Husky/Lab info

[Crystal]

Ok just wondering. I know a lot about boxers and pits. I know it takes forever for boxers to grow out of puppyhood, somewhere like 3 years. What about Toby? Will he get over that quicker. Is there anything I should look out for. Never had a Lab, had a husky mix around me before. Just trying to learn as much as possible.

I already know he is stubborn. He is doing good at paper training. He also is very good at sit, although he expects a treat. I'm working on stay, not to good at that. He jumps at me.

[DogPaddle]

Labs are slow to mature as well. They are very high energy as are huskies. Labs are very trainable as are huskies - if you can get inside their heads and get past that extrordinary stubborness - I think they understand perfectly myself but enjoy watching veins throb in peoples forheads. They are a happy, confident and personable breed (often) and therefore cannot believe that when you are yelling and holding the remains of a dish/cable/chair that you could actually be mad at them. They will however patiently weight for you to finish your foolish human tirade, smiling and wagging their tales - inadvertantly knocking another glass off the table in the process.

If you are very lucky (if we were in person you would be able to hear the sarcasim) your lab/huskey will have the slightly oily lab outercoat and the downy, shedding nightmare huskey undercoat. Plan to spend no less than 40 min bathing him everytime you do it. Plan to vacuume daily during shedding season. Fortunately the rest of the year you will only need to vacuume 3x as much as non-dog folks. Cold wet weather should not be a problem.

Other possible traits:
snugglebug
bedhog
stuffygutter
digger
escape artist
talker
may need a "job"
eager to please
may express gaurding instincts
may be none of the above - mixed breeds are like that

[Crystal]

Thank you very much. Actually alot of that appears very true. Extreme stubborness, but as long as there is treats...yeah you know where thats going. I've never seen so much energy. He has taken a real liking to my daughter. My son is slighty scared of him, he moves to fast I think. He is very happy too, tail never stops going, even when I am very upset with him for chewing the wire from the lamp. I yell and try to get him to quit, it's behind the couch and he just acts like, "me, no not me, I'm perfect." It's kinda funny. If I pick him up and give him a good lecture he just wraps his paws around my arm and lays there like when will she be done. Just waiting to go back to no good.

Lucky, I have all hardwood floors, so no vacumming needed, just constant sweeping. Also I have a good brush and am trying to get him used to getting a good brushig a couple of times a day. So when he is bigger he will sit still for me. He hates cold wet weather right now. He refuse to go out in the snow. If I try to take him out he just pees on the porch. Maybe just because he's a baby. I'm sure hell get over it.

Thanks, it's nice to know what to expect. I am trying to estimate just how big he may get. Any educated guesses. I know it can't be perfect, but I have been checking around and some places say labs will be medium, some say large. Some say large for huskies, some say extra large. So my best guess, he will be pretty big.

[DogPaddle]

A true huskey would not be an extra-large dog. Some people confuse huskies and malamutes which may be where the problem lies. Huskies are a breed associated with mushing and speed. They are therefor a comparatively light, athletic dog. I would guess anywhere from 35 to 60 lbs depending on sex and breeding.

Labs usually run around 55 to 80 lbs depending on sex and breeding and how padded they get.

I would GUESS that your dog would be around 65lbs and no more than 2 feet tall at the shoulder. As with all Labs and Lab Crosses watch his weight, make sure he maintains that just noticable tummy tuck and waist.

[Crystal]

Good, maybe he won't be to big. McKenzie was a good 85 lbs and I don't think she was done growing yet. I was hoping he would be a bit smaller, but I didn't want to small. My kids are very outgoing, I wanted a dog that could keep up. I think I got what I wanted. Right now my daughter is laying in the floor screaming. Toby has a hold of her slipper and won't let go. :lol: The fun never stops here!

Toby was a little thin when we got him. Also had a pretty bad case of worms. Now that we got passed that he is getting a little chubby. I know gotta watch that. I have been feeding him less, but he whines. If he could get the 4lb bag down, he would eat it all. PIG.

[DogPaddle]

Puppies are different, slightly chubby puppies are fine and oh so cute. They usually thin out at adolescence.