Husky as a pet for an 11 yr old girl

danois

tk123 wrote: »

So do I - he loves nothing better than getting wet and mucky and I've built up a fine collection of rain coats/fleeces/waterproof bottoms/boots/sandwich bags for over my socks to keep my feet dry/hats/scarves/gloves..and a good hairdryer for both of us!

Just to add I posted that as the OP has given me the opinion that they're not going to be the best owner. A lot of people are clueless at first - myself included but are willing to seek and take advice on board - these guys don't give me that impression but hopefully they'll prove us wrong. Just in case anyone comes across this thread and thinks we're all a bunch of w@nkers not wanting to share our advice and experiences and shoot people down! :pac:

you might regret saying that lol I just got a husky cross pup because of how cute he is. Read this thread and realised how stupid a thing to do that was. hes going to be harder work than i thought but I will deffo do a bit of research and be back on looking for help and guidance. So far so good tho hes a good little guy. I decided to feed him out the back yesterday as it was a nice warm day lol wont do that again he sat back and watched the birds eat his food it was quiet funny. So think i will stick to indoor feeding for now!!

mikemac

Go for a border collie OP

Still need lots of exercise but your 11 year old can manage one.

You also need a backgarden like Alcatraz, pure escape artists.
How old is your youngest OP? They'll round up the children for you

But sometimes go too far, our collie is fond of nipping my ankles :mad:

Said already, an 11 year old cannot control a huskey.

koneko

Edit. Removed.

I don't want to get all pissy about it, this kind of thing just really really irks me because the dogs ends up suffering, not the people who take big decisions so lightly.

TangyZizzle

Latest development - No dog.

barbiegirl

Best decision they could have made :-)

TangyZizzle

It's only a temporary thing. It turns out that along with being bad at picking the dog for her and her family, the Mother is terrible at dealing with her own income. She hasn't decided not to get a dog.. she just can't afford it at the moment.

The Sweeper

Any chance you could give a vet near to her a call and ask for a printed price list for vaccinations, xrays, anaesthetic and so on? Get two or three so you can look like you were being helpful by shopping around...

TangyZizzle

While I dont agree with them getting a husky and DO agree that they cannot take care of it properly.. I dont expect them to start throwing it down the stairs. I know people who've had dogs for years and never had to pay for xrays or anaesthetics. She won't buy a dog unless it's been given its vaccinations, been microchipped and deloused/wormed.

ISDW

TangyZizzle wrote: »

While I dont agree with them getting a husky and DO agree that they cannot take care of it properly.. I dont expect them to start throwing it down the stairs. I know people who've had dogs for years and never had to pay for xrays or anaesthetics. She won't buy a dog unless it's been given its vaccinations, been microchipped and deloused/wormed.

But do you know people who've had huskies and not listened to advice and let them off the lead? Leading to car accidents etc. Accidents do happen and dogs can need treatment. If, as you seemed to think, they will go to a puppy farmer or BYB, then chances are the dog won't be healthy and will probably need vet treatment early in its life. Huskies can suffer from hip dysplacia and genetic eye problems, both of which can be very, very expensive to treat.

TangyZizzle

ISDW wrote: »

Huskies can suffer from hip dysplacia and genetic eye problems, both of which can be very, very expensive to treat.

This is the kind of stuff that I need to know. Please develop on these points.

Outkast_IRE

TangyZizzle wrote: »

This is the kind of stuff that I need to know. Please develop on these points.

I dont think i would own such a dog without health insurance for it , one problem such as hip displasia or broken bone and you could be down thousands in no time.

TangyZizzle

Outkast_IRE wrote: »

I dont think i would own such a dog without health insurance for it , one problem such as hip displasia or broken bone and you could be down thousands in no time.

And that's where all of your deepest fears lie. I can guaranfookingtee you that if she is shown a vet bill with more than 3 figures on it this dog will be in a pound faster than you can say "I told you so,"

The Sweeper

TangyZizzle wrote: »

While I dont agree with them getting a husky and DO agree that they cannot take care of it properly.. I dont expect them to start throwing it down the stairs. I know people who've had dogs for years and never had to pay for xrays or anaesthetics. She won't buy a dog unless it's been given its vaccinations, been microchipped and deloused/wormed.

You don't have to throw a dog down stairs to have to pay for an anaesthetic or an x-ray. There's a myriad of things they can do to themselves, without even considering accidents they can fall foul of. The important factor is that you cannot deny an animal necessary veterinary care. So you have to be prepared to pay if it happens. Hopefully if she gets her head around that idea it might help put her off.

Vaccinations are not something that are given one-off and never repeated. They have to be given annually. If she ever needs to kennel the dog while she goes on holidays, the dog's vaccinations will have to be up to date.

Worming is also not a one-off expense. It's a quarterly requirement and the price of the tablet depends on the weight of the dog.

