Your "awwww" for the day... by Niki2

Gettin' old, but still a hippie at heart...

Turns out he's not alone:

"Whitey the dog is blind and it is Kiki's job to keep her safe, and out of the road."

"Bo, the 9 month old seeing eye cat helps 15 year old, blind Gizmo find his way"

"Abandoned Puppy Becomes Seeing-Eye Dog for Another Dog"

Tit for tat got us where we are today. If we want to be grownups, we need to resist the ugliness. If we each did, this would be a better reflection on Firefly and a more welcome place. I will try.

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Saturday, January 12, 2013 3:01 AM

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." -- William Casey, Reagan's presidential campaign manager & CIA Director (from first staff meeting in 1981)

And on a completely unrelated note, here's forty-seven seconds of pure squee, with a money-back guarantee.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=386921711393369

Youtube link if the facebook one doesn't do it for ya:

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Saturday, January 12, 2013 4:41 AM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!

Why 1 animal would want to " help " another, especially one that's not of the same species, is something I'm sure those who study animal behavior love to discuss. Especially in a dog/cat relationship, it seems completely counter evolutionary, to assist a rival.

As for critters at play, I saw the funniest thing, when a golden retriever pup was swimming in a backyard pool. That it took to water wasn't so surprising, but when it paddled w/ its front paws, it would sometimes make a 'kerplunk' splash, with each stroke. Well, didn't take long for a new game to be made, as the pup would make a splash, and then try to bite the water. She'd constantly do this.. swim, then splash/bite/splash/bite, swim some more, repeat. Too damn funny.

"False words are not only evil in themselves, but they infect the soul with evil." - Socrates

" I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend. "

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Saturday, January 12, 2013 4:54 AM

"I supported Bush in 2000 and 2004 and intellegence [sic] had very little to do with that decision." - Hero

"I was wrong" - Hero, 2012

Mitt Romney, introducing his running mate: "Join me in welcoming the next President of the United States, Paul Ryan!"

Rappy's response? "You're lying, gullible ( believing in some BS you heard on msnbc ) or hard of hearing."

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Saturday, January 12, 2013 7:20 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by AURaptor:

Why 1 animal would want to " help " another, especially one that's not of the same species, is something I'm sure those who study animal behavior love to discuss. Especially in a dog/cat relationship, it seems completely counter evolutionary, to assist a rival.

Maybe because in their own way they're smarter and more decent than we give em credit for ?

The squirrels and raccoons here have shared a lair for all the time I have been here, years, and this persists even when the current raccoons move on or expire and the lair is empty of them for some time, even then the "new" raccoons quickly pick up on it and move in.

Of course, they're not rivals as the squirrels are a daylight critter and raccoons are primarily nocturnal, besides which they're foraging in different places for different things, but when they send out foragers each group will "leave a man behind" to gaurd the lair while the other group sleeps.

Speakin of dogs though, we have exactly one K-9 unit here, and whilst I have issues with the use of dogs by police it ain't the dogs fault, our former (retired) K-9, Ziva, a belgian malinois, passed away recently and will be missed... she was a bit more of a sweetheart than most police trained dogs are, warmhearted even on duty.

The new guy, Buky, is a german shepard and his training and skills are (sorry Andrew!) more extensive than his human partners - we've crossed paths in the line of duty and he's more straightlaced, but very professional.
It did amuse the non K-9 officer present that I referred to him as "officer" and addressed him the same as any other cop, but why wouldn't I ?
And necessarily view him with the same suspicion, although I doubt ole Buky is gonna be fudging official reports.

-Frem

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Saturday, January 12, 2013 7:45 AM

Gettin' old, but still a hippie at heart...

MOST excellent, Mike, thank you! The elk is especially a kick in the head! Show how little we know of what animals do in the wild when they think we're not watching! The dog, tho'--it looks like he's having fun, but I wonder if he's not just a weeee bit compulsive about it?

Again with the river otters, I always thought that if reincarnation is real, I'd want to come back as a river otter or a dolphin; few natural predators, food easy and available, and both PLAY much more than they do anything (well, except in the case of dolphins, F**k!). Otters really know how to play, even if there's not much around to play WITH!

