So, you want to own a Husky...

My husband is a research fanatic. So, when we thought about rescuing a Husky, we decided to prepare ourselves.

We knew three major things:
1. Huskies are extremely high-maintenance dogs. They are pack-oriented, which means they can't be left alone for long periods of time.

2. Huskies are high-energy dogs. They need lots of exercise. They need to be challenged both physically and mentally.

3. They shed. And shed. And shed. And shed some more. Your vacuum will become your best friend. True story.

With these three pieces of information, we brought home Niko. And though we thought we knew what we were getting into, we were in for a big surprise.

First of all, Niko wasn't socialized. He spent the first year of his life with barely any human or animal contact. He lived under a board that leaned against an air-conditioning unit. And he thought the leash meant he could run as fast as he could while dragging the person on the other end of the leash behind him.

He was challenging and he refused to submit to our authority. We were embarrassed to bring him in public because he was a spaz. He'd pull, jump, bark and attempt to run away from us. And if we tried to correct him by saying "No," he would carry on and on with his howling. In essence, he would back talk me. And since we don't believe in any type of physical correction in this house, we felt like we were in over our heads.

After a year of getting no where, my husband enrolled us in dog training. Niko became even more challenging. Then one day, he started to bond with us. It took many months of hard work, but now he's our gentle giant.

So, if you are thinking about getting a Siberian Husky, one of the first things I recommend is finding a dog-training class to enroll them in. Even if they don't have a troubled past like Niko, it will socialize them with other people and dogs. It will also help you bond with your furry friend.

Once we had Niko under control, we decided to start searching for another Husky. My husband was left in charge of finding us a female. We talked it over and decided we didn't want to buy from a breeder. We were interested in rescuing a Husky.

Eventually, our search led us to a chance meeting with Zailey.

We brought her home for a two-week period to make sure she and Niko clicked. I instantly fell in love with this feisty girl. The more time we spent together, the more I realized she would be a great addition to our family. And she won Niko over, too. In three days. We adopted her soon after and now we joke that we can't remember our lives before her or Niko.

Owning these two beautiful dogs has been a great learning curve. But there are some pieces of information I think are essential to know before taking one home.

1. They do not get along with small animals. Not cats. Not birds. Not small dogs. I don't recommend having any of these animals around a rescued adult Husky unattended. Since we did not adopt puppies, I can't say for sure if raising a Husky with a cat or small dog changes their natural instinct to hunt or chase small creatures. I just know that in our experience, I would never leave my cat alone with our two dogs. In fact, I keep them separate at all times. Training could help the situation, but my 7 year-old cat doesn't cooperate very well in his old age. He prefers to sleep in the sun undisturbed over trying to become friends with his mortal enemies.

2. They love children. This actually surprised me. We watched our pastor's kids overnight one night and our Huskies loved them. Niko let them pull on his ear, tug on his tail and lay on top of him. He watched them as they played and would 'talk' to me if he thought they were getting too rowdy. Zailey laid down beside them as they watched movies and licked their faces. I, however, did not leave them alone with Niko or Zailey. I trust my dogs, but I also know how strong they are. And I wanted to make sure that they all had a great experience with one another.

3. They have very sensitive stomachs. Our vet told us that out of all the breeds, Huskies have the most stomach problems. They are dogs that need a very high-protein diet. Niko has a problem with grain, so we had him on a home-cooked diet for almost a year. Recently, we've transitioned them to a grain-free dog food that seems to be working well. Zailey isn't too thrilled, though. She misses her fried eggs and salmon. Bottom line: you can't feed them cheap food and expect them to be healthy. We paid a lot of vet bills before realizing we needed to change the way Niko ate. Quality food is much cheaper than vet bills.

4. They don't bark. This isn't entirely true. Both my dogs can bark, but they aren't barkers. They don't bark at other dogs. And they only bark at people they don't trust. For the most part, they are quiet backyard dogs. When they're inside (where they spend most of their time), they like to 'talk' to me. And Niko enjoys howling along to sirens. But they are pretty quiet dogs for the most part.

5. They have two layers of fur. And they can get very, very hot in the summer time. Niko spends all summer inside laying on his back with his feet high in the air beneath a fan. Zailey has a swimming pool that she plays in. These dogs need to be inside if it's hot out. They aren't bred for warm climates. They have two layers of fur, which means they need somewhere to cool off.

6. They need to be groomed. Mine should be brushed daily. But I normally brush them twice a week instead. I don't brush them to remove their excess fur (that falls in clumps to the ground). I brush them to keep their fur from matting. Which is what happens if you don't groom them. Twice a year (winter and spring), we send them to the groomers to get all cleaned up. They get washed and brushed. Their nails and hair get trimmed. And they come home smelling like a million bucks. They stay clean for one day. And that's it.

7. They have sensitive ears. Because their ears don't flop over, they are likely to get debris and hair into them. They will shake their head and attempt to scratch the inside of their ears to clean them out. If this happens, you may have to check their ears for debris and clean them out with a warm washcloth. Niko hates it, so it usually takes two of us to clean out his ears. Don't try to trim the hair inside their ears. Send them to the groomers. They have a special tool that vacuums the cut hair up so it doesn't fall into their ears. 

8. They aren't loyal dogs. If you're looking for a best friend that will stick with you to the end, these aren't really those types of dogs. Niko hates cuddling. Even with my husband whom he adores. Zailey will cuddle for maybe two-three minutes at the most. They prefer to lay with each other and only on rare occasion. They are very independent and need alone time. They're also horrible watch dogs. Niko would lick an intruder to death. Zailey is a little more protective, but she still loves people just as much as Niko does. So, it's up for debate what she'd do if we were really in trouble. I'm also convinced they'd go home with strangers and never take a second glance back at us. 

9. They need twice as much exercise as the average dog. I walk Zailey and Niko for 80 minutes every single day. And they're still full of energy. My husband and I just finished building a sled for them to use in the winter time. They like working and expending energy. Niko is probably the laziest Husky on the planet. After 20 minutes he needs water and a nap. Zailey would go all day. Just remember that you have to commit to a lot of time spent exercising them. If not, your house will surely get destroyed. If you don't give them something to do, they will find something to do. Just ask my high heels.

10. They are very intelligent. Yesterday, Zailey figured out how to open up our screen door. And she tried following me outside. So, you need to remember that you have a very smart dog who will figure out how to open doors and unlocked fences. They will figure out a way to get the dog treats sitting on top of the T.V. and they will dig holes beneath the fence. They are diggers. Consider this your fair warming.

These are wonderful dogs who are both smart and great family pets, but if you don't have the time to commit to them, they probably aren't for you. If they are for you, then welcome to the Husky club!