Sled dog/Northern breeds....is there a crisis coming?

mickmcl09

Apologies, I wasn't sure what to call the thread, anyway.

I was at the Petmania charity dog walk today and a lady came up to me admiring my fellas. Her story was that she had a Siberian Husky pup at home. To make a long story short, her face nearly turned to stone when I suggested that she must like walking etc etc and that it wouldn't be long before the puppy was 12 months + and going on all kinds of adventures with her every day (I lost the run of myself with the fun she'd have with him - in a good way). Her body language oozed of a person that hadn't done her homework on the breed.

Separate story - I visited a pound a few months ago, lots of Staffies were there on the day, but the warden said that he was seeing more and more husky types.

We also had the recent dog mauling incident.

None of it augers well for the breeds and it's irritating to say the least. It's obvious that there's alot of problems coming down the line, some are already evident. I'd love to say something can be done but that seems a bit nieve.

Can anything really be done to lessen what's coming?

Side note, I never met so many people as I have in the last week who were on edge in terms of being near my dogs, IMO the mauling incident has already really coloured peoples perceptions of northern breeds and I have Samoyeds.

Zapperzy

Most definitely! Certainly not a breed for everyone (sibes and mals anyways, don't know a lot about samoyeds) yet every tom, dick and harry is getting one it seems. Donedeal is full of both pups and adult dogs for sale, I would even say they're probably nearly as popular as cavs on there now. I said it before but I really can see them being added to the RB list in the future. :-(

I know one guy who bought a sibe, no papers, for €300, went for this particular breeder as she was cheap. The dog looks like there was a collie in the mix somewhere, full of lice and worms as a pup. And of course kept as an outdoor dog with a radio fence.

Outkast_IRE

mickmcl09 wrote: »

Apologies, I wasn't sure what to call the thread, anyway.

I was at the Petmania charity dog walk today and a lady came up to me admiring my fellas. Her story was that she had a Siberian Husky pup at home. To make a long story short, her face nearly turned to stone when I suggested that she must like walking etc etc and that it wouldn't be long before the puppy was 12 months + and going on all kinds of adventures with her every day (I lost the run of myself with the fun she'd have with him - in a good way). Her body language oozed of a person that hadn't done her homework on the breed.

Separate story - I visited a pound a few months ago, lots of Staffies were there on the day, but the warden said that he was seeing more and more husky types.

We also had the recent dog mauling incident.

None of it augers well for the breeds and it's irritating to say the least. It's obvious that there's alot of problems coming down the line, some are already evident. I'd love to say something can be done but that seems a bit nieve.

Can anything really be done to lessen what's coming?

Side note, I never met so many people as I have in the last week who were on edge in terms of being near my dogs, IMO the mauling incident has already really coloured peoples perceptions of northern breeds and I have Samoyeds.

The only people recent events will have an effect on will be people who dont know dogs well and realistically shouldnt be owners of such breeds.

Your right on the point of lack of education some of its downright disturbing i had a similar incident a work colleague of my gf was talking about getting a husky coming up to christmas and i enquired .
1.Does she run or walk alot so ? Answer No
2.Has she kept dogs before ? No
3. Is she getting two if shes going to be at work during the day? No
4. Has she contacted a registered breeder to discuss purchase ? No

I told the gf to tell her i specifically said to do a quick 10 minute google to see what others think of them exercise wise, temperment, behaviour etc. And to google the problems with puppy farming popular breeds at the moment.

Turned the person right off she didnt realise that they were serious work , very rewarding without a doubt but serious work . And not a dog for someone who hasnt kept or worked with dogs before.

mickmcl09

Is it me or is there more adult dogs for sale on these sites than ever before?
Most of them 'sad' looking and ungroomed. People who obviously found out that there was more to owning one of these beautiful dogs.

johnnyjb

I was talking to a girl at work recently and she was showing every one a picture of her "fluffy white lovely new dog" and didnt seem have a clue about dogs in general.

She didnt seem the brightest and was only getting one cause their the "new cool trend"

Can only imagine what becomes of the poor dog.

mickmcl09

Zapperzy wrote: »

I said it before but I really can see them being added to the RB list in the future. :-(

Could that be a good thing? Would it discourage people from buying one?
Would being on the RB list encourage undesirables who would 'try to make them more aggressive' to own one?