Otters LOVE to slide (well, they're built for it!). They make mud slides on riverbanks and the whole family will have a ball. In Winter, snow will suffice:

Tit for tat got us where we are today. If we want to be grownups, we need to resist the ugliness. If we each did, this would be a better reflection on Firefly and a more welcome place. I will try.

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Sunday, January 13, 2013 1:25 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by FREMDFIRMA:
Quote:
Originally posted by AURaptor:

Why 1 animal would want to " help " another, especially one that's not of the same species, is something I'm sure those who study animal behavior love to discuss. Especially in a dog/cat relationship, it seems completely counter evolutionary, to assist a rival.

Maybe because in their own way they're smarter and more decent than we give em credit for ?

Indeed. Just because we don't commonly witness such behavior, doesn't mean it doesn't commonly occur.

Quote:

Speakin of dogs though, we have exactly one K-9 unit here, and whilst I have issues with the use of dogs by police it ain't the dogs fault, our former (retired) K-9, Ziva, a belgian malinois, passed away recently and will be missed... she was a bit more of a sweetheart than most police trained dogs are, warmhearted even on duty.

I've come to believe the sweetness is just part of the breed at this point. Malinois *can* be trained to be quite aggressive and protective, but their default setting seems to be sweet and gentle. Heck, even when mine bit me quite severely, it was pretty clear that she didn't mean it, and she was immediately apologetic and sheepish about it.

Quote:

The new guy, Buky, is a german shepard and his training and skills are (sorry Andrew!) more extensive than his human partners - we've crossed paths in the line of duty and he's more straightlaced, but very professional.
It did amuse the non K-9 officer present that I referred to him as "officer" and addressed him the same as any other cop, but why wouldn't I ?
And necessarily view him with the same suspicion, although I doubt ole Buky is gonna be fudging official reports.

-Frem

Funny - I call my Jeepie "Buky" sometimes; no idea why, it just popped out one day.

"I supported Bush in 2000 and 2004 and intellegence [sic] had very little to do with that decision." - Hero

"I was wrong" - Hero, 2012

Mitt Romney, introducing his running mate: "Join me in welcoming the next President of the United States, Paul Ryan!"

Rappy's response? "You're lying, gullible ( believing in some BS you heard on msnbc ) or hard of hearing."

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Sunday, January 13, 2013 5:17 AM

Gettin' old, but still a hippie at heart...

Wish I had the chance to get to know a Malinois; I'm beginning to see them around now, and even beginning to be able to distinguish them from a "shephard cross" (sorry, Mike, but when you don't know the breed, that's what they can look like). They seem very sweet.

Tit for tat got us where we are today. If we want to be grownups, we need to resist the ugliness. If we each did, this would be a better reflection on Firefly and a more welcome place. I will try.

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Sunday, January 13, 2013 6:33 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Niki2:
Wish I had the chance to get to know a Malinois; I'm beginning to see them around now, and even beginning to be able to distinguish them from a "shephard cross" (sorry, Mike, but when you don't know the breed, that's what they can look like). They seem very sweet.

No apologies necessary - lots of people, breeders included, call them Belgian Shepherds; lots of shelters lump them in as "German Shepherd Dog" or "Shepherd Mix" under the heading for "Breed". It's not an insult, because they ARE an offshoot of the German Shepherd, but bred to be smaller, usually around 45 pounds. They share the basic temperament of the GSD, possibly a bit sweeter by nature, they share the same intelligence and desire to please and quickness to train, but in an easier to carry package! :) They usually have the blond coat, the "vest" of lighter fur ahead of and behind the shoulders, and the black mask, but the mask can vary quite a bit - some Mallies have only a black muzzle (mine has this), while some have an all-black face and others are just pure black head to tail.

But they all seem to share the same gentleness.

Of course, I may be biased...

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Sunday, January 13, 2013 1:00 PM

Gettin' old, but still a hippie at heart...

Naaaaa, surely not! Gawd knows I'M not biased toward Huskies; I'm sure we're both completely objective...

Tit for tat got us where we are today. If we want to be grownups, we need to resist the ugliness. If we each did, this would be a better reflection on Firefly and a more welcome place. I will try.

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Monday, January 14, 2013 7:39 AM

Gettin' old, but still a hippie at heart...

Sigh...while I sit here, hiding away from last night's hard freeze (and the night before's...), this is what my fellow BAM members did this past weekend:

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=4375948836742

I'm so damned jealous I could choke!

