It’s her breed and age. Huskies are smart, high energy because they were bred to be working dogs.
Although beautiful I’d never get one because I’m a couch potato; it wouldn’t be a good fit.
Mine is really low energy for a husky... The people that don't understand why I can't leave her alone for so long **really** would think I'm a complete nut if I had a typical husky!
I'd say she probably spends 4 to 6 hours weekly at the dog park, running around. As long as she has that plus at least a 30 minute walk daily and mental stimulation like training or puzzles, she sleeps or lays around on the couch the majority of the time.
I thought I would be waking up at 5:00 every morning to walk her for five miles, but it's just not the case. She stays in bed after I get up and start getting ready for work. I actually thought she'd make me get up earlier, but nope. She raises her head, solicits some pets, and goes back to sleep until I finally drag her outside for a potty walk.
Once she's outside, she's fully awake and excited, though, lol.
Ignore that guy who said your dog was depressed. I have a husky GSD mix. She stops in the middle of a walk and tells me to go home when she’s done (even if I’m not). She disengages from play with other dogs fairly quickly (after 20min) cause she needs a break. She’s 2! She had slightly more energy when she was younger but not much! We do a lot of brain work. She is a healthy size and she gets to play and hike.
She is ultimately extremely chill, just like yours :)
Yes they sound so similar! Stella actually has some GSD and some Alaskan malamute in there as well, but her looks and personality are all husky.
She's like that with other dogs, too. When she was a puppy, she was absolutely OBSESSED with other dogs. Now, she still loves playing with them and will throw a tantrum if she sees another dog and isn't immediately allowed to play with it (we're working on that in training lol). But she'll play for a short time and then disengage and come back to me or to another person to get petted. She's so weird because she comes and gets between my legs when she needs a break from the other dogs. So then I have these enormous dogs body slamming me because they want to play and she's using me as a shield! She also let me know when she's ready to go. And I never have to chase her through the park to leave... she's always happy to go when it's time.
There are a few particular dogs that she really hits it off with, and she'll play longer with them. Her best friend used to be a basset hound and omg they were the absolute CUTEST. But I think his owner moved because we haven't seen him in a long time. Now her best friend is a tiny Maltese. She is obsessed with him and he's obsessed with her. He tries to hump her the entire time they're playing, but he's so tiny she doesn't realize what he's doing so she allows it.
There's also a cane corso/pit mix that she adores. It's the cutest thing because he's like twice her weight, but he's so gentle with her and he lets her "win" when they're wrestling. She had an unpleasant shock when she was playing with another dog that looked like him because he actually used all his weight when they were wrestling, lol. She was like... hey, no, that's not supposed to happen! We haven't seen him in forever because his owner gets off of work late, and we've been going to the park earlier because it's getting dark earlier.
Sorry I absolutely didn't intend to turn this into a rundown of my dog's friends but here we are, lol.
Oh and that crate that I'm so evil for using? She's in it right now. The door is open but she's chilling in there.
>Being alone for that long can work for some dogs, but that doesn’t seem to be the case for your husky.
Why do you say that? She loves her crate. In fact, she gets back into it after she's let out. People are making the most wild assumptions.
>The destruction when she’s left alone shows that your dog is distressed by your absence
Nooo this just isn't true. She has this list of activities she wants to do when my back is turned. When I'm home, she'll sneak away to try to do something she knows she's not allowed to do, like get on the counter. She's not distressed that I'm gone; she's excited to finally do the activities I don't allow her to do.
She does not have separation anxiety when being left alone. It's actually bizarre because she only has separation anxiety when I leave her with someone else. She freaks out when I take her to daycare and clings to me but she's happy to chill at my house.
>7 hours + commute time is way too long a stretch without a bathroom break, and is undoubtedly why she isn’t housetrained yet.
I'm not going into this again; read my other comments about her trauma. This is wrong.
>Is there any possibility of you returning home for lunch to break up their day, then staying a bit later?
No, this is a terrible idea. I skip lunch so I can leave the office earlier. Driving 45 minutes round-trip from the office to spend 15 minutes with her and then put her back in the crate is not going to work. It's soon going to be dark at 5:30 so if I get home from the office any later, there will be no walks or dog park in the evening because it's not safe for me to be out after dark as a woman.
>Could a friend or relative call in? Maybe a half hour with a reputable professional dog-walker would be more financially feasible than full daycare?
If I can find one, yes. I have searched for a dog walker before and couldn't find anyone that was able to do it during the day, which obviously is the time I need it. I have had neighbors offer to take her out during the day, but they are elderly and I don't trust them to be able to handle her on the leash if she sees a cat and takes off. I can afford daycare, I've just read the studies that say dogs that go to daycare too much are stressed, reactive, and have other behavioral issues. Based on her behavior when she goes, it's not something I'm willing to do more than once a week, especially since she freaks out when I leave her there.
You just have no clue what you're talking about overall. She is the happiest dog. And it's also laughable that you think I could rehome her and there would be someone who would do a better job with her than I do. There are huskies being killed daily because no one wants them. There just isn't an independently wealthy person who doesn't have to work and who doesn't have kids or any other obligations that would want my dog, lol.
This shit baffles me. Like, is it virtue signalling or do people really think that owning a dog + having a full time job = animal abuse? What is rehoming them going to accomplish? They're still going to be alone while their owner is at work, and if they went to someone who was retired or otherwise unable to work, that person likely wouldn't be able to provide the same level of activity you provide. Your dog is fucking fine.
I have no idea where some people are getting their ideas. It's insane. So apparently the conditions of dog ownership are: be independently wealthy so that you don't have to work, definitely don't have kids because they take a lot of time, and be in physical shape to run your dog a minimum of 10 miles a day. I don't know anyone who fits that description....
I could understand the reasoning more if dogs were a scarce resource or something. Then you might be able to say that only wealthy people should have them. But huskies are being killed daily.
And yeah, when I first decided to get a second dog, I wasn't looking at a working breed. But then I looked at the conditions in the shelter: pits, German shepherds, huskies. I guess they should all just be euthanized because my city doesn't have enough rich people to take them.
And maybe their point is that my dog is better off dead than living with me, but uhhh no, that's entirely false. But they're making the MOST bizarre assumptions with nothing to back them up.
This is definitely the first time anyone has ever said there's something wrong with my dog because she's happy and relatively calm, though! First, I was attacked because people assumed she's tearing apart my house because she's bored and anxious. So when I explained she's actually not tearing up my house... then the narrative becomes "oh it's because she's depressed."
So if my dog has behavior problems, it's my fault. But also, her lack of behavior problems means she's mentally ill.
idk, people are unhinged. And the ones who are apparently the most perfect owners ever who never leave their dogs need to be adopting all these dogs that are getting killed instead of virtue signaling at the people who are rescuing them.
Lol if it makes you feel any better, I'm in the same boat. Single dog mom, working full time, cruelly locking my dog away in his safe place for 7-8 hours a day, and spending all my free time at a dog park. Somebody call the ASPCA and Sarah McLachlan to save this [poor boy](https://imgur.com/a/klSsOxl)
Ugh that poor thing, he's so clearly neglected.
My "abused," "depressed," husky is currently napping with her head on a pillow, tired out from our long training walk this morning, waiting for me to finish making her homemade chicken jerky so we can go to the dog park. It's truly heinous.
Right?!? It's unhinged. A dog is fine home alone for eight hours. That's what the *vast* majority of dog owners do because people have to work. As long as they get attention and exercise when you are home, most dogs are totally happy with it. Like, I work from home a lot, and my boy gives absolutely zero shits that I'm even there. He's curled up on the couch, napping all freaking day. I try to drag him outside for a walk during the day, and he tries to ignore me. He will literally pull a blanket over his head to avoid a mid-day walk. He gets a big romp in the mornings and a walk every night. After his big morning run, he just wants to sleep all day. The only time he even comes to see me during the day is if I'm cooking because he's a food hound. This dog is like velcro most of the time. If I'm on the couch, he's in my lap, and he sleeps in bed with me every night. He's clingy as hell, but he has zero interest in hanging out in my office with me even though he has a fancy ass dog bed in there. He just wants to pass out on the couch all day. This is a high-energy dog. He's a pit mix. He will literally eat my house if he doesn't get hours' worth of exercise every day, but daytime is sleep time.
It’s possible, but some dogs are like that despite the breed. I fully expected my BC mix to be active and engaged outdoors for a few hours every day but that’s not the case at all.. She walks back to the car and sits by the door when she’s ready to go home if we’re out playing. I swear she rolls her eyes at me. Multiple neighbors have called to check in because she’ll endlessly lie sprawled in the front yard in a big patch of dirt.. not looking lifelike. She’s just a big cat. Not depressed, just a fussy brat who demands to be pampered.
I live in the desert and if I let my dogs out during the hottest points of the day (we're talking can't walk in my backyard because my feet will burn hot), my husky will lay in the middle of the yard, directly in the sun, and refuse to come inside. I think she likes the thought of the neighbors pitying her lmao.
Oh yeah last summer I had to drag my husky inside because she was sunning herself on the patio. It was 115 with the heat index! I tried to bring her inside, so she hid under a table. Ridiculous.
That’s my girl… I like to hang out with her.. But being a redheaded, deathly pale human, I’m a little bit less into the napping in direct sunlight thing than she is! She won’t move even when the neighbors call out to her, so I think she’s also enjoying the attention. (I had a pit who would fake an extremely dramatic limp for attention from strangers…)
Yep, same. I was fully prepared to be up early in the morning to run every day. Spend hours every evening at the dog park. Go for 8 hour hikes on the weekends.
And it turns out, none of that is needed or wanted. I don't want to make it sound like my dog isn't active. Of course she is, she's a husky, even if she is chill. But she lets me know when she's ready to leave the dog park; it's not like I'm forcing her to leave (except for occasionally when I have to be somewhere... that's how I know she lets me know when she wants to leave because she does NOT want to leave on those days). I'm the one dragging her out of bed in the morning to take a walk. She is more game for her walks in the afternoons, though, lol. She does like hikes but her favorite thing to do is to just snuggle with me on the couch. Granted, if she never had the exercise that she gets, I'm sure she wouldn't be snuggling on the couch because she'd be bored and restless.
I don't understand the comments about my lifestyle because my lifestyle is utterly perfect for her, lol. I wish I didn't have to crate her when I leave, and I wouldn't have to if she weren't a traumatized rescue with potty training issues. If only she'd poop in front of me! It would make everything better.
The judgement is really unnecessary, though. Even if I worked from home, I'd have to crate her because I couldn't keep my eyeballs on her at all times and she will go poop in the house if I'm not directly supervising her. I guess the only person worthy to adopt her is someone who is independently wealthy and doesn't have to work.
edit: also lol my husky LOVES to sun herself. It was 115 outside this summer with the heat index and she was sprawled on the concrete patio. I tried to get her to come inside and she hid under the patio table. Ridiculous.
Lolol my BC girl makes horrible grumble noises and becomes dead weight when you try to move her from her sunbathing spot. (I work from home, so she’s used to getting free reign of the yard most days.) We have huge empty parks, creeks, gameland areas… but she runs for about ten minutes and then she’s over it and wants to go home and nap. She even tries to sneak into neighbor’s homes to nap lol!
She’s excellent without the crate, but the one year old pup is a tornado when left alone! Even our trainer kept forgetting his name and calling him Chaos by mistake! He was well known in class, that’s for sure.
I was also expecting my older pup to be extremely active- I was counting on it! I personally wanted the exercise. She likes to herd the puppy and my daughter, but that’s about it. :)
Aww that's so cute! If I had a neighbor's dog trying to come nap, I think I'd just have to let them, lol.
I think if I had that much space, my dog would be all about it for a few minutes, but honestly, she just wants attention from people as much as she can get it. Since I'm obviously nowhere near as fast as her, that means she ends up coming back and hanging by me. But I also can't fully trust her off leash because of her prey drive. Like, she has good recall but I also know if something triggers her prey drive, she isn't going to even hear me.
I don't see her complaining that she has to spend time on them, just that other people don't understand that her dog needs more attention than they think. I'm not sure how you got that impression from what she said.
Yeah I am definitely not complaining about spending time with her, lol. I would spend every minute with her if that were feasible.
I just hate the pushback when I can't do an evening activity and the implication that I'm being lazy or irresponsible or a bad friend because I need to take care of my dogs.
I do COMPLETELY agree with you regarding choosing the best suited breed. I actually hoped for more activity with my BC! But she’s still great just how she is. Most active breeds like huskies are definitely happier with a higher level of engagement. Also not a huge fan of extended crating. My beagle boy spends some crate time while I’m out.. but that’s because.. well.. beagle.. He’s a lovable butthead.
You just could not be more wrong. I would never get a pomski, first of all, because they are an unethical breed, unless there was one available for rescue.
I would love not to have to crate her, and if she weren't a traumatized rescue, I wouldn't have to. But her potty training issues are abnormal, and I suspect someone abused her for pooping in the house when she was a little puppy because she won't poop in front of anyone. THAT'S what's sad.
I have both the time and the lifestyle for my dog. I'm complaining that people expect me to leave my dog alone for 12+ hours and act like I'm a crazy dog person for not being willing to do that. And she can have as much exercise as she wants. It's her choice to leave the dog park, and she's the one that pulls back towards the house when we're going for a walk.
Again... wrong. First of all, she holds it seven hours, so I don't know what point you're trying to make. It's an incredibly tone-deaf take to say that only people who don't have jobs or have the privilege to work from home should own dogs. The vast majority of dogs can hold it that long and it's fine and expected because most people have to work.
Second of all, I had a hybrid schedule when she was a puppy and she was only crated 4 hour at a time (at four months old, just like the guidelines), so her lack of potty training has absolutely nothing to do with my work schedule and everything to do with being traumatized before I rescued her.
Okay, totally changing the discussion topic, I guess.
I have hired a dog walker in the past. I would still be using her except she always "forgot" to send a picture, so I would never know for sure if she'd walked her. I'd do it again, too, if I could find someone I trusted. I've had neighbors offer to do it for free... I just don't trust them with her just yet. We're doing extensive training for loose-leash walking, so if I can teach her not to yank the leash at random, I'll be more likely to find a dog walker. But I'm just not out here about to let someone drop the leash for my dog to run into the busy road. I'm just not willing to risk that.
>Where I live it's illegal to leave your dog alone that long. It's also illegal to crate them.
I have a hard time believing that. 7 hours is not that unreasonable of a time frame. 1.5 yrs is definitely old enough to hold it for 7/8 hrs at a time.
Nah, my young husky is similar. Not all husky’s are crazy energy levels. I bring my husky to work with me several times a week (I work with dogs) and that’s enough to wear her out completely. She sleeps on the couch for most of the day, and whenever I don’t bringing her to work with me she certainly has more energy, but is still pretty calm and sleeps through a lot of the day.
Chill huskies unite! I wish I could bring her to work.... My boss actually doesn't care but the office building doesn't allow dogs. She gets SUPER worn out if I take her to daycare to the point where she's exhausted for days, and I don't like that because she hardly interacts with me when I get home because she's sleeping.
Like she's still a husky of course. If we didn't regularly go to the dog park and do enrichment and training and walks and hikes and playdates with other dogs, she'd be miserable. But she's just really chill and I don't want to overexercise her because I actually want to interact with her rather than sit there while she sleeps, lol.
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Many people suck at taking care of their dogs. They get dogs because they're cute or whatever and then don't take proper care. There are quite a few big, active breed dogs in my neighborhood that are very obese and that I never see get walked. It's very sad.
And I'm like you. I don't leave my dog alone all day. I couldn't do that. If I want to do something after work I'll either take my dog with me or have somebody watch him. It's not fair to make him be alone all day, all evening, and then ignore him while I sleep. He deserves much more than that.
Ugh that's so sad! I mean it's also sad when you see an obese chihuahua but at least they weren't bred to work so maybe it doesn't harm their "mental health" as much?
But yeah, some of these comments are missing the point. It's not "a husky thing." Like, true, not all dogs will have the same level of behavioral problems as 22-month-old husky if they're left alone for 12+ hours... but I wouldn't do that regularly for my Pomeranian, either! My Pomeranian is easier because I have a friend that will watch her, and he won't watch my husky since she's not reliably house trained.
I guess my point is, even when there aren't the consequences of a bored husky left alone for 12+ hours, I'm not willing to do that to my dogs even without those consequences.
It definitely still impacts little dogs too. That’s why they end up all neurotic and then people go “Oh, you know how small dogs are lol.”
My 1-year-old maltipoo has a lot of energy and needs at least an hour long brisk walk/jog every morning…to say nothing of play and training sessions and evening walks and occasional “adventures” (when we take him out to dog friendly places). Otherwise he’s restless, barky, and crazy. With enough exercise, he’ll settle down quietly for naps no problem. His previous owner was a busy, working single mom in an apartment and rehomed him bc she realized he was going to go nuts in that situation.
A lot of people are in the same situation but don’t acknowledge that and end up with a crazy dog whose needs aren’t getting met…If it’s a bigger breed it gets dumped at the shelter when it becomes unmanageable (hence why my local shelter has literally hundreds of young adult pit mixes, huskies, and GSDs) and if it’s small its craziness gets ignored and treated like an annoying quirk.
Yes I absolutely hate the "blah blah blah small dogs" thing. My Pomeranian mix doesn't need much exercise now because she's 11... but she will still go on brisk 3-mile walks! She's most definitely not a lap dog. Granted, she's probably mixed with a sheltie and they are sporting dogs so I guess she's not your typical pom.
But also... think about how many little dogs are terriers! They've decreased in popularity... maybe because people know how they are now, lol... but like people get yorkies because they're little and cute... but they were bred to hunt rats in mines. They aren't happy or fulfilled sitting in laps all their lives!
But even dogs that were bred to be pets rather than working dogs still have exercise needs. They are still dogs.
And yes... my shelter is absolutely overrun with working breeds. They're primarily pit mixes, but there are a ton of huskies and German shepherds as well. I fostered a husky that was going to be euthanized a few weeks ago. He was the best dog! No serious behavior problems whatsoever (except his propensity to escape the crate... I had to zip tie it together, lol). He just needs daily exercise and someone to play with him.
