We are thinking about getting a husky and have one concern. I have heard that they need people around most of the time or they can become quite destructive.

We have to high school aged children who are usually home by 4 pm (at least one of them) each day. My wife works all day and I, as a college professor, have a varied schedule. Some days I am gone most of the day, others for only about half a day.

We hope to get a puppy around May. I work from home during May and June and take off for July and August, leaving lots of time to be with a new puppy. After that, the plan would be to have a dog walker or use a doggie daycare on days when we are all out of the house for extended periods.

How long can you typically leave a husky (both puppy and adult) alone in a house for, and do you recommend doggie daycare for huskies (do they play nice with the other dogs?)? Are there any tips for leaving the dog alone for more than 4 hours at a time?

The response from others here will, I'm certain, vary since I'm retired.

I have three rescue Huskies - I can leave any or all of them alone for a day (full 24 hours) and nothing will be destroyed, but I will have "water" to clean up.  Two of mine are crate trained and over time they've learned that if they don't want to be crated when I'm away, they don't leave me any reason to crate them (the third one is a harmless 8 year old puppy.)

You're going to be advised to not set a ritual to your leaving, but dogs aren't dumb - when they see you getting your car keys, sunglasses, jacket, etc they know you're leaving butyou shouldn't make an issue of appeasing the "dog spirit".  Typically, I get my stuff together and leave.  No "Oh, you'll be okay, I'll be back soon, I promise, no one's going to bother you, you'll be okay ...."  Just LEAVE!

With a puppy, since he's not yet learned what is okay to play with and what isn't, I'd be very inclined to crate train him so you can leave them in a crate while you're gone.  It's safer all the way 'round, they can't chew any cords or shoes or couches.  Probably all he'll do while you're gone is sleep

Having such an irregular pattern will, in my view, actually work for you.  You'll have a dog who's happy to see you when you come in whenever (or whoever) that is but won't be expecting you to be home at a certain time - believe me dogs can be worse than nagging spouses if they expect you and you don't show up.  (( The actual thing that happens is that they're on a pattern, they expect you home at 4:00PM, they get out at 4:15 - you don't show at 4:00, sorry, they still need to go. ))

Again, typically, if you have crate trained him, or if you find that he's trustworthy, loyal, etc it's safe to leave them for a normal workday without any repercussions.  We have people here who work a ten hour, have an hour drive and their dogs survive.  What you do need to insure though is the pup had plenty of exercise, preferably before you leave (you have two teen age kids, right ... yeh, right!)  but definitely plenty of exercise after you all get home in the evening - a tired dog is a good dog (@amimeme, is that your line?).

Yep, exercise helps a lot! After a good hard exercise, they'll be content to lie around quietly, nap and chew.

Also - say you get your pup in the summer - make sure to go out regularly without him! Before the pup gets too used to you staying with him at home all the time...

My guy goes to doggie daycare on Wednesdays (midweek) to break the monotony of the workweek. There are a few other huskies there as well (heh, maybe their owners don't trust them enough to leave them at home because they eat the couch). So they can do well at daycare provided it's a good place - a place that requires vaccinations, will test your dog's temperament and place them in the right small "playgroup", and screens out aggressive dogs.

@Shepsky, should we locate the thread with the picture of the couch??? (( laughing!! ))

Well, since they are "thinking about getting a husky"...and they sound like a nice family...
maybe safer not to!