Sibes and other northern breeds

[Pops2]

Originally Posted by Lyzelle

Good post, RBark. Unfortunately many people use shock collars on their Sibes and I see it often. I personally disagree with it(and prefer management), but it's an overall good post that really shows how different people take away different things from the breed.



But this. OMG this. This is one of my biggest pet peeves lately and I have no idea who started it. But Sibes, Malamutes, etc, are NOT NORDIC. There is nothing Norse about the breed. Nor is "Nordic" a proper substitute for "Northern" as it only relates to certain countries in Northern Europe. It's Spitz, Laika, or just Northern.

If I could strangle the person who came up with "Nordic"...and I have a feeling it was a show breeder.

/rant

well the swedes live next to the norse. and the swedish varangians & their king Rurik gave the name Rus to the east european slavs they conquered. in turn that developed into the ethnonym russian. the russians eventually ruled siberia AND claimed & colonized alaska. so that makes it okay, right.

[RBark]

Originally Posted by Lyzelle

Good post, RBark. Unfortunately many people use shock collars on their Sibes and I see it often. I personally disagree with it(and prefer management), but it's an overall good post that really shows how different people take away different things from the breed.



But this. OMG this. This is one of my biggest pet peeves lately and I have no idea who started it. But Sibes, Malamutes, etc, are NOT NORDIC. There is nothing Norse about the breed. Nor is "Nordic" a proper substitute for "Northern" as it only relates to certain countries in Northern Europe. It's Spitz, Laika, or just Northern.

If I could strangle the person who came up with "Nordic"...and I have a feeling it was a show breeder.

/rant

I'm not sure where you got that I was calling them Nordic, as in Norse.

I clearly meant this definition:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nordic_aliens

[Romy]

Originally Posted by RBark

I'm not sure where you got that I was calling them Nordic, as in Norse.

I clearly meant this definition:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nordic_aliens

[frostfell]

I lold at the green bean incident.

Is it possible to find a very small Malamute, that will mature to like 80 lbs? :c

Is it possible to manage a Sibe puppy in such a way that intestinal blockages DONT ever happen? I mean Im pretty controlling with my dogs, no one does anything iwth them but me, theyre never out of my sight unless kenneled, etc. Wondering how big a deal managing a Sibe is going to be when Im not an absentee sort of owner to start with.

A light wolfgrey male Sibe came into work today and everyone warned me that he was a jerk, but I found him delightful, playful and interested in me and everyone else, but not overly clingly, would check in a couple times an hour and get exactly two pats and then wander off again, gentleman manners, didnt jump up or run into me or knock me over. Woowoo'd a bit but not excessively. If he was longhaired I would have ganked him on the spot lol. Is this typical?

[~Dixie's_Mom~]

Sounds pretty typical to me. My past two huskies (from the same lines) have been much more personable than most. They haven't been as aloof or disinterested as the usual description. My first husky was more typical to the husky personality. So honestly it depends on lines and individual dogs.

As far as them getting into things and ingesting things they shouldn't, it can be prevented, sure. It's just something to be aware of. If you have no idea how quick they can get into trouble, you won't be ready for it. Lol!

[monkeys23]

If you want a dog thats very willing to work, I would strongly suggest going to GSD and staying away from the Northern breeds. Unless its RUNNING most sibes really don't give a crap what you want them to do. Now if you really click with the breed and think like they do, sure you can do a lot of really fun stuff together. But from what you've written... it sounds like Malamutes and Sibes would really rub you the wrong way to work with.

I have two big rules with my sled dog lol.
1. Never trust a husky not to run (that goes for Malamutes as well!).
2. Never trust the husky not to shred your house. The sled dog will get bored and shred stuff. Its not necesarily a need to chew thing.

Never trust a Sibe or Malamute to have recall. Ever.

The ONLY reason mine is trustworthy is because she is half GSD. And there are still LOTS of situations I would never ever trust her in off leash.

Also there are a lot of really not reputable breeders of nothern breeds out there. Buyer massively beware!!!!

If you want something not prone to drama, hysterics, screaming, and general zomg I'm gonna talk all about it then the Sibe (and Malamute too!) are NOT for you.

Lily isn't known as the princess drama queen for nothing. And every single purebred Sibe I've ever met has been the same. Every Malamute I've met has been a chatty drama queen you could never trust off leash too. I've meet some pretty kick butt Malamutes, they are great dogs.

BUT it doesn't sound to me like you would click well at all with a Sibe or Malamute from what you describe. TBH it sounds like you would hate living with one from what you describe wanting in a dog. Pretty much every single sentence in your last post had me going haha well don't get a sled dog then!

Also there are a lot of GSD's that aren't whimpy. I strongly suspect you've not met a well bred GSD. They do tend to be chatty cathy's who are ridiculously obsessed with their owners though.

Don't get a dog because its pretty and fluffy. Both my dog's previous owners got them because they wanted a pretty dog. Needless to say that didn't go well.
All the sibes and mals in rescue can attest that getting a dog because its pretty and fluffy and not expecting a sled dog to act like a sled dog (cracked out husky anyone? ) results in no bueno for anyone.

Get another bulldog yo.

[monkeys23]

Originally Posted by Lyzelle

Even your own yard will NEED to be fenced or the dog will need to be on a leash. Period. Open space = run. And they will be gone in about 5 minutes.

I wouldn't trust most fenced yards either. Most of them can escape the average fence in a hot second when unsupervised. I don't leave mine unsupervised outside unless they are attached securely to something they can't move.

[monkeys23]

Originally Posted by Lyzelle

Oh, and Zane just pulled a Lily. While I was cooking dinner (back turned to the trash can) he dove in for a green bean. That's all he wanted. Just the green bean.

Oh Zane!

Lily knows she'll get at least one green bean. Not spoiled at all...

[monkeys23]

You know you have a husky when before you go to the little girl's room after dragging yourself out of bed, you must first put the kitchen trash up on the counter and kennel the dogs. Then you may use the bathroom. LOL.

Also, when portioning up beef heart for said spoiled dogs, do not go to the bathroom leaving the heart on the cutting board when Lily is loose. She will make herself very happy. LOL.

[Lyzelle]

Awesome posts, as always, Monkey.

Originally Posted by monkeys23

I wouldn't trust most fenced yards either. Most of them can escape the average fence in a hot second when unsupervised. I don't leave mine unsupervised outside unless they are attached securely to something they can't move.

Very true. Teaching boundaries are a lot easier than teaching recall, but they ARE escape artists and they WILL figure it out.

Says the woman with the dog who just opened the bedroom door because she didn't let the Sibe out quick enough.

They may not NEED attention or lovin's, but they DO need a LOT of mental and physical exercise. So all that time you think you're going to get away from the dog doesn't balance out well at all. They aren't clingy. But if they aren't stimulated they'll go stimulate themselves. With your socks. Or opening doors. Or diving into trashcans for green beans and McDonalds. Or totally using the vacuum cleaner as a fun toy. Or teasing the HELL out of your other dogs (because they are smart enough to do it).

And another ditto for the many, many, non-reputable breeders of Sibes and Malamutes. Most are either show-lines (watered down and unhealthy), working lines (who don't cater to the AKC, UKC, pet folks, or any breed club), or pet breeders who put two pretty dogs together and call it a done deal.

The breeder who works, shows, health tests and sticks to any standard isn't the popular one. And I'll say it, I've yet to find one after 7 years looking.