The little black-and-white guy running by himself in the middle of the pack, by the way, is Ed and Andree's new pup, Donner...he's only six months, but already a go-getter!

Ahhh, huskies...after all those months of scootering down here on pavement and dirt, what FUN they're having in their natural element! HOW I wish mine could experience it...!!!

Tit for tat got us where we are today. If we want to be grownups, we need to resist the ugliness. If we each did, this would be a better reflection on Firefly and a more welcome place. I will try.

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Monday, January 14, 2013 10:28 AM

Just as an aside...
How well do Huskies handle cold/wet conditions ?

While I myself have damn near superhuman hearing, improved night vision(1), and good area knowledge, some of our more conventional guards do not, and having been ruminating on K-9 units (which I disagree with, but that ain't the dogs fault), I've actually wondered about the possibility of adding a dog for night patrols as their senses are in general superior to a humans, and they would provide comfort and companionship to each other out there in the cold darkness.

Thoughts ?

-Frem
(1)-This comes at a heavy cost, since I am light-sensitive, and now completely blind in one eye in broad daylight, and half-blind in the other.

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Tuesday, January 15, 2013 7:46 AM

Gettin' old, but still a hippie at heart...

Huskies ADORE the cold, as do Mals! My guys take off like shot out of a cannon in Winter, and keep it up longer and further, the colder it is. It's funny. They don't even notice rain, partly because it rolls off their coats like water off a duck. Ten minutes after going for a swim or coming in from the rain, you couldn't tell Tashi had ever gotten wet. I doubt rain ever gets as far as their skin...ditto snow.

But good gawd, huskies as ANY kind of guard dog? Heavens NO! There are many other breeds who love the cold and can handle both it and rain far better than any human. For one thing, huskies/mals don't usually bark at all--they make myriad other vocalizations, and growl, but they don't bark. And the other vocalizations they make are for their OWN purposes.

They'd also be the worst guard dogs in the world. They were bred to be part of the family, they slept with the families (usually the children) among the Chukchi who first bred them, and, being a peaceful society, there was never cause for them to do otherwise than cheerfully greet any newcomer...they HAD to be totally trustworthy. And they do--the worst part about a young and/or untrained Sibe is that they will immediately leap on anybody who comes in and try to lick them to death!

Add to that the fact that they're VERY independent...beyond mushing, which they inherently take to like ducks to water, they're quite hard to train. I know a couple of people who do agilitly with them (and with Mals), but I don't know how the hell they train them to, as huskies are far more adept at training US than the other way around.

I couldn't say off the top of my head, but I'm sure there are many breeds which would be better suited. The Duck Toller for one, and Porties (like Obama's) have no problem with cold OR rain, and from their lineage, I'll bet could be trained easily and make a great watch dog. But huskies?

I wonder about Malinois--Mike? Dunno how they are about cold and rain, but as for the rest of it, I'll bet they'd be champs! Above all, I'd say something from rescue that is a cross between cold- and wet-loving breeds. Crossbreeds make the BEST dogs, unequivocally.

By the way, what have you got against K-9 units (unless one should be on the "other end" of them)? People who have K-9 dogs adore their dogs and the bond is incredibly strong and they are well cared for, I'm sure partly because of how much they have to depend on them. I know there are myriad misconceptions about them--just as there are about mushers. You have no idea how many times those of us who do urban mushing are approached by people hollering about how "cruel" it is (honest to gawd!), but I'd expect you to be well informed enough where that's not a problem.

Admittedly some of the ignorance about mushers is because of the horrific things that surrounded that sled-dog massacre in Canada, and the mentality of racing mushers who cull their dogs, but that doesn't extend to regular mushers, urban or snow, at ALL. Nonetheless, ignorance abounds...

Tit for tat got us where we are today. If we want to be grownups, we need to resist the ugliness. If we each did, this would be a better reflection on Firefly and a more welcome place. I will try.

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Tuesday, January 15, 2013 8:59 AM

Jeepie's not much for the cold and rain, but I can't say whether that's any indication of the breed in general or just the circumstances of her early life.

