Thank you, I appreciate it. I'm multitasking right now and I'm trying to make sense!

Many active breeds are being bombarded with breed-specific legislation/hate because of accidents that are purely the cause of them having to much energy with the wrong people, and misidentification after the fact. Whether or not teeth were actually involved, and it's ridiculous! Add in a violent history (which the husky doesn't even have!) and it's a media sensation. Media sensations lead to public hysteria. The only "violent" history I've heard people making up about the husky is that, since they were ONLY bred to run, obviously they can't be friendly at all! For some people, that's enough "proof" that they're dangerous. Education! Sometimes I feel like I need to carry around pamphlets but then I realized if I wrote one it might turn into a small novel.

I have chosen two huskies over my lifetime because I like the husky temperment and, therefore, I must subscribe to the idea that "nature" and breeding play a huge part in the development of a pup's behavior and personality. However, I will never discount proper training. I believe that many of these traits that are bred into our dogs can be curbed when we demand it of them; for example, pulling on lead. Some people have even mastered the recall problem most seem to have since one of Sabaka's relatives is reportedly a search and rescue dog!

Just today I had a long chat with a friend who recently gave up a lab that he had adopted. He chose this breed because he wanted a loyal pal for his small children, he wanted a dog who would stay close to home if a door was accidentally left ajar and he thought he would enjoy playing fetch the ball or frisby with both the dog and the kids. This lab exhibited exactly the opposite of what I would expect a lab to do. She played fetch like our huskies do (run around and look at you like you are crazy for throwing something), she would run and run if she was ever let off lead or escaped an open door and, finally, she bit one of the kids. She was rescued from a failed seeing-eye dog program, so one would think that she was trained some, but evidently not in "family manners".

I don't think I've ever seen a lab on the aggressive dog list! But because of failure to train and socialize that dog (in my opinion), she became aggressive toward her owner and toward other dogs. Our dogs are all smart enough to know what we EXPECT of them. Using the same example, if we expect our dogs to pull on lead and let them, they will... or if we expect them to jump on our visitors and let them, they will.

And about the original concern... I have read that it is possible that some dog bites are getting incorrectly attributed to huskies because so many "non-dog people" see an arctic breed dog and, knowing only one arctic breed thanks to Disney, they report that a husky bit them.

Just be happy you have a husky and not a pitbull is the short answer to your question.  

For insurance, you need to call around.  My current insurance company does not breed discriminate while my old one did discriminate.  When I researched, I believe some companies also offer changes in premiums if your dog achieves good canine citizenship.

I agree not many people could pick out a husky, just like when I took a pitbull test online I messed up a few times. Pitbulls are number 1 on the list, but I think the question comes up a lot on if it was really a pitbull.

I also think you have to consider the dog. Loki is a husky or husky mix. He is lower energy. He still acts like a husky in many respects, but when I see people post about their husky jumping off the walls, it just is not him. Most people are thrown back when they find out he is so young and as calm as he acts. My lab (who is very mellow) was more active as a puppy. Granted, he still needs his daily walks and activity, just not the insane amount you see some dogs requiring. He may be unique, but every dog is unique in their own way. When we get puppies, we try to seek out the calm ones which is why my mother-in-law wanted us to pick out a puppy for her.

seattlesibe wrote:

dahowlers wrote:

And get rid of those "It's all how you raise them" people. They're not helping either.

Just out of curiosity, what is your objection to this line of thinking?  Do you disagree with the thought or the way it's thrown around by these people?

Temperament in has been proven to be 100% genetic. How you raise them may accentuate or repress certain traits and issues, but it will never create something that was never there. Here’s an interesting article on the subject: http://www.direwolfproject.com/temperament.html

dahowlers wrote:

I have been told on multiple occasions to go a shelter and get a dog to do Schutzhund, not a breeder.  

