Me and my family have been planning to get a dog for a while now although my dad was sceptical but has given us the go ahead. we live in a moderately sized house and there are 4 people (2 teens) and a 5 year old cat. my brother and i have wanted a husky for ages but my mum is weary (understandably)
but has spiralled into a conformation bias phase. Coming up with reasons why we can't have one. Any advice. If you have any further questions i will answer them.

This is the time to "do your homework".  There are plenty of places on the web who will tell you what to expect of a Siberian Husky (what people typically mean when they say "Husky")

Let's sum it up simply.  A Husky is unlike any dog you've ever been around.  They have no idea of "ownership" so they can't be let off leash to "just run" - they will and if you're lucky some kind person will bring the pup back to you, if not you'll have seen the last of the dog (I made that mistake with my first Husky and kick myself daily!)

Husky's typically see other small animals (like your cat) as prey.  Some do, some don't but bringing a Husky into a home with a cat can be nerve wracking.

Husky's, typically, have a very high energy level - you want to run, they'll be glad to join you; typically they don't play "fetch" - more like "You threw it, you want it, you go get it!"

If you're seriously thinking about getting a Husky and mom's not 110% on board - forget it or prepare yourself ahead of time.  They're a great breed, but they definitely are not 'the dog for everyone'.

ETA: It's "My family and I ..."

Do you have time for the maintenance between school, family functions, work, etc to do several miles of walking/running every day and do you or whoever cleans the house have time to clean up mounds of hair? Everybody really does need to be on board. If one person isn't aware of what it's like having a husky, doesn't take warnings seriously or doesn't take the proper precautions then you could end up losing your dog through a carelessly left open door or the dog will destroy expensive property because someone didnt do their due diligence cleaning. If your lucky the dog won't get an obstruction and die or cost you thousands of dollars. Everybody has to be there to do the work. If one person doesn't want to keep up with the training it opens up for set backs. They are wonderful dogs to have as part of the family but they are work. They aren't the type that just hangs out at the house while you live your life. Think of it as adding a sibling to the family more than adding a pet.

I have to ask here, you say a moderate sized house (which can be just about anything depending ....) but go on to say 4 people, 2 teens - I presume that's two teens, two parents - where's that leave you who's given your age as 26?

Add to all of the above, a fenced yard - 6' of impervious fence (top and bottom) is almost a standard requirement for most Husky's. My Alaskan can easily clear a 4' fence - not a problem!

I noticed you never mentioned why you and your brother want a husky and how much research you have done on the breed. You also didn't mention whether you'd be wanting a puppy or an adult dog and what kind of commitment you're prepared for. I like that your mom is coming up with reasons for why not to have one, I think it's helpful to really look at the whole picture and make educated, informed decisions looking at both sides of any arguments. But as has been mentioned before, everyone needs to be on board with this decision.

Hey user1!

Coming from someone that just raised a puppy, it's a lot of work! And the expenses can pile up FAST! I think there is a difference raising a puppy vs raising a husky that is more mature at 1+ years of age. Some of the teething pains like socialization, potty training, teething, and neuter among other things will hopefully have been done at 1+ years making the transition into your family easier.

If you're thinking of a puppy, are you able to take time off initially? I was lucky enough to be able to get 1.5 months off work to raise my puppy. That time made a big difference I think in how well behaved he is when I'm at work, understand my house rules and set a routine for him. Echo lets me sleep during the day when I'm on night shift and hasn't chewed a single thing in my house. I think a minimum of 3 weeks was necessary before I got some semblance of a life back. I literally was scared for leaving the house to do something as simple as grocery shop for fear of him barking his head off and coming home to him covered in urine & feces

I think another major consideration is doggy daycare. Is someone at the house 24/7? Or does everybody go to school during the day and your parents work. Leaving a husky for 8 hours can get a bit dicey especially if it's a puppy. Finding a dog sitter or taking him to doggy daycare can get expensive and require a change in routine for your entire family.

Last thing I need to mention is cost. Are you, and your parents willing to start saving up for this dog? At a minimum i think the startup costs are about $2000 for the dog, vet, toys, food, crate, leash, etc...And maintenance can run into the thousands yearly with vet visits, insurance, unexpected illnesses, food, toys, daycare...etc...

Just some food for thought and by no means a comprehensive list at all. Other users above all have mentioned excellent & valid points and you should take their advise seriously. IF you and your family have discussed and taken a hard look at your routine, schedule and finances and think you can make it work, than husky ownership is like nothing you'll ever experience. Some say it's harder than raising a child, but the rewards are amazing. I myself held back for a better part of a decade before taking the plunge and while there are days where Echo pushes my buttons HHHAAARRRDDDD, I don't regret ever getting him at all.

Good luck! Let us know what you and your family decide!

Where would your dog live?
If it's an inside dog, keep in mind that Huskies are SUPER active. If you aren't getting it a LOT of exercise, it will tear your house apart. Puppies tend to be chewers and will do a fair amount of damage to furniture if they aren't contained or supervised constantly.
Huskies also go through 1 or 2 heavy shedding cycles a year. This will make a huge mess in a house unless you really work on the grooming.

Huskies and cats are a dangerous situation. Huskies will tend to see cats as prey animals. I've even read stories of huskies that have lived peacefully with a cat for years and then suddenly turn on them and the cat ends up dead.

Dogs are not a short term investment. I see a TON of people that get dogs, and love and interact with them as puppies, but as soon as they grow up, they get tired of them. They get tired of the walks. They get tired of the expense (vet trips, medication, food, toys, etc). They get tired of having to find people to care for them when they are gone. They get tired of cleaning up after them. Then they start to kind of despise the dog and just spend less and less time with it.

If you guys have never had a dog before, I'd highly recommend getting something a little easier to handle than a husky. It would like be like learning to drive in a Formula 1 car. You need to start off with a used Honda. Get some typical dog experience under your belt before you try to take on a husky. In fact a lack of dog experience may make it impossible for you to get a husky. Many Husky breeders won't let people without dog experience have one of their puppies. Some won't even let them go to a home that doesn't have previous husky experience. Many shelters and rescues follow similar guidelines.
Huskies are constantly on the lists of most difficult breeds to raise and train. They have a tendency to run away (not due to lack of loyalty, but due to their adventurous spirit). Their difficulties coupled with their high need of exercise makes the husky are fairly common breed to find abandoned or turned over to a shelter because the family that took them in were not prepared for such a dog.

I love my Husky very much, but he requires a lot of time, attention, and work. I have a family that is committed to helping take care of our dogs though.