I have had my heart set on getting a husky for a while now and the main reason I wanted to get a puppy was because I really wanted to put the time in to train it the way I wanted and I would know that it would be in good hands from a young age. A couple members asked if I'd consider a rescue, and I would but I have a couple concerns because everyone tells me that I could end up getting one that was abused or is really mean and is too old to change its ways.
I know that there are pros and cons to either puppy or rescue but I was wondering if you wouldn't mind telling me your experience with your rescues and if you feel like you made the right decision.

That is not true, any dog will change when it starts to trust you. IF it is abused, you have to show it for a long time that you are not that human that did that. I have had 3 abused dogs in my pack lately. Cali is the worse one. She dealt with abusive human for over 3 years. To me, and this is just my opinion, I would get more reward with my rescues than any puppy. Cali- I def made the right choice. She was getting ready to go do the pound and with her attitude (not aggression, just attitude) and that she snaped at a child (bad parenting), she would have been put down. Sophie was abused by a male human for some part of her life but we don't know how long. She was in 5 homes in 7 years of her life. IF you get a rescue, just take your time, its like a puppy but without the potty training, usually- not always. I love my three rescues and 1 one STEVE. It is so rewarding to me to see them all. Total I have had 6 rescues and 1 from a breeder. I highly support going with a rescue because buying puppies supports bad breeding (not all, but some) We have a lot of huskies in rescues, pounds, and shelters and they need a home too. Just consider all your options, no one should get on you for not going with a rescue and going with that puppy. All i ask is consider ALL options, not just the cute puppy.

Plenty of rescue dogs are fantastic pets and worthy of a good home. Getting a puppy does not mean you will have a dog free of health problems or behavioral problems.

I wanted a puppy, but I ended up with Delilah instead. She was my first dog of my own and she was abused. She is my heart dog. I love her with every ounce of me even though she is a pain in the butt sometimes and I had to work VERY hard to reverse all of the negative treatment she dealt with. She had resource guarding issues, wouldn't let you touch her legs, and didn't trust anyone...now she's a dream. It depends a lot on the owner and their ability to persevere through the difficult patches.

All that being said, my second dog was a puppy from a great breeder and he is a dream. I got a second dog that was a puppy for a lot of reasons, but especially so that Delilah wasn't overwhelmed by me bringing in another adult who may or may not be dominant, etc.

If you do decide to get a puppy, PLEASE do your research and support a responsible breeder. A responsible breeder does proper genetic health testing (CERF/OFA), works their dogs in some way (show, racing) and is breeding to better the breed and within standard.

Well as for a rescue being too mean or too old.. The rescue would let you know anything and everything about the dog you are interested in. If you adopt from a breed specific rescue, the dogs usually come up to date on shots, spayed or neutered, micro chipped, house trained, and usually are pretty well mannered. When you adopt from a rescue though, it is a lot harder since you are a first time owner and rescues usually won't adopt out to first time owners unless you prove that you are willing and able to properly care for a Siberian. You will also need to be able to prove you have fully researched the breed to the best of your abilities. They will probably require you to NEVER let your Siberian off leash, which you shouldn't ever do anyway. I know the rescue in my area does home checks and they let you meet all the available Siberians to see which one clicks with you the best.

If a dog is "mean", which I'm assuming you mean either dog aggressive or human aggressive, they will only adopt them out after they have been rehabilitated, and then they will only adopt them to owners who are very experienced with the breed and who are experienced with troubled huskies.

No dog is too old to learn anything. That never happens. It is kind of like an old wives tale.. a dog is never too old to learn a new trick . You can train a dog of any age to do anything you want. I promise you this. Do not buy into this lie.

Yes rescue is a very..different approach then buying a puppy from a breeder, but it is so extremely rewarding. If papers are not important to you, do some research into a breed specific rescue around your area. They will answer any and all questions you may have.

