Hi everyone,

We are SO very much still missing our sweet Maverick. He almost made it to 15 yrs but we lost him 4 months ago. Our hearts still hurt for him everyday. His last 6 mos was pretty rough for all of us so we’re not quite ready for another family companion just yet.

We are currently on a wait list at Karnovanda Siberians if/when the time is right.

Here’s my question/dilemma. My husband and I are now in our late 60’s. Both of us feel we’re too old and should consider a small breed. Maverick was our first Sibe. He truly was the best!!! Prior to him we had two cute Cairn Terriers (toto dogs) but they were much too yappy. Wondering if anyone has info on Miniature Huskies or Pompskys? Is it a crazy thought to even consider these?

Thanks so much!

Hey Mav ... opinionated response follows ... well, just letting you know.

I have two huskies, one's an Alaskan and the other a Siberian ... I had three but I had to put down my favorite girl a few months ago and, like you, I'm still missing her.  It's not as bad as it was but it still hurts.  You have my very sincere sympathy.

Now, that said I'm not a fan of the miniature anything, they seem to contain all the worst of the bigger breed, just in a smaller package. Same thing with the Pomski, et al dogs - even worse because they seem to take the worst of the yappers and combine them into an obnoxious yapping mutt.

Karnovanda have some excellent dogs and I think you'd be thrilled with any dog you'd get from them. At 74 I'm a tad older than you and my dogs seem to recognize that they can't drag me all over the place (they could if they wanted to, they just don't.) All of my dogs for years have been rescues and more than a registered pup they seem to realize that being with me is the better alternative and we all appreciate the effort extended to make them a better dog.

In short, get the Karno dog, I really think that with your past experience with a full sized dog, you'll find that dealing with another will be more rewarding than trying to find a 'pint sized' alternative.

Thanks so much, aljones! I appreciate your thoughts. Our sweet guy had spinal arthritis (lesion) that pressed against his spinal cord. We were advised it was a progressive disease eventually causing immobility/paralysis. He weighed 60# and needed help getting up and
when trying to lie down…heartbreaking. When other things went south, and pain meds caught up with him, we had to let him go and give him some peace.
I would love another husky, but how do you manage their size and weight
should he/she need help? We bought an expensive harness from the canine PT to assist with front and rear, but he still needed lifting.

I'm sorry, this is going to come out all wrong.  Sasha was 13(ish, a rescue) and to be nice, her heart was way to big for her legs. She had spikes on her spine that interfered with the nerves and her legs just kept deteriorating. She couldn't get up or down without a whine (or worse). While I could have kept her around on drugs that made her sleep most of time, I put her down because keeping her with me would have been, in my mind, unfair to her.  When she couldn't make it up the ramp into the jeep and it hurt her to lift her I had to make the call then.

My two existing dogs both weigh in at around 50 pounds and while it hurt like hell, I'd make the same call with them. Sasha was my baby - during the course of 10+ years she bit *me* on 5 different occasions. I know a lot of people would have (and did) told me that enough's enough but for the last 5+ years she's been my companion. The only dog I have had that didn't have to be on lead to go for a walk ... enough of that.

You'll never replace Maverick, just like I'll never replace Sasha - but getting a dog (or having other dogs) to fill a little of that hole in your heart helps.

You know what the Sibes can be - besides a major pain in the butt - and I don't think you'd be happy with a smaller dog that just sorta resembles a Sibe.

I totally agree, and sadly now realize we waited too long in letting him go.
Thank you

No, like me you did what you thought was best for all of you at the time - and it's not an easy call.  More than once I've looked out (at her grave) and said she could still be here ... I probably let her go too early but I wanted to do what was best for both of us, just as you did.

@mav1016 i dont say this easily but i have been putting out feelers for a new home for squirt. It has to be the right home though, she isnt in danger of being ditched somewhere.  She has the pomsky look and is about 35 lbs.

Can you provide more info about Squirt?
Age, temperament, yappy?

Turned 9 on 9/11 perfect dog with 2 big exceptions. Has to be the only animal in the house and has to be drugged at the vet. She isnt exactly yappy but will bark at deer and cars turning around in the driveway. She talks alot in a howly yodel. Outside she is the energizer bunny inside she really just wants to snuggle. Good on leash, likes water, loves traveling. Well behaved in public (she loves the hot springs) wheelchair/walker/prosthetic/kid safe. No health issues, spayed and up to date on shots.

Her mom was an akc siberian husky and her dad was a feral rez dog. Ive had her since she was 7 weeks old. She lived on kirtland air force base in an rv for 2 years while the va got my hubby right so she also has been around helicopters and bombs

I really dont want to rehome her. She is my copilot for road trips. But i also am realistic about she deserves better then playing musical dogs.