HI guys
as you can see im a newbie haha
I have always been fascinated with the husky always wanting one and now finally have the oppurtunity to do so as have got my own place now
Its a maisonette style setup so upper apartment for everything with stairs leading to a fairly large hall downstairs actually, where i was planning on making the dogs area.
The garden is a mixture of decking and grass, not huge but not tiny, fencing needs to be sorted by hedge but wall is 6ft.
does this sound like a suitble area?
cheers for a welcomes, help and tips

p.s. great set up here!

Welcome to the forum!
It sounds like you're still searching for that right husky? Are you adopting? Or are you wanting a puppy?

What is the 6 ft wall made of?

It sounds like you're off to a good start with getting things ready. If you end up adopting a husky that is exiting it's puppy stages and entering it's teenage years, you'll need to find out if it can jump a 6 ft fence. Chain link fences are easier for them to jump as the links in the fencing act as footholds. If your fencing is wood, be careful if you have a middle board running across the fence as this can also act as a step to launch off of to get to the top of the fence.

It sounds like you have a hedge running along the fence? If so, that may make it a little more difficult if you adopting a jumper.

As far as the area in your home, sounds OK - my 2 are perfectly content in the living spaces and our master bedroom. Keep in mind though, my 2 are very mellow compared to most.

With adequate exercise, I think what you have sounds pretty good so far as a start.

Keep us updated as to when you find your pup!...and hopefully you'll post some pics!

Again, welcome to the forum!

Welcome! Good to hear you are wondering thede thing BEFORE you bring your pup/dog home! Do you have pics of the back yard? I'm confused, is there a 6ft fence behind the hedge or are you calling the hedge the "wall" and if it is a fence is it wood,chain,or brick? Were all here to help you out

hi guys thankyou for the welcome and advice
I havent got a husky yet, looking into the breed more indepth before i hopefully take the plunge around September time.
sorry for that confusion, ment on two sides there is a 6ft wall with a hedge at the bottom of the garden, so i will have to put up a 6ft fence to inline with the wall

So far i have bought, one leather leash (know it might be eaten lol), one extendable leash, one 100ft long line, two blankets, two husky books on breed, two puppy collars ( one is choker so not so sure bout that one), any other suggestions other then bed, and toys and crate? also how big a crate is needed? cheers

The crate should be big enough for for your husky to grow into if you end up with a pup. It should be big enough to stand, sit, lay dow, and turn around with comfort. If you decide to go with a pup, there are wire crates that come with dividers so section off part of the crate to make it the right size for a puppy. One brand name is iCrate that does this. It has 2 doors and comes with a divider so that you can buy it big enough for a puppy to grow into.

Do you have food and water dishes/bowls?
Have you thought about nutrition? What kind of food do plan to feed? Dry, wet, grain free, etc?

Once you get your pup/husky, you find other accessories/items you'll want...

ok that sounds good to me
have not thought about that in great detial yet, probably dry i think. any suggestions?

As far as food goes, it's all personal preference and what's available to you in your area. If you want something that isn't readily available, you could search online.

Here's a link that will break down dog food and rate it:

http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/

It'll also depend on food intolerance and/or allergies to ingredients in dog food. My girl has some food intolerances and have found she has done really well on:
--The Honest Kitchen Zeal (dehydrated raw with fish)
--Orijen 6 fish formula (dry, kibble)
--Raw chicken (total raw)

My girl does not tolerate chicken in kibble form and in some treats, so her main protein is fish. She can handle chicken if it's in it's raw form, baked at low temperatures, freeze dried or dehydrated raw. So my treats for her as exactly 1 or 2 ingredients - nothing more.

I just adopted my boy, and since he's overweight, he is on a reduced fat, grain free kibble: Wellness Core Reduced Fat Grain Free. He also does really well on freeze dried beef for treats and beef bones baked at low temperatures. I don't want to deny him of bones (he LOVES his bones) or treats because if I give one, I have to give the other, and I treat both the same.

So - it'll be your preference as to what you feed, but check the link and it should give you an idea of what's out there and their ratings.

Welcome and kudos to you for taking your time, doing things right and planning ahead.

Have a look through the nutrition forum for some extra tips, ideas and help regarding food. Heh, it can be a lot more involving than many people think. You probably don't want me to get started on food talk. There are so many different options it can seem daunting, really it boils down to your budget, time commitment, and comfort level when figuring out what will work best for you and your dog. There's nothing wrong with dry food but you need to figure out what benefits you want from the food you feed as well as how much time and effort you can/are willing to put into it and what you can afford. A lot of people ask "what's the best food I can feed my dog?" And there is no one best food. Also consider that variety plays an important part in nutrition, health, and happiness. We all love our pets and each of us feeds the best that we can within our means, yet you will find that a lot of us feed totally different foods.

Sounds like you've got most of the basics covered already. Please do not use a choker/check chain on a puppy. Training devices like check chains and prong collars should really only be used on adult dogs.

If you haven't already, get yourself familiar with training techniques and know how you want to train your pup from day one. Inconsistency will not only confuse puppy but it will make training harder and will take longer. Read up on the common issues that people have with this breed and puppy training so you are prepared well in advance. Crate training, separation anxiety, puppy biting, and loose leash training are pretty common issues that most people go through. Know what to expect and be ready for it.