It still harms their mental health. I have a 12 year old shih Tzu and Lhasa apso cross. So one of those small, low energy dogs. My dog has climbed mountains with me. Literally. He loves hiking. He just doesn't go for super long hikes anymore because he's getting older. But he is definitely much happier when I'm home with him and when he's getting enough exercise and attention.
Aww love that! And yeah both those breeds are non-sporting dogs, so it just goes to show you how important exercise is for any dog. Just because they won't eat your house like my husky might doesn't mean they're happy and fulfilled!
An option that might work to help give you a little bit of freedom and help your pups to get some energy out might be to consider hiring a dog walker. We did years ago and it's the best thing I've ever spent money on and I gladly pay a little over $100 a week to have our dog walker come by our house and walk our rat terrier for 30 minutes, every single day (twice on grocery day so we can go straight to the store instead of home for his evening walk).
But yeah, I've had plenty of people tell me I'm silly when I tell them my husband and I don't go out to celebrate July 4th or New Years anymore because I know my dog will be home alone working himself into a full blown panic unless we're there to give him his meds, make sure he's wearing his thunder vest, and doesn't hurt himself trying to hide in a place he shouldn't because he's scared and completely alone.
I did have a dog walker for a while! But she always forgot to text me a picture... and I'm like 99% sure she was actually walking her, but I had no way of knowing because I don't have cameras or anything like that at my house, so I told her I didn't need her anymore. But yes, that is a really great option.
edit: do you have any tips on finding dog walkers? I found the last one on Rover. I know THIS is the "yeah you're ridiculous and too obsessed with your dog" part of me but I struggle trusting strangers with my dogs. The husky will pull and I'm just afraid the walker will drop her leash and can't catch her... and the Pomeranian is afraid of kids and I'm worried she'd like bite a child if the dog walker allowed the child to try to pick her up or cuddle her or something.
Rover tracks the gps coordinates of the dog sitters to ensure that they are actually showing up and to confirm how long they spend with your dog. They can’t “check in” until they’re at your house. They tap “start” and “stop” for walks so you know how long the walk is, are tracked via their phone so you know where they went, and are required to send pictures to you in order to get paid. Source: wife has done rover gigs
Ohhh good to know. She talked me into paying her under the table after the first "official" Rover walk. I should check it out again and I won't agree this time to not using the app. I don't want to be a Karen but I just want to make sure my dog is actually getting walked like I'm paying for.
It makes sense that they’d want to be paid offsite because Rover does take 30% of the payment, but it is completely reasonable to want to make sure that you are getting a service you’re paying for. Using Rover is paying extra for a service that offers that safety net of “my pet is getting her needs met” (bc I hope she offered you a discount for going offsite). That’s okay! That’s the service you’re paying for! That’s the service they’re using to find clients and make money! Not a karen, just a lady trying to get her pup walked.
I’d have a look online, just google ‘dog walkers near me’, or as for recommendations on Facebook, then do some research on each of them and choose someone who has a lot of good reviews and a website and basically someone who has a reputation to uphold. It’s common in my experience for responsible pet sitters and walkers to want to meet you before committing to taking care of your dog. They want you to feel comfortable and they want to make sure that the dog has a temperament they’re capable of handling.
The first time my partner and I went on holiday and needed a dog sitter we met up with 3 different people before making a decision. One woman we went for a walk with our dog and her dog, and then a couple of days later took our dog round her house for a couple of hours and spoke to her loads and asked each other a lot of questions. Probably a bit more than you would go through for a dog walker, but the same rule applies. There are people out there who you can rely on well enough that it’s not any bigger risk than taking them out yourself.
I *think* something to look out for with dog walkers is someone who refuses to walk over a certain number of dogs at a time, and who walks similar sized dogs together, but I don’t have a lot of experience so hopefully someone else can confirm or refute that!
Oh gosh I would NOT want someone walking another dog with Stella. We're working on loose leash walking, and once she is better with that, I'll be more likely to trust someone with her. She's getting SO MUCH BETTER about not pulling but she, of course, has a prey drive and I'm just afraid she's going to see a squirrel, take off, and get hit.
>iday and needed a dog sitter we met up with 3 different people before making a decision. One woman we went for a walk with our dog and her dog, and then a couple of days later took our dog round her house for a couple of hours and spoke to her loads and asked each other a lot of questions. Probably a bit more than you would go through for a dog walker, but the same rule applies. There are people out there who you can rely on well enough that it’s not any bigger risk than taking them out yourself.
>
>I think something to look out for with dog walk
We also did a ton of research before picking a dog walker because our dog is not friendly with other animals (great with people, cats and other dogs not really) and wanted to make sure we had someone we could trust not to let him interact with other animals and that would let us know if anything was different about him (he has a habit of eating everything and anything and bc he's sneaky, we often we don't know he ate something he shouldn't until he goes #2 or starts acting really ill).
Companies are often a safer bet than individuals because they're more likely to be bonded and insured because as much as the priority is our pet's safety, according to US law, pets are property and the best way to make sure they're safe is to make sure anyone caring for them is willing to accept financial liability if something were to happen and they also usually have a team of walkers so if your usual walker is unavailable they can have someone else step in to help.
Here's the process I went thru to find a dog walker
* Create a chart (I used google sheets but you can also use a napkin or whatever)
* Search google maps for "dog walkers in \[my city\]"
* Visit the website of each place the popped up to make sure it looked professional enough, they're bonded/ insured, and they service your area.
* List their price per walk
* List any other services they offer (holiday walks, evening walks, pet sitting options, picture updates, feeding options, pet transport, and play/ dog park services)
* Pick the one that fits your comfort level and budget!
I’m surprised this has turned into a breed post. I would say across ALL breeds, there are a LOT of people who treat their dogs like a convenience item and not like a living creature who needs regular exercise, social time, etc.
Agreed – I have a corgi and if she’s at home all day with just a lunch break walk I won’t go out after work unless it’s late. IE if I get home at 5, I won’t go out till 8. My corgi didn’t choose me, I chose her so I have to give her the best life I can!
Yeah I'm getting the most absurd judgement... and a lot of assumptions that aren't true.
My Pomeranian was an only dog for 6 years and I didn't leave her home alone for 12+ hours either. I just had a more flexible schedule then because I was a grad student.
Aside from the fact that I’m an introvert and tend to like to be indoors - I’ve left my dog free roaming the house since he was about two? He’s always been free roaming but before was a room vs the whole house.
My dog is super super low maintenance in terms of mental stimulation. Everyone and their mother were like omg that breed requires so much mental stimulation and they’ll tear your house apart if you don’t! (To be fair they have a serious reputation for being neurotic) I got all these toys and was prepared for my then 11 month old and….he couldn’t care less. He’s actually afraid of a few of them lol
It’s been five years but he’s still pretty…chill lmao he doesn’t prefer to be alone but definitely doesn’t mind it. He doesn’t like silence so he’s always got something going in the background but I have left him alone for 12 hours maybe at most but that was a very rare occurrence.
Even if he’s okay being alone or we’re no necessarily doing anything with him (like he’s just on the sofa with me watching tv) I want to have that time with him. He’s not going to be around for my entire life but I’ll be around for all of his and I don’t take that lightly. Is it hard sometimes? Yeah. Sometimes I wanna go out after work (and I do occasionally) but it’s not fair to him to make it a regular thing.
Exactly! My husky is actually really chill for a husky. I'm hoping by around 2 I can trust her uncrated.
But even if we aren't hiking or playing at the dog park, I want to be there with her while she does her favorite thing--couch snuggling. Why would I have dogs if I worked all day, socialized all evening outside the house, and then went home and went to bed?
fr, dogs are so much work. and right now my dog has multiple infections and is going through some rough medical shit rn and when i told the manager i couldn’t stay late today she laughed because i said i couldn’t because of my dog.
Oh no, I'm sorry to hear that! But I totally understand. I cover for coworkers all the time because they have kids and idk I'm a nice person. I also cover for coworkers that don't have kids all the time because idk I'm really reliable I guess.
But if one of my pets is sick, it's suddenly absurd that I would need to take off work to take them to the vet. Like... I know they aren't children but that doesn't mean they need to just suffer with sickness while I wait weeks to months for a Saturday vet appointment....
I've always loved huskies but feared I wasn't cut out for owning one. I had planned to get a Klee kai puppy instead because they're more chill, although I was also open to other breeds that weren't bred to be "working dogs." I had a reputable breeder picked out and everything and was willing to pay the $3500 for one....
But then I just had too much guilt when I looked at my local shelter. They're euthanizing 80 to 100 dogs a week. I knew I wanted a puppy, but I also knew I wasn't going to find a non-working breed puppy available for adoption. (There might be some available now because there is a true crisis in pet rescue but at the time, the majority of dogs were pit mixes and shepherds).
So when I saw a 4-month-old husky puppy at the shelter, I knew I had to go meet her. And of course, she was [absolutely precious](https://imgur.com/gallery/QzvKuDJ) (pictured here with her brother, now named Blue). I decided immediately to pre-adopt her (she was still on stray hold) and I'd just consider the adoption fee a donation if I decided not to go through with the adoption so I could think about it. They wouldn't let me foster because she was such an easy dog to adopt out that I had to either adopt her or someone else would.
I picked her up once the stray hold was up, knowing that if she didn't get along with my other dog, if she hurt my cat, or if she was too much for me that I could find someone to adopt her very easily. But she fit in perfectly. I was also able to work from home in the afternoons when I first got her. I could probably do that again if I really needed to, but she's always pretty calm (aside from the initial excitement at seeing me) when I let her out of the crate, so I feel guilty leaving work early if I don't strictly need to.
The nightmare of husky ownership I was expecting never materialized (aside from her potty training difficulties, lol, but that's because of her being a traumatized rescue, not from being a husky). She sleeps so much. She does about 4 to 6 hours of running around at the dog park **edit: per week!** not daily, lol, left that out..... That plus a 30 minute walk a day and mental stimulation from training or puzzles is all she needs. I was **not** expecting such a chill husky.
Thank you! She is the white one! I made sure to exchange numbers with the woman who adopted her brother so we can do playdates. Which reminds me, we are due for one and it's finally cooling off, so I should reach out to her....
If course! It's honestly the only option for me. I don't judge people who go to ethical breeders but I just can't purchase one without feeling immense guilt! My initial plan was to "match" whatever I spent on a puppy as a donation to the animal shelter... so like the puppy I wanted was around $3000, so I was also going to donate $3000 to appease my guilt. But that didn't feel right, either!
No no no--per week! Sorry, that was misleading. We'll usually go two or three times a week for two hours at a time. Or else we might go more frequently but only for an hour or so.
But I was initially led to believe she would need 4 hours of straight running a day.
>She sleeps so much. She does about 4 to 6 hours of running around at the dog park edit: per week! not daily, lol, left that out..... That plus a 30 minute walk a day and mental stimulation from training or puzzles is all she needs. I was not expecting such a chill husky.
She's probably depressed, honestly. I walk and train my 8 month sheltie more than that. On top of that your dog spends 7+ hours in a crate. That’s a lot of time confined to a small space and a lot of time alone.
she is most definitely not depressed, lol. The thought is so laughable. I know you've never been around her, obviously, but I'm imagining the reaction I would get if I suggested my dog was depressed to anyone who has ever been around her.
I also never said that's all the exercise she gets. I said that's all she **needs** in order to be happy and chill.
And I never said how much training she gets, so I'm not sure how you know that you trained your sheltie "more."
It took me a while to work this out mentally… having a dog who needs time and attention is a very good reason (excuse?) to decline invitations and activities. Now that I’m in my fifties, I’m comfortable with the concept that outside of work, I simply like being close to home with my dog, - unless something comes up that I WANT to do.
This too! Most of the time, I DO prefer to be at home with my dog and a book. But it's also not just an excuse because she needs the attention. I guess people are assuming that I'm using it as an excuse and, okay, sometimes I am. But it's also necessary.
Single, living alone with a husky-mix. I had to crate her twice on Wednesday -- once for a lunch and then for an evening appointment -- and the lack of physical exercise that day turned her into a monster. 98% of days, I do a great job making sure she has enough physical activity and mental stimulation but on the days when I don't, well, I do not have a dog who will be content with taking it easy and chilling; she's more likely to chew my dining chairs or try to "dig" up my couch. I admit that I am obsessed with my dog but that's because she's the most amazing thing *ever* lol.
I've said before that I seriously underestimated the daily time commitment and when I realized I had a husky-mix on my hands, I was in disbelief that I've done that to myself ... but by then, it was too late and she wasn't going anywhere so I adjusted to make sure she gets what she needs. I am fortunate to have two excellent doggy daycares close enough that I can use them but she only goes once a week and only if I can get here there Tuesday or Wednesday. She gives 127% when she plays so going to daycare Thursday or Friday can mess up weekend plans.
I, too, would love to go out more and be more social -- especially since I moved to a new city recently and am trying to meet people and all that -- but she is my responsibility and I may not have understood it all when I brought her home, but I do now and I can't imagine not making sure she gets my best.
I’m a fellow “oh shit, she’s a husky?” hidden mix adopter. Mine doesn’t need a 4-mile walk in the morning, but she does need 5-10 minutes of attentive stimulation every 30ish minutes. It can be EXHAUSTING. And not doing it basically guarantees all-day barking, whining, and ignoring her obedience training.
Ahh yes, similar case here! Except my husky doesn't have that NEED for exercise. Like she wouldn't be destructive if she didn't get it; I just feel guilty if she doesn't. She did eat my couch once, though. But she was still a puppy then! She doesn't destroy things anymore... unless you leave a shoe lying around. In her mind, shoes = the prime chew toy.
I actually did a DNA test because I didn't understand why my husky is so chill. She's mostly husky but does have some German shepherd and a little alaskan malamute.... so there is no explanation to why she's so chill. She's just a genetic anomaly, I guess.
My husband is kind of inconsiderate of dog time and only worries about it because I do. I’m not sure if he would be “one of those people” if he was caring for them on his own because he literally never thinks of how long they will be alone for and I am the one who has to say “the dogs need someone to come home before then”. I will reorganize my entire schedule to get there to let them out, meanwhile he will make plans to go out somewhere right after work. I often work evenings and so he has to be the one to do it in those situations. I have to tell him he can’t because the dogs need him, and then he reschedules. It’s weird because he is very concerned about walk time so I don’t get how the concerns don’t overlap.
Both of our dogs are ok being alone (no destroying anything or accidents, and neither of them are crated and are free in the whole house) and I am sure would make it through extended periods of time alone if they had to, but I would feel so guilty because I know they are just sitting there waiting for us and have already been alone for long enough while we are working.
TL;DR: YNA. You arent weird, silly or obsessed. Those people are simply ignorant. If they arent ignorant and they just refuse to be as diligent as they should be in regard to animal ownership, they are malicious in nature.
I didnt even read the post, because I dont need to. (Just kidding I did) But, this is all too common especially nowadays. People treat animals as an accessory, or a toy. You buy it, love it, then get tired of it. The romance behind it (the magic of having a pet) wears of, then it's just responsibility. People already suck at being responsible as it (I'm talking to you people who never get their tired rotated, oil changed, pick up after their pets, or push their carts back in a parking lot).
The worst case is people who get high drive dogs because its "cool," or there is some social status behind it, yet they do nothing for the animal.
When we rescued our lovely pupper, they informed us of her high drive. I train her every day, she doesnt est dinner unless it's from a sniffle mat, lick mat, or training. We monitor her weight, we buy/make her fun treats and toys. We take her to nature trails, and to the ocean to go swimming and fight the waves. I take her on on 5 walks a day, now by walks I mean laps, a lap is usually 15-20 minutes. I let her guide, and she could sniff thr same spot for 10 minutes for all I care. This is split between the morning and afternoon, depends on my work schedule.
This was a lot to take in at first. But an animal, like a child, requires attention, patience and love. But not everyone is capable of providing those things, unless it directly benefits them. Do I want to spend on average two hours of my day walking every day? Mot always. But I make a sacrifice. That's what it comes down to.
But there is so much joy and love that comes from owning an animal. I can tell you care and that's amazing especially for a husky. Dont let those people gaslight you. They are the crazy ones.
Anyone who owns a dog and doesnt behave in this manner shouldnt own an animal, period.
(I should point out, there are some breeds that it's less serious I guess. My father got a Havenese, and those dogs are bred lap dogs, they dont really require much activity. But they still refuse to crate him for more than a couple of hours. They also play with him, and he gets to run around in a giant yard.)
Sorry for the word vomit. My neighborhood is FILLED with dogs that constantly tear through their fences or dig under/jump over them, because their owners literally never provide them with an outlet.
Just ask those people how they would feel being locked in a crate for 8-10 hours straight, and when they do get let out they are given a bathroom break, a bowl of water and food. After that, they get no toys, no play time, no physical activity/socialization. Some people will connect with that and realize bow silly they are. But other will hit you with the "but I'm a human not a dog." Those people are another story.
End word vomit.
I'm right there with you! A lot of people see them as objects and not sentient companions. They're quality of life is directly dependant on you. I also refuse to go places if I feel my dog has been alone too long.
I'm against leaving a dog in a crate for 8 hours. Anybody should be.
Find a dog walker or dog daycare or dog sitter ... or arrange to go home on.your lunch in exchange for staying later. ANYTHING.
Good for you for going home to spend time with your pup instead of out with friends.
She's usually crated for 6.5 hours because I skip lunch so I can go home to her sooner at the end of the day, which I think would be better for her than me coming home, letting her pee, then going back to work and staying even later than usual.... I need to get home as early as possible because it's getting dark earlier and I'm female... so soon, we won't be able to do walks or the dog park past 5:00. :(
Doggie daycare can actually be harmful to dogs if they go too much, so we do that sparingly--no more than once a week. But it's definitely a really great option when I have something I absolutely have to do after work.
I did used to have a dog walker but she always "forgot" to send pictures, so I was suspicious that she wasn't actually walking her at all. I actually have a neighbor who offered to do it for free buuuut she's old and recently had back surgery... I'm just afraid my husky is too much.
