Hey guys. My name is Malachie. Or Mal for short, if you want.

So anyway, I'm pretty new to the husky-universe. Or the dog-verse in general. The last time I've had a dog was back in middle school. Based on what I've heard, huskies are probably not the best dog for first time dog owners but I guess I'll learn as I go.

My husky is a rescue named King. I have no idea how I was convinced pick him up, but I did and I'm pretty much clueless. He was on death row at the pound and I guess I couldn't let such a handsome guy go to waste. I'd post a picture up here but I don't have a camera besides my phone, which got stolen a few days ago. I'll get one up here eventually. But he's a real handsome guy, he has a smooth red coat and brown eyes.

Anyway, hope to meet you all soon

Welcome to the forums! You did such an amazing thing by rescuing him. I think you'll do just fine as a first time dog owner, especially with him being past the puppy stage. (I'm assuming. Do you know his age?) Everyone here is extremely helpful so if you have any questions, don't be afraid to ask! I don't own my own husky yet but these guys are helping me get prepared. Best of luck!

Thanks for the welcome. The people at the shelter said he's probably around 3-4 years old, so he's past the puppy stages, thank god. I've only had him since yesterday, so I'll need all the help I can get!

Oh, then you should be fine! I think the warning is mainly for people who are getting their first puppy and decide they want a husky because of the handful they can be. But I think King will be great! There's lots of helpful topics on here that I've been reading through to prepare myself so if you don't have anything you can think of right now to ask, skimming through the site will definitely provide you with some first hand experiences.

Welcome! Good on you for rescuing, and I can't wait until you're able to post pictures. Sucks about your phone though. Definitely spend some time poking around and reading threads, you'll learn a lot. Also, exercise and mental stimulation are your best friends. A tired Husky is a good Husky, and definitely be careful leaving King loose in your house until you learn his personality a little better. Also, keep in mind that rescues can take as long as 6 months (and sometimes longer) to let their true personalities show.

If I were you, I'd be out taking advantage of all the awesome hiking opportunities around San Fran with him

Good luck, and we're here to help you learn the ins and outs of Husky ownership!

It is a good thing you did. Thank you for rescuing him.. Like everyone said do read some of the varies topics to learn all you can..

We got our second husky about 3 1/2 months ago from a shelter she is a little over 2 years so we are still learning about her.

It is fun and I love them both alot so glad we got them.

I am sure you will also.

Congrats on your new fur baby.

thank you for saving him even if you have no idea what your in for
go get the book: http://www.northstarhuskyrescue.org/info/display?PageID=11881 , help out our rescue at the same time. its a fast read and will get you caught up fast about huskies, as will spending hours a day reading this site! first things first,
do you need a crate to keep him safe
do you know what food to feed him and how much
get a good strong collar and leash http://www.ruffwear.com/
keep him leashed when not in an inclosed area
did he come chipped? if not find a vet, get King a check up and get him chipped
also get him on heart-worm meds (from the vet)
post some pictures
take him on lots of walks
work on training, does he know anything?
and last but not least HAVE FUN together
if you do need some questions answered check with the search button up top first and if not then ask

Welcome!

Alright, thanks for the advice everyone. I'm doing a little bit poking around the forums.. I'll post pictures asap. I'll use my girlfriend's camera when I see her. I haven't even told her I adopted him yet, haha hoping she doesn't freak out. And yeah I'm definitely looking forward to taking him on some hikes!

I scheduled him a vet appointment for this Friday and I'll get him chipped and on the flea/heart worm meds. I'm borrowing a crate from my friend right now until I can go out and get my own. I haven't done very much research on dog foods and all that since I didn't have much time to prepare before I brought him home. What brand would you recommend ? And I'm gonna take a look at that book, thanks bunches Jennifer

Check out www.dogfoodadvisor.com for food. Ultimately it comes down to what your dog can tolerate and what your budget will allow, but shoot for a 4 or 5 star food if you can. A lot of us feed grain free, but that's only a necessity if King is grain intolerant. The biggest thing is to stay away from the lower quality foods with poor protein sources and cheap fillers, because you'll wind up feeding more to get the same results, King may not get the nutrients he needs, and you'll wind up spending just as much as you would on the higher quality foods since you don't need to feed as much (less filler). Does he appear to be underweight at all? You should be able to easily feel but not see the ribs or hips.

Thanks, I'll check it out. He's pretty tall and lean, but I don't see his ribs/hips. I'll get an exact weight when he goes in for his chip, but I think he's around 50 pounds or so.

We feed Kota Nature Valley Instinct. She loves it, and it comes in like Chicken, Rabbit, Duck, and Salmon I believe. That way you can change up Kings food without worrying to much about upsetting his stomach. Its on the more pricy side I suppose between 45-55$ for a medium side bag, which lasts Kota about 2-3 weeks, and I do believe it is considered a 5 star dog food and is grain free.

That's actually what my friend(who owns a husky as well) suggested to me. I think I'm gonna go with grain free anyway, even if he isn't grain intolerant. I'll add that to my list of foods to look at. Thanks Sarah.

Very welcome. Like I said, we have been very pleased with it.

Welcome! Thanks for rescuing King! Huskies are known to have the energy of a puppy until they are 8 or 9 so don't get too excited about skipping the puppy stage just yet! . Huskies do well with structure/routine in their life. Be consistent with the rules and you will have less chaos in your life. They are a great breed of dog for all kinds of outdoor activities, so have fun! I will second the "no off leash" comment. The LOVE to run! Can't wait for pics!

Alright, thanks for the help!