The genetic eye diseases in huskies are juvenile cataracts, corneal dystrophy and progressive retinal atrophy.


[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]What are hereditary cataracts & how are they transmitted? [/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]Hereditary or juvenile cataracts are manifested by opacity in the lens of a young dog as early as 3 months of age. These cataracts are different from the non-hereditary cataracts affecting aged or senior dogs. The function of the lens of the eye is to focus the rays of light so that they form an image on the retina. An opacity or cataract on the lens causes less light to enter the eye and sight can be diminished. A cataract can cause a mild decrease in eyesight to complete blindness in severe cases. Cataracts can further be classified by location and stage of development. The most common hereditary cataract in the Siberian Husky occurs on the posterior region of the lens. It is not uncommon for a cataract to develop in one eye months before the other eye shows the effects of the disease. Recent DNA research indicates that juvenile cataracts may be carried by a recessive gene. Genetic research is presently under way to develop a simple DNA test to identify dogs and bitches that carry the recessive gene for cataracts. [/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]What is corneal dystrophy? [/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]Corneal dystrophy affects the cornea or the outer transparent portion of the eyeball. In most cases, Siberian Huskies with this disorder have an abnormal collection of lipids in the clear cornea of the eye which results in a hazy or crystalline opacity. Ophthalmologists describe the location of the opacity as anterior, mid, or deep stromal. The Siberian Husky is prone to deep stromal dystrophy which involves triglyceride deposits. Annular dystrophy also occurs and appears as a doughnut shaped opacity in the peripheral cornea. Corneal dystrophy is usually seen in young adult dogs and may affect females more than males. Vision is seldom affected and no effective therapy for the condition exists at this time. Recent genetic tests are suggesting that a recessive gene with variant expression transmits this disorder. [/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]What is progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) & how is it transmitted? [/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) affects the retina, the light-sensitive inner lining of the posterior part of the eyeball. The retina contains two types of specialized cells called rods and cones. The rods are necessary for sight in dim light or night light, and the cones are utilized in in bright light vision. The Siberian Husky has a unique type of PRA that is only found in Siberians and man. This type of PRA is called XLPRA (X Linked PRA) since it is transmitted through the "XX" chromosome of the female. It will cause a loss of night vision followed by a loss of day vision, eventually blindness. The recessive gene for XLPRA is situated on the "X" chromosome of the female. Females who inherit a defective gene on the "X" chromosome from one parent and a normal gene on the other "X" chromosome from the other parent, will not be seriously affected. They will be carriers with very subtle retinal defects and no loss of vision. The male puppy from a carrier dam will receive either a defective gene or a normal gene, depending on what chromosome was copied in the DNA replication. If he has the defective gene, the dog will be affected with PRA since males carry an "XY" chromosome. The disease in males can be devastating with loss of vision as early as 5 months of age. [/SIZE][/FONT]

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LucyBliss

The Sweeper wrote: »

You don't have to throw a dog down stairs to have to pay for an anaesthetic or an x-ray. There's a myriad of things they can do to themselves, without even considering accidents they can fall foul of. The important factor is that you cannot deny an animal necessary veterinary care. So you have to be prepared to pay if it happens. Hopefully if she gets her head around that idea it might help put her off.

THIS! So far, we've had one injure her cruciate ligament and another with a food allergy that had her throwing up and she went for every test possible. And that's just with them going about their daily business!
Luckily we have pet insurance. Ever since we had a border collie develop a heart complaint and went through six months of expensive medication and tests, it's a top priority. But I'll be honest, there are some months where we have to either do without something else or put something on the long finger to pay for it. It's a fact of dog ownership. They need minding and that minding can be expensive.

It's what I signed up for though when I said I'd keep them. But if you're a penny pincher or a bit tight with the aul cash, there are cheaper 'fads' to get in on.

ciarak7511

TangyZizzle wrote: »

Hi,

I know close to zilch about dogs. The idea of getting a husky for a child in my immediate family has been brought up and is most likely going to come to fruition within the coming weeks.
I would like to know the pros and cons of getting a Husky pup for an 11 year old girl.

I heard plenty of ranting and raving over the past few months about people getting malamute because they can become quite strong and difficult to handle in their adulthood - so Im looking to ya know.. avoid that entirely.

You should go for a rescue husky, they will be trained and better with children. also gives a good home to a dog in need. check here and on dogactionwelfare

**Vai**

Only just seen this thread and had a quick skim through it. Fair play to u OP not many 20 year olds have the common sense u do. I cant believe a husky is even being considered for a child, its incredible.

The point that sticks in my head is that they turn down a lab (might need to be corrected about the breed) because everyone has one but everyone has a husky now. I live in an estate of about 100 houses and their are at least 4 huskies, they are the new trendy dog unfortunately. They will also be taking over every pound in the country in the next few years because kids like the 11 year old this thread is about, are kids and dont know any better. Its up to the parent to put the foot down and say small dog or no dog.