Adopting a Husky is always an exciting ordeal. Who wouldn’t be excited to get one of these bounding beasts of joy? If you’re at the point in your quest where you’ve resolved to deal with the excessive shedding, the freshly dug holes in the yard, and the howling, congratulations! Now on to the hard part, the adoption process.
One of the most nagging questions regarding Husky adoption, or pet adoption in general, is if you should get one as a pup or as an adult. Of course, both have their positives and negatives.
Getting a Pup
Getting a Siberian Husky pup means you get it fresh, with all the youthful vibrance that any puppy would carry, it would know no other master than yourself, you can train it to your ways and it will be forever synced with you and your mannerisms. This is all great, but of course the downsides would be having to potty train it, dealing with teething issues (your poor couch), and finding the right adoption center.
Regarding puppy adoption centers, not all are created equal and a certain level of scrutiny should be applied when choosing one. Some prospective buyers may rationalize that they’re only adopting the puppy from the center, that the quality of it is irrelevant, but the health conditions of the center might have a long term affect on the health of the puppy itself, so it’s not something that should be ignored.
Getting an Adult
Usually, there are only two places you can get an adult Siberian Husky. That would be either your local shelter or rescue center. The distinction between the two is that the shelter is usually run by the city or some form of local government, whereas the rescue is typically a non-profit 501c that survives on donations and selling off rescued dogs.
Adult Huskies are usually cheaper than the pups, they’re definitely more set in their ways, but that’s not to say they can’t adjust to you, you’ll still get the usual Husky problems, such as ‘fear of a torn couch’. I would also say they’re more grateful than the pups because they’re happy to not be in a shelter, but I can’t scientifically prove that. Something to consider though. If they’ve been through a shelter they’ve probably been neutered or spayed as well, so that’s something you won’t have to deal with.
The biggest downside of adopting an adult Husky is that you don’t know what their boundaries and experiences are, if for example you have another pet you have to be very watchful of them to see how they interact. After some training and some ‘getting-used-to-you’ time though, most issues are pretty surmountable and you’ll be enjoying your very own bouncing full-grown Siberian Husky.
So, Which Will it Be?
Most of the issues for either getting a pup or an adult are admittedly pretty temporary and can be overcome with enough love and persistence, just as with all dogs, not just Huskies. I’m personally a big fan of adopting from a shelter or rescue, mainly because the thought of euthanizing a perfectly good Siberian Husky is kind of heartbreaking.
Click here to check the map of Husky Rescue centers around the United States. If you know of a rescue center that isn’t on the map please contact me.