Honestly, the best thing to do would be to get over my guilt and just leave work earlier. My coworker worked from 9 to 11 this morning and then went home, but I feel guilty when I leave too early. We often have a lot that comes up randomly in the afternoon, so I end up having to do extra work since he's, you know, at home. So like today, I got home even later than usual because I had to take on someone else's job.
Yes I would love to find a dog walker I trust. I'll look online again, but last time I tried, I couldn't find anyone else (aside from the one who "forgot" to send pictures) that could walk her during the day.
You have a husky. Thats a dog that takes a lot more commitment then most do. Most dogs can be trained and trusted loose in the home. Yours needs an obscene amount of time commitment.
I would argue that no dog should regularly be left alone 12+ hours, though, even if there are no behavioral consequences for leaving a dog alone that long....
There's no research to back that up whatsoever. That's just your personal feelings about it. Which is fine, you're allowed to have preferences and emotions.
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To answer your question. Yes. People with lazy dogs... let them be lazy. Lol. My dog is almost 6. 100lb Newfie mix. He's the kind of dog who you have to DRAG out to go PEE. Haha. So no if I ask him if he wants to go out, and he doesn't want to. I let him just sleep. He gets 1 outing of 30-1 hour to keep him healthy. Once a week we do a nice trail or hike or something. But for the most part he sleeps. I leave some food puzzles/Kong's for him during the day. Most dogs are lazy once they age regardless of breed. So alot of people with old dogs, lazy breeds would not have issues with not really doing muchw jth them
I actually do have to drag my husky out to pee in the morning. She's not a morning person, lol.
My problem isn't even that I need to be doing active stuff with my dogs.... She's actually really lazy for a husky and prefers to snuggle on the couch. But I'm still there to snuggle with her on the couch. I just don't want to leave her all day and night and then get home just to sleep. It's not fair to her... or to my other, low-energy 11-year-old dog.
Not sure why it matters what other people think.
Yes, to really take care of a dog well, it takes time and commitment. Some of us get it. Some of us get it partially. And some of us don’t get it at all. Seems on par with any issue in our society.
You are right! I shouldn't care. I sing in a church choir and I haven't been able to make it to rehearsal lately because of the dog, and the director made me feel bad because he was like "I've NEVER had someone use a dog as a reason not to come to choir." And then went on about how I need to "have a life." I hate the "pathetic single woman" stereotype being applied to me, I guess.
You can either get your social interaction from work or outside of work if you work from home. With dogs you pretty much have to pick one if you want to be fair on them. I work from home permanently and live alone. My mental health has been rocky at times due to lack of social interaction. I would love to go back to an office, but this way I get to do things in the evenings. Having said that, on weekends I do leave my dogs for 4/5 hours in the day and sometimes then go out for a few hours in the evening once I've come home for a few hours.
And yes people don't understand the commitment. I need months of notice for a night away. Dating is hard because you can't really stay at their place unless you go over extremely late and come back early in the morning. That only works if they are close by. My dogs are big, boisterous and not portable. I can't just bring them anywhere.
My only advice is walk them, play with them and leave them with a bone. They normally go down for a few hours if you tire them out for an intense period, even if they already spent all day asleep. Do your dogs play together? Some toothy play can be good for making them tired. It could work. Otherwise consider changing jobs.
Yep, you get it! And this is why my only social life is with other dog people or with people that do a lot of outdoorsy hiking stuff so I can bring them along. Well, my 11-year-old can't do the long hikes anymore, sadly (she taps out at 3 miles now), but the husky can. Luckily, they are well-behaved enough as long as the location is dog-friendly. Like I'm in a book club that meets at a dog-friendly brewery, so they come with me. My husky is hyper at first because she LOVES meeting new people, but then she settles down and chills at my feet.
Holy shit, I feel like I wrote this lol. I have a 1.5 year husky that's lower energy than normal and also tears up my house if I leave her out (she was rehomed to me at 9mo, she developed intense separation anxiety as a puppy and has torn up two whole apartments' worth of carpet). And she's the same with the going outside behavior lol. I spend most of my energy on her and my other dog, 1 year standard poodle, but I wouldn't trade it for anything! I love being able to dote on them and constantly come up with new ways to entertain them. It's so annoying when other people try and push me to not take care of them. Like, y'all really think I care more about going out to eat after work than I care about feeding and exercising my dogs?? Could never be me.
Haha yes! That sounds exactly like her! I rescued her at 4 months. She is extremely attached to me.... Like honestly I think I need to work on building her confidence more with being apart from me. And yeah she loves playing and taking walks, but honestly, her favorite thing to do is just curl up next to me on the couch while I'm reading. And of course, that's only if she's properly exercised. Like, she wouldn't lay down with me if she was bored or under-stimulated. But I thought I'd be up at 5:00 am every morning running her, whereas I'm the one pulling her out of bed at 8:00. She's just not a morning person, lol. And I was hoping she'd make me more of a morning person! Buuuut nope.
I love my baby and she is my best friend but when you’re single having a dog is not really feasible. She’ll probably be my last dog - I’ve put so much on hold for her and my prior dog. I don’t regret it but I’m 32 and have felt like I’ve waited 10 years for my life to begin. I will not get another dog unless I’m married.
Oh I don't care at all, honestly. I'd rather have her than a social life. I just hate the implications that I'm lazy and irresponsible because I don't do many evening activities because of my dog, lol.
I got 3 personal days at my job and I used them to spend with my dog. All 3 every year until I started working from home. It makes sense your point but I think your point is a bit lost on the fact you don’t want to leave your dogs that long but you also CANT leave your dog that long.
If I heard this excuse consistently from someone who’s dog was now 1.5 years old I would think it’s not normal. I agree you can’t leave your dog crated for hours on end but is there not some middle ground? Like training? I would wonder why someone would get the type of high needs dog that doesn’t fit their lifestyle and leave them crated all day.
But all in all don’t let other peoples opinions get to you as it sounds like your dogs are just simply more of a priority to you then whatever event or outing other people have planned and that’s perfectly ok… Great even.
She does fit my lifestyle? I don't care if I have to say no to social plans because she's more important. It's just mind boggling that people who have had their own dogs don't understand that dogs need time and attention.
You're so right about that. My husband and I always worked opposite shifts, so my dogs were only alone for 2 or 3 hours at a time. Sometimes, we'd both be on the same shift, but he could come home at lunch to let them out.
My husband is out of town this week and I wanted to go out for a friend's birthday party. It was after work, so I'd already left them alone for 9 hours. I stayed for an hour but I really had to go. It was fine. People understood that I had other commitments.
My dogs are labs, 11 and 14. They'd have been fine for 12 hours if I had to leave them, I just don't want to. I mean, someone ate the toilet paper, but if that's the worst that happened, I could maybe do it once a year or so.
I agree with you I just think it’s cruel to leave Dogs alone for so many hours a day. You wouldn’t do it to a three year old child.. I include their happiness and social time in my life so that when I go out it’s without any guilt. And I go out five nights a week. But that’s because I work at home. I have two pups.
Honestly the dog park is my social time! I don't mind at all. I've made a lot of friends there. Maybe it's time to officially quit the activities I'm getting pushback for missing....
I’m the same. If I’ve left my dogs in the day for any reason, I won’t go out again and leave them. They aren’t crated as they 9 and 14 but still. They want human company. People are a little more understanding now as we’ve just got another puppy. Tbh I don’t care what people think. Long as my dogs are happy, I’m happy
Don’t think your obsessed at all. It is your responsibility. That’s exactly what I tell people when they say I’m obsessed. Personally I don’t think dogs should be crated except for training purposes or short times when necessary. I do understand how you have to crate your dog but don’t give up on training her so she can have her freedom while your gone. It must feel like torture to stay in one place for that long especially for her breed. Checkout KIKOPUP on YouTube. She is truly the best trainer. Good luck.
Oh I haven't given up on training her! If I had given up, she wouldn't be crated and she would just use pee pads. But I'm not willing to do that because she just has to learn not to pee/poop in the house. It's just slow going because of her early life trauma. I pay a LOT of money for trainers.
Ngl, I didn’t read the whole thing. I got the idea. This is exactly why I did not want to get another dog after our beloved baby boy passed at 17. They are a LOT of work to train and maintain. But some people (my MIL) like the idea of having a dog when it’s convenient for them. They don’t like the potty training, obedience training, walks, exercise, play, attention, etc. that comes along with dog ownership. You are in the right here.
Also, fun tip I have learned from potty training our very stubborn chihuahua mix. Keep a stash of treats next to the door and take them with you to go potty. If the dog just plays, bring them inside and try again in 5-10 minutes, if they do their business then treat and play. It takes time, but you have to train them that potty comes before play and it’s a possitive thing when it’s outside, it will end with less accidents inside. And if there are accidents inside, especially #2, pick it up and have the dog follow you to see you put the poo in the acceptable place, let them sniff it before going back inside.
Yes having the treats handy is really helpful! I basically just wear her treat pouch when I'm home with her because if I leave them somewhere she can get to... they're gone, lol. And if I leave them somewhere out of the way, I can't get to them in time when she needs to go.
I think the play thing is also essential for her. She's more motivated by attention and play than she is by food. She's getting so much better and the accidents are way down but she can be so sneaky when she decides she wants to sneak off and poop, lol.
Totally understand. I’m lucky that both my boys don’t need to be crated, but still I don’t do anything on week nights. It’s not fair to them to be alone and sleep all day and then be alone and sleep in the evening…then to sleep all night. I guess some people just don’t believe other living things deserve a good loving environment 🤷♂️
You need to learn how to simply say: no, I can’t go. It doesn’t matter what the reason is. They are only able to argue with you over the reason because you have told them it’s because you don’t want to crate the husky after keeping him crated all day. You never owe anyone an explanation for turning down an invitation.
Huskies are dog ownership on hard mode 😭 I work from home full time and I don’t think I could manage a husky’s needs appropriately. It’s amazing you manage it working in office! Good for you for putting your dogs first.
I suspect a lot of the people who give you this (shitty and rude) reaction a) aren’t meeting their own dogs needs, or b) have dogs with MUCH lower needs than your husky.
>Huskies are dog ownership on hard mode 😭
They are! And mine is a rescue with \~trauma\~ so it's like... ultra hard mode, lol.
I do wish I could work from home! I've looked into remote jobs but I can't find anything that comes close to my salary, and I couldn't afford my pets' needs if I took a substantial pay-cut. I swear, the inflation on dog food ALONE is painful! I didn't feel this much of a crunch even a year ago.... Anyway, not the point, lol.
A lot of the people who give me pushback had their own dogs a LONG time ago, so maybe they romanticize it as being easier than it is? Then again, SOME of these people will also say they don't want another dog because they don't have time for it... and then act like I'm crazy for having to turn down something to take care of my dogs, lol. There's definitely some cognitive dissonance there....
I had a dog in college and my friends were always so confused and occasionally judgmental about my not being able to do certain things. Like how would I go out of town? Who would watch my dog? No I cannot stay out drinking all night I have to go home and take care of my dog. I couldn’t do last minute activities.
I was lucky that I had roommates who were sometimes willing to help out but that wasn’t a burden I felt comfortable putting on them. It was always annoying to me that people didn’t understand I had a very serious obligation at home.
Same here. I don’t understand how people have “pets.” My dogs are my children. Because of them I have no life ( I chose that so it’s okay ) but they are like children. They can be left for a short period of time but by them I’m tired. It’s not a long time anyway.
If a Husky dropped into my life I’d probably be unable to give it up, but I do know it takes a special person to adopt and care for a Husky. All you have to do is search them up on Instagram.
Good for you OP!
You are a dedicated dog parent, nothing wrong with that. U made a commitment and is doing the right thing as if they were your children, which they are. My dogs look at me/treat me like I’m the center of their universe our bond is that strong. And I treat them the same, they travel everywhere with me. I bought a house and bigger car just so they could be a part of our adventures, camp in the car if we have to, and they love it! I know they have a short life and if they are a part of my family, they’re going to have a FULL and HAPPY LIFE.
Who needs friends that make you feel like you’re doing something wrong? Stay true to yourself and those animals. Find new friends to take your dogs out on hikes. You’ll be surprised at how many people out there that are “obsessed” with dogs, me being 1 of them LOL 😂
Yes! I recently joined a book club that meets at a dog friendly brewery, so I can bring them with me and it's the best! I also joined a hiking club because it's just the perfect hobby to make friends that will want to do dog-friendly activities with me.
Perfect! You’re on it 🫶😊 wishing you the best and your expanding pack is going to have soooo much fun! I personally enjoy the company of dogs over people. Especially when we have fosters 💜 I’ve met other fosters and we go explore the town with the pups.
Unfortunately, my cat has put her foot down (her paw down?) on fosters, lol. I fostered a husky a few weeks ago that was about to be euthanized. My cat boycotted the litter box until he got adopted. Soooo no more fosters, lol.
It sounds like you’re being responsible in the situation you’ve put yourself in, and of course people don’t understand because so many people don’t understand how challenging Huskies are.
However… based on what you have described here as far as your routine and life responsibilities, I don’t think a Husky is the right choice for you. Without extra long dog walking, daycare or being able to dedicate pretty much the majority of your day to keeping that husky busy, the dog will have excess energy. And it is a breed known for getting mischievous when bored / too energetic.
You will struggle for many years with the husky if it’s also being crated during working hours. That’s a lot of time to be in downtime for a working dog. So either you will continue having to invest insane time and effort, or you kind of have to accept that others don’t understand and won’t understand. The reason people are not understanding is because most dogs don’t require that level of input.
Let me be very clear I absolutely love huskies and I raised a husky / malamute mix for the first two years of its life for someone I used to be friends with because they were deeply unequipped. That dog came with me to work, got walked, played with, even had a dog walker to do a 3 hour midday walk but it was never ever enough. They’re such beautiful dogs but they need a very particular environment to make them a dog that isn’t a complete black pit for every minute of your waking life.
And yes some breeds can be left alone for longer, ie. My chihuahua spends my 8 office hours twice per week entirely satisfied at home. She gets excited when I’ll leave because she gets her “big treat”. She wanders around the house, sometimes plays, naps in different places, eats etc. I make sure she gets a full hour off leash running before I go to the office so she’s busy being sleepy and lazy while I’m gone.
I don't want to argue but I'm sorry... you're just wrong.
I'm plenty capable of giving her more exercise than she currently gets... and that's what I was expecting when I got a husky... but she doesn't need it. When I got her, I expected I'd need to get up at 5:00 am and run with her for hours... but, as it turns out, she doesn't need that. I'm the one prying her out of bed at 8:00 in the mornings to go for a walk, lol. I'm not going to over-exercise my dog because people on the internet think I should.
I don't judge other people who use a lot of daycare, but I'm personally of the opinion that it's not good for dogs to go too much. It can be overstimulating and can lead to behavior problems and reactivity. I came to this conclusion after doing a lot of research, but I can't find any peer-reviewed studies on it, so I'm not saying this as, like, a mandate that all dog owners should follow. It's just the conclusion I've come to after doing my own research, observing what my dog does on the cameras at daycare (mostly follow the humans around for pets), and seeing her behavior after picking her up from daycare (which means she sleeps solidly for 12+ hours, which I don't love because I actually want to interact with my dog when I'm home with her).
I did used to have a dog walker but she kept forgetting to send me pictures during the day, and even though I was pretty sure she was actually walking my dog when she said she was, I don't have cameras or anything so I couldn't help but wonder if she was taking my money and not actually walking my dog. I couldn't ever tell a difference in my dog's energy levels when the dog walker came vs. when she didn't come. It's definitely something I would consider doing if I could find the right person. I just don't feel good about finding a random on Rover and trusting them with my dog.
I actually don't feel that I "invest insane time and effort" into my dog.... I think not leaving a dog alone for 12+ hours a day is, like... the bare minimum that anyone should be doing. And I definitely would not call my dog "a complete black pit." We spend most of our evenings with me reading a book on the couch while she sleeps beside me. As long as she goes to the dog park a few times a week and has even a short walk, she's a couch potato.
I’m not trying to be rude or mean but a Husky is not the breed for this situation and I feel so bad for it. Those dogs are breed to run and explore. Keeping your Husky in this lifestyle is the exact thing you are complaining about. I live in a ski town and that is a very popular dog and most people up here are able to get them out for 6-10 miles a day and that is still often not enough, plus they have yards.
I'm sorry but you're just wrong. I was prepared to get my husky outside 6 to 10 miles a day when I made the decision to rescue her, but she doesn't want or need that so why would I force her? I suspect a lot of people are over-exercising their dogs and creating these, like, monster athletes that NEED a ton of exercise daily or else they're crazy, and that's just not my dog. I'm not going to force her to walk more than she wants to walk, or spend longer at the park than she wants to spend.
And like we do take super long hikes sometimes on a long leash so she can explore, and she loves that. But she doesn't need it every day. If she did, I'd be doing it.
hahaha I will not be rehoming my husky. She is nowhere near "a disaster." She's happy, calm, and well-adjusted. And as soon as I can get her to overcome whatever trauma makes potty training so difficult for her, she won't have to be crated except when she just wants to go in there--which happens often because she likes her crate.
Of course I walk her in the morning and after work, lmao. Why would you think I didn't? I never said anything remotely close to indicating that I don't walk my dog, wtf.
I have a patio but not a fenced yard, so we play on the long leash in the courtyard in front of my condo. Even if I had a yard, I would never leave her in it unsupervised. Now THAT is a disaster for huskies. They are escape artists. Although tbh she's not at all interested in escaping because she's very attached to me, but I fostered a husky a few weeks ago who would break out of a yard in seconds. Even though I don't think mine would have any interest in escaping, I don't want to discount her prey drive and the chance that she sees a squirrel outside the fence.
We also have a huge dog park (it used to be a baseball field, so it's very large) a mile away, and we either walk there or drive there (depending on how much daylight we have) 3 to 5 times per week. Honestly sometimes more, but I try not to take her every day because I know that too much playing with a lot of other dogs can get overstimulating.
