One of my good friends, just told me her roommate is getting a malamute, I am the only person they know of.


This struck an post idea What advice would you give to a first time owner, you wish you got with your husky or malamute?

I would tell someone that once they've 100% totally and completely decided to get one, to wait 3-6 months longer.

Be prepared for anything and expect the worse.

Tell them, "congratulations! You're a runner now!"

Or, "wait for it..."

How about, "you've finally let go of your attachment to personal objects!"

And, "I didn't like that couch anyway."

I'd tell them to take a hard look at their lifestyle, and ask them if they are willing for it to change drastically, because when you bring a breed of dog like a Husky (ETA-or malamute ) into your life, you won't be living for yourself anymore.

Well Eddy nailed some good ones but it would depend on the person asking, for me it was the best thing Ken and I could have ever done, and we were told from both sides of the family that we could not handle a dog/s at that time in our life. i never went asking some "husky group " or anything we just found a rescue, that failed us and when all hope was lost, sierra found her way into our hearts and we have never looked back.

i guess one think i would ask if if they have small animals and how attached are they to them.... that was the only thing that sucked when we adopted and i don't wish what we had to go trough on anyone.

Make sure you have the time to take care of a puppy, they need to go outside ALOT and if u have to goto work every morning for 8 hours make sure someone can take care of the puppy while you are away.

I got Nike my last semester of school for that reason alone, i wanted to spend as much time with her as I could for the first few months of her life. Theres no way I couldve handled a puppy having to goto work 8-10 hrs a day.

Do your research on the breed before you get one..

Ask someone who already owns one..

Enjoy the runs, hikes, walks because you will be doing alot.

Make sure you have time to work with the new dog.



I did not do any research before we got Blaze but... we would not get rid of him or trade him for nothing. These dogs can steel your heart in no time..

The one thing I have learned is to keep food off the counters lol snow will eat any and everything if given the chance!! And to invest in a good broom and vacuum, along with lint rollers

An emergency pet fund! So many get pets think they only have to worry about buying food and the yearly vet visit. We did a thread on here awhile back asking the honest truth of how much we spend on our pets and it's very eye opening! You shoud invite them on here to read that thread!

Don't kid yourself because you can't get over how gorgeous they are. Northern breeds are different than any other breeds out there, and just because you successfully raised a pomeranian or a lab doesn't mean a husky will be easy. I agree with BayAreaHuskies as well. Any puppy, but especially a husky/mal is not something to ever rush into, just because you found one online you think you can't live without. If you see a picture online and your first response is "OMG, I need that one RIGHT NOW", you probably aren't mentally ready...

My best advice would be research, research, research and more research. To be honest I bought Rocky on a whim, I decided a month before my dad's birthday that a Husky was going to be his birthday present as he's been in love with husky's for years. I don't even know if my dad was that well educated on the breed, but I did my share of research and I'm one of those people whose raised yorkie's and shih-tzu's and I understood right away that it was going to be different. I don't regret getting him at all, and despite the characteristics my whole family loves him and I think that's most important. If they love animals and are willing to put the time and effort into getting to know their husky as well as doing the research about the breed I think they should be okay. Every breed has it's characteristics, but every dog has it's own personality. Rocky isn't nowhere near as terrorizing as some other people's husky's, he doesn't even wince when we take him to the vet, but I definitely took on the responsibility of learning as much about him as possible and teaching my family how to properly take care of him.

To realize there's no such thing as "bad weather," or "not feeling well." These dogs gets their walks whether you want to or not. Otherwise point them to Eddy's #3.

rileyflorence wrote:

To realize there's no such thing as "bad weather," or "not feeling well." These dogs gets their walks whether you want to or not. Otherwise point them to Eddy's #3.

Ain't that the truth! I always say that I'm not allowed to be sick. EVER .

Honestly though, be ready to be completely committed to your dog(s) or don't get one. Period. It's not all fun and games. It's hard work. Just like having a kid. Maybe worse..lol. Totally worth every minute of it and I wouldn't change ANYTHING, but some people can't handle it. Just saying.

MelissaI wrote:

Honestly though, be ready to be completely committed to your dog(s) or don't get one. Period. It's not all fun and games. It's hard work. Just like having a kid. Maybe worse..lol. Totally worth every minute of it and I wouldn't change ANYTHING, but some people can't handle it. Just saying.

There really is no "nice" way to say it. Some people get a dog and commit to it, to help it grow into a well behaved, loving companion, and some just do it to have a cool looking pet, with no real interest (and in a lot of cases knowledge) about what that puppy will grow into. In that sense, our babies' beautiful looks are kind of a negative, but only in that sense

What I love so much about this forum though, is that 95% of the time, the people you are communicating with are every bit as committed as you are, because we wouldn't be here if we weren't

Also, if you want a dog, don't get one. They have notoriously sensitive stomachs, whine, talk, paw, run-away, don't listen, howl, don't do well off leash, pull on-leash, dig, escape, destroy, need their exercise.

If you want a Husky or Malamute you can overcome any of the above. Just know what you are getting in to.

Assuming they are ready for all of that my advice is "have the time of your life." Don't get frustrated, stay positive, and above all: Have fun.

MyKeeonah wrote:

What I love so much about this forum though, is that 95% of the time, the people you are communicating with are every bit as committed as you are, because we wouldn't be here if we weren't

EXACTLY!!!! It's awesome, isn't it!

I posted this on facebook and a malamute owner goes...

A BIG SENSE OF HUMOR!

Speaking of the walks thing.....Maggie hasn't gotten a walk in a week. I physically can't handle her without my husband if my knee is acting up. I live on 5 acres and she runs around ALL the time!

Largely, what's been listed.

