A sib husky exercise ?s

Question
Hi,  I am interested in getting a siberian husky puppy late this year, I like the breed because they are active and enjoy going on walks/runs also because they love other dogs which is great because I have three(I am NOT a dog "collecter" nor puppymiller my dogs are indoor dogs well loved and fixed) I also like there size I'd be getting a female and she'd be a mid sized dog which is just what I'm looking for also the eye colors are very beautiful in this breed, My aunt had a black/white one with lucid blue eyes she was beautiful and could "sing"!

I have only a few concerns that would stop me from getting the puppy this fall/winter and they are

I work genrally 5 days a week anywhere from 4-8 hours a day with some odd weekend work of anywhere from 3-6 hours. I crate my dogs when I'm working but living with my parents pays off because they let the dogs out for me several times a day and feed them on time daily if I can't make it home in time. I walk my dogs every morning before work(right now its been null for my one dog shes tore the ligament in her knee and I'm just putting the money away to fix it while shes on pain meds which are working great) and genrally play in our large yard with my dogs every weekend and during workdays after work, I also play with them indoors with toys and play wreasle with them until they go off and wreasle alone. I can honeslty put a full hour a day into my dogs for exercise(walks/runs/chasing toys) and for socilization I hang out with them and watch tv/write ect would that be enough for a Siberian husky? I never mind walking my dogs in all weather rain/sleet/snow/hail/wind/sun/dark I still walk them regardless because I know they need there exercise to stay healthy as do I.

I am buying a small dog run shortly it will be 10X10X6  or 10X12X6 I have to check at the store, This way my parents could leave the dogs out for a bit while I'm working when the weather is ok without worrying about them jumping at the fence or escaping also it would allow the husky puppy to not have to be crated during my work shifts...this way the puppy wouldn't constantly soil its crate and have to sit in it.  

Another thing concerning me is the coat... my aunt had the dog so long ago I forget what a huskies coat is like...is it a hard outercoat with a plush undercoat? do they shed year round like a labrador retreiver or just twice yearly in clumps?(I can pull hair clots out of my labs coat in the spring and fall)

And lastly persoanlity! Are they personiable dogs? that love being around people? or do they have a "I'll be petted when I want to be" attitude?

Thank you very much for any info you can give me I apprecate every word of it.

Tara.  

Answer
Generally, if you have owned dogs before and interact with them on a regular basis - Sibes are a great addition.  Some things to keep in mind about puppies in general and Sibes in particular will help you in your decision.  If you are ok with these things, or can work around them, then I would think you would be fine with the breed:

1) As a puppy, the dog should be crated for house training purposes.  A dog should never be crated longer than it is months old plus one.  For example, a two month old pup shouldn't be crated longer than three hours, and a four month old pup - five hours.  And an adult dog should not be crated for more than 8 hours.  If your parents can let the pup out on a regular schedule for the first few weeks, perfect!

2) Sibes are master escape artists - they look at fences and dog runs as challenges.  While not all are Houdini masters, realize that a dog run may only be a slight deterrent to a Sibe looking to explore.  Make sure that any dog run is adequately reinforced, but otherwise, it's a great chance to let the dog have a little more freedom when you can't be around to supervise.

3) Sibes are never to be trusted off-lead in an open area.  Playing in a fenced backyard is great, but outside of that, Sibes have an interesting trait that was developed being working sled dogs.  Basically, they have a highly developed prey drive - and that allows them to see something, focus 100% on that object, and begin a chase that does not end until the goal is met.  This focus is an amazing trait of sled dogs, but unfortunately means that they will ignore commands and simply run off.  Add to that a lack of a homing instinct, and you can see why many Sibes end up missing.  They were bred to run 100+ miles per day in snow, so they have plenty of energy and endurance to keep running after whatever it is they want to run after.  An enclosed area though is great for this breed.

4) Honestly, a good long walk/run a day is perfect for this breed.  While they are extremely active, they are like a lot of dogs and enjoy relaxing too.  If you can seriously dedicate an hour a day to active interaction with the dogs, you should have a well adjusted dog.  Add to that, Sibes are extremely social dogs - they were bred to live in a pack, so they need and thrive on social interaction.  That can be human or canine, or both - and since you have other dogs, your Sibe can get its social time from both sources - perfect!  Be aware that Sibes are known for loving to play rough with other dogs, so you may have to watch that if you have small dogs.  However, a Sibe that is raised with rules on how to play, usually can do quite well with small dogs.  Just make sure to make appropriate corrections if the Sibe gets too rough with a dog who can't handle it.

5) Sibes are a double-coated arctic breed.  Labrador's have a similar coat - coarse outer coat of guard hairs, and then a softer undercoat for warmth.  Twice a year, depending on your climate, the dog will "blow" the undercoat.  It comes out in cotton ball like clumps usually, and will result in a rather mangy looking dog for a few weeks.  The rest of the season, the dog normally sheds off a few guard hairs and some of the undercoat.  Still a substantial amount of fur, but nothing compared to the coat blow!  Indoor dogs, or dogs that share indoor and outdoor time, usually prolong the coat blow because they don't have a consistent ambient temperature to encourage the coat blow.  Therefore, mayn Sibes that are house pets shed pretty much year round.

6) Sibes as a breed are extremely friendly to humans and canines alike.  In fact, most have no sense of territoriality and little to no aggression.  Females can be a little skittish if not socialized as much, but you have other dogs, so I don't see that being a problem.  However, Sibes were also bred to be independent thinkers, and that can make training extraordinarily difficult.  Also, some Sibes are more independent than others, and will express that in interesting ways.  So you may see some aloofness expressed because of that independence.

Overall, they are a great breed, but a challenge.  They have energy to rival any working dog, a friendly disposition that makes them a joy to be around, an intelligence that rivals some of the smartest breeds, and an independence that makes them difficult to make subordinate.  However, if you like being challenged and staying active, and you like a dog whose loyalty is to everyone and whose fur is everywhere, they can be a great addition to a family!

Hope that helps some and feel free to write back if you feel like I missed anything!