Dogs never stop learning, so there is no such thing as a dog too old or too set in their ways. Abuse cases are special they take a lot of nurturing and time to build trust in you are their safety zone, but it's not impossible! I adopted Rockie when he was 6 years old, he was neglected, underweight, and has an issue with small animals (ie- cats) due to his past but as soon as we met we knew we found each other for a reason and he has been an amazing addition to the family. Tikaani we rescued as a feral that found a ranch to terrorize, he must have been abused because quick arm movements make him cower and submit at my feet. But he is the most affectionate and gentile being, he kennel shares with Rockie and share meal time without a single issue. Diamond was our most challenging rescue as she had been hit by a car and was in casts and on multiple pills numerous times per day, but she was a special needs dog and we knew what we were signing up for. Riley I found walking down the middle of the highway late at night, he's a fence jumper which is probably what got him dumped in the country. But with patience and a secure kennel we're making it work.

Never let anyone tell you that all rescue dogs are 'defective' or 'untrainable' because it's just not the case. Second hand dogs can still give first class love.

Here is a great rescue resource, it is run by the SHCA (Siberian Husky Club of America).

http://www.siberianrescue.com/sibrescu.htm

Sheba&Kennedy wrote:

Well as for a rescue being too mean or too old.. The rescue would let you know anything and everything about the dog you are interested in. If you adopt from a breed specific rescue, the dogs usually come up to date on shots, spayed or neutered, micro chipped, house trained, and usually are pretty well mannered. When you adopt from a rescue though, it is a lot harder since you are a first time owner and rescues usually won't adopt out to first time owners unless you prove that you are willing and able to properly care for a Siberian. You will also need to be able to prove you have fully researched the breed to the best of your abilities. They will probably require you to NEVER let your Siberian off leash, which you shouldn't ever do anyway. I know the rescue in my area does home checks and they let you meet all the available Siberians to see which one clicks with you the.

I wondered about since I've never owned a husky before. As I posted in the welcome mat I have done tons of research about huskies although I'm sure you really have no idea until you own one but I've been on this site day and night for months just getting as much info as I can. I really feel like I am ready to own one and have the time and patience to invest.

All rescues are of course different, but be prepared to prove to them you aren't fixated on the husky beauty and you know what you are getting into.. well, for the most part . It's not like they are going to laugh in your face, you just need to prove you have what it takes! I mean, those huskies ended up in rescue for a reason..

From all the reading I've done what I've picked up on the ,out is that they pretty much need to be with you all the time. That was another thing I was wondering about with the job I do. I run a daycare with my mom (out of her house, not mine) so I would be taking the dog with me. She has a nice size house and yard and the good thing is she lives across the street from a park. But im thinking it might be overwhelming for a dog to be around a bunch of toddlers. What do you think?

Oops I meant *what I have pick up on the most*

We got our girl Kerian from a shelter she had been there for a couple months had gotten adopted out and came back cause she played too rough with the other dog in the home.

We have had her about 7-8 months she had come along way in that time but still has issues we are working on. She has some resource guarding issues, she is getting better everyday. She was crated trained as a puppy I am guessing cause she loves the crate. We wanted a dog about the same age as Blaze because we were looking for a playmate and friend for him.

Do go to www.petfinder.com and type your zip code and husky and see what come up there are young pups there sometimes. Also pethabor.com is s good place to look. Local shelters also are a place to look for a rescue at you might talk to them and let them know you are interested in a husky if they get one in they could call you so you could check it out.

I have 3 rescues. Only one of them has a bad past and came with a boat load of issues that have been quite a challenge to work through, but I knew about those before adopting her so I brought that on myself.

My other 2 rescues were not bad at all, both were easy to train, no harder than a puppy. Both turned into exactly the kind of dog that I want without requiring any more effort than a puppy would. Probably less even since one of them came to me already housebroken, huge plus!