1) I know the "bark less, howl more" thing sounds enticing after years of being annoyed by barking dogs, but...
2) Sun Tzu said that if you know your enemy, the battle is already won. Therefore, you'd better be a problem solver, because they are. You'd better believe with every fiber of your being that they are.
3) Who can resist the call of the mystery box? Huskies can't. Each and every object in your house is a gift waiting to be unwrapped in the messiest way possible.
3.5) Buy an expensive vacuum and cheap furniture.
4) There is no such thing as a relaxing day off. If you have free time, your husky/malamute expects that free time to transfer to them, and they will not take refusal.
5) Don't get cocky because your puppy is perfect. I learned very recently that all those cutesy, loveable "I'm with you!" personality traits disappear the second adolescence shows up. Also involved in this lesson? The poor rabbit that Fenrir chased down and caught five times while I was futilely screaming "FENRIR! LEAVE IT! LEAVE IT! COME HERE!"
5.5) Your dog loves you. But like a teenager, sometimes the party is more interesting than monopoly night.
6) Don't do research on "dogs." This will cause you to freak out when your husky does something like, say, not eat for three days.
7) If you're not a social person, expect to become one, because everyone wants to pet your dog. Everyone. Even if they're allergic.
The hair. Oh my god, the hair.
9) They need exercise. Let me rephrase that, because that did not quite summarize it properly. The Energizer corporation chose the wrong animal for its mascot. How's that? It wouldn't have even needed a battery. Ever. And just when they're laying on the dog park ground, breathing passively and dazing off, and you reach for the leash because it's time to go? That's when they see something moving and they get their seventh wind for the day. Did I say day? I meant hour.
10) If you survive the Northern-Breed-owner bootcamp, you will, without fail, 100% of the time, fall absolutely, totally, and irreversibly in love with your companion. All of those earlier frustrations will become endearing and you will find that, as long as you are willing to keep up with their challenges, they are challenging you to become an overall better person.

Also.
11) A community will form around your pet. Your local pet store employees will know you, and know you well. Your vet staff will eagerly await your arrival and will take any problem with your pet as a problem with themselves (though I'd hope this would go for any dog). You will find yourself socializing a lot more with other people who have pets, especially similar pets, like a married couple who finds themselves constantly hanging out with other married couples. In short, your dog will, almost by nature, develop a circle of support and admiration and you will be in the center of that vortex.

Basically what everyone else said lol.

-I hope you enjoy dog hair on your furniture, bed, clothes, floors, food, and it even follows you outside of the house (ie- work, friends, outings).

-DEFINITELY an emergency pet fund/account. I have one and it eases the worry of an emergency.

-Get ready to want to stay home all of the time because you'll miss your fur babies

-If you can't handle daily walks/runs and plus some, then get a chihuahua (no offense Val!) or a very non-active dog!

-Get ready to have people look at you funny when you constantly talk about your dog.

-Understand that you can never, ever let them roam freely without a very secure fence or without a leash.

-I really hope you're not attached to your nicely pampered yard or any of your material possessions. They are now your dogs main targets for destruction (including your house)!

My most important and highly stressed advice would be to...
-Do PLENTY of research and find a very good, reputable/responsible breeder or go search shelters and rescues! If you have to wait for a dog/puppy, it's totally worth it!

Given that it hasn't been mentioned...

Step 1: Go to https://www.itsahuskything.com

Step 2: Grab an adult beverage or two

Step 3: Read, read, and read

I got into this Husky thing years ago quite by accident. I had no idea what I was getting into!

I was 22 when I got Sandy and I would think that being young and/or physically in shape would be a good thing! It's definitely harder to have Sabaka now that I'm older and have more family responsibilities.

I would think you should need to be committed. You will get annoyed and tired and wish for some personal time and freedom from this dog who needs a lot of attention! If you have commitment issues, get a goldfish.

I also think it is important for you to not be easily offended. People will tell you that you are crazy for never allowing your dog off-leash. They will mock you because you have to be careful how long you are away from your house at a time. They will never understand why you can't just put your dog in the back yard and go out with friends for 12-16 hours at a time. You will also need to wear your dog fur with pride. People will pick dog hairs off of your clothes...and you need to be okay with that. You will also have to be comfortable telling well-meaning friends that they cannot dog sit (you all know the friends you have who will attempt to teach "that crazy dog" recall while they dog sit one weekend).

While it's good to research and get advice from others, I know my advice is often so scary I think I am turning people away from this wonderful breed!

What I tell people that I see who show an interest is this:

"They are a really great energetic breed who need a family that WANTS to be active and involved with them. This isn't a dog you walk around the block twice a day and throw food in it's bowl. Otherwise, they'll destroy your house."

So her friend messaged me, They are looking to rescue. They haven't decided if they want a male or female. They want it to at least be potty trained. I am bringing maggie over to make sure yes this is the breed they want. I said this on facebook and one malamute owner thought I was rehoming maggie!! I was like nooooo i am seeing if they can handle a malamute. She has been researching them for about a year. I am excited, maybe she will get one!!

SabakaMom wrote:

You will also need to wear your dog fur with pride. People will pick dog hairs off of your clothes...and you need to be okay with that.

I work at a hotel and once I was checking in this lady and she reached her arm out to give me her credit card and when I saw the dog hair that was attatched to her coat like static i was like "HUSKY HAIR!" and she right away started laughing - she had just adopted a husky a couple weeks prior - I think that's one of the coolest things about owning a northern breed is that they're so characteristically different from other breeds that you definitely feel like you're part of a hardworking community because they really are like babies & it definitely is A LOT of work.

& Like someone else on here said about people looking at you weird when you start talking about your dog all the time -- that's definitely true! I've even had my boyfriend tell me I was "obsessed" with Rocky, and that he felt if it came down to it I would pick Rocky over him, but he's one of those people who just doesn't understand