On Thu, 24 Jul 2003 13:58:12 GMT, Ruud wrote:

Hi!

Since about 12 hours I'm the proud and oh so happy owner of a male
Husky pup. Scoured the web right away reading many a FAQ. As a usenet
fan I thought I would drop in here as well and see what the expert
owners have to say about some questions I'm left with

- I see Huskies most commonly referred to as Siberean Husky. Now I
wonder if there are other types as well then? Apart from that this is
"a" Husky we don't know anything about him.

Where did you get him? If you got him from a breeder, the breeder
should know whether or not he's purebred Siberian Husky. If he came
from an animal shelter, they can make a good guess, but may not know
for sure until he's an adult. Siberian Huskies are a specific breed
or dog. Many people refer to them as huskies; many experienced
Siberian owners refer to them as Sibes. There are also Alaskan
Huskies, which really are a mixed breed produced for sleddog racing.

- One of the things I keep reading is: do NOT let the dog off the
leash or he will get away. Now, I'm more or less used to shepherd dogs
(german and belgian) and had thought I would provide my Husk with some
running activity by taking him to the park, have a nice ball-throwing
session. I understand now that I can NOT do this? How do I excercise
the dog then? Are they really that bad at getting away?

Yes, you understand correctly that you just let your Siberian off
leash in the park. There is a world of difference between a German
Shepherd Dog (and other herding dogs) and a Siberian Husky. Sibes are
runners and seem to have an inbred wanderlust. They are also
excellent escape artists and can often climb, dig under or chew
through fences. You need to exercise your husky on leash - - - jog
with him, take up sledding or carting or another similar sport, find a
fenced area when you can let him run. BTW, not too many huskies enjoy
fetch either.

- Can I compare them in final size to say a male german shepherd
dog?

No, he'll be smaller. Males generally aren't over 60 lb, and about 24
(I think?) inches. There really isn't much to compare between an GSD
and a Siberian. g If I were you, I'd get some good breed books, or
even better, read FAQs and breed descriptions on some of the Siberian
Husky rescue groups' web sites.

- They are described as being an "everbody" friend and not being
exclusive to one person. Naturally the kids are all over him, petting
him whenever possible. Does this interfere with me establishing myself
as the alpha?

No, their friendliness to everyone should have nothing to do with him
seeing you as his leader. Siberians often train differently than
other breeds, though. A Sibe isn't necessarily going to want to do
something just because you asked him to and he loves you. Siberians
are intelligent, independent and easily bored. If you're used to
shepherds, you have some surprises coming, and I'd really suggest you
start reading! G

Mustang Sally (4 Siberians live here)