A discussion on dogs evolved on another thread that was not quite topical. I quote some of it here.
Having friends with a huskiy I have to advise against. The thing is super hyper-active and very difficult to control.Prob. Faerie can weigh in with more heft tho.
Huskies and gardening dont go well together. They do need a lot of space to run and they are strong and heavy dogs and love barging through stuff. Your garden would likely be destroyed. That said, they are lovely companions, they hold conversations with you and are extremely affectionate. They dont bark and they dont howl for nothing, rather they announce themselves with a talk-like howl-whine.THEY ARE USELESS GUARD-DOGS. They love people and company and everyone is a potential buddy. If you arent home during the day, get two, they play rough and it helps with the first years puppy destructiveness (which can be daunting until you have them trained to your liking).
Extremely intelligent, they will manipulate you like no child can. STRICT training is recommended, they need to know who is boss as their pack mentality is more defined than other dogs. They tend to land up in shelters because people dont realise how big, strong and active they are, not to mention intelligent.
If you keep them stimulated, they are fine though. Mine goes to the dog park three times a week for a run for around 90 minutes at a time and I have an arsenal of things on a rotational basis to keep them from mischief during the day. All this takes time and effort though and most people expect a dog to fit in with their routine, a Husky wont do that, it needs the stimulation or they get bored and destructive.
As Im sitting here, I have one laying by my feet resting his head on my feet and the other with his head on my lap, treat them right and make the effort and you will consider yourself the luckiest person in the world…
Ps. They love water… your pool will be used extensively and they will occupy a bath full of water if you happen to leave the bathroom to go grab something.
Thank you for your comprehensive reply, Faerie. I need to weigh the pros and cons. Good luck with your dogs. And Strelitzias!
I'm a fan of the Africanis, which will only damage your garden if you have--and I hope you haven't--moles, in which case he'll turn your manicured lawn into a building site before proudly presenting you with a corpse or two.They evolved here, which means they are adapted to the climate and are disease resistant. They love being with people and don’t bark unnecessarily. We’ve had the pleasure of our Doofus for nearly eight years now, and he has brought great joy into our lives.