When I found them, Jeepie and her sister, Swee'Pea, were dug in under a pile of railroad ties, burrowed in deep, and it had been snow, sleet, and frozen rain for about a week when we discovered them. They were chilled to the bone, soaking wet, and still wouldn't let us near them; completely feral, even at such a young age (they were around 6 weeks at the time, near as we could ever tell).

Maybe as a result of that early trauma, Jeepers just isn't a fan of cold or wet. She tolerates me giving her a bath, but she's not a fan; she only puts up with it because I've trained her that she gets lots of petting and treats when we're done. It's cold here now - 35º counts as winter here - and was rainy this morning, so when I went to let her out for her morning run, she looked out the door, gave me a look and a shiver, and went right back to bed. Can't say as I blame her...

She's a fan of her favorite winter sweaters, too. She gets excited when I show them to her, and actually sits still - *willingly* - to let me put one on her. And she'll wear it all day long.

So Mallies in general might be fans of cold or wet, but mine sure as heck isn't!

"I supported Bush in 2000 and 2004 and intellegence [sic] had very little to do with that decision." - Hero

"I was wrong" - Hero, 2012

Mitt Romney, introducing his running mate: "Join me in welcoming the next President of the United States, Paul Ryan!"

Rappy's response? "You're lying, gullible ( believing in some BS you heard on msnbc ) or hard of hearing."

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Tuesday, January 15, 2013 12:19 PM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!

Quote:
Originally posted by FREMDFIRMA:
Quote:
Originally posted by AURaptor:

Why 1 animal would want to " help " another, especially one that's not of the same species, is something I'm sure those who study animal behavior love to discuss. Especially in a dog/cat relationship, it seems completely counter evolutionary, to assist a rival.

Maybe because in their own way they're smarter and more decent than we give em credit for ?

'Decent' is an objective human description of what's going on. I was talking in terms of evolutionary behavior. Or, maybe more accurately, what we KNOW of such things. Hard to imagine that a feline in the wild would happen across a blind canine and help it , say by keeping it from falling off a cliff or wandering into a bog or some other dangerous terrain.

Quote:

The squirrels and raccoons here have shared a lair for all the time I have been here, years, and this persists even when the current raccoons move on or expire and the lair is empty of them for some time, even then the "new" raccoons quickly pick up on it and move in.

As long as there's room for both, and their paths don't cross all that often, it may make sense for certain types of animals to cohabitate. Having a neighbor who is 'up' at the times you're sleeping may be an ideal home security system, which benefits both parties.

"False words are not only evil in themselves, but they infect the soul with evil." - Socrates

" I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend. "

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Tuesday, January 15, 2013 3:14 PM

Well no, not as a guard dog in the classic sense, in fact their happy nature would make them BETTER for this than otherwise cause they'd not be intimidating.

This wouldn't be something like K-9, but rather a friendly animal companion to serve as enhanced eyes/ears/nose for the guard on that shift - bet your booty a curious husky *is* going to notice something unusual AND make sure you know all about it cause they wanna go show it to you!

So they wouldn't really have to DO anything, except be themselves, and that huskies aren't really barkers is a bonus, cause our preference is to handle situations WITHOUT causing a big hue and cry and panicking the residents.

My *issues* with K-9 units stem from Prince Georges county, MD (notorious for extremes of corruption and brutality) and their police force having the habit of setting their dogs on compliant suspects to maul them (and training them to do so, often brutally), not caring about the dogs well being or health (at least one was baked to death in a police vehicle while the officers were slacking off) and not least of all having them set on me twice while I was making my escape run from the abortive attempt to pitch me into a hellcamp, the first resulting in some mutual injury to both dogs and me, and the second winding up with me being quite literally treed, cause I was up a damn tree and NOT coming down at all.

I still have to stifle a twitchy reaction to anything even vaguely resembling a german shepard, and have a reluctance to let them out of my vision - being intentionally and purposefully chewed on during/while/after TRYING to comply with an officers instructions has left me none too fond of them whatever, and I would *not* comply with a dog-enforced order, I don't think I could after that for fear of the dog then attacking me anyways, you know ?

Plus there's the misuse of dogs as trick ponies to dodge the fourth amendment, I got major issues with that, and while initially dismissed as a crank (as usual) the evidence is swiftly and steadily mounting that I have been correct in that assessment the entire time.

