Can anyone here give me some general information about them? My mam is thinking of getting one, and I just wanted to know some things about them like are they friendly dogs? Do they have to live with another dog or are they okay on their own with a family? Are they loyal? Things like that

Any advice and info will be much appreciated!

Hi i dont know much but do know someone who has one.They need to be in a active home,and can be destructive in your home and garden.

They can also be quite noisy and require alot of exercise, unless well socialised and trained DO NOT let off a lead.

They are otherwise ok with other dogs and are quite loving friendly dogs. But not for the faint-hearted.

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lol, do we not have an article on them in the pet encyclopedia?

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I looked into this breed and found a few things off putting although i would still love one i felt at the moment i couldnt do it justice , They are loyal dogs good with children and generally trustworthy , they do need firm training from day one as they are very intelligent and will require stimulating in mind and in body , they have boundless energy although great care must be taken in exercising them in hot weather as they can easily over heat .They are naturally hunt orientated and as such you should be very carefull thinking you can let them run free off lead , it isnt impossible to tain them in recall but it takes persistance and a strong owner with time and patients to invest if off lead is going to work , other wise its advisable to keep them on a long line for walks at all times , this being the case a very able bodied person with good stamina is best suited to these dogs as if these dogs were to be worked at what they were bred for they would sled pull in deep snow for hours at a time and still be full of beans lol .they shed a lot 2 times a year they have a double coat that is weather proof and as such they can happily live outdoors in very cold temperatues without any trouble infact they are more comfortable with outdoor living . They dont have massive appetites and an adult bitch will reach about 24 kilo and be about the same height as a lab . They are vocal and spray when they urinate they are also escape artists and a garden must be well enclosed with high fences sunk into the ground as they can dig . They are beautifull dogs i would love one but feel i wouldnt have enough time to spend on it properly .
There is an alternative the northern inuit and the malamute have the husky look but have fewer of the possible downsides to a husky such as being better at recall and training , they are also a bit bigger in size . Your best bet would be to get your mom to speak to several Kennel club breeders who would be willing to give her plenty of help and support in making a descision , lots of these dogs end up in recue due to owners not being ready or aware of the commitment they need . Best of luck
ANdrea

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I wouldnt say that malamutes are better at recall and training - they are an extremely stubborn breed with a very high prey drive and "selective hearing"

Damn hard work but very loving dogs

If they are anything like Northern Inuits, they probably don't have a fear of barbed wire either.
I was recall training mine in the fields this morning, around 5.. because she woke me up at half 4 and began squeeking at me and batting me in the face with her paw, when i was taken by suprise by a woman with two smaller dogs in the next field, mine just went through the barbed wire like it wasn't there.
My garden has so many fences and supports and extra wood blocking gaps and even chairs being used as extra supports, and i still caught her in the field next door helping herself to the cattle feed the other day.

I know Northern Inuits arn't suposed to be as demanding as Huskys, but that just makes me think even more that Huskys must take so much time, effort and patience to train.

LOL arnt they all when the mood takes them , I was just going by what someone else had told me i dont have first hand experience with any of these breeds just did a little research when i looked into getting one .

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Also i would think youd have to be pretty careful who you buy one from.

Thankyou for all you're advice

The puppies we saw have all sold out anyway, and I think mam is lookin at some other dogs too, so im sure i'll be back for more advice soon enough

She's lookin for a dog that is loyal, quite big and just a general family dog, amount of exercise is not a problem and one that would appeal to a teenage boy - any suggestions lol?