Hello. I hope general was the appropriate place to post this topic.

In a couple of years I plan on adding a dog in my life. I am simply in the research phase as of now. I want to get into recreational mushing sports, that I know for sure, but I also want a dog that will make an excellent pet. I want an affectionate dog that is calm and cuddly inside the house, but runs to his hearts content when he is in harness. I would also like to attempt to do sports such as agility, and visit dog parks (in the most responsible way possible). I would plan on doing some recreational mushing sport such as skijoring, bikejoring, scootering, or canicross every other day or so.

Does the Siberian husky fit this niche? I keep hearing conflicting information on the breed, so I have come to the source.

Some other breeds I am considering:

Samoyed - I love Samoyeds, but from what I read they can be quiet vocal. I have a friend with a minature schnauzer that acts as a watchdog, and the barking seems somewhat bothersome. Also, it seems not all Samoyeds have that drive to pull in them - so I would have to be careful in choosing what dog I get. Besides those two points, I am seriously considering a Samoyed. I love their look, and they seem to be quite biddable compared to other spitz.

Alaskan Husky - These dogs would definitely have the drive I want, but I fear I wouldn't be able to keep up with a dog that was bred to run many miles each and every day. Because they are mixed and how some are raised, I am unsure on if they would make the transition to living as a house pet with mushing every few days. However, I have heard that the Alaskan Huskies that successfully make that transition can be amazing house pets and "easy keepers"! I am also heavily interested in this type of dog as well. I was considering maybe getting an older dog from sprinting lines so I wouldn't have to run for hours, but run in short bursts, which I think sounds like a blast anyways! I would love to hear opinions on this idea!

Alaskan Malamutes - I feel I would be a decent candidate for a malamute, but the dog aggression immediately turns me off from the breed.

Chinook- They seem like a relatively rare breed. I have heard the gene pool is very small. I am also worried they suffer the same thing as the samoyed - some lines don't have that love to pull as others do.

Any other breed recommendations would be greatly appreciated! I absolutely love reading about dogs! I have also looked into dog breeds such as the Tamaskan and other wolfy-looking breeds, but I fear the drive to pull just wouldn't be there. They also seem to be greatly in development. I appreciate any input to aid me on my quest for my ideal dog! Thank you!

They definitely fit that description, but with Agility, my girl does Agility and when she wants to do something, she does it and won't always follow instructions so it is pretty difficult unless you start very young, but the jumps are hard on their joints before 1 year.

But Huskies are VERY vocal, they love to sing

All the research I have done, there's no such thing as Alaskan husky to my knowledge. It's a Siberian Husky or Alaskan malamute. agility? I never met or see one that can pay attention to do the whole course lol, you can always be the first
recreational mushing sport seem more like a husky or Mala thing, but I have seen other breeds does it as well in Boston. There's going to be another one soon, I'm taking Luna to Mass to go see it.

Hey guys thanks for the input!

@Jennet&Embry: I personally find the noises huskys make quite endearing. I love their vocal variety. What I would like to avoid is at the sight of a random person, sharp repeated barks. As much as I love my friend's schnauzer, I absolutely can't stand the shrill barks when it is in watch dog mode!

@Kizmat: Alaskan Huskies are a category of dog. They are a racing dog mutt. They are considered the competitive "breed" for competitive mushing. For example take a look at John Baker's dogs, he placed first at the Iditarod in 2011: http://www.teamjohnbaker.com/team-baker.html The mix depends on the line, though for most it's usually some sort of hound (like greyhounds), pointers, and of course a northern breed, most commonly the husky for a thick coat.

Though you do bring up a good point. I do plan on giving them a lot of exercise, but are they biddable at all? I have worked with spitz breeds before (obviously never a husky), and usually there is some sort of progress if the training sessions are done in short bursts. I would hope with enough effort, I could do something like agility, even if I wasn't competitive. But then again, I am not sure.

First off, welcome! Second, kudos to you for doing your research well in advance. I love this topic but am on my phone with limited time so please excuse my brevity.

A Siberian can absolutely fit the bill for what you are looking for. However keep in mind that within the breed they are individuals so not every sibe is going to be the hardest worker, or best listener, or great at agility. But that doesn't mean they aren't out there, quite the contrary. Most sibes will love to work in the ways that you plan to and are great companions in the house. Agility is great to do with them too, plenty of people do agility with sibes. With agility though, keep in mind this breeds independent nature and how headstrong they are. That doesn't mean it can't be done, it just may prove to be more of a challenge. The earlier you start agility the better. Any activity you can do with them to work them physically and mentally will be great, and that includes agility. I believe Sara on this board does agility with hers.

If you want an affectionate cuddler don't go malamute. Ours cuddles with others, but never with us. He's more of a "lone wolf". It's hard to even keep him in the same room as us, very aloof.

Honestly I think the Samoyed would be your best pick. I wouldn't do an "Alaskan Husky", but a Siberian could fit the bill. You can do agillity, just don't expect the obedience you see in other breeds.