File :-(, x, )
Anonymous
So my uncle is giving me a Siberian Husky (female) puppy for my birthday next week, Is the first large dog I've ever had, since until now my only experiencie with dogs as pets was taking care of my mother Cocker Spaniels (both males)... a whole different deal I know.

Anyone has care/training tips for sharing? I don't wanna mess anuthing since I'm really excited to get this puppy.

pic semi-related, not her but you know the deal...
>> Anonymous
Keep it in the fridge. They like that.
>> Bitter Anon !!WJLRQ1cwCyZ
Keep it away from fire
>> Anonymous
OK CALM DOWN EVERYONE, I AM HUSKY EXPERTER!

You did not buy a puppy. You bought a tornado.

What you have on your hands, if you choose to accept it, is a dog that is independent, driven, pumped on caffeine 24/7, fast, stubborn, with a high prey drive, not loyal at all (he will love you, but it's not common for Siberians to be cuddly. Mine lays down in the room across me.), who would sit down and watch someone beat the shit out of you if the guy had a treat on him.

You need a large yard, you need to be able to either train it on a treadmill, get a bike with a bike leash and let her run 1 to 1 1/2 hours a day, or walk 4 to 5 hours a day. If you have any nice furniture, get rid of it now and cut your losses. There's a story of a bored husky who destroyed $15,000 worth of furniture and house repairs in one hour.

He loves to roam, so your yard needs to have hot wire all around it. Cruel, perhaps, but better than him getting run over. My husky only needed to get shocked once to learn his boundaries.

You will never have him off leash unless you spend a HUGE amount of training and time on her. You'll need to read behavior book after book, learn training method after training method in order to have him off leash, ever. Even for five seconds. He will not stop or come back to you no matter what you do.

All that being said, I recommend postive reinforcement clicker training with huskies. It has worked well with them in my experience.
>> Anonymous
>>168132
tl;dr: put it down now while you're still faster than it.
>> Kotone !bQXLaktCGc
>>168132
tl;dr

Wow, I hope you're not a dog trainer, cause you'd be the shittiest one ever.

If you want to train your dog, use positive reinforcement with a training collar(aka choke chain). Learn how to use it, though. It's not meant to hurt the dog. Reward them when they do something good(i.e. heel) by praising them, petting them, etc. And to keep them from doing something bad, you give them a correction with the training collar(a quick pop/tug).

Siberians are very energetic, so it helps if you have a fenced in backyard... Hot wire is bullshit. Train your dog and you won't need to worry about them running away.
>> quick tips Anonymous
     File :-(, x)
>>168132
make sure you have an active lifestyle. if your from the /v/ or /cm/, your better off having a small dog or a golden retreive.
>> Anonymous
>>168175

LOL, oh man. Most goldens are extremely active! I would never recommend them for a couch potato.

Now, great danes and greyhounds, on the other hand, are some huge, lazy sons of bitches. Perfect for the sedentary lifestyle.
>> Anonymous
OP here, thanks for the attention!

>>168132
yeah, I was kinda scared because I've already heard that Siberians have too much energy, but hey, you can't win anything if you don't take risks right? altough you did made it sound like is too much to take...

>>168141
that choke collar thing sounds kinda cruel to me, but I may look into it if it's really helpful for the trainning process.

>>168175
I'm actually more an /a/ kind of guy. also I was a boy scout until 16 and didn't have a car until 21, so I'm pretty much used to moving around a lot just using my feet without getting tired , I don't think I'll be a problem to provide her with enough excercise (that's actually one of the things because I wanted a large dog).
>> Kotone !bQXLaktCGc
>>168202
No, "choke chains" aren't cruel at all. Prong collars are much more cruel. The idea behind a choke chain isn't really to choke them. The point is to get them used to hear the sound of the chain being pulled on to let them know that they're doing something bad. Once they get that down, some dogs only need to hear that little "clink" sound to know that what they're doing is wrong. There is much more emphasis on praise in this method than on correction. Unless, of course, you have a really aggressive, unresponsive-to-praise and hard to correct dog. Then it takes a bit more work. But it is definitely not about hurting the dog. The term "choke chain" is incorrect, and that's why i said "training collar" instead.
>> Anonymous
>>168141

????

