I have a 5-year-old Siberian Husky rescue named Lexi. She's my third husky, fourth dog overall, and although I might be a tad biased, I think she may be the best dog ever.
Huskies are typically great dogs. They're: Full of energy; always in the puppy stage; great with kids; force their owners to give them exercise and attention, improving their health in the process; and tend to see everyone as their best friend. Having said all this, though, huskies are also typically not the most loyal bunch of dogs and are rather notorious for being escape artists. My second husky, the biggest of the three, still found a way to work her Houdini act on numerous occasions, where she'd dig under the backyard fence and roam about the neighborhood. My first husky wasn't so eager to leave the backyard, yet if a strong wind knocked the gate or a door open, she was off to the races. They had starkly different personalities, as one was fearful of walking down to the basement and ran outside any time she heard a fart-like sound, and the other had trouble knowing how to play. She, like Lexi, was a rescue. Unlike Lexi, she wasn't great with other dogs and the other tended to be frightened of other dogs, especially if they were of similar or larger size. That isn't to take anything away from either of them as household pets and friends. They were good dogs, but they definitely had some odd quirks about them.
As for Lexi, her original owners got rid of her because she sheds (Huskies? Shed? Since when???). She was then almost put down due to what are known as husky cataracts. Fortunately, that didn't happen, as 3.5 years after getting her, her eyes are functioning just fine. It's incredibly difficult to get mad at her, as she just seems happy to be here and be alive. Her tail's always wagging; she's typically smiling; and if she's not running around or in her play position, she's likely sleeping. Perhaps the most striking thing about her is, especially for a husky, her level of loyalty. Just yesterday, with the garage door wide open, she ran out to the garage, and as I was taking in the groceries, she wasn't once tempted to dart out. She just wagged her tail, smiled, jumped on me, and followed me back inside. On another occasion, she was barking like crazy in the backyard. Barking is rare for a husky, as they tend to howl or talk. So when this occurred, I figured something was up, looked out back and saw the gate wide open, with her barking directly at it. She wasn't moving toward it, wasn't thinking about running away. She was just telling me something was wrong and I should come and take care of it. For as great as my two other huskies were, I typically had to worry about them escaping on a daily basis. With Lexi, no matter how long she's outside, I know she'll be back. Not only that, but has made for a great therapy dog. When I was going through some anxiety problems 2-3 years ago, she was always by my side. When I started having a panic attack, she'd sit in front of me, look at me, and place her paw on me, as if she knew something was wrong and wanted to know she was there for me. It was the sweetest thing. She's just a bundle of joy, and no matter how bad a day might be going, her mere presence seems to put me in a better mood. While it might sound silly to some, I consider her family and a friend. She's helped me get through more than she realizes and I hope everyone out there has a friend just as loyal as she's been. I consider myself very lucky to be able to say that.
Huskies are typically great dogs. They're: Full of energy; always in the puppy stage; great with kids; force their owners to give them exercise and attention, improving their health in the process; and tend to see everyone as their best friend. Having said all this, though, huskies are also typically not the most loyal bunch of dogs and are rather notorious for being escape artists. My second husky, the biggest of the three, still found a way to work her Houdini act on numerous occasions, where she'd dig under the backyard fence and roam about the neighborhood. My first husky wasn't so eager to leave the backyard, yet if a strong wind knocked the gate or a door open, she was off to the races. They had starkly different personalities, as one was fearful of walking down to the basement and ran outside any time she heard a fart-like sound, and the other had trouble knowing how to play. She, like Lexi, was a rescue. Unlike Lexi, she wasn't great with other dogs and the other tended to be frightened of other dogs, especially if they were of similar or larger size. That isn't to take anything away from either of them as household pets and friends. They were good dogs, but they definitely had some odd quirks about them.
As for Lexi, her original owners got rid of her because she sheds (Huskies? Shed? Since when???). She was then almost put down due to what are known as husky cataracts. Fortunately, that didn't happen, as 3.5 years after getting her, her eyes are functioning just fine. It's incredibly difficult to get mad at her, as she just seems happy to be here and be alive. Her tail's always wagging; she's typically smiling; and if she's not running around or in her play position, she's likely sleeping. Perhaps the most striking thing about her is, especially for a husky, her level of loyalty. Just yesterday, with the garage door wide open, she ran out to the garage, and as I was taking in the groceries, she wasn't once tempted to dart out. She just wagged her tail, smiled, jumped on me, and followed me back inside. On another occasion, she was barking like crazy in the backyard. Barking is rare for a husky, as they tend to howl or talk. So when this occurred, I figured something was up, looked out back and saw the gate wide open, with her barking directly at it. She wasn't moving toward it, wasn't thinking about running away. She was just telling me something was wrong and I should come and take care of it. For as great as my two other huskies were, I typically had to worry about them escaping on a daily basis. With Lexi, no matter how long she's outside, I know she'll be back. Not only that, but has made for a great therapy dog. When I was going through some anxiety problems 2-3 years ago, she was always by my side. When I started having a panic attack, she'd sit in front of me, look at me, and place her paw on me, as if she knew something was wrong and wanted to know she was there for me. It was the sweetest thing. She's just a bundle of joy, and no matter how bad a day might be going, her mere presence seems to put me in a better mood. While it might sound silly to some, I consider her family and a friend. She's helped me get through more than she realizes and I hope everyone out there has a friend just as loyal as she's been. I consider myself very lucky to be able to say that.
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