None of this is the dogs fault mind you, I did like Ziva, she was a sweetheart, and I don't remember his name off the top of my head, but another retired K-9 used to then work at the local childrens hospital as friend and comfort kind of thing, a position currently filled by Colby, who works for Therapaws, he's a big black bundle of love he is.
Buky is a lot more straightlaced, very professional - which leaves me in a tough mental place cause he's a cop and a shepard, despite my empathy for animals.

Therapaws is cool as hell though.
http://www.therapaws.org/

I worked with a program like that back when I was an early teen, as community service for an act of self-defense (leading to community service cause the self-defense part kicked over into "beating unconscious and kicking for ten minutes") where I took a lap cat around to elderly folk in nursing homes who had no families - and I would sit there and listen to them talk about history, real meat and bones stuff from people who were actually there, I rather enjoyed it.
And of course, me and the cat got on really well.

Anyhows, as an extra set of eyes and ears and a companion, I think a huskie might have potential, although for at least one of our guards not an option, they are rambunctious critters and might wind up dragging poor Wendy around behind them, not good for a guards dignity, that.
I might see about "borrowing" someone elses though, see how it goes for me - no one will even question it, I could walk naked down the main drag here with a conga line of dancing girls and draw little more than a shrug.

-Frem

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Wednesday, January 16, 2013 1:39 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by FREMDFIRMA:

Anyhows, as an extra set of eyes and ears and a companion, I think a huskie might have potential, although for at least one of our guards not an option, they are rambunctious critters and might wind up dragging poor Wendy around behind them, not good for a guards dignity, that.
I might see about "borrowing" someone elses though, see how it goes for me - no one will even question it, I could walk naked down the main drag here with a conga line of dancing girls and draw little more than a shrug.

-Frem

As far as rambunctiousness and dragging someone around, that just comes down to training. And by that I mean positive reinforcement training, of course. Jeepers would run if she got out, and she was just horrible on a leash, so we worked on it. I put her on one of those 25-foot retractable leashes, put a load of treats in my pocket, and opened the door. She bolted and I braced myself, and she hit the end of the leash, turned around, chewed the leash a bit, struggled, and I calmed her down and rewarded her. This behavior continued for a few days, after which she didn't bolt, didn't struggle, just waited. We went to a 6-foot standard leash, and she's never really pulled against that. She gets rewards for good behavior, no rewards for bad.

She's skittish, so yelling at her for misbehaving is definitely NOT going to help - it's going to make things worse. She got out one day while I was at lunch, and I was told all the horror stories when I got back; she kept running away because everyone was panicking and yelling and screaming at her. What would you have done with a pack of people acting that way? Stayed as far the hell away as you could, I'd bet!

Now we go for walks, I can let her off-leash and she will keep pace with me - she likes to lead, and I'm fine with that. I keep her on-leash most of the time, and I can hold the leash on my pinkie without her trying to tug at it or test it.

It's a pretty good exercise in patience and reward, for dog and trainer both, and it's a good bonding experience as well.

And of course, even if you're the one who does the training, if you turn the dog over to Wendy, the pup's going to "test" her, most likely. Wendy will need to do her own version of training, which mostly just amounts to letting the dog know what he or she can and can't get away with and what's acceptable good behavior. And of course, the therapeutic aspects of it (for both) you already realize. Cats are great, I love 'em, but there's something to be said for the therapeutic value the unconditional love a dog offers.

"I supported Bush in 2000 and 2004 and intellegence [sic] had very little to do with that decision." - Hero

"I was wrong" - Hero, 2012

Mitt Romney, introducing his running mate: "Join me in welcoming the next President of the United States, Paul Ryan!"

Rappy's response? "You're lying, gullible ( believing in some BS you heard on msnbc ) or hard of hearing."

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Wednesday, January 16, 2013 10:08 AM

Gettin' old, but still a hippie at heart...

Well, I agree with everything Mike, Rap and Frem have said. Given your clarification, Frem, yes, a husky might do great. They are INCREDIBLY curious, have amazing noses, ears and eyes, and will indicate quite quickly when there's something unusual because they want to check it out...NOW, thank you! They are great with kids and people in general, and usually have a gentle nature (except for the exuberance, of course!). They ARE intimidating to some, especially the ignorant, as they resemble wolves enough (depending on the coloring) that even I have experienced people asking if one or the other of mine is part wolf--and jezus, no dog ever looked LESS like a wolf than those with my guys' coloring!

