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 Posted: Sun May 28, 2006 9:04 pm
I'm getting a purebred Siberian husky puppy sometime between August and September, but don't know how to be prepared, how to train him/her, and where to get the best puppy.
First of all, I know more or less everything there is to know about this wonderful breed, so I know exactly what to expect. But the thing is, I don't know where to get one. I know not to get one from the pet shop, I got tired of waiting for a purebred puppy to arrive at the local sibe rescue, and the breeders are very expensive (or sometimes you can't always trust them either). I have sort of decided on a pretty convincing breeder, but don't know if it's worth the money. Besides, there's the money we have to pay for food, supplies, and veterinary services.
Second of all, despite my daily studies of several puppy guides and books, I don't know exactly if my vicious, protective miniature poodle would adopt the puppy and make friends, or eat it alive when I take it home. Will the husky accept my two guinea pigs and lizard as it grows if I gradually give the three some time with him/her? And what is a dog run?
Last of all, my mom suffered the first few months she got our poodle and regretted paying hundreds of dollars for a stubborn fuzz ball who would stain the carpet because we had no where else to put him at night (Of course, we moved, got a bigger house with a bigger backyard and a garage so we could keep him in the garage with a fence and blankets). I know how difficult puppies can be, especially a breed like a husky with a mind of its own, and am willing to do whatever it takes to keep it happy and healthy. Then again, I still have to go to school. I'm not certain my tired mom would want a tornado of an animal running around the house for six hours while she's busy cleaning.
Any tips and/or dog name suggestions are greatly appreciated.
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Posted: Mon May 29, 2006 6:29 am
If the breeder is convincing: Have you seen proof of medical testing for common Sibe genetic ailments? (Hip dysplasia is a biggie.) How many litters does she breed per year? Three is the maximum for a good breeder. Would you want to take home the puppy's mother? (This is important: if you do not wish to live with the mother, you will not want to live with her pups.) Those are the main things.
The pup might get along with your old poodle, but it might not. When you introduce them, do it on neutral ground, like the local park, so that the older dog does not feel compelled to defend its territory. If the dog is aggressive and protective, to be honest I would not give high hopes. Because there is a chance that your poodle will reject the puppy, make sure that the breeder is willing to take the puppy back if things don't work out.
On the guinea pigs and lizard: Maybe, but don't get your hopes up on it. Sibes are very predatory, and your smaller pets WILL look like prey to it. Some dogs successfully grow up without developing predatory instincts towards small animals like yours, but a lot of the predatory breeds can never be trusted around them unrestrained. Whichever your puppy is, do NOT ever leave them around the dog unsupervised.
A dog run can refer to one of two things: it can be an outdoor kennel with a long section of yard where the dog either lives or spends most of its time, or it can be another word for a dog park (a special park for dogs and their owners only, where dogs are let off-leash to play).
The solution to your need of a place to put the puppy when you are at school is simple: You need a dog crate. Actually, you may need a few crates, as a crate that is too large may convince the puppy that it is okay to defecate in it and a crate that is too small will be uncomfortable for the dog when it is older. You can crate the puppy when you are gone and--if you ask your mom to take fifteen minutes to take puppy out in the middle of the day and praise him for going the bathroom outside--he can stay in it all day and give your mom her peace of mind.
A crate is also essential to housebreaking; you simply make sure that puppy is never unsupervised when out of the crate, and whenever he starts looking for a place to go to the bathroom you immediately take him outside and praise him when he goes. You can even teach him a command 'go potty' for this purpose. When putting puppy in the crate, always toss in a biscuit or other treat so that he associates the crate with tasty things, and make sure he has a toy to play with so he doesn't get bored.
On training for other things, I would advise you to sign him up for puppy kindergarten and, later, obedience classes. Not only do you get quite personalized help with all his problems with learning commands, he also will get socialized and introduced to other puppies so that he learns canine manners better. Make sure that you agree with the trainer's methods, however; there are some trainers out there who advocate cruelty as a method of teaching still. Do not countenance anything that makes you uncomfortable.
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Posted: Sun Jun 04, 2006 7:55 pm
Thanks. That's kind of where I was going.
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