Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Welcome to kingsnake.com's message board system. Here you may share and discuss information with others about your favorite reptile and amphibian related topics such as care and feeding, caging requirements, permits and licenses, and more. Launched in 1997, the kingsnake.com message board system is one of the oldest and largest systems on the internet.

Click here for Dragon Serpents
https://www.crepnw.com/
Click for 65% off Shipping with Reptiles 2 You

Help ME Please!!!

zenki Sep 12, 2007 04:41 PM

I have a male Siberian Husky (ross) who is about 18months old.. We brought him home at around 6months.. We already had a cat and they seem to get along fine.. Ross at times will be alittle to aggressive but I think thats because he's young.. Anywho we have a few problems with Ross that we are wanting to find some tips on correcting them..

1.) I know there active dogs but if Ross gets a chance to run out the door.. Hes gone and hes a bullet u cant call him because he just ignores you and runs off .. This is a serious issue for us because I dont want him getting hit by a car..I wish we could go to the park with out a leach and play frisby or other fun games.

2.) He is wonderful with kids and grown ups. He is a little to friendly likes to jump all over people and gets really excited and hes hard to calm down.. Also he is never aggressive towards anyone. Im not saying that I would like him to randomly bite people but I would like him to be more protective.. Xspecially against strangers.. Second when hes in certian areas of the house he will Nip at my oldest son who is 10yrs . It only happens with him and not our 2yrs A few times these nips have been pretty hard.. What to do?

3.) Food issues.. No matter who or what if there is any kind of food he is there waiting for a golden opp to snatch your food and run.. This is very frusterating also very hard to deal with since our 2yrs old likes to sneak the dog food at times when hes not wanting to eat it.. How to go about this?

Please post up some tips and resolutions u have came up with simiular problems.

Replies (6)

SHvar Sep 12, 2007 09:59 PM

"if Ross gets a chance to run out the door.. Hes gone...he just ignores you and runs off.."

....This is normal for huskies, research the breed before getting one. You have to be careful and teach kids to not just fling the door open and not keep track of the husky. You are best served to teach the husky or any dog to stay away from the door, and to show you respect by not trying to go out before you, or "door darting".

"This is a serious issue for us because I dont want him getting hit by a car.."

..Unfortunately this is a common fate for many huskies, their owners are not ready for them, or they think that huskies are just another active dog breed. They are naturally runners, they are naturally going to challenge you, and they should NEVER EVER BE TRUSTED OFF A LEASH outside of a secure fenced in area.

"I wish we could go to the park with out a leach and play frisby or other fun games."

Research the breed, huskies are not the breed you seem to seek. They are not retrievers, and will run away if given a chance, and many do not return as they do not have a homing instinct, instead they are nomadic.

"he is never aggressive towards anyone. I would like him to be more protective.. Xspecially against strangers"

...Again research the breed, huskies are not guard dogs, they have been bred for thousands of years to be friendly to everyone, that is the husky way.

" when hes in certian areas of the house he will Nip at my oldest son who is 10yrs . It only happens with him and not our 2yrs A few times these nips have been pretty hard."

This is a problem, a dog should never be left alone with a child, and if the older child does not know how to handle the dog safely on his own, that kid should not be alone with it. The statistics are bad enough from irresponsible owners and DEAD kids. The husky is challenging the kid for dominance right now, correct the problem.

"if there is any kind of food he is there waiting for a golden opp to snatch your food and run.. This is very frusterating also very hard to deal with since our 2yrs old likes to sneak the dog food at times when hes not wanting to eat it.. How to go about this? "

First take control of the kids, no feeding from the table, you need to take charge. Next teach the dog that when you are eating his place is away from the kitchen, and never eats at the same time, or with you, only after every human is done. Next, by any chance does the husky get on any furniture? Why, he will challenge the kids for it, his place is on the floor only.
Huskies especially are very strong pack oriented dogs, they need to know their place, they need to know that every human outranks them and no exceptions, if not the kids can be in danger.

