What Breed of Dog Should I get with my Husky?

Hello Evreyone,

I have had a husky for more than 8 months now and I would like to get another dog to accompany him for when I'm not home.

Now I know that every individual dog is different however breeds do have a difference.

The two options that I am considering is either a German Shepard or a Pharaoh hound. But first I will describe my husky.

Even do I live in Malta which is quite hot in the summer he does very well considering the heat. I take him out in long walks almost every day at least 5 days a week. I would like to let him off leash but when I tried that for about 2 weeks he did not come back when called so that was the end of that. But I am training him outside and he is seeming to make progress so maybe in a month or two I will try again. Also after some hours have passed after the walks he barks at me because he still wants to play constantly and I do take him for long walks and sometimes he breaks some stuff.

So why I am considering the German Shepard:

So they are really trainable and I would hope for the GS to lead the husky when off leash. However I don't want the husky to influence the new dog in a negative way which would basically lead me to have 2 huskies.

The pharaoh hound:

I am very patriotic and since the pharaoh hound is Malta's national dog that is a bonus. I hear that hounds can be very active when outside but at home they are couch potatoes. Hopefully that would help calm down the other dog along with play. But I hear they are not very trainable so I would have the same problem off-leash.

Also please help me with either male or female, my husky is male. to help avoid conflicts between them.

Sorry for the long post.

Thanks in advance!

Regards Glenn

Siberian Huskies are one of the breeds suggested to be "same sex aggressive" so a female would be a safer bet.

The breed you choose is down to you. All dogs can learn recall, regardless of breed. Some are just more difficult.

You definitely want a female. Many pups are same sex aggressive, better not to take the chance. With a Husky you want another breed with equal energy and stamina. I think a female German Shepherd would be terrific. They do need careful training and socialization, but if you're prepared to put in the extra effort a GSD would be a nice match for your dog.

Yup, going to agree, a female would be ideal. A GSD or perhaps another Shepherd breed (have a look at Belgians!) would be brilliant.

Huskies, like most of the Spitz type dogs, are notorious for their poor recall. This goes hand in hand with their intelligence and independent-mindedness, both highly desirable traits for working dogs that do the kind of work that they do. Shepherds they are not! You can train them to recall, but it's hard indeed. Having a much more biddable friend around will help burn off some of his exuberant energy and maybe help teach him too. Good luck, and I hope you find the perfect pup!

Thanks a lot for your responses. Having taking into account what you said a female GSD might be the way to go. Hopefully he should learn from the GSD, what I worry about is that the GSD would take all the negative traits of the husky since I would probably find a pup.

Also would a doberman be a good alternative?

Just a quick question out of curiosity what do you guys think of the Pharaoh hound, have you very heard about it?

Thanks

When you say Belgians, are you referring to the Belgian Shepard or the Belgian malinois... or are they the same thing?

I know nothing about Pharaoh Hounds but my best buddy had a GSD for many years. If you find one who has been carefully bred it might actually teach your Husky some positive behavior. Shepherds can be highly intelligent and focused even from a young age. Once again socialization and training is very important from day one.

You obviously not owned an Afghan Hound then. We have for almost 40 years and several at any one time. Afghan Hounds don't do recall

It does sound to me as if your Husky is telling you he's bored - the walking is great, but this is a breed with super-high energy levels and an active brain, too! You could do a lot more with him.

There are lots of tricks you can teach him using a clicker and target stick. Work on that recall until it's pin-sharp, teach him to down-stay at a distance, to walk to heel, jump over obstacles, and so on. Huskies love to pull - it's in their genes - have you considered something like Cani-cross? This is where the dog and owner both wear specially designed harnesses, with a bungee leash between them. The dog runs ahead and 'pulls' the owner as he/she runs after it. It's the nearest thing to sledding without a sled!

A new puppy is going to need a lot of individual attention if she/he isn't to learn your Husky's naughty tricks; what will your Husky do while you're training the pup?

You must be honest here; your Husky doesn't want to share you with another dog. He wants MORE of you! You should only get another dog if YOU want one, not for your current dog.

Another dog is not going to teach your Husky a good recall, or anything else. You are right to worry that your Husky might teach your new puppy his naughty behaviour, and then you'd have two of them to deal with! It's up to you to teach your dog what you want him to know, and that will be far easier without a puppy to also consider.

It's true, once they have become friends, two dogs will enjoy each other's company, especially when you aren't around - but its vital that both dogs both see YOU as the most important and fun thing in their lives.

My advice, for what it's worth, is to spend some more time with your current Husky, see if you can develop a stronger bond with him by teaching him tricks etc; play 'hide and seek' when you take him out, for example, to encourage his recall. A special treat when he finds you will make him keen to play the game again.

Give it another year, work with your Husky and if at the end of the year he has made good progress and you still want another dog, that might be a better time to do it.

Best of luck!

I think that is some very sound advice Ponlady. Don't forget there is never a guarantee your dogs will get on. I got a GSD pup when I already had a 9 year old Border Collie and he never liked her, they just ended up each doing their own thing and tolerating each other at best. GSDs (Like Huskys) can be very vocal, be aware that this combination has a high likelihood of becoming a very noisy pair if not trained well, egging each other on. Hope you don't have any close neighbours