An owner of a RB might shed a bit on the above.

ISDW

In answer to the question in the thread title - no, there isn't a crisis coming. Its already here, and has been for at least the last year. There used to be a couple of northern breed rescues in NI, they no longer exist as they just couldn't keep up. I can't take anymore dogs in, am full to the hilt and the homes just aren't out there. Sorry, homes are out there, but suitable homes are not out there.

griffon15

I would say it is already here as well. you just have to look on Donedeal and see the amount of pups and the amount of older dogs around the 18 mths mark. I would say people only realise then the amount of work that goes into them and they can't handle them so want to get rid. I was also in our pound in Limerick about 3 weeks ago and there was 2 of them. They were dirty and thin. The fella in the pound said owner could not handle them anymore. He said he is getting more and more in now. Very sad

WolfgangWeisen

ISDW wrote: »

In answer to the question in the thread title - no, there isn't a crisis coming. Its already here, and has been for at least the last year. There used to be a couple of northern breed rescues in NI, they no longer exist as they just couldn't keep up. I can't take anymore dogs in, am full to the hilt and the homes just aren't out there. Sorry, homes are out there, but suitable homes are not out there.

Sorry to hear about that.

I was actually thinking about the future of the "husky" breeds today, it's not looking good. Every second person appears to be getting a "husky" puppy at the moment and there appears to be no short supply of them either. New litters are appearing on donedeal and similar at a frightening frequency.

I've no doubt that the vast, vast majority of those buying these dogs aren't doing any homework on the breed, let alone the breeders. Likewise, those same people most likely aren't giving the dogs the attention, exercise and stimulation they require also.

As such, I'm saddened to think of what the future holds these breeds. At the least I'm sure we'll see scores being dumped into pounds due to being "bad" dogs who destroyed property due to lack of stimulation, them being dumped onto ignorant lists such as "restricted breeds list", or more ignorantly known as the "dangerous dogs list" due to untrained dogs snapping or biting or taking playing too far and more.

If they get a "dangerous" reputation, then the little hard men will seek them even more than they are now, driving the breed even further into the ground.

mickmcl09

Down through the years different breeds come and go out of fashion and it's reflected in the numbers of those dogs going through pounds and rescues. In recent times you've had the staffs and now northern breeds.

ISDW, in your experience how long does the phase last, before things settle down, sorry hard to generalise. How long might it take for the phase that Sibs are going through, for it to settle down?

I wouldn't like to jinx a breed, but what's in (coming into) fashion at the moment?

ISDW

mickmcl09 wrote: »

Down through the years different breeds come and go out of fashion and it's reflected in the numbers of those dogs going through pounds and rescues. In recent times you've had the staffs and now northern breeds.

ISDW, in your experience how long does the phase last, before things settle down, sorry hard to generalise. How long might it take for the phase that Sibs are going through, for it to settle down?

I wouldn't like to jinx a breed, but what's in (coming into) fashion at the moment?

I don't know I'm afraid, I only deal with the northern breeds, you'd need to ask some of the more general rescues about the cycle of the trends.:(

Dalmatians were one thanks to Disney, but I don't think it really exploded with them. Akitas weren't as bad as people feared either I don't think, after Haachi. See what Disney is making a film about next, and theres the next must have breed. Maybe with the lack of money around though, it won't happen?

The problem with the northern breeds isn't confined just to us unfortunately, the UK have it just as bad, so the homes aren't over there for us to ship the problem off to. I heard tonight that one UK husky welfare is shutting their doors for the next few months, they are full and dogs just aren't leaving. The sibe club in the Uk have a great welfare scheme, but again, they had to stop taking unregistered dogs a couple of years ago as they had too many to deal with. Even now, just dealing with what they do, they are running out of money fast and are full. I know that the sibe club here don't have a welfare scheme, I don't know if the malamute club does, I don't think so, but obviously I'm open to correction on that one.