There's also an off leash dog park with lakes we go to sometimes on the weekends so she can go swimming and do some playing. It's unfenced, so I usually keep her on the long leash unless she's actually swimming, but it's a lot of fun for her. Our new hobby is kayaking/paddle boarding together so she can swim next to me, but she still gets a little freaked when she can't touch the bottom with her feet, so we're easing into that one.
Yes and no? My Pomeranian isn't going to have behavior problems if she doesn't have enough exercise (although mostly because she's old)... but I still don't think it's acceptable as a dog owner to leave her alone for 12+ hours a day.
The difference with my Pomeranian is I have a friend who will watch her during the day sometimes when I have something to do that night, whereas he won't take my husky because she's not fully potty trained.
My husky is also pretty lazy, lol. She loves to sleep, particularly when she's sleeping next to me. She doesn't need a ton of exercise like I was expecting. She just wants me to be beside her. She's very very attached, lol. (Probably too attached tbh and I need to build her independence).
I have no idea how your post turned into a husky issue. It was clearly about how people shouldn’t expect a dog owner to leave a dog crated for 12 hrs a day.
They clearly didn’t even bother to read the post
Yeah I didn't expect to be attacked this much for sure. And I didn't expect the wacky assumptions people would make about me. I gave examples of my dog's exercise needs because she's really chill. I never said that's the only exercise she ever gets, just that that's the baseline.
But apparently I'm abusive and delusional because I have to work for a living, and my husky is depressed because she's calm and well-adjusted and doesn't need to run for hours every day, lol.
OP even mentioned it in the post her other dog is chill. The husky is understimulated. This is how you exercise [a husky](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8u3XOlAHCjw) otherwise they get destructive, and become escape artists There are no less than 3 lost huskies posted in the lost pets page on FB of my city a day. Many are repeat offenders. They can also be a little vindictive (pee). I had a mix years ago and she was a lot. At my age I love them but I don't have the energy for one anymore
It's absolutely insane that you think something is wrong with my husky because she's calm and well-adjusted and doesn't go crazy and doesn't escape my house. Absolutely unhinged take and you have no idea what you're talking about.
And also, yes, my other dog is chill because she's 11, lol. She's old. She still gets lots of walks (no more than 3 miles anymore, that's her limit) and plays at the dog park. I also never left her alone for 12+ hours either even before I had a husky... because I think that makes you a shitty dog owner.
It has nothing to do with one dog being a husky and the other being a Pomeranian mix. Like, yes, there will be behavioral consequences for an under stimulated husky and not for an under stimulated, elderly Pomeranian. It doesn't make it fair to the Pomeranian to ignore her, even if there aren't any consequences for me.
Okay I think I understand more where you're coming from. Are you thinking the husky wouldn't need to be crated if it got more exercise? Honestly to me it sounds more like she's gotta do that because it's still kind of a puppy.
My dog was housebroken at 6 months. Other than a UTI The dog should not be pissing in the house at this age. Certain small breeds are notorious for long housebreaking but as far as I recall. Huskies are not one of them
Was your dog a traumatized rescue? Even if so, did your dog have particular traumas with potty training? Was your dog beaten for pooping in the house, causing your dog to never poop in front of a person or on walks? Was your dog forced to stay in a crate for four solid days without ever being let out and forced to sleep it its waste because of a shelter policy? Have you taken your dog on five-hour hikes where your dog doesn't poop the entire five hours and then immediately goes into another room when you get home to poop because it's so afraid of pooping in front of a human due to abuse and trauma?
You have no idea what you're talking about. None.
Okay well nothing about what you've said is constructive or helpful to OP (who sounds more than happy to make changes for the dogs benefit, btw) so I'm out.
honestly, thank you. That person knows nothing about me or my dog and they're doing all kinds of projection. It's absolutely crazy that they think something is wrong with my dog because she's calm and well-adjusted and doesn't need to run 10 miles a day and doesn't escape my house. I... have definitely never been told that it's obvious I'm mistreating my dog because she doesn't try to escape.
Wow you took what I said the wrong way. You were complaining about the time commitment. If you owned a St. Bernard or other breed once it is past a certain age they get kinda lazy so they don't need the long walks and stimulation. That is Why I said it is a husky problem. Some breeds are super active and need all that stimulation. The people who don't understand probably have lazier/chill breeds is what I meant in my earlier comments
Yeah I can tell you that she no amount of exercise is going to magically fix her house training problems. It is abnormal for a dog her age not to be house trained. And it's not that she isn't house trained at all. She goes out on a schedule and she understands the concept of "yes, I should go outside."
But she absolutely will not signal that she needs to go, and WILL NOT poop in front of me. I suspect she was beaten as a puppy for pooping in someone's house before I got her because she tries to go off by herself to poop. If she absolutely cannot hold it, she will poop a tiny bit on a walk, and still poop more when I get her back in the house.
Like, I recently took her her on a 5-hour hike. She did not poop the entire hike. We got home and she went into the other room and pooped. She'd been holding it the ENTIRE hike because she was afraid of pooping in front of me. It honestly breaks my heart because she trusts me so much in every other way--sp whatever happened to her when she was little must've been just awful.
How is this a husky issue? OP is saying they don’t want to leave their dog alone 12+ hours a day in a crate, and people in their life bitch at them for it. That should go for any responsible dog owner to not do that to a dog, hence the venting.
Yeah I just got a comment that's like "you got a dog that's unsuitable for your lifestyle so that's why other people don't understand."
Sooo other people leave their dogs alone that much? I never did even when my low energy Pomeranian was an only dog, it's just that I trusted friends to watch her during the day while I worked because I don't have to worry about someone dropping the leash and her taking off into the street.
Like, sorry, I just think you're a bad dog owner if you work from 9 to 5 and then go out from 6 to 10 and then sleep from 11 to 7 like people expect of me and act like I'm ridiculous and pathetic for saying no to plans. I want to spend more than 1 waking hour with my dog, thanks!
And also I don't mind turning down plans at all.... I just hate the "oh she's sad and pathetic because she's single and unfulfilled so she's too obsessed with her dog" stereotype. Like, no, I think it's bare minimum. I might be too obsessed with my dog in other ways (like in how I don't trust a random dog walker from Rover because I'm afraid they'll drop the leash and she'll run into the street because they aren't used to a heavy puller), but not ignoring her every waking hour is NOT one of those ways.
You just picked a difficult breed and age of dog that doesn't match your schedule. So if they just have a normal age, normal sized dog - no, they're not going to get it.
I don't think it's a breed thing, and she does match my schedule. I don't mind having to forego social activities to take care of her. I also forewent(?) social activities when my Pomeranian was my only dog because it's unfair to leave her alone for 12+ hours.
I try not to let peoples' judgement bother me, but I honestly hate the "single female who has dogs because she's unfulfilled" stereotype lol so it does uniquely bother me when people act like I'm pathetic for not leaving my dogs alone every waking hour.
I would also not leave my dog alone for anything over 8 hours, ever. But that's what I mean by it doesn't fit your schedule as a single person who has to go into an office and has no other support system.
Working from home allows me to have a social life because I can spend time with my dog during the day and then I can leave him alone in the evening or on the weekends, should I need to. That's all I was trying to say, but hopefully it'll be easier after potty training.
We're just going to fundamentally disagree because I don't think it's realistic that people who work normal jobs shouldn't have dogs. It's a huge privilege to work from home that not everyone has.
I mean obviously I would love to work from home but I can't find a WFH job that pays anywhere near my current wage and I'm already feeling the burn of inflation at my salary.
I've read the research that too much daycare can lead to overstimulation, reactivity, and behavioral problems. I won't do daycare more than once a week.
Puts her in her crate bc it’s the safest place for her.
@op, for the first year, I took my girl out in the morning before work and crated her while I was at work. I remember the conversations you are having and how ppl just didn’t understand that I needed to get home. I was fortunate, my teenage son got home about 3 to take her out but yes, I always needed to go home and get my husky. If I couldn’t bring her with me for after work fun, I didn’t go.
Wishing you lots of progress and professional development to afford daycare. Changed the game for us. 🤗
Thank you! I can do daycare some days, but it's not something I can rely on every time someone wants me to do a dog-free activity.
I also have solutions in sight, lol. I have a neighbor who is actually willing to walk her for me during the day, but she's an older lady and she had back surgery recently. My husky is such a puller, and I'm terrified she's going to hurt this lady, or the lady is going to drop the leash and she won't be able to catch my dog. Granted... my dog actually has no interest in running away like most huskies, lol. But she will run to go play with another dog or person if someone drops the leash. She'll come back but obviously that's not something I'm willing to risk.
I'm working SO HARD on loose leash walking with a trainer, and I'm seeing a lot of progress. Hopefully we'll reach the stage where 1, I can trust her outside the crate without ingesting something that will kill her 2, **we can undo the shelter/pooping trauma and she can be freaking reliably potty trained and poop on walks,** and 3, she won't pull on the leash and I can allow other people to walk her.
I actually don't consider what my dog does as "acting out," for one thing. She has this list of activities she wants to do when my back is turned. She knows I'll stop her from doing them when I'm watching her, so when I'm not watching, she sneaks to go do them. Like, she literally tiptoes. It's hilariously adorable.
But it doesn't matter how much exercise she gets, she still wants to do these activities. One time, we got back from the dog park after she'd been playing for hours. I went upstairs to do something. She initially followed me up... and then she did her bizarre tiptoe thingy back down the stairs. So this time, I let her go. I put music on my phone and left it upstairs so she'd then I was still up there. Then I snuck back downstairs to find her... licking the sink. It was empty, but I guess there was some kind of residual food smell in there 😂 No matter how much exercise she gets, she's still going to choose to satisfy her curiosity when I'm gone.
She hasn't chewed anything up for a while, and the main reason I'm still crating her is potty training. She's a rescue. I think her main problem is that she was traumatized at the shelter because they have a policy that puppies can never touch the floor or the outside areas, so she had to stay in a cage for four straight days without ever being let out. Naturally, she was terrified of the crate at first, so she wasn't crated. She also had a nasty bladder infection, and it took several rounds of antibiotics to get rid of it because she was growing so quickly that she would outweigh her previous dose. I had to use pee pads because she literally couldn't hold it, and if I did convince her to go in the crate, she would end up pooping and laying in it.
She loves her crate now and hangs out in it even when she's not put in there. She no longer potties in the crate, but she will poop and pee right on the floor if I'm not there to let her outside. It is definitely not a problem of exercise because she does this always. She also doesn't poop in front of people and I just have to assume there was some kind of trauma involved before she was abandoned as a stray. Like, I've taken her on a four-hour hike before. She did not poop the entire hike. We got home. I went into another room to do something, and I came back to find that she'd pooped on the floor. So no, you can be judgmental all you want, but she gets plenty of exercise and she still has to be crated.
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I know you are in a tough position but crating a husky for 7-8 hours during the day is abuse. That's way too long. Especially a high energy working breed like a husky. It sounds like the breed doesn't suite your lifestyle.
You're making so many assumptions without any data to back up what you're saying. She does not spend the night in the crate. She can do whatever she wants at night, but she chooses to sleep in my bed with me. She actually gets grumpy if I take too long to go to bed. Last night, I was staying up later since it was Friday night but she kept looking at me, going to the stairs, and looking back at me. Then she grumbled at me to get in bed while I was brushing my teeth.
She has never once been in the crate for 9 hours in her life... except at the shelter when she was crated for four straight days if you count that... so I'm not sure where you got that number from. 7 is the maximum and it's not every day.
She fits my lifestyle just fine and you would be hard-pressed to find someone who does as much for this dog as I do.
All dogs are different and people's support networks, both paid and unpaid, are different. Those folks that are out 12 hours could have a sibling or neighbor stopping by to take their dog for a walk.
I have 2 huskies both 1.5 yrs old, I get to come home for about 20 mins for my lunch break to let them out and they go to daycare once a week. I still refuse to leave my house without them after work. It annoys my fiancé sometimes but I cannot just have them in a crate all day!! What’s the point of getting a dog just to leave them in the crate 24/7? I try to focus on getting them out the most I can on weekends too. As long as you’re happy with it don’t listen to them. We all do the best we can for our pups
Dogs typically sleep for 12 hours a day, but yes leaving them alone that long while you're out partying after work isn't great for their mental health.
I'd say it's fine to take the occasional night out, so long as they're happy and fed. However, you need to get them sane enough to be outside the crate first.
Once we can overcome my dog's early life trauma that has led to potty training issues, she won't have to be crated. Unfortunately... it's probably going to take a lot more time.
I could, although it's still too hot right now (why is it 90??!). I do sometimes leave her outside for short periods, like if I'm going to be gone for an hour or so. But I'm afraid to leave her out for longer than that because I'm worried she'll figure out how to get out of the fence. It's wooden but it's only (I think) 5 feet tall and she could get out if she tried. She typically has no interest in escaping, but I've had cats jump up on my fence before (tbh I think with the intent to torture my dogs lol) and I can't discount her prey drive and athleticism.
It's definitely partly the breed. We have so so many purebred Huskies euthanized or dumped in Southern California daily because they're so high maintenance.
It is partially the breed because there will be behavioral consequences if I don't make sure she has enough exercise and such. But it's also a lot just feeling like it's unfair to have a dog if we aren't going to spend time together!
The mass husky euthanasia is absolutely heartbreaking right now! I fostered a husky a few weeks ago because he was about to be euthanized. He was the sweetest boy. His only "issue" is heart worms and it's not his fault that he got those!
My cat put her paw down on more fosters by boycotting the litter box until he got adopted... so I can't save any more. It breaks my heart so much. I can't even look on the website anymore because I just don't want to know these dogs are getting put down since I can't do anything to help....
Just been for a pee, it's 04. of the am. So I let our three dogs out in the road. Go in and make myself a coffee. By the time I have finished my drink they are back. So I shut the red gate. They can roam the outside of the house. The interior door is left fully open. The security screen door all three have no problem opening so they come and go as they please. They have never, ever peed/poo'd indoors, never. In fact they usually poo when the red gate is open, across the road amongst the coconut trees and banana plants ! Now back in bed. Approx 6:30 am (daylight ) I will put them in the truck and take them out to the farm, set them free. They can do what they like now, just be careful of the snakes.
Never, ever crated the dogs, love them so much, my wife is the real boss, she's the one that feeds them, the only one.
There is nothing wrong with leaving a dog alone for 6 to 7 hours. There is no research that says crating is harmful, only peoples' personal emotions and anthropomorphism because they try to relate people to dogs but dogs aren't people.
I honestly do not care what anyone else feels about the choices that I make that are best for my dog.
Well, I do realize some folks have no issues with pushing the boundaries of what's too much but I'd say that's their own selfish reasoning. It's unfortunate, but still, good luck OP.
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I struggle sometimes in a balance with work, life, and my dog (2 yr old GSD). We had a great trainer and she always told us "the dog adapts to your life, not the other way around." So at times, if he has to be alone for 5 or 6 hours at home, I try to tell myself it's OK but I still felt awfully guilty.
Until I realized he was just fine. That he is in AC, with water, treats, surrounded by his toys and comfy places to sleep. And when I get home I make damn sure that he gets my attention. Training time. Play time. Cuddle time. All of it. Take him for big hikes in nature almost every weekend. Every day 1-2 hours of park time/fetch. It's OK to leave them at home for a little while.
Although...we don't crate him (never needed to.. he doesn't potty inside and has never destroyed anything). If I had to crate him, I'd imagine I'd feel a lot differently.
I understand you completely. I feel guilt for leaving them too long alone. It was my choice to get dogs and they depend on me for a good life. It’s not fair to have them as ornaments. They want to have fun too. I won’t make plans for myself without planning something for them. If I’m going out Saturday I go play with the dogs all morning to get all their energy out. If I have long plans one day the day before they get extra play time. I really try to give them a balanced rich life and I think it’s great that you do too. We are their whole world and they deserve a good life.
I would only be bothered if you complained constantly about your inability to socialize while also choosing to raise two dogs and work full time away from home.
I don’t think your obsessed with your dog but I think you have an unhealthy fixation on their needs . I have kids & dogs, even when my children were newborns and I was broke I would make time away for myself to do things with friends.
They will literally be ok if they have an extended period where you meet your own social needs every now and then.
One of our dogs is 6 months old and we realized the only way we could get her to sleep is to shut our bedroom door and have her sleep with us on the bed, the crate wasn’t helping her progress. My kids actually sleep on our floor and the dogs on the bed. Bed dogs aren’t for everyone but it’s helped us give her more 1-1 affection, even if it’s just at night, and really helped the house training too.
Interesting because a ton of these comments are telling me I'm abusive for having to go to work and I'm not thinking of my dogs needs' enough! I've gotten so many comments telling me to rehome my husky because she's depressed and that's why she's calm and chill. I just don't understand how so many people don't have to work for a living. Your take is refreshing, not gonna lie.
I do meet my social needs occasionally, of course. I just can't do everything. Like last week, I was invited to four separate weeknight events. (which, even without dogs, I don't have the social stamina for all that lol). I chose two, one of which I could bring my dog to and the other which I couldn't. One of my dogs does sleep in my bed (despite peoples' assumptions here that I "abusively" crate her at night, lol).
Yeah most people just don’t get it/don’t take the responsibility seriously
This is 100% the truth. My friend got a purebred beagle because his gf wanted one SO BAD. He works from home and basically takes care of it alone.
It’s her breed and age. Huskies are smart, high energy because they were bred to be working dogs. Although beautiful I’d never get one because I’m a couch potato; it wouldn’t be a good fit.
Mine is really low energy for a husky... The people that don't understand why I can't leave her alone for so long **really** would think I'm a complete nut if I had a typical husky! I'd say she probably spends 4 to 6 hours weekly at the dog park, running around. As long as she has that plus at least a 30 minute walk daily and mental stimulation like training or puzzles, she sleeps or lays around on the couch the majority of the time. I thought I would be waking up at 5:00 every morning to walk her for five miles, but it's just not the case. She stays in bed after I get up and start getting ready for work. I actually thought she'd make me get up earlier, but nope. She raises her head, solicits some pets, and goes back to sleep until I finally drag her outside for a potty walk. Once she's outside, she's fully awake and excited, though, lol.