Should also mention that I know quite a few mal- and sibe-wolf crosses...Those are almost always BAD news! The conflict between the wild side and the domesticated side usually makes them neurotic and pretty uncontrollable at best, and unpredictable. It takes a strong and determined person to live with one.

Admittedly, given their long history and the ways they've been used, Shepherds are more intimidating to many (especially criminals, I would guess), and ARE easier to turn "bad", so in that way they're not as good a choice as huskies. The same might be true for Mallies--Mike? It takes a LOT of work to make a husky go bad, the genetics are just TOO strong against it. Remember they were bred to be members of the family by the Chukchi.

Okay, I fully understand your feelings on K-9 units as described, and share them completely. There are NO "bad" dogs, only bad owners/handlers. Thankfully, the examples you presented are the exceptions, not the rule!

Every single thing Mike said about training in 100% on point--ESPECIALLY with huskies. Hard as it sometimes is (given their comedic nature and sweet disposition), you MUST be alpha. Given their independent nature, 99% of them should NEVER be off leash...every book on huskies says that. But they CAN be trained, I'm working on Kochyok right now with a method similar to the one Mike explained. In my case, it's a matter of a 20' lead she's as unaware of as possible (in other words, fastened to the side, not the front of her harness), letting her go and immediately calling/treating her. As time goes on I will let her go out a minute or two longer then call her back; eventually I will shorten the lead until it is cut down to nothing but about a 6" length (so she doesn't know she's off it). That's the task set me by the consultant, who has worked extensively with huskies (that being their single WORST problem!). We'll see if it works; she says it'll take six months at least...sigh.

As to both that and rambunctiousness, a simple solution is to get an older dog. Huskies DO slow down with age (don't laugh!), and many people have no trouble with them off-leash as they get older. Husky crosses is another answer--my last dog was husky/shepherd...she ran away exactly once (blame the deer), was easy to train and was off leash the rest of her life. Either one can easily be found at virtually any shelter...given their independent nature (not to mention their counter surfing, digging, prey drive, escapism, chewing, etc.), they are far too often acquired 'cuz they're "pretty" or because of the damned movies depicting them, but then not dealt with/trained, so turned in to shelters.

Prey drive doesn't mean they can't be around cats, by the way. Some cannot, admittedly, but most huskies can be put in their place easily by the resident House Cat. Tashi is quite the hunter, he's got rats, moles, voles, and even a squirrel and a bird to his credit, but in the first five minutes in Paula's house when he spotted one of her cats, the cat told him on no uncertain terms to go to hell, and he never ventured near it again! I know other members of BAM for whom that is true--even those who've gotten huskies before and after a cat. BUT, your local wildlife friends wouldn't approve of a husky, no doubt, because unless WELL trained, off leash any husky will chase, and probably kill, any wildlife that runs.

The digging, chewing, escapism, etc., is all a result of not enough exercise--they MUST get either heavy exercise four or more days a week or be walked daily. The counter surfing, well, that depends on the husky. Kochyok is an absolute PRO, in the two seconds it takes me to leave a room, she can snatch anything in the room, and I've even had her nail a piece of bread for my toast when I just turned away to say something to Jim (and they're not even allowed IN the kitchen!). So I can't speak to that. ;o) Tashi, on the other hand, rarely steals anything (but gloves...he loves gloves, Jim has to take his off before entering the house or Tashi will "attack" his hands!).

There are lots of other breeds and cross-breeds that would fit the bill excellently, and of course I always encourage people to get any dog from a shelter first. I just happen to be addicted to huskies...oh, and be forewarned, the saying is "Huskies are like potato chips; one is never enough". It's a byword among us; even I never considered getting two dogs until I had Tashi, and Jim said last December that if I wanted to get a THIRD, I could do so as an Xmas gift! This from the man who wasn't crazy about getting A husky in the first place! They do tend to worm their way into your heart, and he is now a total sap about them--moreso by far than I! But for example bloodhouds are very docile in general, and haven't just got great noses, they're curious about EVERYTHING. Labs and all their "cousins" love rain and are sweethearts, and on and on.

Don't forget about the shedding, too; the two most important thing to know about getting a husky is you MUST be alpha, and you're going to be walking around wearing your own "coat" if you don't brush them regularly. Some shed all year, some (mostly Mals) only twice a year, but when they shed, they SHED!