TooManyDogs

ISDW wrote: »

Dalmatians were one thanks to Disney, but I don't think it really exploded with them. Akitas weren't as bad as people feared either I don't think, after Haachi. See what Disney is making a film about next, and theres the next must have breed

The movies do unfortunately have a big influence on the next big trend in dogs, I dread seeing a movie about a dog now when I used to look forward to a trip to the cinema. Haachi didn't appear to have a big influence on the akitas in rescue because they had already come into favour and fallen out again so there were/are a steady number of akita and crosses to be had in pounds and rescues anyway. You wouldnt believe the number of 'Marley's showing up in rescue after that movie.

I think the northern breeds suffered badly by the release of Snow Dogs and 8 Below, both movies I thoroughly enjoyed but unfortunately showed fabulously trained working husky types and therefore made it look like it was an easy thing to have one as a pet Why is it that it never occurs to people when watching a movie about sled dogs and the miles they run that if they get a 'sled' dog they'll have to run those miles too???

Ddad

I think in general many dog owners show a level of ignorance as to what responsible dog ownership entails. I've wanted a dog for years but we had limited time, small kids (lots of attention needed) and limited space.

So we moved to the countryside. The children are all in school and I'm at home. We got offered a puppy and I knew both of the parents so I said yes after thinking long and hard.

Now here's the thing, he's a big commitment and a lot of expense. No secrets there. So my friends ask about the dog. I say he's great but he takes a lot of time. They say how much I say at least and hour to an hour and a half each day. They say playing with him? I say, no; exercise, trainig, grooming, cleaning , feeding, training the children how to be with him etc. The ammount of people that roll the eye's as if your a feckin eejit for doing all that. The thing is the same mates will call over and say the dogs very good for his age. They're amazed he sits and follows basic commands and tell me their dogs can't do that at two and three years.

I suppose what I'm getting at is that for so many people the dog is thrown out in the yard, fed ****e and never paid attention to when it get's beyond a pup. Throw an animal like a malamute into that mix and hey presto. The whole thing saddens me. By the way there isn't a hope I'd have gotten a northern breed dog, not enough hours in my day, they are the most beautiful animals though.

mymo

Its not just Northern breeds, as said above, everyone admires my cute hairy dogs, how nicely they walk on the lead, how playful they are, what great tricks they do.
I always tell them that for the first year of their lives I spent 3 or more hrs a day brushing, training, walking, etc. That I still spend 2hrs a day on them, that I bring them everywhere I can, that I spend a fortune on food and toys and stuff for them, and can't even think of a night out or weekend away, without thinking of the dogs.
But still the number of people that think if they got a dog like mine it must come just as well groomed and trained as mine, that they won't need to get up at 6am to walk them before work, and that I am exaggerating how much work it takes.
I love my dogs, I choose this with my eyes wide open, I had dogs all my life, I just wish more people would listen and do their research.


Edit: and don't get me started on pooper scoopers, shutting the dog outside all day and wondering why its not house trained, or leaving the dog inside all day with no exercise or anything to occupy it and wondering why it chews through doors and eats the furniture!

Birdnuts

griffon15 wrote: »

I would say it is already here as well. you just have to look on Donedeal and see the amount of pups and the amount of older dogs around the 18 mths mark. I would say people only realise then the amount of work that goes into them and they can't handle them so want to get rid. I was also in our pound in Limerick about 3 weeks ago and there was 2 of them. They were dirty and thin. The fella in the pound said owner could not handle them anymore. He said he is getting more and more in now. Very sad

Theres a chap in this town breeding them like rabbits - every second kid now appears to be towing one. I can see all this ending badly - especcially for the dogs:(. As a nation, we really are clueless when it comes to sensible dog ownership.

griffon15

I have to agree with what is being said. On my whole street I am the only one who brings their dogs out and mine are the only ones who live in the house. You should see the looks we get when they know our Rottie sleeps on our couch lol. I have tried talkin to neighbours before but they just sneer at me and say don't know how you do it. I couldn't do it with the kids etc. All my children are 9 and under. I walk my dogs with a buggy no problem. The other children do the 5 mile walk we do at the weekends also. Nothern dogs need so much work people just like the look of them.:(