I took a gamble with my sibe, he was a stray that we rescued from the shelter, so we knew absolutely nothing about him or his past. Turned out to be the best dog ever and I am glad that I passed up buying a puppy to adopt him. If I had it do all over again, I wouldn't change a thing.

Not all rescues have bad pasts or problems. Some are good dogs whose owners just could not care for them for whatever reason. Case in point, my in-laws rescued a great dog whose owner died and was in need of a home through no fault of their own. Many are turned in for minor problems like digging, running away, being unruly, etc which you'll have to deal with whether you adopt or buy a puppy. I mean really, if you buy a puppy then you're going to have to go through the crazy teenage years regardless so what difference does it make if you go through them with an adoptee?

There are pros and cons to both rescuing and buying a puppy, ultimately they can both be great options and some people have one of each. While I am a huge advocate of rescue and I really hope that all my future dogs will be rescues as well, I am not opposed to the idea of getting a puppy from a reputable breeder if that truly is the best course of action at a given time/situation. I will always look into rescuing first, but if it were to not work out for whatever reason I would consider a reputable breeder as a last alternative.

Where will the dog be while the daycare kids are there? in a crate? separate room? with the kids? Honestly, I would be careful about bringing any dog (even the bestest nicest dog on the planet) to a daycare where there are a bunch of small children. I'm saying this as a parent of a toddler because I know how hard it is to properly supervise one toddler around dogs let alone multiple toddlers... not just for the kids' safety (though ANY creature that has teeth can bite if provoked enough) but also for the dog's sanity.
As for the original question, I acquired Nanook a little over 3 months ago. He has decided to bond with me, but has a love-hate relationship with my hubby. I do not let him around my toddler without very VERY strict supervision because we are still working out issues with people making sudden moves (especially if they go to grab his collar or if he is laying down sleeping). and you know how toddlers can get - and that's with "proper parenting". He gets along well with my 6 year old daughter, but that's because she is can understand his body language and is starting to lose that higher pitched whiny kiddie voice that many dogs find annoying. I still won't leave them alone together. I have absolutely no idea what his life has been like, and while he has some symptoms of prior abuse, I can also tell that someone spent time with him once upon a time. He is great on a leash and a crate, is very quiet, house broken, doesn't jump on people, doesn't chew up anything or get on the furniture, doesn't have food aggression, let's me take toys from him (though NOT hubby). With that said, he is very sensitive and requires a soft touch and soft voice. When I first got him he wouldn't let me touch his legs or rear end/tail or belly. Now he will lay down for belly rubs and lets me touch him anywhere, BUT he still won't let me HOLD his feet for a proper nail trim. (when I say "not let me" I mean he is giving off warning signals that a bite is imminent - just ask my hubby who has the scars to prove it)

We did both. We have one that was purchased at a breeder and one we adopted at roughly 4 and a half.


Our adoption was a neglected pup who came with a few issues and poor training. There is also a decent probability she was abused at some point as she cowers when you raise your voice or if you move your hand above her head in certain ways.

I'm not a fan of the old adage "you can't teach an old dog new tricks" because it is laughable at best. It might take longer, a lot longer, but in the end you can get your message across with the correct methods and commitment.

When we got our rescue she had no leash manners, would counter surf, and as far as we could tell knew only SIT and LAY DOWN. She was possessive of bones from us and our puppy.

Most of all however she was scared, disoriented, and not in optimal health (terrible ear infection that rendered her effectively deaf).

We worked on her needs first and got her trust and built off it from there. We calmed her down, we slowly built up her confidence, and we got her into top shape and health.

Once we had her trust training was cake, but slow (she isn't the smartest dog in the world ). Boundaries and expected behavior she picked up on fast, tricks took longer. She no longer has any of those problems and can even do a few tricks.

Quote :

But im thinking it might be overwhelming for a dog to be around a bunch of toddlers. What do you think?

Depends on the dog.... Ripley(Adoption) would lay down in the middle of them and let them play / pet her all day without moving. She loves children and is happy to lay there while they bounce on her or snuggle her.