The only thing you disagreed on was hot wire. Also, choker chain is not needed at all, you must be a retarded trainer if you need it. I trained all my huskies with just one clicker.

You can't train a dog to not run away? That's like the most retarded thing I've ever heard. Train it to not run away???? ROFL I'd LOVE to see how you do that.

Now, lots of Siberians won't run away with only a 6' fence. But a lot of diggers and climbers and jumpers will if their prey drive activates or if they are bored. A bored husky is a force of nature.

If you don't want to use hot wire, try digging a 3" deep 12x12 hole under all around the fence, pouring 1" of cement, and covering it with dirt.
>> Anonymous
>>168217

That's a balance of negative and postive reinforcement. Which is fine. But I do complete postive reinforcement. That works fine too.
>> Kotone !bQXLaktCGc
Okay, I don't want to start a debate about what training methods are better. I myself am training under the method of training collars and positive reinforcement ONLY. No food rewards, clickers, prong collars, etc. Who wants to carry food or a clicker around with them everywhere? It's useless. And yes, I could train a dog not to run away, thank you very much. Or, if I couldn't, the trainer that I'm apprenticing under could. We use water balloons filled with a mixture of water and a teeny tiny itsy bitsy amount of ammonia(i.e. just enough to be annoying to smell, not to hurt them) to get them to stop digging. We put it in the hole/favorite digging spot and cover it with a bit of dirt.

I guess it is negative and positive reinforcement together...But the negative reinforcement isn't quite as negative as some types I've seen. In any event it works really well, and it's also a great way to bond with your dog. They love attention(or, at least, most of them do...there are some who could care less. But then, you can train those to be responsive to humans, as well).
>> Anonymous
>>168265

You are like the only person in the world who claims to be able to train a Siberian from escaping. putting ammonia in existing holes will not stop it from digging one big enough to escape in before you get home.

So what is your training method, then? The world would love to hear it.

Also, I fired back as you fired at me. However, since you're being civil now, I'll give a decent response. Your method is fine, there's nothing wrong with it. I have no problem carrying clicker and treats with me, in fact, I usually do anyway.

You can replace a clicker with a noise as well if one was so inclined. Something constant, not a voice command that can have it's tone changed. That would eliminate the need of a clicker.

After about 2 years old, or maybe 6 to 12 months with a older dog, it gets imbedded in enough that you don't even need the clicker or treats anymore if you were so inclined, except for the occassional reinforcement.

There's validity to both methods, if you ignore every other method but yours then you're a poor trainer. Understanding every method and learning all of them as a qualifying method then choosing which suits you best is how you do it. There are as many good ways of training as there are stars.

When I say negative, I don't mean punishment. Those are two different things. Negative reinforcement is very mild compared to punishment, which is probably what you are thinking of when I say negative.
>> Kotone !bQXLaktCGc
>>168279
No, you're right. Negative reinforcement and punishment are different. I did misunderstand. I knew that, I guess I had a brain fart.

Anywho, I realize that your methods work, but I personally would prefer not to have to carry around a clicker/treats all the time. I guess if you think about it, the training collars work in a similar way to a clicker, except you pair the noise with the bad behavior instead of the good.

The training I mentioned with the water balloons is done when you're home, so that you can monitor it.

I realize that there are plenty of training methods, and that some are more "right" than others. Some seem more cruel, etc. At least neither of us do it "doggy bootcamp" style, where it's just about all negative and not so much positive.

Our training is guaranteed for the life of the dog, and if at any time(this is rare) the dog ever stops doing the tasks it was conditioned to do, or reverts to old habits(chewing, running away, etc) we go back and re-train for no extra charge. We also be sure to work with the owners and make sure that they can give the dogs commands as well as we can, so the dogs will listen.

If you make sure to use the same tone every time you work commands with the dog (which really isn't hard), then it works fine. Again, you have to work with the owners to be sure that they can say the commands in a way that the dog understands them. But again, it's not too difficult.

http://thepawsitivek9.com/index.html <-- This is who I am apprenticing under.
>> Anonymous
>>168279When I say negative, I don't mean punishment. Those are two different things. Negative reinforcement is very mild compared to punishment, which is probably what you are thinking of when I say negative.