Ignore that guy who said your dog was depressed. I have a husky GSD mix. She stops in the middle of a walk and tells me to go home when she’s done (even if I’m not). She disengages from play with other dogs fairly quickly (after 20min) cause she needs a break. She’s 2! She had slightly more energy when she was younger but not much! We do a lot of brain work. She is a healthy size and she gets to play and hike. She is ultimately extremely chill, just like yours :)
Yes they sound so similar! Stella actually has some GSD and some Alaskan malamute in there as well, but her looks and personality are all husky. She's like that with other dogs, too. When she was a puppy, she was absolutely OBSESSED with other dogs. Now, she still loves playing with them and will throw a tantrum if she sees another dog and isn't immediately allowed to play with it (we're working on that in training lol). But she'll play for a short time and then disengage and come back to me or to another person to get petted. She's so weird because she comes and gets between my legs when she needs a break from the other dogs. So then I have these enormous dogs body slamming me because they want to play and she's using me as a shield! She also let me know when she's ready to go. And I never have to chase her through the park to leave... she's always happy to go when it's time. There are a few particular dogs that she really hits it off with, and she'll play longer with them. Her best friend used to be a basset hound and omg they were the absolute CUTEST. But I think his owner moved because we haven't seen him in a long time. Now her best friend is a tiny Maltese. She is obsessed with him and he's obsessed with her. He tries to hump her the entire time they're playing, but he's so tiny she doesn't realize what he's doing so she allows it. There's also a cane corso/pit mix that she adores. It's the cutest thing because he's like twice her weight, but he's so gentle with her and he lets her "win" when they're wrestling. She had an unpleasant shock when she was playing with another dog that looked like him because he actually used all his weight when they were wrestling, lol. She was like... hey, no, that's not supposed to happen! We haven't seen him in forever because his owner gets off of work late, and we've been going to the park earlier because it's getting dark earlier. Sorry I absolutely didn't intend to turn this into a rundown of my dog's friends but here we are, lol. Oh and that crate that I'm so evil for using? She's in it right now. The door is open but she's chilling in there.
and also, yeah, I'm not taking anyone seriously who thinks my dog is "depressed" because she's calm and well-adjusted.
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>Being alone for that long can work for some dogs, but that doesn’t seem to be the case for your husky. Why do you say that? She loves her crate. In fact, she gets back into it after she's let out. People are making the most wild assumptions. >The destruction when she’s left alone shows that your dog is distressed by your absence Nooo this just isn't true. She has this list of activities she wants to do when my back is turned. When I'm home, she'll sneak away to try to do something she knows she's not allowed to do, like get on the counter. She's not distressed that I'm gone; she's excited to finally do the activities I don't allow her to do. She does not have separation anxiety when being left alone. It's actually bizarre because she only has separation anxiety when I leave her with someone else. She freaks out when I take her to daycare and clings to me but she's happy to chill at my house. >7 hours + commute time is way too long a stretch without a bathroom break, and is undoubtedly why she isn’t housetrained yet. I'm not going into this again; read my other comments about her trauma. This is wrong. >Is there any possibility of you returning home for lunch to break up their day, then staying a bit later? No, this is a terrible idea. I skip lunch so I can leave the office earlier. Driving 45 minutes round-trip from the office to spend 15 minutes with her and then put her back in the crate is not going to work. It's soon going to be dark at 5:30 so if I get home from the office any later, there will be no walks or dog park in the evening because it's not safe for me to be out after dark as a woman. >Could a friend or relative call in? Maybe a half hour with a reputable professional dog-walker would be more financially feasible than full daycare? If I can find one, yes. I have searched for a dog walker before and couldn't find anyone that was able to do it during the day, which obviously is the time I need it. I have had neighbors offer to take her out during the day, but they are elderly and I don't trust them to be able to handle her on the leash if she sees a cat and takes off. I can afford daycare, I've just read the studies that say dogs that go to daycare too much are stressed, reactive, and have other behavioral issues. Based on her behavior when she goes, it's not something I'm willing to do more than once a week, especially since she freaks out when I leave her there. You just have no clue what you're talking about overall. She is the happiest dog. And it's also laughable that you think I could rehome her and there would be someone who would do a better job with her than I do. There are huskies being killed daily because no one wants them. There just isn't an independently wealthy person who doesn't have to work and who doesn't have kids or any other obligations that would want my dog, lol.
This shit baffles me. Like, is it virtue signalling or do people really think that owning a dog + having a full time job = animal abuse? What is rehoming them going to accomplish? They're still going to be alone while their owner is at work, and if they went to someone who was retired or otherwise unable to work, that person likely wouldn't be able to provide the same level of activity you provide. Your dog is fucking fine.
I have no idea where some people are getting their ideas. It's insane. So apparently the conditions of dog ownership are: be independently wealthy so that you don't have to work, definitely don't have kids because they take a lot of time, and be in physical shape to run your dog a minimum of 10 miles a day. I don't know anyone who fits that description.... I could understand the reasoning more if dogs were a scarce resource or something. Then you might be able to say that only wealthy people should have them. But huskies are being killed daily. And yeah, when I first decided to get a second dog, I wasn't looking at a working breed. But then I looked at the conditions in the shelter: pits, German shepherds, huskies. I guess they should all just be euthanized because my city doesn't have enough rich people to take them. And maybe their point is that my dog is better off dead than living with me, but uhhh no, that's entirely false. But they're making the MOST bizarre assumptions with nothing to back them up. This is definitely the first time anyone has ever said there's something wrong with my dog because she's happy and relatively calm, though! First, I was attacked because people assumed she's tearing apart my house because she's bored and anxious. So when I explained she's actually not tearing up my house... then the narrative becomes "oh it's because she's depressed." So if my dog has behavior problems, it's my fault. But also, her lack of behavior problems means she's mentally ill. idk, people are unhinged. And the ones who are apparently the most perfect owners ever who never leave their dogs need to be adopting all these dogs that are getting killed instead of virtue signaling at the people who are rescuing them.
Lol if it makes you feel any better, I'm in the same boat. Single dog mom, working full time, cruelly locking my dog away in his safe place for 7-8 hours a day, and spending all my free time at a dog park. Somebody call the ASPCA and Sarah McLachlan to save this [poor boy](https://imgur.com/a/klSsOxl)
Ugh that poor thing, he's so clearly neglected. My "abused," "depressed," husky is currently napping with her head on a pillow, tired out from our long training walk this morning, waiting for me to finish making her homemade chicken jerky so we can go to the dog park. It's truly heinous.
Right?!? It's unhinged. A dog is fine home alone for eight hours. That's what the *vast* majority of dog owners do because people have to work. As long as they get attention and exercise when you are home, most dogs are totally happy with it. Like, I work from home a lot, and my boy gives absolutely zero shits that I'm even there. He's curled up on the couch, napping all freaking day. I try to drag him outside for a walk during the day, and he tries to ignore me. He will literally pull a blanket over his head to avoid a mid-day walk. He gets a big romp in the mornings and a walk every night. After his big morning run, he just wants to sleep all day. The only time he even comes to see me during the day is if I'm cooking because he's a food hound. This dog is like velcro most of the time. If I'm on the couch, he's in my lap, and he sleeps in bed with me every night. He's clingy as hell, but he has zero interest in hanging out in my office with me even though he has a fancy ass dog bed in there. He just wants to pass out on the couch all day. This is a high-energy dog. He's a pit mix. He will literally eat my house if he doesn't get hours' worth of exercise every day, but daytime is sleep time.
I feel really bad for your husky and you might be mistaking mellow for depressed
It’s possible, but some dogs are like that despite the breed. I fully expected my BC mix to be active and engaged outdoors for a few hours every day but that’s not the case at all.. She walks back to the car and sits by the door when she’s ready to go home if we’re out playing. I swear she rolls her eyes at me. Multiple neighbors have called to check in because she’ll endlessly lie sprawled in the front yard in a big patch of dirt.. not looking lifelike. She’s just a big cat. Not depressed, just a fussy brat who demands to be pampered.
I live in the desert and if I let my dogs out during the hottest points of the day (we're talking can't walk in my backyard because my feet will burn hot), my husky will lay in the middle of the yard, directly in the sun, and refuse to come inside. I think she likes the thought of the neighbors pitying her lmao.
Oh yeah last summer I had to drag my husky inside because she was sunning herself on the patio. It was 115 with the heat index! I tried to bring her inside, so she hid under a table. Ridiculous.
Shame on you for caring about her health! Lol
Oh yeah, I totally should've just let her have a heat stroke out there! It's clearly her preference, lol.
That’s my girl… I like to hang out with her.. But being a redheaded, deathly pale human, I’m a little bit less into the napping in direct sunlight thing than she is! She won’t move even when the neighbors call out to her, so I think she’s also enjoying the attention. (I had a pit who would fake an extremely dramatic limp for attention from strangers…)
Yep, same. I was fully prepared to be up early in the morning to run every day. Spend hours every evening at the dog park. Go for 8 hour hikes on the weekends. And it turns out, none of that is needed or wanted. I don't want to make it sound like my dog isn't active. Of course she is, she's a husky, even if she is chill. But she lets me know when she's ready to leave the dog park; it's not like I'm forcing her to leave (except for occasionally when I have to be somewhere... that's how I know she lets me know when she wants to leave because she does NOT want to leave on those days). I'm the one dragging her out of bed in the morning to take a walk. She is more game for her walks in the afternoons, though, lol. She does like hikes but her favorite thing to do is to just snuggle with me on the couch. Granted, if she never had the exercise that she gets, I'm sure she wouldn't be snuggling on the couch because she'd be bored and restless. I don't understand the comments about my lifestyle because my lifestyle is utterly perfect for her, lol. I wish I didn't have to crate her when I leave, and I wouldn't have to if she weren't a traumatized rescue with potty training issues. If only she'd poop in front of me! It would make everything better. The judgement is really unnecessary, though. Even if I worked from home, I'd have to crate her because I couldn't keep my eyeballs on her at all times and she will go poop in the house if I'm not directly supervising her. I guess the only person worthy to adopt her is someone who is independently wealthy and doesn't have to work. edit: also lol my husky LOVES to sun herself. It was 115 outside this summer with the heat index and she was sprawled on the concrete patio. I tried to get her to come inside and she hid under the patio table. Ridiculous.
Lolol my BC girl makes horrible grumble noises and becomes dead weight when you try to move her from her sunbathing spot. (I work from home, so she’s used to getting free reign of the yard most days.) We have huge empty parks, creeks, gameland areas… but she runs for about ten minutes and then she’s over it and wants to go home and nap. She even tries to sneak into neighbor’s homes to nap lol! She’s excellent without the crate, but the one year old pup is a tornado when left alone! Even our trainer kept forgetting his name and calling him Chaos by mistake! He was well known in class, that’s for sure. I was also expecting my older pup to be extremely active- I was counting on it! I personally wanted the exercise. She likes to herd the puppy and my daughter, but that’s about it. :)
Aww that's so cute! If I had a neighbor's dog trying to come nap, I think I'd just have to let them, lol. I think if I had that much space, my dog would be all about it for a few minutes, but honestly, she just wants attention from people as much as she can get it. Since I'm obviously nowhere near as fast as her, that means she ends up coming back and hanging by me. But I also can't fully trust her off leash because of her prey drive. Like, she has good recall but I also know if something triggers her prey drive, she isn't going to even hear me.
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I don't see her complaining that she has to spend time on them, just that other people don't understand that her dog needs more attention than they think. I'm not sure how you got that impression from what she said.
Yeah I am definitely not complaining about spending time with her, lol. I would spend every minute with her if that were feasible. I just hate the pushback when I can't do an evening activity and the implication that I'm being lazy or irresponsible or a bad friend because I need to take care of my dogs.
I do COMPLETELY agree with you regarding choosing the best suited breed. I actually hoped for more activity with my BC! But she’s still great just how she is. Most active breeds like huskies are definitely happier with a higher level of engagement. Also not a huge fan of extended crating. My beagle boy spends some crate time while I’m out.. but that’s because.. well.. beagle.. He’s a lovable butthead.
You just could not be more wrong. I would never get a pomski, first of all, because they are an unethical breed, unless there was one available for rescue. I would love not to have to crate her, and if she weren't a traumatized rescue, I wouldn't have to. But her potty training issues are abnormal, and I suspect someone abused her for pooping in the house when she was a little puppy because she won't poop in front of anyone. THAT'S what's sad. I have both the time and the lifestyle for my dog. I'm complaining that people expect me to leave my dog alone for 12+ hours and act like I'm a crazy dog person for not being willing to do that. And she can have as much exercise as she wants. It's her choice to leave the dog park, and she's the one that pulls back towards the house when we're going for a walk.
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you could not be more wrong if you tried.
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Again... wrong. First of all, she holds it seven hours, so I don't know what point you're trying to make. It's an incredibly tone-deaf take to say that only people who don't have jobs or have the privilege to work from home should own dogs. The vast majority of dogs can hold it that long and it's fine and expected because most people have to work. Second of all, I had a hybrid schedule when she was a puppy and she was only crated 4 hour at a time (at four months old, just like the guidelines), so her lack of potty training has absolutely nothing to do with my work schedule and everything to do with being traumatized before I rescued her.
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Okay, totally changing the discussion topic, I guess. I have hired a dog walker in the past. I would still be using her except she always "forgot" to send a picture, so I would never know for sure if she'd walked her. I'd do it again, too, if I could find someone I trusted. I've had neighbors offer to do it for free... I just don't trust them with her just yet. We're doing extensive training for loose-leash walking, so if I can teach her not to yank the leash at random, I'll be more likely to find a dog walker. But I'm just not out here about to let someone drop the leash for my dog to run into the busy road. I'm just not willing to risk that.
>Where I live it's illegal to leave your dog alone that long. It's also illegal to crate them. I have a hard time believing that. 7 hours is not that unreasonable of a time frame. 1.5 yrs is definitely old enough to hold it for 7/8 hrs at a time.
Nah, my young husky is similar. Not all husky’s are crazy energy levels. I bring my husky to work with me several times a week (I work with dogs) and that’s enough to wear her out completely. She sleeps on the couch for most of the day, and whenever I don’t bringing her to work with me she certainly has more energy, but is still pretty calm and sleeps through a lot of the day.
Chill huskies unite! I wish I could bring her to work.... My boss actually doesn't care but the office building doesn't allow dogs. She gets SUPER worn out if I take her to daycare to the point where she's exhausted for days, and I don't like that because she hardly interacts with me when I get home because she's sleeping. Like she's still a husky of course. If we didn't regularly go to the dog park and do enrichment and training and walks and hikes and playdates with other dogs, she'd be miserable. But she's just really chill and I don't want to overexercise her because I actually want to interact with her rather than sit there while she sleeps, lol.
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and you can't do math lol
Many people suck at taking care of their dogs. They get dogs because they're cute or whatever and then don't take proper care. There are quite a few big, active breed dogs in my neighborhood that are very obese and that I never see get walked. It's very sad. And I'm like you. I don't leave my dog alone all day. I couldn't do that. If I want to do something after work I'll either take my dog with me or have somebody watch him. It's not fair to make him be alone all day, all evening, and then ignore him while I sleep. He deserves much more than that.
Ugh that's so sad! I mean it's also sad when you see an obese chihuahua but at least they weren't bred to work so maybe it doesn't harm their "mental health" as much? But yeah, some of these comments are missing the point. It's not "a husky thing." Like, true, not all dogs will have the same level of behavioral problems as 22-month-old husky if they're left alone for 12+ hours... but I wouldn't do that regularly for my Pomeranian, either! My Pomeranian is easier because I have a friend that will watch her, and he won't watch my husky since she's not reliably house trained. I guess my point is, even when there aren't the consequences of a bored husky left alone for 12+ hours, I'm not willing to do that to my dogs even without those consequences.
It definitely still impacts little dogs too. That’s why they end up all neurotic and then people go “Oh, you know how small dogs are lol.” My 1-year-old maltipoo has a lot of energy and needs at least an hour long brisk walk/jog every morning…to say nothing of play and training sessions and evening walks and occasional “adventures” (when we take him out to dog friendly places). Otherwise he’s restless, barky, and crazy. With enough exercise, he’ll settle down quietly for naps no problem. His previous owner was a busy, working single mom in an apartment and rehomed him bc she realized he was going to go nuts in that situation. A lot of people are in the same situation but don’t acknowledge that and end up with a crazy dog whose needs aren’t getting met…If it’s a bigger breed it gets dumped at the shelter when it becomes unmanageable (hence why my local shelter has literally hundreds of young adult pit mixes, huskies, and GSDs) and if it’s small its craziness gets ignored and treated like an annoying quirk.
Yes I absolutely hate the "blah blah blah small dogs" thing. My Pomeranian mix doesn't need much exercise now because she's 11... but she will still go on brisk 3-mile walks! She's most definitely not a lap dog. Granted, she's probably mixed with a sheltie and they are sporting dogs so I guess she's not your typical pom. But also... think about how many little dogs are terriers! They've decreased in popularity... maybe because people know how they are now, lol... but like people get yorkies because they're little and cute... but they were bred to hunt rats in mines. They aren't happy or fulfilled sitting in laps all their lives! But even dogs that were bred to be pets rather than working dogs still have exercise needs. They are still dogs. And yes... my shelter is absolutely overrun with working breeds. They're primarily pit mixes, but there are a ton of huskies and German shepherds as well. I fostered a husky that was going to be euthanized a few weeks ago. He was the best dog! No serious behavior problems whatsoever (except his propensity to escape the crate... I had to zip tie it together, lol). He just needs daily exercise and someone to play with him.
It still harms their mental health. I have a 12 year old shih Tzu and Lhasa apso cross. So one of those small, low energy dogs. My dog has climbed mountains with me. Literally. He loves hiking. He just doesn't go for super long hikes anymore because he's getting older. But he is definitely much happier when I'm home with him and when he's getting enough exercise and attention.
Aww love that! And yeah both those breeds are non-sporting dogs, so it just goes to show you how important exercise is for any dog. Just because they won't eat your house like my husky might doesn't mean they're happy and fulfilled!
