course, were smart enough to get a Husky, so you don't count.)  There are times you'll swear that he's setting there deciding whether he'll do what you want him to or not - and yep, from general experience *that's* exactly what he's doing.  It's safe to say that Huskies think more than any other dog I've EVER had (and I'm pushing 70 real close so I've had a few dogs!)

Get busy reading 'round here, you need to stay one step ahead of the little one or he'll leave you in the dust.  Did I say that Huskies are smart, let me emphasize that Huskies are about the smartest bread I've ever seen!

My one suggestion, since they are smart, he'll find way to work on you.  Start raising him NOW for the dog you want him to become.  If you start off cutting him slack now, letting on the couch / bed for example, you've just given him permission for a lifetime of kicking you out of it!

After looking at your picture, you're going to have to watch him close until he gets big enough that he can't make it through the bars of your fence, Huskies like to run and given the chance they will. I might even be inclined to suggest that you keep him on lead until he gets bigger, even when you're out with him. A husky will do what they want and if that means that running with your other pup just became less interesting than the bird on the other side of the fence, he'll be gone!

The forum might be a bit slow today - many of our members take off on weekends - but you'll get more greetings after the weekend.  And I see Renee got her two cents worth in while I was typing.

ETA: Mind if I ask "... having an identity crisis"?????

Helloooo, also from Texas here! Once she has her monthly Heartgard it should also eliminate any worms. Nail clipping I would also suggest doing yourself because it will get her used to being touched there - I cut my 4 month old girl's bi-weekly and she has become very well behaved about it.  Make sure to feed her high quality food.. I feed mine Taste Of The Wild, it is a little expensive ($48 for a 30lb bag) but they need high-quality and high protein foods so they don't develop zinc deficiency. Miya is very correct about the mouthy.. I feel like I get bit more than receive kisses, lol, but I know she's just trying to play. Also this breed becomes extremely destructive if not exercised enough.. I walk my girl in the morning, do a small walk at noon and bring her to the dog park every night.

Aww, thank y'all so much for the warm welcome and input!

This is also my and my partner's first dog together. I'm really excited to take on this journey/challenge! We both have a huge interest in dog/animal behaviour. So with a little extra help I think we'll be able to raise a fine lady. I'm in the process of getting her dad's photo but it's nice to know we didn't accidentally buy a wolf lol.

I didn't really know that huskies are "mouthy"— it makes sense, and makes me feel a LOT better about some of the roughhousing she and my schnauzer are doing. Thanks for enlightening us! We've been managing her chewing really well, offering her an appropriate item when she starts any inappropriate chewing. So far she's really getting the message! I am SO impressed!

I'm just really impressed in general with her awareness/ memory. She's only eight weeks old and already has a solid grasp of some ground rules. And it's literally day one.

Y'all are right, these guys are SMART.

It's called scary smart Steph.....if you google the smartest dogs list, huskies are almost at the bottom, so very unfair really, I list them in my top 2(to me toss up on husky or gsd, I am slightly biased, lol)....the issue with huskies they are stubborn and independent. When training you need to use their name always, I have mentioned this before, but not using their name means you are speaking to the husky behind them, lmao. Some days they know stay some days they do not, ah yes, they really do, but they like to test us. They are a very unique breed, they will steal your heart, they will make you laugh, they will frustrate you, they will love you like no other breed. Another member said it quite well, a gsd looks inward at you the handler for direction, to please you, a husky looks outwards wanting to please themselves, hahahahaha. I will never not have a husky, they are like chips you can not stop at just one.

Yayyy!  Another Husky/Mini-Schnauzer household to the mix!  Colby, our Mini-Schnauzer, LOVES his huge little brother, Zhukov!  I love watching them play together, though Colby has been a little dismayed that Zhukov will drag him around the house by his little stubby tail.  LOL!



Anyhow, welcome to the forums, and feel free to ask any questions.  You have found a whole bunch of very knowledgeable people here.  Also, feel free to post all of your pictures!  We love seeing them.

Oh my goodness! I didn't think I'd meet someone with the same combo!

Oh, and the guy we bought Kaya from finally sent me her dad photo:



A bit of a ferocious-looking fellow.

Wow, dad really does look a bit wolf, I'm not really seeing the Malamute in him. He's beautiful!

Your pups are so adorable, welcome to the forum I look forward to more pics of Kaya as she grows!

I'm late to the party but....welcome fellow Texan!!!! Definitely get ready for more energetic fun in your household
Momma really does look husky and oh my goodness mr. father looks amazing, I can't comment if he is more than husky though. I agree, little Kaya is too young to be able to tell

she is very cute. welcome to the forums.
mom looks like a husky for sure. dad dose look like a bit wolfish but he is very beautiful.

this guy's rescuer said he is husky mix,  he has a similar coat color but this he looked more malamute to me. here are some pics of him.

Steph wrote:

Oh my goodness! I didn't think I'd meet someone with the same combo!

Oh, and the guy we bought Kaya from finally sent me her dad photo:
<< Pic snipped >>

A bit of a ferocious-looking fellow.

Two comments from me:
1) His ears do not look like a Husky, in fact they look like a bears ears!
2) Would someone remind me what this color is listed as, I don't remember??

Wolf gray or agouti for the color Al.....and I have a suspicion that the dads ears are fly bit. But are in line with a mal ear set and size and shape. Say the mom is husky/gsd and dad mal and gsd

For the sake of argument.....I was bugged by the male, I had seen these 2 animals before, and the primary dog breeds for this pair is husky/gsd for the female and mal/gsd for the male. Sadly the "breeder" is not an honest human, and doesn't care for his animals as well. This is of no reflection on the OP Steph, for she was imho, taken advantage. The male I believe has what is common for chained outdoor not well cared for nor well protected animals, fly bit ears, have seen it a few times, and to me that is deplorable to allow to happen to your companions.