Off topic:
Um, they aren't the same thing at all, "mild" or otherwise. Negative reinforcement is - surprise! - REINFORCING some behavior. Punishment is DISCOURAGING a behavior.
>> Anonymous
>>168301

Off topic:

Learn reading comprehension.

>>When I say negative, I don't mean punishment. Those are two different things. Negative reinforcement is very mild compared to punishment, which is probably what you are thinking of when I say negative.

>>When I say negative, I don't mean punishment. Those are two different things.

>>Those are two different things.

>>two different things.

>>different
>> Anonymous
>>168202

They ARE extremely hyper, and CAN be too much to handle if you're an inexperience dog handler. They DO need a ton of excersize, and if you can't provide that, say goodbye to your couches...rugs...well...anything. Huskies are extremely cute and people don't think of what the dog's needs are.

You should also talk to your neighbours and find out how tolerant they are of howling and other funny noises your pup will make. Because huskies are very vocal.
>> Anonymous
>>168304Negative reinforcement is very mild compared to punishment, which is probably what you are thinking of when I say negative.

>>Negative reinforcement is very mild compared to punishment

>>very mild compared to

>>mild

Learn to read yourself, moran. Severity has nothing to do with the difference. You might as well say that pants are mild compared to shirts.
>> Anonymous
>>168281
>>168265
>>168217
>>168141

Hey OP, don't listen to this guy. He has no idea what he's talking about.

The first thing you need to do is husky-proof your house and yard. That means a tall, sturdy fence (over 6 ft at least) that wraps around your entire property. And make sure the dog cannot dig under the fence. I've seen my husky dig holes that were 4 feet deep in a couple of hours.

If your yard is not husky-proof, and you can't afford to upgrade your fence, then never leave the dog unsupervised in the yard. She will escape when you're not looking.

Also, do not leave your dog alone inside the house. She will get bored and try to dig/chew her way out of the house. If you have to leave your dog alone in the house for a few hours, lock her up in a sturdy crate.

If your dog ever runs away, she will probably not return home. Huskies are naturally friendly towards every human they see, and your dog will become best friends with a random person on the street and forget about you.

I seriously don't recommend getting a Siberian Husky as your first dog. They may look cute and pretty, but they're extremely difficult to deal with.
>> Anonymous
>>168314

It does sound like that guy has never had a Husky. Lot of people talk big with huskies and "you can train any dog" sort of thing. Huskies can be trained, but to a extent usually unless you are a professional. For the everyday person, well, ha ha your Siberian is smarter than you and will train you instead. It's true, most Siberian owners I've seen have well trained labradors and a Siberian that trained the owner very well.

I would take anyone who says they can train a Siberian not to escape with a grain of salt.

Do yourself a favor and don't ignore the rest of the world (every siberian husky rescue group ever in the history of ever will tell you to use some kind of escape proofing, 6' fence, 8' fence, hot wire, invisible fence paired with a 6' fence, concrete under the fence, and so on.
>> Anonymous
>>168121

Tell your uncle to get you another breed of dog. That husky is going to kick your ass when she grows up.
>> Kotone !bQXLaktCGc
>>168314
>>168329
Firstly, I'm not a guy. Secondly, you're right, I've never owned a husky myself. I know that they're a handful, though, and I never said that they weren't. Any dog can be trained to not do something, though. Some dogs(i.e. huskies) may take a bit longer...that's all. :P
>> Kotone !bQXLaktCGc
>>168329
Also, I wouldn't say I'm a professional by far, but I am training under one, so I'll be there eventually...
>> Anonymous
>>168341

To be frank, while you are correct in general that most dogs can be trained not to do something, your advice was not very good in this case. If training huskies to not run away was in any way reliable, that's what rescue groups would be doing or suggesting.

But in any event, it's not for the ordinary husky owner. For the ordinary husky owner, some kind of hot wire or cement or an 45 degree angle on the top of a 6 or 8' fence is required.