Tika(Bought Puppy) would greet them and play with them for a tiny bit in an excited fashion and then excuse herself from the room and find a place to lay down away from them for a while. Not that she dislikes children, she would return all through the day to play and see what they are doing, but she likes her alone time to decompress.

If that is your goal and you are leaning to a rescue let them know know. Be transparent with them and you might find a dog who is absolutely in love with children.

I would however advise on limiting the time the dog is with the children. Too much stimulation can be just as bad for pups as it can for children. They need time to relax and be alone too .

~Chris~

ljelgin wrote:

Do go to www.petfinder.com and type your zip code and husky and see what come up there are young pups there sometimes. Also pethabor.com is s good place to look. Local shelters also are a place to look for a rescue at you might talk to them and let them know you are interested in a husky if they get one in they could call you so you could check it out.

As ljelgin points out, you can find young puppies at rescues. I would second PetFinder as that's how we got our little guy. They have the search by age option so you can put in "Young" or "Baby" depending on how young of a puppy you want. Petfinder also has filters like good with cats, good with other dogs, good with young children, and house-trained.

Crispin was only three months old when we got him from the rescue. In our case the rescue does not allow the dogs to be adopted out until they hit three months because they're kept in a pack to learn socialization with other puppies until that point, and all come fixed, microchipped, and with appropriate shots for their age. The rescue we went through also works on crate training with the puppies so although we got him a bit older than others we know who got puppies we're getting the full experience of training him minus some of the hardest parts. Since Crispin was picked up super young as a stray (it sounds like he was less than 2 months when they found him) we've been able to avoid most of the behavioral problems. He does have anxiety issues that we're working through, but from what I understand you can have those kinds of problems with any dog rescue or not.

For what it's worth, most dogs are turned over to rescue for issues rarely truly related to the dog. It's usually because someone is way over their head or the dog sheds too much or not home enough ect. ect. ect.

Usually basic training and management (which need to be done with any dog) are usually all most require. Special and abuse cases here and there- but most dogs from rescue just need firm leadership (not to be confused with an "alpha" or a dominant person) and management. All of my dogs are rescues and at various ages... I would certainly suggest foster to adopt for you... That way you can see how you would do with a Husky before making the lifetime commitment.


Just to add... I wouldn't subject any dog to being at a daycare with a bunch of unpredictable toddlers. That's not fair to the dog and with any dog (regardless of exposure) it is very much a serious risk.

I have one rescue dog and i love her to bits. She loves and trusts me just as much maybe even more then my girls I've had as pups. She's really great with not going in the house and she loves people though she's timid around males. She came to us with no training at all, she didn't even know 'sit'. She's an amazing dog even though she wasn't the right choice for me. If i would do it again i would probably rescue a male dog or a puppy but that's because it would put less stress on Maya. If i didn't have any other dogs i would've chosen Kay over a puppy any day. She's a lot of work but she's so worth it.

Dante is our "official" rescue and I wouldn't trade him for the world! He came to us with basic training, and although they said he was potty trained, he had to relearn when he got to his new home. The only concern was that he wasn't well socialized, so he was very nervous around people. His original owner was a college student in a dorm room. When he found out he couldn't handle the dog, he let his parents keep him. Then when they realized they couldn't handle him either, they gave him to the rescue we found him in. But with some work, his socialization has improved and he will approach mostly anyone. I wasn't sure about him when we went to meet him, but he fits right in with us and we love him so much!

We got Isis from a family that was looking for a home before they gave her to a shelter. She was very used to people but had no real training. She was very quick to learn though. She's our little princess and she knows it!

I have no regrets about either dog, and wouldn't change a thing. They are such amazing dogs with big personalities, and we love them so much.