I would consider adding a sandbox/dirtbox in your yard for your dog to dig in. These dogs love to dig and will do so, having a special designated area for that may save your yard and a lot of headache/eyesores from a yard full of husky holes.

Invest in several good de-shedding products! A lot of people use slicker brushes, undercoat rakes, Furminators (and Furminator knock-offs work just as well), shedding blades, and some of us also use high velocity/force dryers. I say to get several products because husky coats generally are not uniform throughout so some brushes work better in some areas of the coat while other brushes work better in other areas of the coat. For example, my undercoat rake works better in the neck fur area while the Furminator does not work so well there due to the thickness.

One last comment I'll make is in regard to toys. Sibes are a very intelligent breed that get bored easily so I would highly recommend when you are shopping for toys that you consider puzzle toys that will make the dog work and think. And if you're not already familiar with it, read up on NILIF (nothing in life is free) training methods as well.

You are lucky to have a husky forum at your disposal. There were no husky forums in existence before I got my sibe and most of what I learned and share with people now is knowledge acquired through experience and trial and error. Would have been so much easier on me if I had a husky forum to turn to!

So, I'm curious as well, are you planning to get a sibe anytime soon? Thinking of buying a pup from a reputable breeder or possibly adopting?

Again, welcome and we're glad to have you here!

Welcome! I second the kudos on the research. You've gotten some wonderful advice already, so I just wanted to say hi and welcome since I wouldn't be able to add anything more than what you've received already!

hi guys thankyou for all your advice already!
seems like a great forum and all thje advice has already consisted with what ive read in the two husky books I have gotten.
In regards to training would you all advice puppy classes? I know it may be stupid question as Im sure everyone will say yes haha but was just wandering if they really are needed?

The tip about the sandpit was also very helpful as I was thinking about that myself!
also I aim to buy a puppy off a reptuable breeder sometime around the Septmeber mark

I just finished a puppy class last Tuesday with my 5 month old. I don't think it helped him learn any commands. He is the smartest dog I have ever had, so he knew "sit" and "down" and "shake" and "stay" and "wait" WAY before puppy class began. We took the class primarily for socialization with other dogs. In case you haven't read this in your books (and I'm sure you have) husky pups go NUTS around new dogs and people. The trainer told us that if you can practice your new command in 5 different locations / settings, your puppy will REALLY get it! The puppy class is the perfect location for practice with MANY distractions: other people and puppies, other good-smelling treats, other commands given to other dogs. She also had a checklist of people / animals to meet. For instance, your puppy should meet a kid on a bike. The same kid may be your pup's friend without the bike, but with the bike he may be afraid and as he gets older fear can displayed as aggression.

So we did get some good advice and we learned hand signals to go along with the commands. But you could teach hand signals on your own. My 10-year old observed the class (he was actually the second reason I wanted to take the class - I wanted him to move up in the pack by being more forceful with his commands) and the dog now listens to him quite well. I have often found him talking with us and commanding the dog to stop bothering him by just using the hand signal for sit. I'm usually barking out "off" or "leave me alone right now" (like the dog knows what that means) but my 10-yr old is my quiet, patient kid who, unlike his mother, actually learned something in that puppy class.

I do think a puppy class is a good idea if you have the time and financial resources. But I am very anxious to move on with a more advanced beginners class.

Check out the How To Find a Reputable Breeder thread to help on your search Good luck!

thankyou

Here's another resource for you to consider reading up on: Positive Dog Training.

...and of course, welcome to the forum!!

ETA: I would also scope out good pet supply stores. PetSmart and Petco (and other big box/chain stores) will have basics, but really look for a good, usually independently owned/operated pet supply store that knows their stuff and can make really informed product recommendations - these places will carry "premium" and "natural" foods, like The Honest Kitchen, Orijen/Acana, Fromm... the ones that earn 5+ stars on Dog Food Analysis sites as well as tasty, healthy treats and durable, good toys. You might also want to start researching veterinarians (I would recommend a holistic vet with specific experience with huskies), trainers (if you're gonna go that way - I had a HORRIBLE experience with a place that was recommended to me, that I could have easily avoided if I'd done my research and paid attention), and other services like dog-walkers, doggie day care, boarding or pet sitting, groomers, poo-pickup services(?)... Also, take some time to really get to know your neighborhood and find off-leash dog parks, or groups that may meet up for play time and socialization. The list of people/businesses who might have an impact on your dog is long as it's your responsibility to find the best you can for your dog.

And last, but not least, I would highly encourage rescuing a dog through a shelter or rescue organization instead of going through a breeder (unless you know, without a doubt that you want to compete in shows with your dog). Just my two cents, but saving a husky is always the best decision IMHO.

awag1607 wrote:

In regards to training would you all advice puppy classes? I know it may be stupid question as Im sure everyone will say yes haha but was just wandering if they really are needed

I would advise taking a puppy class more for that crucial puppy socialization than the actually training. You'll find that sibes are quite notorious for being the loud, boisterous pupils in the class (and everywhere else!) so I would do a puppy class purely for socialization purposes and who knows, you may pick up some helpful tips there too. If you know how to train a puppy and have a puppy socialization class available to you then even better.