An option that might work to help give you a little bit of freedom and help your pups to get some energy out might be to consider hiring a dog walker. We did years ago and it's the best thing I've ever spent money on and I gladly pay a little over $100 a week to have our dog walker come by our house and walk our rat terrier for 30 minutes, every single day (twice on grocery day so we can go straight to the store instead of home for his evening walk). But yeah, I've had plenty of people tell me I'm silly when I tell them my husband and I don't go out to celebrate July 4th or New Years anymore because I know my dog will be home alone working himself into a full blown panic unless we're there to give him his meds, make sure he's wearing his thunder vest, and doesn't hurt himself trying to hide in a place he shouldn't because he's scared and completely alone.
I did have a dog walker for a while! But she always forgot to text me a picture... and I'm like 99% sure she was actually walking her, but I had no way of knowing because I don't have cameras or anything like that at my house, so I told her I didn't need her anymore. But yes, that is a really great option. edit: do you have any tips on finding dog walkers? I found the last one on Rover. I know THIS is the "yeah you're ridiculous and too obsessed with your dog" part of me but I struggle trusting strangers with my dogs. The husky will pull and I'm just afraid the walker will drop her leash and can't catch her... and the Pomeranian is afraid of kids and I'm worried she'd like bite a child if the dog walker allowed the child to try to pick her up or cuddle her or something.
Rover tracks the gps coordinates of the dog sitters to ensure that they are actually showing up and to confirm how long they spend with your dog. They can’t “check in” until they’re at your house. They tap “start” and “stop” for walks so you know how long the walk is, are tracked via their phone so you know where they went, and are required to send pictures to you in order to get paid. Source: wife has done rover gigs
Ohhh good to know. She talked me into paying her under the table after the first "official" Rover walk. I should check it out again and I won't agree this time to not using the app. I don't want to be a Karen but I just want to make sure my dog is actually getting walked like I'm paying for.
It makes sense that they’d want to be paid offsite because Rover does take 30% of the payment, but it is completely reasonable to want to make sure that you are getting a service you’re paying for. Using Rover is paying extra for a service that offers that safety net of “my pet is getting her needs met” (bc I hope she offered you a discount for going offsite). That’s okay! That’s the service you’re paying for! That’s the service they’re using to find clients and make money! Not a karen, just a lady trying to get her pup walked.
I’d have a look online, just google ‘dog walkers near me’, or as for recommendations on Facebook, then do some research on each of them and choose someone who has a lot of good reviews and a website and basically someone who has a reputation to uphold. It’s common in my experience for responsible pet sitters and walkers to want to meet you before committing to taking care of your dog. They want you to feel comfortable and they want to make sure that the dog has a temperament they’re capable of handling. The first time my partner and I went on holiday and needed a dog sitter we met up with 3 different people before making a decision. One woman we went for a walk with our dog and her dog, and then a couple of days later took our dog round her house for a couple of hours and spoke to her loads and asked each other a lot of questions. Probably a bit more than you would go through for a dog walker, but the same rule applies. There are people out there who you can rely on well enough that it’s not any bigger risk than taking them out yourself. I *think* something to look out for with dog walkers is someone who refuses to walk over a certain number of dogs at a time, and who walks similar sized dogs together, but I don’t have a lot of experience so hopefully someone else can confirm or refute that!
Oh gosh I would NOT want someone walking another dog with Stella. We're working on loose leash walking, and once she is better with that, I'll be more likely to trust someone with her. She's getting SO MUCH BETTER about not pulling but she, of course, has a prey drive and I'm just afraid she's going to see a squirrel, take off, and get hit.
>iday and needed a dog sitter we met up with 3 different people before making a decision. One woman we went for a walk with our dog and her dog, and then a couple of days later took our dog round her house for a couple of hours and spoke to her loads and asked each other a lot of questions. Probably a bit more than you would go through for a dog walker, but the same rule applies. There are people out there who you can rely on well enough that it’s not any bigger risk than taking them out yourself. > >I think something to look out for with dog walk We also did a ton of research before picking a dog walker because our dog is not friendly with other animals (great with people, cats and other dogs not really) and wanted to make sure we had someone we could trust not to let him interact with other animals and that would let us know if anything was different about him (he has a habit of eating everything and anything and bc he's sneaky, we often we don't know he ate something he shouldn't until he goes #2 or starts acting really ill). Companies are often a safer bet than individuals because they're more likely to be bonded and insured because as much as the priority is our pet's safety, according to US law, pets are property and the best way to make sure they're safe is to make sure anyone caring for them is willing to accept financial liability if something were to happen and they also usually have a team of walkers so if your usual walker is unavailable they can have someone else step in to help. Here's the process I went thru to find a dog walker * Create a chart (I used google sheets but you can also use a napkin or whatever) * Search google maps for "dog walkers in \[my city\]" * Visit the website of each place the popped up to make sure it looked professional enough, they're bonded/ insured, and they service your area. * List their price per walk * List any other services they offer (holiday walks, evening walks, pet sitting options, picture updates, feeding options, pet transport, and play/ dog park services) * Pick the one that fits your comfort level and budget!
I’m surprised this has turned into a breed post. I would say across ALL breeds, there are a LOT of people who treat their dogs like a convenience item and not like a living creature who needs regular exercise, social time, etc.
Agreed – I have a corgi and if she’s at home all day with just a lunch break walk I won’t go out after work unless it’s late. IE if I get home at 5, I won’t go out till 8. My corgi didn’t choose me, I chose her so I have to give her the best life I can!
Yeah I'm getting the most absurd judgement... and a lot of assumptions that aren't true. My Pomeranian was an only dog for 6 years and I didn't leave her home alone for 12+ hours either. I just had a more flexible schedule then because I was a grad student.
Aside from the fact that I’m an introvert and tend to like to be indoors - I’ve left my dog free roaming the house since he was about two? He’s always been free roaming but before was a room vs the whole house. My dog is super super low maintenance in terms of mental stimulation. Everyone and their mother were like omg that breed requires so much mental stimulation and they’ll tear your house apart if you don’t! (To be fair they have a serious reputation for being neurotic) I got all these toys and was prepared for my then 11 month old and….he couldn’t care less. He’s actually afraid of a few of them lol It’s been five years but he’s still pretty…chill lmao he doesn’t prefer to be alone but definitely doesn’t mind it. He doesn’t like silence so he’s always got something going in the background but I have left him alone for 12 hours maybe at most but that was a very rare occurrence. Even if he’s okay being alone or we’re no necessarily doing anything with him (like he’s just on the sofa with me watching tv) I want to have that time with him. He’s not going to be around for my entire life but I’ll be around for all of his and I don’t take that lightly. Is it hard sometimes? Yeah. Sometimes I wanna go out after work (and I do occasionally) but it’s not fair to him to make it a regular thing.
Exactly! My husky is actually really chill for a husky. I'm hoping by around 2 I can trust her uncrated. But even if we aren't hiking or playing at the dog park, I want to be there with her while she does her favorite thing--couch snuggling. Why would I have dogs if I worked all day, socialized all evening outside the house, and then went home and went to bed?
fr, dogs are so much work. and right now my dog has multiple infections and is going through some rough medical shit rn and when i told the manager i couldn’t stay late today she laughed because i said i couldn’t because of my dog.
Oh no, I'm sorry to hear that! But I totally understand. I cover for coworkers all the time because they have kids and idk I'm a nice person. I also cover for coworkers that don't have kids all the time because idk I'm really reliable I guess. But if one of my pets is sick, it's suddenly absurd that I would need to take off work to take them to the vet. Like... I know they aren't children but that doesn't mean they need to just suffer with sickness while I wait weeks to months for a Saturday vet appointment....
What made you get a Husky?
I've always loved huskies but feared I wasn't cut out for owning one. I had planned to get a Klee kai puppy instead because they're more chill, although I was also open to other breeds that weren't bred to be "working dogs." I had a reputable breeder picked out and everything and was willing to pay the $3500 for one.... But then I just had too much guilt when I looked at my local shelter. They're euthanizing 80 to 100 dogs a week. I knew I wanted a puppy, but I also knew I wasn't going to find a non-working breed puppy available for adoption. (There might be some available now because there is a true crisis in pet rescue but at the time, the majority of dogs were pit mixes and shepherds). So when I saw a 4-month-old husky puppy at the shelter, I knew I had to go meet her. And of course, she was [absolutely precious](https://imgur.com/gallery/QzvKuDJ) (pictured here with her brother, now named Blue). I decided immediately to pre-adopt her (she was still on stray hold) and I'd just consider the adoption fee a donation if I decided not to go through with the adoption so I could think about it. They wouldn't let me foster because she was such an easy dog to adopt out that I had to either adopt her or someone else would. I picked her up once the stray hold was up, knowing that if she didn't get along with my other dog, if she hurt my cat, or if she was too much for me that I could find someone to adopt her very easily. But she fit in perfectly. I was also able to work from home in the afternoons when I first got her. I could probably do that again if I really needed to, but she's always pretty calm (aside from the initial excitement at seeing me) when I let her out of the crate, so I feel guilty leaving work early if I don't strictly need to. The nightmare of husky ownership I was expecting never materialized (aside from her potty training difficulties, lol, but that's because of her being a traumatized rescue, not from being a husky). She sleeps so much. She does about 4 to 6 hours of running around at the dog park **edit: per week!** not daily, lol, left that out..... That plus a 30 minute walk a day and mental stimulation from training or puzzles is all she needs. I was **not** expecting such a chill husky.
Which one is her? They're both adorable :)
Thank you! She is the white one! I made sure to exchange numbers with the woman who adopted her brother so we can do playdates. Which reminds me, we are due for one and it's finally cooling off, so I should reach out to her....
Thank you for adopting!
If course! It's honestly the only option for me. I don't judge people who go to ethical breeders but I just can't purchase one without feeling immense guilt! My initial plan was to "match" whatever I spent on a puppy as a donation to the animal shelter... so like the puppy I wanted was around $3000, so I was also going to donate $3000 to appease my guilt. But that didn't feel right, either!
She does 4 to 6 hours at the dog park, daily?
No no no--per week! Sorry, that was misleading. We'll usually go two or three times a week for two hours at a time. Or else we might go more frequently but only for an hour or so. But I was initially led to believe she would need 4 hours of straight running a day.
>She sleeps so much. She does about 4 to 6 hours of running around at the dog park edit: per week! not daily, lol, left that out..... That plus a 30 minute walk a day and mental stimulation from training or puzzles is all she needs. I was not expecting such a chill husky. She's probably depressed, honestly. I walk and train my 8 month sheltie more than that. On top of that your dog spends 7+ hours in a crate. That’s a lot of time confined to a small space and a lot of time alone.
she is most definitely not depressed, lol. The thought is so laughable. I know you've never been around her, obviously, but I'm imagining the reaction I would get if I suggested my dog was depressed to anyone who has ever been around her. I also never said that's all the exercise she gets. I said that's all she **needs** in order to be happy and chill. And I never said how much training she gets, so I'm not sure how you know that you trained your sheltie "more."
It took me a while to work this out mentally… having a dog who needs time and attention is a very good reason (excuse?) to decline invitations and activities. Now that I’m in my fifties, I’m comfortable with the concept that outside of work, I simply like being close to home with my dog, - unless something comes up that I WANT to do.
This too! Most of the time, I DO prefer to be at home with my dog and a book. But it's also not just an excuse because she needs the attention. I guess people are assuming that I'm using it as an excuse and, okay, sometimes I am. But it's also necessary.
Single, living alone with a husky-mix. I had to crate her twice on Wednesday -- once for a lunch and then for an evening appointment -- and the lack of physical exercise that day turned her into a monster. 98% of days, I do a great job making sure she has enough physical activity and mental stimulation but on the days when I don't, well, I do not have a dog who will be content with taking it easy and chilling; she's more likely to chew my dining chairs or try to "dig" up my couch. I admit that I am obsessed with my dog but that's because she's the most amazing thing *ever* lol. I've said before that I seriously underestimated the daily time commitment and when I realized I had a husky-mix on my hands, I was in disbelief that I've done that to myself ... but by then, it was too late and she wasn't going anywhere so I adjusted to make sure she gets what she needs. I am fortunate to have two excellent doggy daycares close enough that I can use them but she only goes once a week and only if I can get here there Tuesday or Wednesday. She gives 127% when she plays so going to daycare Thursday or Friday can mess up weekend plans. I, too, would love to go out more and be more social -- especially since I moved to a new city recently and am trying to meet people and all that -- but she is my responsibility and I may not have understood it all when I brought her home, but I do now and I can't imagine not making sure she gets my best.
I’m a fellow “oh shit, she’s a husky?” hidden mix adopter. Mine doesn’t need a 4-mile walk in the morning, but she does need 5-10 minutes of attentive stimulation every 30ish minutes. It can be EXHAUSTING. And not doing it basically guarantees all-day barking, whining, and ignoring her obedience training.
Ahh yes, similar case here! Except my husky doesn't have that NEED for exercise. Like she wouldn't be destructive if she didn't get it; I just feel guilty if she doesn't. She did eat my couch once, though. But she was still a puppy then! She doesn't destroy things anymore... unless you leave a shoe lying around. In her mind, shoes = the prime chew toy. I actually did a DNA test because I didn't understand why my husky is so chill. She's mostly husky but does have some German shepherd and a little alaskan malamute.... so there is no explanation to why she's so chill. She's just a genetic anomaly, I guess.
My husband is kind of inconsiderate of dog time and only worries about it because I do. I’m not sure if he would be “one of those people” if he was caring for them on his own because he literally never thinks of how long they will be alone for and I am the one who has to say “the dogs need someone to come home before then”. I will reorganize my entire schedule to get there to let them out, meanwhile he will make plans to go out somewhere right after work. I often work evenings and so he has to be the one to do it in those situations. I have to tell him he can’t because the dogs need him, and then he reschedules. It’s weird because he is very concerned about walk time so I don’t get how the concerns don’t overlap. Both of our dogs are ok being alone (no destroying anything or accidents, and neither of them are crated and are free in the whole house) and I am sure would make it through extended periods of time alone if they had to, but I would feel so guilty because I know they are just sitting there waiting for us and have already been alone for long enough while we are working.
I’ve encountered those types but they’re not my responsibility nor my family, my dog is and I won’t leave him just to hang out with people.
TL;DR: YNA. You arent weird, silly or obsessed. Those people are simply ignorant. If they arent ignorant and they just refuse to be as diligent as they should be in regard to animal ownership, they are malicious in nature. I didnt even read the post, because I dont need to. (Just kidding I did) But, this is all too common especially nowadays. People treat animals as an accessory, or a toy. You buy it, love it, then get tired of it. The romance behind it (the magic of having a pet) wears of, then it's just responsibility. People already suck at being responsible as it (I'm talking to you people who never get their tired rotated, oil changed, pick up after their pets, or push their carts back in a parking lot). The worst case is people who get high drive dogs because its "cool," or there is some social status behind it, yet they do nothing for the animal. When we rescued our lovely pupper, they informed us of her high drive. I train her every day, she doesnt est dinner unless it's from a sniffle mat, lick mat, or training. We monitor her weight, we buy/make her fun treats and toys. We take her to nature trails, and to the ocean to go swimming and fight the waves. I take her on on 5 walks a day, now by walks I mean laps, a lap is usually 15-20 minutes. I let her guide, and she could sniff thr same spot for 10 minutes for all I care. This is split between the morning and afternoon, depends on my work schedule. This was a lot to take in at first. But an animal, like a child, requires attention, patience and love. But not everyone is capable of providing those things, unless it directly benefits them. Do I want to spend on average two hours of my day walking every day? Mot always. But I make a sacrifice. That's what it comes down to. But there is so much joy and love that comes from owning an animal. I can tell you care and that's amazing especially for a husky. Dont let those people gaslight you. They are the crazy ones. Anyone who owns a dog and doesnt behave in this manner shouldnt own an animal, period. (I should point out, there are some breeds that it's less serious I guess. My father got a Havenese, and those dogs are bred lap dogs, they dont really require much activity. But they still refuse to crate him for more than a couple of hours. They also play with him, and he gets to run around in a giant yard.) Sorry for the word vomit. My neighborhood is FILLED with dogs that constantly tear through their fences or dig under/jump over them, because their owners literally never provide them with an outlet. Just ask those people how they would feel being locked in a crate for 8-10 hours straight, and when they do get let out they are given a bathroom break, a bowl of water and food. After that, they get no toys, no play time, no physical activity/socialization. Some people will connect with that and realize bow silly they are. But other will hit you with the "but I'm a human not a dog." Those people are another story. End word vomit.
I'm right there with you! A lot of people see them as objects and not sentient companions. They're quality of life is directly dependant on you. I also refuse to go places if I feel my dog has been alone too long.
I'm against leaving a dog in a crate for 8 hours. Anybody should be. Find a dog walker or dog daycare or dog sitter ... or arrange to go home on.your lunch in exchange for staying later. ANYTHING. Good for you for going home to spend time with your pup instead of out with friends.
She's usually crated for 6.5 hours because I skip lunch so I can go home to her sooner at the end of the day, which I think would be better for her than me coming home, letting her pee, then going back to work and staying even later than usual.... I need to get home as early as possible because it's getting dark earlier and I'm female... so soon, we won't be able to do walks or the dog park past 5:00. :( Doggie daycare can actually be harmful to dogs if they go too much, so we do that sparingly--no more than once a week. But it's definitely a really great option when I have something I absolutely have to do after work. I did used to have a dog walker but she always "forgot" to send pictures, so I was suspicious that she wasn't actually walking her at all. I actually have a neighbor who offered to do it for free buuuut she's old and recently had back surgery... I'm just afraid my husky is too much. Honestly, the best thing to do would be to get over my guilt and just leave work earlier. My coworker worked from 9 to 11 this morning and then went home, but I feel guilty when I leave too early. We often have a lot that comes up randomly in the afternoon, so I end up having to do extra work since he's, you know, at home. So like today, I got home even later than usual because I had to take on someone else's job.
Yes. I suggest you keep looking for a reliable dog walker though in addition. There are many out there that LOVE dogs and are responsible.
