In need of a new dog

Question
Hi, i very recently had our beloved king charles cavi put down and we are in need of a new dog for the house is too lonely!
I have been thinking alot about getting a husky and would appreciate an honest opinion of the dog.
It would be aloud in and out of the house and it would run with me almost everyday unless its too hot then we would walk.
i have 24/hr access to a dog grooming salon, and top quality dog food.
Is there anything i should be warned about?
Thanks alot,
Penny

Answer
Well, I'll give you the basic run down of this breed:

It's a very social animal, was raised in packs and thrives on interaction.  This socialization can be human or canine, but it definitely needs it.

The dog was bred to be nomadic, so it should not be allowed free roam of the outside.  Siberian Huskies lack a homing instinct and will often go out for a run and forget how to get back.

The dog was bred to run - and by running, I mean with 15 friends in the snow while pulling a sled.  The Iditarod is 1100 miles and is completed in 9 days by top teams.  That means that dogs are running 120+ miles per day - they have a lot of energy!

The dog was bred to live in arctic conditions.  This doesn't mean they don't do well in other climates (I live in Kentucky and we have hot summers here and cool winters), but it is something to be aware of.  An air-conditioned indoor area is essential if you live anywhere that gets warm.  Heating?  Not so much.

Siberians were bred to be independent thinkers.  This also translates to stubbornness.  Actually, they are extremely intelligent as a breed, but were bred to question authority.  This really comes out in sledding where the dog was to think what commands REALLY meant.  The joke is you can put a Golden Retriever on a sled and tell it to pull.  You say turn right, it turns right.  Put a Sibe on a sled, tell it to pull and say turn right . . .  it waits until you clear the trees.  Great that they think about commands on a sled, but that can test your patience when you say sit, or come . . .

With their intelligence also comes problem solving.  They have an uncanny ability to figure things out and often know the rules better than you do.  They will change them and manipulate them to their advantage.  And fences are considered challenges to be chewed through, dug under or jumped over.  Electricity they haven't figured out yet fortunately.

The dog has an extremely high prey drive.  They can become very focused on small animals and will chase, most likely catch, and then most likely kill what they get.  This does include cats and can include small dogs.  Often, they just like to play so rough that it is accidental, but they can't be trusted with these animals.  Our "kill" count with two Sibes is well over 20 possums, a handful of rats, moles, birds, and chipmunks.  They are skillful hunters.

Sibes also shouldn't be trusted off lead.  The high prey drive, inability to respond immediately to commands, lack of homing instinct and desire to run - it's easy to loose them in the open.

Overall, I caution people against getting the dog, but mainly because a lot of people simply don't understand them.  They are not the cuddly wolf that they can easily appear to be.  They are a challenge to own, but for Siberian Husky owners, that is the reward.  Having a dog that thinks and questions, and has boundless amounts of energy for play and running, and isn't always concerned about what you think - it's a great experience.

Hope that helps some, and feel free to write back if you have additional questions or concerns.