Not really sure what forum this belongs in and beware this may get long but mishka needs a playmate and in a about 2 years I want to get her One (she has a buddy but she's too old to rough house and at the moment I don't have enough money to add another) but anyway by the time I get another dog mishka will be about four and I want to prepare myself before I get another dog I'm thinking about getting a GSD,collie,Alaskan malamute,husky,or a wolf dog but I'm not sure yet I want a sturdy dog that like a husky can be a worker and amazing pet (I do know what I'm getting myself into) I need some suggestions on what breed I should get and other breed suggestions would be great and about how much they'd cost for a puppy I've recently had a bad experience with a local shelter and that's the only one near by so those who know of reputable breeders of any of these breeds would be great as well (but if I can find a puppy a shelter near by I will adopt ) also how well do you think any of these will do with a sibe (sorry this sounds stupid) any advice one any of these breeds would be great or any advice on buying pups from breeders or helping mishka welcome this pup and one more thing how can I help my pup with travel and feel welcomed again sorry this was ridiculously long

Other than my first GSD, all of my dogs are rescues that I was able to save from abuse and neglectful situations. I have 2 GSDs and a wolfdog, along with my purebred Siberian Paw Paw. My Sibe and Beowulf were acquired for free from Craigslist at an early age. Paw Paw was 7 months and Beowulf was 14 weeks old.

They all get along great, and when they wrestle and play and roughhouse, they're all equally matched in size and strength and speed. An outsider would think they're dogfighting, but they are just playing and having fun. I would go with a GSD or wolfdog. An Alaskan Malamute would probably be a good match too, as they are the breed most closely related to the Sibe.

Here's a link to see them all playing together:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/21034989@N07/sets/72157641733111783/

They are gorgeous and I acquired mishka from a guy off of craigslist who save her from a high kill shelter he didn't wanna let her go but he didn't have time for her anymore and I really want a wolfdog are they hard headed and are they protective thanks so much the only problem for a wolf dog is trying to find a reputable breeder (like I said I want to try to rescue) and the wolfdogs I've seen on craigslist are too old or have lots of issues

And I'm thing GSD or a wolf dog maybe a husky but definitely I'm going to try to get a wolfdog I've read so much on their companionship

Yeah, you just have to keep looking. I think it's hard to find wolfdogs from breeders, as they are usually illegal in a lot of states, and most of the time the supposed wolfdogs are pure dog and don't have any wolf in them at all. I agree that getting them as young as possible is best, so you can train and love them your way without having to undo whatever a previous owner has done to them. Try to find wolfdog owners around you and visit with their dogs. Make sure you'll be able to handle a wolfdog, as they do not act like a normal dog. They have a lot more "wild" behavioral characteristics that will catch you off guard if you aren't prepared for the differences. Good luck, and thanks for the compliments!

I do not now any local wolfdogs but there is wolfdog/wolf sanctuary that I may try to go to and I've never bought any dog from a breeder should I buy one from a breeder close enough to drive to or can I have one shipped to me (I know I can but I mean for purchaseing for the first if any of that makes sense) and I'm definitely saving up.for one any advice too look out for when purchasing from a breeder

The only reason why I ask this is because Ive found this breeder in Texas and they seem pretty good and their wolf dogs seem like real wolf dogs also their prices are decent but I live in ky

It is worth going far to get the right dog, especially when looking at dogs that have wolf in them. Be sure to find out what the percentage of wolf the people are producing. The higher the percentage, the harder the animal will be to handle. Your home owners insurance will go up, potentially by a lot. Wolf mixes are on every dangerous breeds list there is for all insurance companies, I do believe. My cousin had a wolf mix that was as little as 20% and it might as well have been all wolf. It destroyed everything, attempted to kill livestock, and was just an unpredictable animal in general. And these were people who had rased GSDs and Rotweilers their whole lives, so headstrong breeds and exercise was nothing new. Wolves and hybrids are amazing but definitely do your homework on the breeder or source if you go that route. I have been recently looking at a new "breed" (more like a designer breed. AKA: mutt) that's called a Utonagan. It is a mix of Mal, Husky, and Shepherd and often come out looking much like a wolf without the unpredictable disposition. There used to be a breeder in Missouri. Depending on the breeder and how they are doing their mixes will depend how wolf-like they will look so if this seems like an option definitely check out the other breeders to get a feel for different mixes.

http://www.theutonagansociety.com/

Thanks and I've been doing my research for about 4 years (lol I've never really could find a reputable breeder) and I've heard of the utonagon isn't that the newest breed

I think I read somewhere that the utonagon has actually been around for about 15, but not a wide spread thing. Some that I looked at had very much the wolf look to them, but some of the other breeders were putting out dogs that looked more gangly and almost lab like. Like any breeder you're going to have some that really understand how to breed and actually achieve what they're going for and then there are others that just throw things together until they run across something that looks good enough to sell.

