mikkan77 wrote:

Thanks Koda!

I found the "So You're Thinking of Getting a Husky?" thread to be a real eye-opener, I didn't quite realize how much Husky-Proofing a house required but I'm use to my pets getting into everything and anything (I have a ferret and two cheeky birds) but will definitely take more measures once I finally do get my puppy.

I think the thread scared my boyfriend a bit (he's more of a cat/ferret type) but I have a year or so to calm him down

I do have some concerns for the health and wellbeing of my birds and ferret should I get a husky. If I get a puppy around the 8 week mark is it possible to train him to understand the birds and ferret aren't meals? I would never let the ferret run around or the birds fly around in the same room as the husky, but would he still go after them in their cages, or would it be best if the the birds and ferret cages were closed off in another room at all times?

Any insight would be appreciated! I don't think I would be able to look at my dog the same, or forgive myself if I came home and found my other three kids had been eaten

mikkan77, i moved this so others can find it if they have questions on it as well.

When we brought Sierra home she was not a puppy but 6yrs old. we had 2 chinchillas in a huge cage in the kitchen, then around the cage we had an hard plastic "kid" playpen to keep the dogs away after we got Jack, we did not have another room to put them in. it did not work well, the dogs wanted to "stalk" the cage the whole time. we ended up finding new homes for the chinchillas. I had 3 ferrets before the dogs and loved them to death and though one day i would have them again but after seeing the pray drive in the huskies i know i will not be able to have the 2 together. i understand that you will be getting a puppy and it can be raised with the ferrets and birds but they are much smaller then cats. i don't think i would trust them all together unless you keep them separate 100% and when the husky gets into its teenager years it does not try to attack them once it realizes where you keep them and if he or she can get into that room. I don't think anyone here will say 100% you will be fine with a husky and the small animals, not even cats are 100% if the husky is raised with it from a puppy. i know my ferrets did not live past 5yrs and im not sure how old yours are but maybe wait till they pass and then look into the puppy? im sure others will have stories or input as well. Im not trying to scare you i just don't want to give you false hope it will work, i think it is a slim chance.

Huskies and small animals are tough. It can be done, and I think that a puppy is your best bet.... but you will need to be careful for the life of the small animal.

I would try and find a reputable breeder close enough to you that you might be able to take the puppy for a few hours a week and socialize it with your ferrets and bird. The earlier the socialization, the better.

When you get them- if you still choose a husky- I would try and replicate a pack experience as much as possible. If it were me, I would keep the ferret and the bird cages in the same room as the husky's crate. Feed the ferret, bird, and then feed the husky in the crate. Pack animals eat together and sleep together. I don't know how comfortable I would feel leaving a husky alone with the small animals, but as a small 8 week old puppy, it might not be a bad idea to let them sleep together (with a locked crate of course). Once the dog gets old enough to be able to get out of the crate or do damage-- maybe at 3 months or so, I would move the crate and make sure there is always a shut/locked door separating the animals. Supervised playtime only after that. It's not that I think with that type of socialization that the puppy will still want to kill the animals or anything, it's more just taking precautions at that point as I think the early socialization will really help.

It can be done. I know Val has guinea pigs, a cat and two chihuahuas with her husky. Eddy has a small dog and a cat. I've even see pictures of members whose huskies cuddle with their ferrets.... but that doesn't mean that they trust their dogs alone with these animals. It's ALWAYS better to be safe than sorry.

i used to have gerbils (the died due to old age) and blaze took an intrest in them but i never got them out around him just incase - i didnt wanna risk it BUT if u get a pup and introduce them properly you shouldnt have any problems - so long as you never leave them together unsupervised - i know some1 whos pups had grew up with cats yet a few months ago she came home to find the dogs had killed one of the cats so NEVER leave them together unsupervised no matter how well they seem to get on

Thanks everyone

If we get the puppy it probably wouldn't be for another two years, so that would put mischief (ferret) at about 4 years old, Griffin (lovebird) at 9 years and Hobbles (One-legged Cockatiel) at about 3 years old.

It's Mischiefs safety that I'm most concerned about (He resembles a lot of squeaky toys out there X_X) but his health has already been quite shaky over the last year so who knows if he will even be with us two year from now

Thanks for the advice, I will definitely do the pack order feeding routine with the birds and the pup and will probably wait to see what happens with Mischief before introducing a new pup to the family . It just wouldn't be fair to Mischief if he went from having free run of the house (while we're home), to free run of a room.