Thread: Husky/Lab mix
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Old July 5th, 2010, 02:31 PM
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Rgeurts Rgeurts is offline
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What a precious little thing
I have Malamutes, which are similar to Husky as far as behavior. One thing with a northern breed is they're bred for work and extremely high energy. They chew on everything (as do labs). Huskies are wonderful dogs but require alot of attention and continuous training. They may seem stubborn, but they're just a very independent breed, very aloof. They are not good off leash as they have a mind of their own and are very strong willed. They have a high prey drive (not as bad as a Malamute, but it's there) so you will definitely want to socialize them at a very young age with other dogs and small children. We take ours to day care 3 days a week.

As for sleep, the best thing to do is get a crate, put him/her in the crate at bedtime. Make sure it is a small area. Don't put food or water in the crate (you can get a special treat or toy so they know when it's bedtime, they get something special and do not relate the crate as a bad thing). If you use a large wire kennel, make sure to get one with a divider so you can expand it as the puppy grows. As soon as you take the puppy out, take it directly outside to do it's business. The crate serves 2 purposes 1) provides a safe, comfortable area for your puppy 2) helps with potty training. Be prepared to get up several times a night to take him/her out. Puppies are usually good for about 2 hours at a time.

I would say the most important thing is to leave the puppy with the mother until it is at least 8 weeks old, preferably 10+ weeks. ALot of breeders want to have the puppies gone by 6 weeks. Insist they keep it until at least 8 weeks, otherwise, you can have severe behavioral disorders such as bite inhibition etc. The puppy learns alot from the mother and siblings during that crucial period.

There are other members who have alot of experience with Huskies and there's alot of knowledge here in general.

Good luck with your new baby!!
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