Your husky won't run away because it hates you, it's just in their nature as nomadic dogs. They have no homing sense at all.

That's just my opinion on the matter.
>> Kotone !bQXLaktCGc
>>168354
Fair enough. I guess I don't have enough experience with the breed.
>> Anonymous
What nobody's brought up yet-
how fucking hard they are to housebreak.

They blow coat (shed like a motherfucker) twice a year. You'll want to invest in a big vacuum for this, maybe one of those shopvacs.

You will never train a husky not to run. I don't care if you're the damn dog whisperer, your husky will want to bolt the minute you open the door. You've got to train yourself not to leave the door open, not the other way around.
>> Anonymous
>>168383

Yeah, buy one of those special long hair dog brushes that remove the undercoat, it'll do wonders for your couch and every damn thing in your house.
>> Anonymous
They're notoriously finicky eaters. So don't be surprised if you have to change her food at some point cuz the little butt turns her nose up at it. Other than that, they're pretty normal dogs, imo. (I work at a dog kennel, I has experience)
>> Anonymous
>>168385

The furminator brush is fucking awesome for these guys. A tad pricey, but worth it.
>> Anonymous
Just starve the fuckers if they won't eat. They won't starve themselves to death.
>> Anonymous
Ahh, huskies. My uncle who lived out in the country had one. She was the sweetest dog ever. He never chained her up and pretty much let her roam free, but I guess since he was the only steady food source in the area (for MILES around), she always came back.

That, and she considered the mutt puppy he picked up to be part of her pack and would check on him many times a day, even after he grew up.
>> Anonymous
Well, I chose a husky as my first dog. I'm with him pretty much 24/7 so I can trust him to come back when off leash (so long as I have some emergency treats on hand) but thats rare.

I really think a tall/shocking fence is a bit drastic, its really matter of actually watching your fuckin' dog, don't just stick em outside for hours on end, of course they'll run off, huskies are incredibly social and he'll get bored outback, by himself.

Start training right away, practice multiple times everyday. Recall especially, pick up a long rope and head out to a nearby park with lotsa treats on hand (The only thing sibes love more than running is food). Good luck! They're stubborn bastards but total sweeties.
>> Anonymous
>>169226
Oh and check to see if your state has off leash dog parks, they're fenced and provide an excellent opportunity to socialize your dog, I take mine for at least and hour everyday.
>> Anonymous
I live in a suburban area, plenty of food around and places to explore. When my Malamute gets out (only when someone forgets to close the gate) all she does is take a run around the park and comes home. If the gate isn't open she'll sit there patiently waiting for someone to come and open it for her.

If your dog loves you enough, if you've trained it to recognize where home is, where food and warmth is, it will always come back.

Yes I own a Malamute and not a Husky. But both breeds have many similar traits.
>> Anonymous
TITS OR GTFO
>> Anonymous
Huskies are fricken cool.
>> Anonymous
>>169401

Huskies are nomads. It's not about them running away and not wanting to go home. It's about them running away and having no sense of direction, so they get lost. And it's about not having them run out in the first place and get hit by a car, dognapped, etc.

When my Husky ran away, I found it about 8 miles away. The second it smelled me coming it burst out in a full-on run for me despite there being other people around. Boy was he happy to be home. Poor guy was lost.

But if you live in the country where you have a lot of land, then yes its possible to not need the electric fence. Since you're the only house for a mile or two, they will always know where their den is. Instead of a million houses where they can't tell one from the other.

>>really think a tall/shocking fence is a bit drastic, its really matter of actually watching your fuckin' dog, don't just stick em outside for hours on end, of course they'll run off, huskies are incredibly social and he'll get bored outback, by himself.

Most of us can't be with our dogs 24/7. That's a luxury. Most people only need to contain them 8 hours a day, and the rest of the time they are with you. If you're home and your dog is not with you, then you're doing something wrong. Unless it's a occassional thing.
>> Anonymous
Joo, need to be the Alpha Dog. Do Joo understand? When joo walk, joo walk first. Joo must be the pack leader. Joo must show the puppy that joo are in charge. ci?