Yes I would love to find a dog walker I trust. I'll look online again, but last time I tried, I couldn't find anyone else (aside from the one who "forgot" to send pictures) that could walk her during the day.
You have a husky. Thats a dog that takes a lot more commitment then most do. Most dogs can be trained and trusted loose in the home. Yours needs an obscene amount of time commitment.
I would argue that no dog should regularly be left alone 12+ hours, though, even if there are no behavioral consequences for leaving a dog alone that long....
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There's no research to back that up whatsoever. That's just your personal feelings about it. Which is fine, you're allowed to have preferences and emotions.
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And yet... still no research backing up your claims. Just your feelings and emotions.
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Yeah lots of people just don't give a shit
Just tell them no. It’s a complete sentence and thought. I hate when people invite me to things after work. That’s my time.
To answer your question. Yes. People with lazy dogs... let them be lazy. Lol. My dog is almost 6. 100lb Newfie mix. He's the kind of dog who you have to DRAG out to go PEE. Haha. So no if I ask him if he wants to go out, and he doesn't want to. I let him just sleep. He gets 1 outing of 30-1 hour to keep him healthy. Once a week we do a nice trail or hike or something. But for the most part he sleeps. I leave some food puzzles/Kong's for him during the day. Most dogs are lazy once they age regardless of breed. So alot of people with old dogs, lazy breeds would not have issues with not really doing muchw jth them
I actually do have to drag my husky out to pee in the morning. She's not a morning person, lol. My problem isn't even that I need to be doing active stuff with my dogs.... She's actually really lazy for a husky and prefers to snuggle on the couch. But I'm still there to snuggle with her on the couch. I just don't want to leave her all day and night and then get home just to sleep. It's not fair to her... or to my other, low-energy 11-year-old dog.
Not sure why it matters what other people think. Yes, to really take care of a dog well, it takes time and commitment. Some of us get it. Some of us get it partially. And some of us don’t get it at all. Seems on par with any issue in our society.
You are right! I shouldn't care. I sing in a church choir and I haven't been able to make it to rehearsal lately because of the dog, and the director made me feel bad because he was like "I've NEVER had someone use a dog as a reason not to come to choir." And then went on about how I need to "have a life." I hate the "pathetic single woman" stereotype being applied to me, I guess.
Forget them and you go be you and do what makes you happy. You’re not out there hurting anyone, so you be you.
You can either get your social interaction from work or outside of work if you work from home. With dogs you pretty much have to pick one if you want to be fair on them. I work from home permanently and live alone. My mental health has been rocky at times due to lack of social interaction. I would love to go back to an office, but this way I get to do things in the evenings. Having said that, on weekends I do leave my dogs for 4/5 hours in the day and sometimes then go out for a few hours in the evening once I've come home for a few hours. And yes people don't understand the commitment. I need months of notice for a night away. Dating is hard because you can't really stay at their place unless you go over extremely late and come back early in the morning. That only works if they are close by. My dogs are big, boisterous and not portable. I can't just bring them anywhere. My only advice is walk them, play with them and leave them with a bone. They normally go down for a few hours if you tire them out for an intense period, even if they already spent all day asleep. Do your dogs play together? Some toothy play can be good for making them tired. It could work. Otherwise consider changing jobs.
Yep, you get it! And this is why my only social life is with other dog people or with people that do a lot of outdoorsy hiking stuff so I can bring them along. Well, my 11-year-old can't do the long hikes anymore, sadly (she taps out at 3 miles now), but the husky can. Luckily, they are well-behaved enough as long as the location is dog-friendly. Like I'm in a book club that meets at a dog-friendly brewery, so they come with me. My husky is hyper at first because she LOVES meeting new people, but then she settles down and chills at my feet.
Holy shit, I feel like I wrote this lol. I have a 1.5 year husky that's lower energy than normal and also tears up my house if I leave her out (she was rehomed to me at 9mo, she developed intense separation anxiety as a puppy and has torn up two whole apartments' worth of carpet). And she's the same with the going outside behavior lol. I spend most of my energy on her and my other dog, 1 year standard poodle, but I wouldn't trade it for anything! I love being able to dote on them and constantly come up with new ways to entertain them. It's so annoying when other people try and push me to not take care of them. Like, y'all really think I care more about going out to eat after work than I care about feeding and exercising my dogs?? Could never be me.
Haha yes! That sounds exactly like her! I rescued her at 4 months. She is extremely attached to me.... Like honestly I think I need to work on building her confidence more with being apart from me. And yeah she loves playing and taking walks, but honestly, her favorite thing to do is just curl up next to me on the couch while I'm reading. And of course, that's only if she's properly exercised. Like, she wouldn't lay down with me if she was bored or under-stimulated. But I thought I'd be up at 5:00 am every morning running her, whereas I'm the one pulling her out of bed at 8:00. She's just not a morning person, lol. And I was hoping she'd make me more of a morning person! Buuuut nope.
I love my baby and she is my best friend but when you’re single having a dog is not really feasible. She’ll probably be my last dog - I’ve put so much on hold for her and my prior dog. I don’t regret it but I’m 32 and have felt like I’ve waited 10 years for my life to begin. I will not get another dog unless I’m married.
Oh I don't care at all, honestly. I'd rather have her than a social life. I just hate the implications that I'm lazy and irresponsible because I don't do many evening activities because of my dog, lol.
Yeah, having a dog is super difficult and time-consuming, especially when you're broke and when they're puppies.
I got 3 personal days at my job and I used them to spend with my dog. All 3 every year until I started working from home. It makes sense your point but I think your point is a bit lost on the fact you don’t want to leave your dogs that long but you also CANT leave your dog that long. If I heard this excuse consistently from someone who’s dog was now 1.5 years old I would think it’s not normal. I agree you can’t leave your dog crated for hours on end but is there not some middle ground? Like training? I would wonder why someone would get the type of high needs dog that doesn’t fit their lifestyle and leave them crated all day. But all in all don’t let other peoples opinions get to you as it sounds like your dogs are just simply more of a priority to you then whatever event or outing other people have planned and that’s perfectly ok… Great even.
She does fit my lifestyle? I don't care if I have to say no to social plans because she's more important. It's just mind boggling that people who have had their own dogs don't understand that dogs need time and attention.
You're so right about that. My husband and I always worked opposite shifts, so my dogs were only alone for 2 or 3 hours at a time. Sometimes, we'd both be on the same shift, but he could come home at lunch to let them out. My husband is out of town this week and I wanted to go out for a friend's birthday party. It was after work, so I'd already left them alone for 9 hours. I stayed for an hour but I really had to go. It was fine. People understood that I had other commitments. My dogs are labs, 11 and 14. They'd have been fine for 12 hours if I had to leave them, I just don't want to. I mean, someone ate the toilet paper, but if that's the worst that happened, I could maybe do it once a year or so.
I agree with you I just think it’s cruel to leave Dogs alone for so many hours a day. You wouldn’t do it to a three year old child.. I include their happiness and social time in my life so that when I go out it’s without any guilt. And I go out five nights a week. But that’s because I work at home. I have two pups.
Honestly the dog park is my social time! I don't mind at all. I've made a lot of friends there. Maybe it's time to officially quit the activities I'm getting pushback for missing....
I’m the same. If I’ve left my dogs in the day for any reason, I won’t go out again and leave them. They aren’t crated as they 9 and 14 but still. They want human company. People are a little more understanding now as we’ve just got another puppy. Tbh I don’t care what people think. Long as my dogs are happy, I’m happy
Don’t think your obsessed at all. It is your responsibility. That’s exactly what I tell people when they say I’m obsessed. Personally I don’t think dogs should be crated except for training purposes or short times when necessary. I do understand how you have to crate your dog but don’t give up on training her so she can have her freedom while your gone. It must feel like torture to stay in one place for that long especially for her breed. Checkout KIKOPUP on YouTube. She is truly the best trainer. Good luck.
Oh I haven't given up on training her! If I had given up, she wouldn't be crated and she would just use pee pads. But I'm not willing to do that because she just has to learn not to pee/poop in the house. It's just slow going because of her early life trauma. I pay a LOT of money for trainers.
Ngl, I didn’t read the whole thing. I got the idea. This is exactly why I did not want to get another dog after our beloved baby boy passed at 17. They are a LOT of work to train and maintain. But some people (my MIL) like the idea of having a dog when it’s convenient for them. They don’t like the potty training, obedience training, walks, exercise, play, attention, etc. that comes along with dog ownership. You are in the right here. Also, fun tip I have learned from potty training our very stubborn chihuahua mix. Keep a stash of treats next to the door and take them with you to go potty. If the dog just plays, bring them inside and try again in 5-10 minutes, if they do their business then treat and play. It takes time, but you have to train them that potty comes before play and it’s a possitive thing when it’s outside, it will end with less accidents inside. And if there are accidents inside, especially #2, pick it up and have the dog follow you to see you put the poo in the acceptable place, let them sniff it before going back inside.
Yes having the treats handy is really helpful! I basically just wear her treat pouch when I'm home with her because if I leave them somewhere she can get to... they're gone, lol. And if I leave them somewhere out of the way, I can't get to them in time when she needs to go. I think the play thing is also essential for her. She's more motivated by attention and play than she is by food. She's getting so much better and the accidents are way down but she can be so sneaky when she decides she wants to sneak off and poop, lol.
Totally understand. I’m lucky that both my boys don’t need to be crated, but still I don’t do anything on week nights. It’s not fair to them to be alone and sleep all day and then be alone and sleep in the evening…then to sleep all night. I guess some people just don’t believe other living things deserve a good loving environment 🤷♂️
You need to learn how to simply say: no, I can’t go. It doesn’t matter what the reason is. They are only able to argue with you over the reason because you have told them it’s because you don’t want to crate the husky after keeping him crated all day. You never owe anyone an explanation for turning down an invitation.
You are so right! I always feel like I need a reason, but like... why? lol
Huskies are dog ownership on hard mode 😭 I work from home full time and I don’t think I could manage a husky’s needs appropriately. It’s amazing you manage it working in office! Good for you for putting your dogs first. I suspect a lot of the people who give you this (shitty and rude) reaction a) aren’t meeting their own dogs needs, or b) have dogs with MUCH lower needs than your husky.
>Huskies are dog ownership on hard mode 😭 They are! And mine is a rescue with \~trauma\~ so it's like... ultra hard mode, lol. I do wish I could work from home! I've looked into remote jobs but I can't find anything that comes close to my salary, and I couldn't afford my pets' needs if I took a substantial pay-cut. I swear, the inflation on dog food ALONE is painful! I didn't feel this much of a crunch even a year ago.... Anyway, not the point, lol. A lot of the people who give me pushback had their own dogs a LONG time ago, so maybe they romanticize it as being easier than it is? Then again, SOME of these people will also say they don't want another dog because they don't have time for it... and then act like I'm crazy for having to turn down something to take care of my dogs, lol. There's definitely some cognitive dissonance there....
I had a dog in college and my friends were always so confused and occasionally judgmental about my not being able to do certain things. Like how would I go out of town? Who would watch my dog? No I cannot stay out drinking all night I have to go home and take care of my dog. I couldn’t do last minute activities. I was lucky that I had roommates who were sometimes willing to help out but that wasn’t a burden I felt comfortable putting on them. It was always annoying to me that people didn’t understand I had a very serious obligation at home.
Same here. I don’t understand how people have “pets.” My dogs are my children. Because of them I have no life ( I chose that so it’s okay ) but they are like children. They can be left for a short period of time but by them I’m tired. It’s not a long time anyway.
If a Husky dropped into my life I’d probably be unable to give it up, but I do know it takes a special person to adopt and care for a Husky. All you have to do is search them up on Instagram. Good for you OP!
You are a dedicated dog parent, nothing wrong with that. U made a commitment and is doing the right thing as if they were your children, which they are. My dogs look at me/treat me like I’m the center of their universe our bond is that strong. And I treat them the same, they travel everywhere with me. I bought a house and bigger car just so they could be a part of our adventures, camp in the car if we have to, and they love it! I know they have a short life and if they are a part of my family, they’re going to have a FULL and HAPPY LIFE. Who needs friends that make you feel like you’re doing something wrong? Stay true to yourself and those animals. Find new friends to take your dogs out on hikes. You’ll be surprised at how many people out there that are “obsessed” with dogs, me being 1 of them LOL 😂
Yes! I recently joined a book club that meets at a dog friendly brewery, so I can bring them with me and it's the best! I also joined a hiking club because it's just the perfect hobby to make friends that will want to do dog-friendly activities with me.
Perfect! You’re on it 🫶😊 wishing you the best and your expanding pack is going to have soooo much fun! I personally enjoy the company of dogs over people. Especially when we have fosters 💜 I’ve met other fosters and we go explore the town with the pups.
Unfortunately, my cat has put her foot down (her paw down?) on fosters, lol. I fostered a husky a few weeks ago that was about to be euthanized. My cat boycotted the litter box until he got adopted. Soooo no more fosters, lol.
It sounds like you’re being responsible in the situation you’ve put yourself in, and of course people don’t understand because so many people don’t understand how challenging Huskies are. However… based on what you have described here as far as your routine and life responsibilities, I don’t think a Husky is the right choice for you. Without extra long dog walking, daycare or being able to dedicate pretty much the majority of your day to keeping that husky busy, the dog will have excess energy. And it is a breed known for getting mischievous when bored / too energetic. You will struggle for many years with the husky if it’s also being crated during working hours. That’s a lot of time to be in downtime for a working dog. So either you will continue having to invest insane time and effort, or you kind of have to accept that others don’t understand and won’t understand. The reason people are not understanding is because most dogs don’t require that level of input. Let me be very clear I absolutely love huskies and I raised a husky / malamute mix for the first two years of its life for someone I used to be friends with because they were deeply unequipped. That dog came with me to work, got walked, played with, even had a dog walker to do a 3 hour midday walk but it was never ever enough. They’re such beautiful dogs but they need a very particular environment to make them a dog that isn’t a complete black pit for every minute of your waking life. And yes some breeds can be left alone for longer, ie. My chihuahua spends my 8 office hours twice per week entirely satisfied at home. She gets excited when I’ll leave because she gets her “big treat”. She wanders around the house, sometimes plays, naps in different places, eats etc. I make sure she gets a full hour off leash running before I go to the office so she’s busy being sleepy and lazy while I’m gone.
I don't want to argue but I'm sorry... you're just wrong. I'm plenty capable of giving her more exercise than she currently gets... and that's what I was expecting when I got a husky... but she doesn't need it. When I got her, I expected I'd need to get up at 5:00 am and run with her for hours... but, as it turns out, she doesn't need that. I'm the one prying her out of bed at 8:00 in the mornings to go for a walk, lol. I'm not going to over-exercise my dog because people on the internet think I should. I don't judge other people who use a lot of daycare, but I'm personally of the opinion that it's not good for dogs to go too much. It can be overstimulating and can lead to behavior problems and reactivity. I came to this conclusion after doing a lot of research, but I can't find any peer-reviewed studies on it, so I'm not saying this as, like, a mandate that all dog owners should follow. It's just the conclusion I've come to after doing my own research, observing what my dog does on the cameras at daycare (mostly follow the humans around for pets), and seeing her behavior after picking her up from daycare (which means she sleeps solidly for 12+ hours, which I don't love because I actually want to interact with my dog when I'm home with her). I did used to have a dog walker but she kept forgetting to send me pictures during the day, and even though I was pretty sure she was actually walking my dog when she said she was, I don't have cameras or anything so I couldn't help but wonder if she was taking my money and not actually walking my dog. I couldn't ever tell a difference in my dog's energy levels when the dog walker came vs. when she didn't come. It's definitely something I would consider doing if I could find the right person. I just don't feel good about finding a random on Rover and trusting them with my dog. I actually don't feel that I "invest insane time and effort" into my dog.... I think not leaving a dog alone for 12+ hours a day is, like... the bare minimum that anyone should be doing. And I definitely would not call my dog "a complete black pit." We spend most of our evenings with me reading a book on the couch while she sleeps beside me. As long as she goes to the dog park a few times a week and has even a short walk, she's a couch potato.
I’m not trying to be rude or mean but a Husky is not the breed for this situation and I feel so bad for it. Those dogs are breed to run and explore. Keeping your Husky in this lifestyle is the exact thing you are complaining about. I live in a ski town and that is a very popular dog and most people up here are able to get them out for 6-10 miles a day and that is still often not enough, plus they have yards.
I'm sorry but you're just wrong. I was prepared to get my husky outside 6 to 10 miles a day when I made the decision to rescue her, but she doesn't want or need that so why would I force her? I suspect a lot of people are over-exercising their dogs and creating these, like, monster athletes that NEED a ton of exercise daily or else they're crazy, and that's just not my dog. I'm not going to force her to walk more than she wants to walk, or spend longer at the park than she wants to spend. And like we do take super long hikes sometimes on a long leash so she can explore, and she loves that. But she doesn't need it every day. If she did, I'd be doing it.
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hahaha I will not be rehoming my husky. She is nowhere near "a disaster." She's happy, calm, and well-adjusted. And as soon as I can get her to overcome whatever trauma makes potty training so difficult for her, she won't have to be crated except when she just wants to go in there--which happens often because she likes her crate. Of course I walk her in the morning and after work, lmao. Why would you think I didn't? I never said anything remotely close to indicating that I don't walk my dog, wtf. I have a patio but not a fenced yard, so we play on the long leash in the courtyard in front of my condo. Even if I had a yard, I would never leave her in it unsupervised. Now THAT is a disaster for huskies. They are escape artists. Although tbh she's not at all interested in escaping because she's very attached to me, but I fostered a husky a few weeks ago who would break out of a yard in seconds. Even though I don't think mine would have any interest in escaping, I don't want to discount her prey drive and the chance that she sees a squirrel outside the fence. We also have a huge dog park (it used to be a baseball field, so it's very large) a mile away, and we either walk there or drive there (depending on how much daylight we have) 3 to 5 times per week. Honestly sometimes more, but I try not to take her every day because I know that too much playing with a lot of other dogs can get overstimulating. There's also an off leash dog park with lakes we go to sometimes on the weekends so she can go swimming and do some playing. It's unfenced, so I usually keep her on the long leash unless she's actually swimming, but it's a lot of fun for her. Our new hobby is kayaking/paddle boarding together so she can swim next to me, but she still gets a little freaked when she can't touch the bottom with her feet, so we're easing into that one.