Really I've recently heard about them and honestly I want to try for a wolfdog (I like to take on challenges) but I'm still going too look into the utonagon because they are pretty thanks

I totally get the love of a challenge. If I lived alone I would totally have a wolfdog too.

Haha yea but finding a GREAT breeder is very hard I've read some facts on how to tell if the pup is a hc ( I'm shooting for a high to medium content) and I think mishka would love to have a playmate my BC thinks she's trying to fight so they end up fighting and she doesn't play alot and none of the dogs around are very nice nor are their owners the dog parks are poorly built so she really has no one and I don't have much money to get a 3rd dog so she has to wait a year or two

Sorry I have another question if I go to a breeder should I bring mishka along or I I get one shipped should I bring her (I've never introduced a new dog home with other dogs my dad brought her home while I was at school (I'm 16) and should I get another crate the one I have can fit me my husky and my friend were both 5'7 I was thinking I could put them both in there or should I buy a smaller one and put mishka in the smaller one

I would not crate them together. And if you are looking for a high content hybrid it is highly likely that as it ages you won't be able to crate it at all in the house. Many have to be kenneled outside. My cousin had to keep his in a roofed kennel with a concrete floor when they were away when it got older. How is mishka when it comes to meeting other dogs. If okay, i would take her along. If the breeder will allow it and their dogs are okay, it might even be good to let her interact with some of the breeders hybrids before committing to a puppy. The different behavior of a hybrid may not sit well with Mishka and that is something you want to know before bringing one home.

mishkaanfwolfgirl wrote:

Haha yea but finding a GREAT breeder is very hard I've read some facts on how to tell if the pup is a hc ( I'm shooting for a high to medium content) and I think mishka would love to have a playmate my BC thinks she's trying to fight so they end up fighting and she doesn't play alot and none of the dogs around are very nice nor are their owners the dog parks are poorly built so she really has no one and I don't have much money to get a 3rd dog so she has to wait a year or two

I would recommend starting with a low content first, before jumping straight into mids and highs. Most people cannot even handle a low content, much less anything higher. But that's just me!

mishkaanfwolfgirl wrote:

Really I've recently heard about them and honestly I want to try for a wolfdog (I like to take on challenges) but I'm still going too look into the utonagon because they are pretty thanks

If you like the Utonagan, then check out the Tamaskan as well. Same concept, same look, and I think the Tamaskan looks more wolfy than the Utonagan.

I forgot to add: anytime you bring a new dog into your home, you want to first have your dog meet the new dog to make sure they get along without issues. Some issues can be worked through. If you do it right, I think MOST issues can be worked through, you just have to know how to do it. Good luck again!

mishkaanfwolfgirl wrote:

Sorry I have another question if I go to a breeder should I bring mishka along or I I get one shipped should I bring her (I've never introduced a new dog home with other dogs my dad brought her home while I was at school (I'm 16) and should I get another crate the one I have can fit me my husky and my friend were both 5'7 I was thinking I could put them both in there or should I buy a smaller one and put mishka in the smaller one

I would bring your dog, but have them meet at a neutral location, so no one is being territorial. And like someone else said, get a separate crate for each dog. Don't throw them into one crate together. You don't want to set them up for failure and cause dog fights.

counter wrote:

If you like the Utonagan, then check out the Tamaskan as well. Same concept, same look, and I think the Tamaskan looks more wolfy than the Utonagan.

Yes! Tamaskan is a great option. You will have better luck finding a good breeder as they are better recognized and you will get a more uniform look between breeders than you will with the Utonagan. I totally forgot about them.

Thanks so much guys for all the great advice and building a kennel won't be a problem my family is pretty crafty when it comes to animal containment and I will look into the tamasken and mishka is okay as long as she is ran well and that dog isn't too hyper or anything I've had people get mad at me because when she plays she growls and wags her tail and sometimes talks (she's easily over stimulated but is getting better) and they do not understand that most huskies do that kind of stuff