Hi all,

A few months ago my Wife, Daughter & I decided it was time to add a family member - it had been enough time since Macie passed (Dachsund / ??? mix). So we looked online at the local shelters and went out with a short list - none of which included a Husky - but that's what we came home with.

I had a wolf/german shepherd hybrid as a kid, so I knew that there would be some hurdles to clear as well as the good times that a smart, active breed brings - so it wasn't an entirely uninformed decision.

Kona is:
3-5 yrs (we think closer to 3 - a lot of puppy still there)
Approximately 80 pounds (he was a ribby 62 when we got him)
Roughly 28" at the shoulder
Gold / green eyes with A LOT going on behind them
Red / White coat - all white face with very distinct markings
Highly intelligent - figured out who to wrestle with and who to be gentle with immediately
Highly affectionate - loves us and (surprise!) our 16yr old Pomeranian and mixed cat (though the prey drive still gets him to chase the cat now & then).
Highly vocal - never barks at other people, but converses with us constantly.

We're pretty sure that Kona is a typical "Alaskan" Husky - Siberian Husky / Malamute cross. We were only looking for a new Family member though, so breeding wasn't even a consideration outside of behavioral and health issues.

Kona's environment is Southern California coastal - he gets a few walks daily and lots of play time on the beach with hikes now & then. While we would love to let him run with the other dogs on the beach (he's well socialized), we are concerned about his recall - or lack thereof.

Anyway - that's us. Thanks for reading and we look forward to meeting all of you!

First, thanks for rescuing him!!

Among my three, I have two Sibes and an Alaskan Husky - I have no idea what his 'ancestry' is and am not concerned - just suffice it to say that he looks like a Husky - sorta.

My three also get along with my two cats (now if I could just get the cats to get along!) I've seen one of the cats jump off a chair or couch and jump right over a dog; I've also seen one of my dogs chase a cat till the cat stops ... then the fun is over. Silly aminals!

A Sibe / Mal cross would qualify as an Alaskan - but remember that the racers bred whatever they thought might be a good racing dog so you may have more there than just northern breeds.

Kona should do good in your environment - just remember that when the temp gets 'up there' and the humidity as well he no longer has any good way to keep himself cool (okay, a good dip in the ocean might help )

One other comment, these dogs - even the Alaskans - are bred to run so if you let him loose on a beach, you stand a good chance that he won't come to you - if he's friendly, have someone else get his collars as he's getting their attention (works with mine.)

Again,. thanks for giving the boy a new chance at life and welcome to the forum.

Welcome. What part of Southern California? I'm down in San Diego.

Thanks for the welcome!

We're up in the Ventura area, so humidity isn't an issue very often. On the few really hot days, we let him swim on a long lead at the kiddie beach or play in the surf at one of the other local beaches - he really loves it!

beautiful fur baby glade you found each other.

He's a treat!

We adopted him in August of '18 - really fun to see his personality coming out!

The first month he was:
Well behaved and friendly - affectionate with our daughter
VERY active - getting to know the other dog & our cat, getting to know us and our routines, etc.
Almost silent - even his indoor gaits on our wood floor! He grunted and growled a bit when we played, but that was it. Then he found his voice...


Fast forward to today:
still well behaved - but as he's opened up, there's A LOT of fun and mischief too
still active - we walk 2-3 times per day or more when time allows, he can still be a challenge on leash or meeting other dogs (we think he wan't socialized much, if at all) but more settled overall.
VOCAL - He's most talkative with my Wife; using a full range of emotion - Full blown singing, tantrums, requests, bored, etc. --- Kelly just walked by and commented, "Argues more than anything" lol
Family - Kona is our Family. He has brought much love and fun to our home!

Going back to your first message; I have an 8 year old who's more puppy than most puppies, don't let age fool you.

I also have two who are quiet, when Avalanche barks I check to see why he's barking it's a rare occurrence. Sasha, on the other hand will talk to me when she need something - "Dad, the water bowl's empty.", "Dad, I want out!", "Dad, I want in!!!!!!!!!!" (ya, she's a lot more vocal about wanting back in than wanting out!)

I was out of pocket for a few days and had a friend over to feed them and let them in and out, he came in this evening when Sasha was saying she wanted in and he said that she'd never made that much racket with him!!! They are fun and they are vocal!!!

Keep the reports coming, it's always good to hear about the fun times!!