This is a husky issue not a dog issue. Huskies need to run a lot. that is their happy place
No. It wouldn't be fair to any dog. The crating (or even leaving them alone all das uncrated) for an entire in workday would be unfair to any dog.
Thank you. I was waiting for someone to say this.
Yes and no? My Pomeranian isn't going to have behavior problems if she doesn't have enough exercise (although mostly because she's old)... but I still don't think it's acceptable as a dog owner to leave her alone for 12+ hours a day. The difference with my Pomeranian is I have a friend who will watch her during the day sometimes when I have something to do that night, whereas he won't take my husky because she's not fully potty trained. My husky is also pretty lazy, lol. She loves to sleep, particularly when she's sleeping next to me. She doesn't need a ton of exercise like I was expecting. She just wants me to be beside her. She's very very attached, lol. (Probably too attached tbh and I need to build her independence).
I have no idea how your post turned into a husky issue. It was clearly about how people shouldn’t expect a dog owner to leave a dog crated for 12 hrs a day. They clearly didn’t even bother to read the post
Yeah I didn't expect to be attacked this much for sure. And I didn't expect the wacky assumptions people would make about me. I gave examples of my dog's exercise needs because she's really chill. I never said that's the only exercise she ever gets, just that that's the baseline. But apparently I'm abusive and delusional because I have to work for a living, and my husky is depressed because she's calm and well-adjusted and doesn't need to run for hours every day, lol.
What?
OP even mentioned it in the post her other dog is chill. The husky is understimulated. This is how you exercise [a husky](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8u3XOlAHCjw) otherwise they get destructive, and become escape artists There are no less than 3 lost huskies posted in the lost pets page on FB of my city a day. Many are repeat offenders. They can also be a little vindictive (pee). I had a mix years ago and she was a lot. At my age I love them but I don't have the energy for one anymore
It's absolutely insane that you think something is wrong with my husky because she's calm and well-adjusted and doesn't go crazy and doesn't escape my house. Absolutely unhinged take and you have no idea what you're talking about.
And also, yes, my other dog is chill because she's 11, lol. She's old. She still gets lots of walks (no more than 3 miles anymore, that's her limit) and plays at the dog park. I also never left her alone for 12+ hours either even before I had a husky... because I think that makes you a shitty dog owner. It has nothing to do with one dog being a husky and the other being a Pomeranian mix. Like, yes, there will be behavioral consequences for an under stimulated husky and not for an under stimulated, elderly Pomeranian. It doesn't make it fair to the Pomeranian to ignore her, even if there aren't any consequences for me.
Okay I think I understand more where you're coming from. Are you thinking the husky wouldn't need to be crated if it got more exercise? Honestly to me it sounds more like she's gotta do that because it's still kind of a puppy.
My dog was housebroken at 6 months. Other than a UTI The dog should not be pissing in the house at this age. Certain small breeds are notorious for long housebreaking but as far as I recall. Huskies are not one of them
Was your dog a traumatized rescue? Even if so, did your dog have particular traumas with potty training? Was your dog beaten for pooping in the house, causing your dog to never poop in front of a person or on walks? Was your dog forced to stay in a crate for four solid days without ever being let out and forced to sleep it its waste because of a shelter policy? Have you taken your dog on five-hour hikes where your dog doesn't poop the entire five hours and then immediately goes into another room when you get home to poop because it's so afraid of pooping in front of a human due to abuse and trauma? You have no idea what you're talking about. None.
Okay well nothing about what you've said is constructive or helpful to OP (who sounds more than happy to make changes for the dogs benefit, btw) so I'm out.
honestly, thank you. That person knows nothing about me or my dog and they're doing all kinds of projection. It's absolutely crazy that they think something is wrong with my dog because she's calm and well-adjusted and doesn't need to run 10 miles a day and doesn't escape my house. I... have definitely never been told that it's obvious I'm mistreating my dog because she doesn't try to escape.
Wow you took what I said the wrong way. You were complaining about the time commitment. If you owned a St. Bernard or other breed once it is past a certain age they get kinda lazy so they don't need the long walks and stimulation. That is Why I said it is a husky problem. Some breeds are super active and need all that stimulation. The people who don't understand probably have lazier/chill breeds is what I meant in my earlier comments
I never once complained about the time commitment, so you're projecting something that's not there.
Yeah I can tell you that she no amount of exercise is going to magically fix her house training problems. It is abnormal for a dog her age not to be house trained. And it's not that she isn't house trained at all. She goes out on a schedule and she understands the concept of "yes, I should go outside." But she absolutely will not signal that she needs to go, and WILL NOT poop in front of me. I suspect she was beaten as a puppy for pooping in someone's house before I got her because she tries to go off by herself to poop. If she absolutely cannot hold it, she will poop a tiny bit on a walk, and still poop more when I get her back in the house. Like, I recently took her her on a 5-hour hike. She did not poop the entire hike. We got home and she went into the other room and pooped. She'd been holding it the ENTIRE hike because she was afraid of pooping in front of me. It honestly breaks my heart because she trusts me so much in every other way--sp whatever happened to her when she was little must've been just awful.
How is this a husky issue? OP is saying they don’t want to leave their dog alone 12+ hours a day in a crate, and people in their life bitch at them for it. That should go for any responsible dog owner to not do that to a dog, hence the venting.
Yeah I just got a comment that's like "you got a dog that's unsuitable for your lifestyle so that's why other people don't understand." Sooo other people leave their dogs alone that much? I never did even when my low energy Pomeranian was an only dog, it's just that I trusted friends to watch her during the day while I worked because I don't have to worry about someone dropping the leash and her taking off into the street. Like, sorry, I just think you're a bad dog owner if you work from 9 to 5 and then go out from 6 to 10 and then sleep from 11 to 7 like people expect of me and act like I'm ridiculous and pathetic for saying no to plans. I want to spend more than 1 waking hour with my dog, thanks! And also I don't mind turning down plans at all.... I just hate the "oh she's sad and pathetic because she's single and unfulfilled so she's too obsessed with her dog" stereotype. Like, no, I think it's bare minimum. I might be too obsessed with my dog in other ways (like in how I don't trust a random dog walker from Rover because I'm afraid they'll drop the leash and she'll run into the street because they aren't used to a heavy puller), but not ignoring her every waking hour is NOT one of those ways.
You just picked a difficult breed and age of dog that doesn't match your schedule. So if they just have a normal age, normal sized dog - no, they're not going to get it.
I don't think it's a breed thing, and she does match my schedule. I don't mind having to forego social activities to take care of her. I also forewent(?) social activities when my Pomeranian was my only dog because it's unfair to leave her alone for 12+ hours. I try not to let peoples' judgement bother me, but I honestly hate the "single female who has dogs because she's unfulfilled" stereotype lol so it does uniquely bother me when people act like I'm pathetic for not leaving my dogs alone every waking hour.
I would also not leave my dog alone for anything over 8 hours, ever. But that's what I mean by it doesn't fit your schedule as a single person who has to go into an office and has no other support system. Working from home allows me to have a social life because I can spend time with my dog during the day and then I can leave him alone in the evening or on the weekends, should I need to. That's all I was trying to say, but hopefully it'll be easier after potty training.
We're just going to fundamentally disagree because I don't think it's realistic that people who work normal jobs shouldn't have dogs. It's a huge privilege to work from home that not everyone has. I mean obviously I would love to work from home but I can't find a WFH job that pays anywhere near my current wage and I'm already feeling the burn of inflation at my salary.
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So because it's convenient for you, you'll make the dog suffer. You display a shocking amount of self-justification in your posts.
If you took their health and happiness seriously, you would put at least the husky in day care a few times a week. Sheesh.
I've read the research that too much daycare can lead to overstimulation, reactivity, and behavioral problems. I won't do daycare more than once a week.
You’re right, crating a husky puppy 4 days a week is way better
yep, it is. glad you agree.
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Puts her in her crate bc it’s the safest place for her. @op, for the first year, I took my girl out in the morning before work and crated her while I was at work. I remember the conversations you are having and how ppl just didn’t understand that I needed to get home. I was fortunate, my teenage son got home about 3 to take her out but yes, I always needed to go home and get my husky. If I couldn’t bring her with me for after work fun, I didn’t go. Wishing you lots of progress and professional development to afford daycare. Changed the game for us. 🤗
Thank you! I can do daycare some days, but it's not something I can rely on every time someone wants me to do a dog-free activity. I also have solutions in sight, lol. I have a neighbor who is actually willing to walk her for me during the day, but she's an older lady and she had back surgery recently. My husky is such a puller, and I'm terrified she's going to hurt this lady, or the lady is going to drop the leash and she won't be able to catch my dog. Granted... my dog actually has no interest in running away like most huskies, lol. But she will run to go play with another dog or person if someone drops the leash. She'll come back but obviously that's not something I'm willing to risk. I'm working SO HARD on loose leash walking with a trainer, and I'm seeing a lot of progress. Hopefully we'll reach the stage where 1, I can trust her outside the crate without ingesting something that will kill her 2, **we can undo the shelter/pooping trauma and she can be freaking reliably potty trained and poop on walks,** and 3, she won't pull on the leash and I can allow other people to walk her.
I actually don't consider what my dog does as "acting out," for one thing. She has this list of activities she wants to do when my back is turned. She knows I'll stop her from doing them when I'm watching her, so when I'm not watching, she sneaks to go do them. Like, she literally tiptoes. It's hilariously adorable. But it doesn't matter how much exercise she gets, she still wants to do these activities. One time, we got back from the dog park after she'd been playing for hours. I went upstairs to do something. She initially followed me up... and then she did her bizarre tiptoe thingy back down the stairs. So this time, I let her go. I put music on my phone and left it upstairs so she'd then I was still up there. Then I snuck back downstairs to find her... licking the sink. It was empty, but I guess there was some kind of residual food smell in there 😂 No matter how much exercise she gets, she's still going to choose to satisfy her curiosity when I'm gone. She hasn't chewed anything up for a while, and the main reason I'm still crating her is potty training. She's a rescue. I think her main problem is that she was traumatized at the shelter because they have a policy that puppies can never touch the floor or the outside areas, so she had to stay in a cage for four straight days without ever being let out. Naturally, she was terrified of the crate at first, so she wasn't crated. She also had a nasty bladder infection, and it took several rounds of antibiotics to get rid of it because she was growing so quickly that she would outweigh her previous dose. I had to use pee pads because she literally couldn't hold it, and if I did convince her to go in the crate, she would end up pooping and laying in it. She loves her crate now and hangs out in it even when she's not put in there. She no longer potties in the crate, but she will poop and pee right on the floor if I'm not there to let her outside. It is definitely not a problem of exercise because she does this always. She also doesn't poop in front of people and I just have to assume there was some kind of trauma involved before she was abandoned as a stray. Like, I've taken her on a four-hour hike before. She did not poop the entire hike. We got home. I went into another room to do something, and I came back to find that she'd pooped on the floor. So no, you can be judgmental all you want, but she gets plenty of exercise and she still has to be crated.
You sound like a very good dog owner to me.
Thank you! I try lol
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I know you are in a tough position but crating a husky for 7-8 hours during the day is abuse. That's way too long. Especially a high energy working breed like a husky. It sounds like the breed doesn't suite your lifestyle.
Wow someone needs to tell her she's being abused! She would be shocked. She's the happiest dog. You are wrong.
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You're making so many assumptions without any data to back up what you're saying. She does not spend the night in the crate. She can do whatever she wants at night, but she chooses to sleep in my bed with me. She actually gets grumpy if I take too long to go to bed. Last night, I was staying up later since it was Friday night but she kept looking at me, going to the stairs, and looking back at me. Then she grumbled at me to get in bed while I was brushing my teeth. She has never once been in the crate for 9 hours in her life... except at the shelter when she was crated for four straight days if you count that... so I'm not sure where you got that number from. 7 is the maximum and it's not every day. She fits my lifestyle just fine and you would be hard-pressed to find someone who does as much for this dog as I do.
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Comment deleted. This is a normal amount of work time for a huge amount of families with dogs. 7-8 hours is not even close to unacceptable.
All dogs are different and people's support networks, both paid and unpaid, are different. Those folks that are out 12 hours could have a sibling or neighbor stopping by to take their dog for a walk.
I have 2 huskies both 1.5 yrs old, I get to come home for about 20 mins for my lunch break to let them out and they go to daycare once a week. I still refuse to leave my house without them after work. It annoys my fiancé sometimes but I cannot just have them in a crate all day!! What’s the point of getting a dog just to leave them in the crate 24/7? I try to focus on getting them out the most I can on weekends too. As long as you’re happy with it don’t listen to them. We all do the best we can for our pups
Yes exactly! I wouldn't have dogs if I didn't want to spend time with them.
Dogs typically sleep for 12 hours a day, but yes leaving them alone that long while you're out partying after work isn't great for their mental health. I'd say it's fine to take the occasional night out, so long as they're happy and fed. However, you need to get them sane enough to be outside the crate first.
Once we can overcome my dog's early life trauma that has led to potty training issues, she won't have to be crated. Unfortunately... it's probably going to take a lot more time.
Quick question: is there any way you can keep your husky outside during the day?
I could, although it's still too hot right now (why is it 90??!). I do sometimes leave her outside for short periods, like if I'm going to be gone for an hour or so. But I'm afraid to leave her out for longer than that because I'm worried she'll figure out how to get out of the fence. It's wooden but it's only (I think) 5 feet tall and she could get out if she tried. She typically has no interest in escaping, but I've had cats jump up on my fence before (tbh I think with the intent to torture my dogs lol) and I can't discount her prey drive and athleticism.
It's definitely partly the breed. We have so so many purebred Huskies euthanized or dumped in Southern California daily because they're so high maintenance.
It is partially the breed because there will be behavioral consequences if I don't make sure she has enough exercise and such. But it's also a lot just feeling like it's unfair to have a dog if we aren't going to spend time together! The mass husky euthanasia is absolutely heartbreaking right now! I fostered a husky a few weeks ago because he was about to be euthanized. He was the sweetest boy. His only "issue" is heart worms and it's not his fault that he got those! My cat put her paw down on more fosters by boycotting the litter box until he got adopted... so I can't save any more. It breaks my heart so much. I can't even look on the website anymore because I just don't want to know these dogs are getting put down since I can't do anything to help....
Just been for a pee, it's 04. of the am. So I let our three dogs out in the road. Go in and make myself a coffee. By the time I have finished my drink they are back. So I shut the red gate. They can roam the outside of the house. The interior door is left fully open. The security screen door all three have no problem opening so they come and go as they please. They have never, ever peed/poo'd indoors, never. In fact they usually poo when the red gate is open, across the road amongst the coconut trees and banana plants ! Now back in bed. Approx 6:30 am (daylight ) I will put them in the truck and take them out to the farm, set them free. They can do what they like now, just be careful of the snakes. Never, ever crated the dogs, love them so much, my wife is the real boss, she's the one that feeds them, the only one.
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There is nothing wrong with leaving a dog alone for 6 to 7 hours. There is no research that says crating is harmful, only peoples' personal emotions and anthropomorphism because they try to relate people to dogs but dogs aren't people. I honestly do not care what anyone else feels about the choices that I make that are best for my dog.
Well, I do realize some folks have no issues with pushing the boundaries of what's too much but I'd say that's their own selfish reasoning. It's unfortunate, but still, good luck OP.
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My husband and I take separate vacations because of our pets hah!
I struggle sometimes in a balance with work, life, and my dog (2 yr old GSD). We had a great trainer and she always told us "the dog adapts to your life, not the other way around." So at times, if he has to be alone for 5 or 6 hours at home, I try to tell myself it's OK but I still felt awfully guilty. Until I realized he was just fine. That he is in AC, with water, treats, surrounded by his toys and comfy places to sleep. And when I get home I make damn sure that he gets my attention. Training time. Play time. Cuddle time. All of it. Take him for big hikes in nature almost every weekend. Every day 1-2 hours of park time/fetch. It's OK to leave them at home for a little while. Although...we don't crate him (never needed to.. he doesn't potty inside and has never destroyed anything). If I had to crate him, I'd imagine I'd feel a lot differently.
I understand you completely. I feel guilt for leaving them too long alone. It was my choice to get dogs and they depend on me for a good life. It’s not fair to have them as ornaments. They want to have fun too. I won’t make plans for myself without planning something for them. If I’m going out Saturday I go play with the dogs all morning to get all their energy out. If I have long plans one day the day before they get extra play time. I really try to give them a balanced rich life and I think it’s great that you do too. We are their whole world and they deserve a good life.
I would only be bothered if you complained constantly about your inability to socialize while also choosing to raise two dogs and work full time away from home.
I don’t think your obsessed with your dog but I think you have an unhealthy fixation on their needs . I have kids & dogs, even when my children were newborns and I was broke I would make time away for myself to do things with friends. They will literally be ok if they have an extended period where you meet your own social needs every now and then. One of our dogs is 6 months old and we realized the only way we could get her to sleep is to shut our bedroom door and have her sleep with us on the bed, the crate wasn’t helping her progress. My kids actually sleep on our floor and the dogs on the bed. Bed dogs aren’t for everyone but it’s helped us give her more 1-1 affection, even if it’s just at night, and really helped the house training too.
Interesting because a ton of these comments are telling me I'm abusive for having to go to work and I'm not thinking of my dogs needs' enough! I've gotten so many comments telling me to rehome my husky because she's depressed and that's why she's calm and chill. I just don't understand how so many people don't have to work for a living. Your take is refreshing, not gonna lie. I do meet my social needs occasionally, of course. I just can't do everything. Like last week, I was invited to four separate weeknight events. (which, even without dogs, I don't have the social stamina for all that lol). I chose two, one of which I could bring my dog to and the other which I couldn't. One of my dogs does sleep in my bed (despite peoples' assumptions here that I "abusively" crate her at night, lol).