Eresh wrote:

Where will the dog be while the daycare kids are there? in a crate? separate room? with the kids? Honestly, I would be careful about bringing any dog (even the bestest nicest dog on the planet) to a daycare where there are a bunch of small children. I'm saying this as a parent of a toddler because I know how hard it is to properly supervise one toddler around dogs let alone multiple toddlers... not just for the kids' safety (though ANY creature that has teeth can bite if provoked enough) but also for the dog's sanity.

I totally agree with not having the dog around the children, toddlers can't be trusted lol, and we wouldnt want to have any accidents.
What I would want to do is bring a crate to my moms to keep the dog inside while in the house and then throughout the day take him/her outside and then during my lunch break/nap time which is a couple of hours, take the dog to the park for a walk/run. I'm hoping that will be good enough, I feel like its better than me having to leave the dog home alone all day.

It sounds like your rescue dogs are almost more affectionate towards you then the ones you have had since they were pups. It's like they appreciate you for what you've done for them. I really am thinking maybe a rescue would be better for me than getting a pup. I am going to start looking at the links you posted and check some local shelters

Hi Marie! I live in the area, volunteer with rescue, can advise you on rescues in the area and am happy to meet up so you can meet my dogs. PM me for info!

I have two rescues and after spending almost a week with my brother's puppy (not a husky but similar energy level), I was so happy to go home to my adult dogs! It's so much work! My mom looks after the puppy during the day and she's exhausted and happy to pass her over to my brother at the end of the day.

In the LA area, there was a study done that 70% of dogs enter shelters due to people moving. I'm in and out of these shelters every other week or more and MOST of the dogs I see have no issues. The more difficult cases are usually taken on by rescues and rehabilitated. Our rescue (non husky) has two trainers on call for issues and those cases are usually placed with a very dog savvy foster, who works with them for months prior to adoption.

Chili is the perfect dog and we specifically asked for a husky with a lower energy level that had a very tolerant temperament, that was good with small dogs (my bff has small dogs), etc. It took a few months, but we are so happy we waited! All reputable rescues spend time with each dog prior to adoption, they are usually in a foster situation so that any behavior can be observed and they will work with you to find a dog that will fit your lifestyle. Frosti is another story, but Chili picked her out. Typical naughty, escape-y husky! She also had major separation anxiety, which the rescue disclosed, and then advised us on training, containment, etc.

Chili is the rule and not the exception for happy, healthy, well adjusted rescue dogs. I have also picked up, transported and played with dozens and dozens of shelter and stray dogs through my rescue work and that of our local doggie day care. I have run into two with major issues and the vast majority are "plug and play" family dogs.

You are doing your due diligence and that bodes well for success with any husky! I will point you to a few rescues in the area that will work with you to find a dog that will fit your lifestyle and adjust well in the day care environment. Looking for a specific temperament and personality is so much easier with an adult dog.

I agree with Kristina that it can be stressful on a dog to be around kids all day, and allowing the dog a place to escape like a crate is a great place. Chili is extremely tolerant with kids and is now a certified therapy dog, we're very proud of his rags to riches story of being found on the street in a rough, remote part of town. However, he came with that temperament and we were careful to screen and spend time with each dog to see how they would fit our lifestyle. I of course wanted to take them all home, but we both have full time jobs, actively volunteer and have hobbies that we wanted to maintain. We looked for dogs that would fit that lifestyle, which created a stressfree (with Chili LOL) transition once we got our dog home.

That sounds awesome Sam I would love to meet your dogs! And the more info on shelters around me the better you can pass my way would be greatly appreciated.
I have been looking online all morning and is so sad to see how many dogs are available for adoption, not only huskies but all dogs in general...heartbreaking.

It is refreshing to hear what you experience working at these places. I am so eager and excited now to start looking. I guess I better let my bf know that I've decided to go the rescue route! Lol
I think he will actually be happy to not have to go through the puppy phase.

I've had three rescues. Bella from what would be Craig's list now. A woman moving to an apartment was giving her up. She was three years old and very well trained. She even gave me her akc papers. We had her wonderful years

Fargo was from the shelter. He was between three and five and completely untrained. He had a great temperament. He went to board and train for three weeks and came back a new dog. We had ten great years with him too.