Remember these are dogs that were bred and lived for one purpose, to live, work, and survive in one of the harshest places on the earth, to fight for dominace among each other, and to run if they get away, to survive on their own if needed.
They dont just look similar to wolves, during a study done on dog breeds not long ago Siberian huskies had all of the same behaviors of wolves in the wild, as well many normal dog behaviors. They need a strong alpha, they are so much more relaxed and obedient if they have a reason to be.
If you need to resport to professional training, 99% of trianing through a professional is for you to learn how to be in charge, and to keep your dog as a dog.
Ask many specific questions, I hope you realize what you are in for with a husky especially. They are nothing like a many dog breeds.

zenki Sep 13, 2007 02:02 PM

Thanks for the reply and info.. Ross has never nipped at our son anywhere but in a certian corner of the living room. And it has always been in front of all of us. Never alone...?

We dont allow ross on any furniture hes to big.. No beds no couches nothing..

Is he to old now or is it to late to get him in on some professional obedience training hes about 18 months old?

Chelle Sep 13, 2007 03:30 PM

It's never too old to train and retrain a dog. Dogs are incredibly adaptable. Find an obedience school or behavioral school that focuses on house manners and uses positive reinforcement. You will be rewarded for the efforts. Huskies are SMART dogs.
-----
Chelle and the rest of the crew including, but not limited to Kita and Taiko (the shiba inu wrestle maniacs), Adi (reserved and dignified tabby cat), and all 28 reptiles

zenki Sep 13, 2007 03:57 PM

I alway hear that there bullheaded and hard to train .. But I think thats not the case u just have to go about them differntly.

SHvar Sep 14, 2007 01:44 AM

It really seems clearer now.
At 18 months old your husky is full height, but not filled out for a while, he now has a adult sized brain, but has not matured into it, hes a teenager.
Now, your oldest son (in the dogs mind possibly) is next in rank ahead of him, or he sees your son as a sibling (the younger kid is no threat to that position because of their age) so he may be challenging that older child, or trying to assert domince in front of you (you are the alpha) so he must earn a position that you allow him to have. He may be saying to your son that the area he nips him at in front of you is his spot, or area.
If you think in terms of a dog, or wolf, a pack, and how rank is earned, and position is held, by the use of resources, and who gets what and when, you can correct the behavior (I did this with my dogs to allow our cat to be dominant to both dogs, and the dogs are more relaxed, and playful with the cat as a product of this).
You know, you said that your youngest son feeds table food he doesnt want to the dog, but I bet your 10 yr old doesnt, so your younger child has demonstrated that he is an important resource, he controls food so he outranks the dog.
Try using the dogs food and treats only, with your sons providing them to the dog, allow them to show that they both outrank the dog, that they are both above him by controlling his food, and toys, and bones (be careful dogs are more posessive with bones than almost anything).
Have the kids learn to outrank the dog, they will both see a more relaxed and playful dog.
By all means get professional training, include your kids, and wife, it is after all, more for you than the dog.

Huskies are very intelligent and adaptable, in fact recently I saw a demonstration done by a long time champion dog sled racer, he said when he first got started he was told by Alaskan natives that the best reason to use Alaskan huskies and not Siberian huskies on a sled team is that you dont want to have dogs that are smarter than you are, especially that many, it is what makes them so stubborn, and manipulative, they find ways to challenge you by being so smart, and to see if you can figure them out.
He also said that the mix breed racing huskies, besides having such a strong unwavering work ethic are not too smart.
I also remember reading an exerpt from a book written by an Anthropologist who was studying the original people who crossed the Bering straits, he knew that it can still be done during a short period of time in winter, on the ice. He visited and lived with the Chukchi (the tribe who created the breed Siberian Husky), he told them that he wanted to cross the Bering Straits with a team of their dogs, the tribe members laughed and said that the dogs would not listen, they would not respect him, and he would probably die trying to earn that respect or trying to make it that year. They were right, he almost died earning that respect during a blizzard, and if I remember right, he made it across during that short time, I believe the book is called "Ice dogs", want to read the whole book someday.
Good luck, Sibes are great if you just figure out what gets their respect.

zenki Sep 14, 2007 11:30 AM

thanks.

Site Tools