IMO, this sounds like it might be a dangerous combination. Taking a dog with an unknown background (possibly dog fighting, or who knows what else) and training them to bite (my basic understanding of Schutzhund is that it involves police type and protection training) is a recipe for disaster. I don’t feel like I could fully trust the reliability of a rescue in that type of situation. Family pet, companion, sure, no problem, but training to bite a bite prone breed with an unknown background seems like a bad idea. Although, admittedly, I don’t know much at all about Schutzhund. I am curious though, where the advice to get a shelter dog is coming from. Is it from the Schutzhund crowd?

SiberianAnubis wrote:

Education implies intelligence and the majority of the human race is definately lacking of it, so I don´t think that things like this will ever change.
The fact that there are alot of problem dogs of any breed out there shows that alot and I mean ALOT of people that have dogs shouldn´t have one.
Passing a test before you are allowed to own a dog would help maybe. This test should be specialized on the breed you want to have.

Without more responsible dog/pet owners some breeds will stay on such lists forever.

My opinion here, is that breeding should be regulated, not purchasing or owning dogs. In a perfect world, bybs and puppy mills would be shut down and only reputable breeders would be allowed to breed. If this were the case, than the amount of people that have certain breeds like huskies would be drastically reduced, because they wouldn’t be able to pass the screening the breeder provides.

Unfortunately, our legal system doesn’t account for personal responsibility, and the moral sensibilities/personal responsibility of people is seriously lacking as individuals in our culture. I think for a lot of people, ‘if it’s not illegal, its okay,’ thinking prevails, or, ‘if nobody’s watching, its okay.’

That said, I tend to err on the side of less regulation in terms of animal ownership and breeding. Protecting animal welfare obviously is important, but I am deadest in my ways that animals/dogs are property. Can you imagine going in for a test, or interview with some government lackey for an interview to get a dog? Overall, I’m fairly liberal, but not on this issue. Being able to morally differentiate between a good breeder and a bad is pretty easy, but in our system, legally making that distinction would be much harder and leaves too much gray area. We all have to deal with certain things because of a few bad apples, but I guess that’s the way it goes.

well im glad that all of you are passionate about your dogs . makes me glad I joined this forum! and on a positive note I did find a place that takes huskies so im glad to be moving at a place that doesn't discriminate! <3 much love to you all!

I'm loving this thread! I was going to add my thoughts, but everything I was going to add has already been said...Apparently I'm not too original .

I'm glad genetics vs raising/training was brought up. I was actually having a discussion with a coworker about that the other day!

wpskier222 wrote:

Family pet, companion, sure, no problem, but training to bite a bite prone breed with an unknown background seems like a bad idea. Although, admittedly, I don’t know much at all about Schutzhund. I am curious though, where the advice to get a shelter dog is coming from. Is it from the Schutzhund crowd? Smile

Well it truly depends on the family or line you are looking at when you're looking at APBTs. Authentic pit bulls that are bred true shouldn't have a drop of defense in their body. Redirection to a human was unacceptable in good lines (just like any breed there are the people that breed the man-biters), since you had to be able to handle your dog safely in the pit, historically speaking. The breeder I will be getting one from strongly believes in this quality, she doesn't even allow her dogs to be territorial. Every dog MUST be friendly and happy while at the vet, no matter what's happening to them. She's very strict, so she produces solid and stable dogs. I do not expect a dog from her to try to protect me if someone tries to break into my house, and they're not supposed to. The dogs that bite are normally not even APBTs, there's what, 30+ breeds that are labeled as "pit bulls" by bite statistics and the media? It's really ruining the name of the breed.

The people telling me to go to a rescue were the "all breeders are horribly people and they all deserve to die" folks. Crazies.  No use stooping to that level and arguing with them. They just throw in your face that they volunteer at the shelter and see all these sad homeless dogs all the time and blahblahblah. News to them, so do I haha

As far as bitework goes, it's only a small portion of Schutzhund, but typically the most accented because it looks "cool." I personally prefer the obedience and tracking portions, I want that challenge! Bitework is just a grip test and hard to teach to an APBT because you can't train them how a guardian breed would be trained, and most clubs cater to guardian breeds need cause that's what the sport was invented for.