Newb checking in, husky owner with questions

[akaJenT]

Looks like a great forum, thanks for having it!

[hazelrunpack]

Welcome to the board, akaJenT! When you get a chance, we'd love to see a few pics of your husky.

[BenMax]

Welcome to the board.
Huskies...such beauties! But we will require a quick peek at them.

[akaJenT]

Here she is when we got her

[akaJenT]

a week ago

I came close to finding a home for them in the mountains because where I live the leash laws are IMPOSSIBLE, they are so RIGID out here and these two need to RUN. We've already paid hundreds in fines because I just don't believe dogs have to be on a leash at ALL times if they're friendly, and these two totally are.

But I think I've finally got it licked. I've created a dog sled from an old bike. These two have been pulling my arms off because they're bred to pull, and when they see a cat I literally FLY trying to hold them back. But now they're attached to my "dog sled" on wheels and it's so funny, I harness them in the garage and get all ready for launch, and then push the button on the new garage door and we come flying out. We must look hilarious from the street. They FLY up the hill and I ride the brakes a lot, but it works. And they're EXHAUSTEDLY happy when we get home. They pretty much go where they want except I keep them off the street. Finally a legal way to exercise them. Whew.

[hazelrunpack]

What a sweetie! Glad you found a solution to keep them exercised. How do you steer, though? hazel would likely end up wrapped around the tree at the end of the drive...

[hankypanky]

Hi I am new here too and I have a labsky. He is full of energy and I know what you mean by flying...Hank is 5 months and can pull me around the block easily. We are very lucky that there are several dog parks with great terrain to let him run wild. He has the husky run down for sure and it's great to see him go full tilt! I can't wait until it warms up and we can get away to the mountains!

[chico2]

akaJenT,I would love to see that,maybe someone can video-tape you..
There was a time when I was not too fond of Huskys,but since I have gotten to know a few,there are 2 on my street,I love those beautys
I would imagine there are not an abundance of Huskys in Cali,because of the heat..

[Tundra_Queen]

Hi

Welcome to the forum!! Love your pups!

How old are your pups now cause don't u have to wait until their bones are developed before u can have them pull too much weight? Am I remembering that wrong?

[akaJenT]

oh! answers!

Thanks for the responses. I'll have to bookmark the site.

In answer to how old they can be, Rufio is just over one year old and really does all the pulling. Dog sledding books say start them at 6 mo to any age. The reason I got my bikesled together was because if I walk them with a leash THEY TAKE OFF AND I GO FLYING!!! AAAAAGH!!!!!! The landings are not fun!!! So this has been an awesome answer, on the "bike" (really) he doesn't have to pull too hard, I'm sure he's thrilled to be able to RUN. Last week though I took them to the horse trails and he came crashing back out of the woods with a limp, so now when I take them I still get on the bike but I yell "EASY" at them instead of "HIKE" and make them go at a walking pace. We'll do this until I'm sure he's totally healed. This way they are not pulling me at all, but he still tries to pull just like he would if I was walking with a leash. The beauty of the bikesled is it's really a control feature. The brakes together with the weight of the bike and myself are just enough to hold them back. We're all so happy now!

Most of California is hot but not where I live. And I'm glad my cousin didn't take them in Oregon because when it poured the other day, oh my gosh, you would think Huskies wouldn't even notice, but not my two. I had to coax them out in the rain to make sure they didn't wake me up in the middle of the night with a nature call emergency

God is good! Now if only they would stay out of the sludge by the bay...

[akaJenT]

Originally Posted by chico2

akaJenT,I would love to see that,maybe someone can video-tape you..
There was a time when I was not too fond of Huskys,but since I have gotten to know a few,there are 2 on my street,I love those beautys
I would imagine there are not an abundance of Huskys in Cali,because of the heat..

Huskies seem to love to act ferocious but it's all an act with my Bell. And she's such a small Husky its not so scarey. Rufio acts more like a Rottweiller, thank goodness, cause he's a monster.

They're not my favorite breed, they are high maintenance because they REALLY NEED to run and Rufio digs something awful, he's obsessed with digging up gophers which horrifies me cause I find them on my porch. I would have preferred a couple of Lassie-like collies like I had before, but they really are excellent dogs.

[akaJenT]

In front of my gate, heh

[akaJenT]

My son made this one from Rufio's picture when he was a pup

[dbg10]

Welcome akaJenT what a couple of beauties

[chico2]

Beautiful
Love the pic of"scary"Rufio"..
The sign on your gate with"please do not let out"would worry me a little,some jerk would take that as an invitation to let the puppers out..

[akaJenT]

Originally Posted by chico2

Beautiful
Love the pic of"scary"Rufio"..
The sign on your gate with"please do not let out"would worry me a little,some jerk would take that as an invitation to let the puppers out..

Thanks chico. I see your point. I just have to hope that photoshopping Rufio to be about the size of the doorway would discourage that. My house looks like a compound, gone are the days of my sweet little picket fence. We even had to top off the tall walls with wire leaning inward, like a prison camp Rufio can jump over just about anything. He always came back but my neighbors see dogs as having coodies (sigh)