We got our current husky Lola from Northern Lights which is a sled dog rescue. She was matched to us by the rescue as we were interested in several dogs. This time we wanted a younger dog to have a longer time with them. She was seven months and untrained. We have had her for six months and she is coming along nicely. Lots of training. I wouldn't change a thing except I liked skipping the teen phase in the older dogs.

Sorry i dont have the time to fully explain our story but we got Sierra when she was a month shy of turning 6, was abused and had issues with men (we knew) and worked with it and she is much better.
Jack was adopted at 1-1.5yrs of age from a women that dumped him for chewing cords in the almost 4yrs that we have had them anyone that meets us swears we have raised them from birth. i truly believe that rescuing does more for the heart then raising one from a puppy.
you have gotten a ton of great stories and i hope you can find a rescue, if not please please please make sure you find a great breeder.
for the daycare, i would not let the dog or puppy interact with the kids. oh and welcome!

when i was younger we had two rescue dogs (well one was sorta a rescue dog... read on, and you'll see what i mean), kiki (german shepperd, rottweiler, lab mix) karma (pit bull) kiki i had gotten after starting the nineth grade, went to the humane society and picked her out... (picked her because she was the only one who didn't bark and sat there stareing at me wagging her tail) i got her when she was 8 years old.

Karma was a stray that followed my dad home from work, he had seen her around his tow yard, and one evening she just jumped in his truck, and well im not sure how to explain it but he just said "well i didn't see any tags on her and no one replied to the fliers so i guess she's ours... it just feels right) both dogs got along with each other just fine but there was a unspoken sense of segragation so to speak amongst the house. kiki would follow me everywhere... almost like a second shadow, karma did the same thing to my dad.

I never had a single problem with either of them, they never had potty accidents in the house, never barked, bit, showed any signs of aggrestion towards them selves or anyone else. well actually i take that back, kiki did growl and bark at a girlfriend i had in high school... but i look back on that as her way of telling me that she was a bad person and kiki wasn't welcomeing her into our home.

anyway fast forward nearly a decade, both dogs had been long gone (died of old age, still miss them to this day) and i had decided i wanted to adopt a new dog... particuarly a husky, because i remember always haveing so much fun playing with my friends two huskies before. i tried very very hard to adopt one from rescues, and humane societies. filling out endless applications full of unnessicary and personal questions (the thing about rescues i despise... but thats another topic within itself) got turned down over the course of almost 6 months, and i was finally at my wits end. decided maybe a rescue isn't for me after all. and off i went to contact a breeder, however the next morning i was reading the paper and i saw a add for a guy looking to rehome his husky puppy that day before sending him to the pound, and i jumped on it immediately and picked up my precious boy blu.

the guy bought him for his son from some pet store, had him for two weeks only to find out that his son was allergic to all pet fur. so blu might be a product of a puppy mill (although given the papers the guy gave me i do have the breeders information) but he doesn't seem any different then any other dog, perfectly healthy, no weird/bad habits (other then his love for eatting my socks that is lol). now im not condoneing puppy mills or buying puppy's from a pet store, however i am admiting that my boy might be a product of one and i wouldn't have him any other way.

Anyway my whole point of this is, the important thing shouldn't be puppy or adult, rescue or breeder. instead it should be finding the right dog for you (not talking about the choosen breed), in my expirence the dog chooses you, you dont really choose them... you just pay the bills.
I personally highly suggest that you at first try and adopt or get a rescue husky, even if you want a pure bred puppy they are out there i've seen tons of rescues with husky puppys as young as 8 weeks old.

no matter which option you decide to go with, i wish you and your potential husky the best of luck. and i look forward to seeing him/her grow with you.

Edit: sorry for the long winded post, didn't think it would be this long... now my wrist hurts hahahaha.