They will also NEVER feel contrite about ANYTHING they ever do (unless it's accidentally hurting you, then their contritioun can be overwhelming). "Contrition" and "guilt" are not in their vocabulary. Bear that in mind; punishment never works well (you already know that) and will make any breed distrust you, but that's doubly so with huskies.

Hey, I just found this, it's the perfect primer on everything husky:

Well, maybe not PERFECT:

-YES, you MUST be alpha...Wendy too, and anyone else who's part of your "pack".

-No, you don't need to exercise them EVERY day, if you bikejor or just bike with them, scooter or sulky them four times a week. The video is an excellent example of what happens if you don't.

-The video of the guy chasing his Sibe is what I used to look like (and Jim) until we learned that chasing a husky is a game to them, always...the only way to get them back is wait until they're tired and come to you for a treat or to run the other way (that's a game, too!). "Very" hard to catch is a joke; "impossible" to catch is realistic.

-No, crating is not necessary. If left alone in the home--IF exercised regularly--you might find some food missing if it's in reach, or an item destroyed here or there (we've been through SIX sets of ear plugs, for some reason they're irresistible!), but remember again, they were members of the family for the Chukchi, so with a good alpha, exercise and not being left alone for a long, long time, they're fine.

-Yes, they dig, but that USUALLY only lasts through puppyhood, or until they have a second dog to play with. A second dog solves a lot of those problems; escapism, digging, destruction, because they'll wear each other out playing.

-NO to a Furminator! Not enough people know that they TEAR the coat, so they're actually pulling out live fur. I use a wide-toothed cat comb on Kochyok (who has an enormous, tight undercoat) and a regular dog brush on Tashi (whose coat is thinner and longer).

-And lastly, they kind of tripped past two things: They are absolutely HYSTERICAL, clowns of the first order, and will keep you in stitches--literally. It's also fun to see all the wolf-like behaviors, which they still retain. Secondly, not just a "friend for life", they are incredibly people-oriented; given half a chance, they will be the most loving dog you ever knew. Any nature program about wolves shows the incredible closeness of all pack members; domesticated huskies consider their humans their pack.

Yeah, that video pretty much sums it up, with those caveats, and covers everything I could tell you. Naturally, being me, I would encourage ANYONE willing to make the commitment to rescue a Sibe, there are so damned many--probably more than any other breed than pits or other "bullie breeds"--needing homes. They desperately need love, and have more love to give than you could EVER give them, but the commitment and foreknowledge are absolute.

And, of course, each dog is different; Tashi is regal and aloof, he likes his ruff scritched but not on top of his head, and doesn't like being "smothered". Kochyok is the biggest baby in the world. I always wanted a dog I could hug; she's finally my first, and you can literally do ANYTHING to her, turn her virtually inside out, and she'll keep right on wagging her tail and trying to kiss you.

Okay, I'll shut up now...you now know everything there is to know about huskies, and more! From what I know of you, you'd make a great husky owner, but you should take all of it into account first.

Tit for tat got us where we are today. If we want to be grownups, we need to resist the ugliness. If we each did, this would be a better reflection on Firefly and a more welcome place. I will try.

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Wednesday, January 16, 2013 12:05 PM

Well, I "borrowed" one (although not sure if he's a full breed Huskie) from a resident today, who was all but LAUGHING UP HER SLEEVE, she was a little TOO eager to let me walk her dog for her, and I was already thinking "Ooooh boy..".

First he tries to maypole me with the leash, didn't get far with it cause I am used to that trick, THEN he wanted to chase a squirrel, and when he didn't get his way went all pouty and challenging, at which point I got down on hands and knees and offered to have it out with him, to which he's like WTF?!

I had some more work to do on our broken snowblower and tied to the leash to a tree right next to where I was workin, cause I know what HAPPENS if you take your eyes off them or let go, but he seemed more interested in trying to "help" by shoving my toolboxes toward me with his nose.

He did appear to have enjoyed himself, and getting him back in his house was something of a chore, but while the idea looked good on paper I ain't too sanguine about it in practice, I think we'd have to hand-raise a rescue puppy for this or something.

-Frem

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Wednesday, January 16, 2013 3:05 PM