After several days of rain, the sun decided to push the thermometer up. I'm staying quiet at home, it's my day off today, though I did do some Internet work this morning. Ran into the office quickly today.

Tomorrow I go to the Big City, Sao Paulo, some 15+ million, to meet with the new editor for our magazine and later to pick up my middle son from camp. Always something fun to do!

Tomorrow, we're getting a husky given to us, I think he's three months old. Named Yuri. Told our friends who picked him up for us that I wasn't sure about an American family with a dog with a Russian name. Wilson tells me it's also a Japanese name -- for a woman. Male dog. Oh, well.

Vicki called home earlier in the week on her new cellfone and asked if she could bring home a dog. I promptly said, "No, why?" She saw a Shar Pei at Walmart, was so ugly it was cute. Leila said last week she wanted a Siberian husky, and I cited all the reasons why they weren't good dogs to have. Oh, well. Free dog did save me some $$ bucks, after all.

I remember the last time we got a free dog. We'd gone to the pound and I'd told Vicki before, no females! Final. We looked and looked, saw only one we really liked. She went to ask the caretaker about it. As they came back I heard him say, "And she's had all her shots. The person who took her found out she was pregnant and brought her back. If you take her, you can bring us the puppies and we'll care for them."

Well, we took the little Bengie look-alike. She must have been abused by some man, she was afraid of me for the longest. And when it came time to have her pups, she had to have a caeserian; had had some accident and couldn't deliver the pups normally. Most expensive free dog we ever had.

Maybe Yuri will make up for it. But Wilson, who had a husky and loves 'em, would probably tell me, don't count on it.

At least Leila is happy.

For now.

Oh, well.

-- Randal at home in Brazil (randal@onebox.com), January 25, 2002

Answers

Randal

I wanted to share some thoughts. The story I want to tell you is for information, not to scare you.

Couple had Husky from birth, in California. Had twins 7 years later. Moved to Maryland. I think twins are 2 years old. Dog bit one in the face, unprovoked. Even provoked, a good, unabused dog will take being maimed, over harming it's people, particularly children.

If asked for advice, I would say don't take a previously owned dog in, if there are any young children in the home, unless you are CERTAIN of it's past. (Why is the dog availale?)

Please do exert dominance over this dog. Huskies have dominant instincts, particularly males.

My sister in law, who has always had dogs, had a husky (received from her mother-in-law in Florida) that was great with the kids, but when she tried to train or direct the dog (I forget which she was doing) the dog bit her arm, and would not let go. She had to twist it's ear to get it to release her arm, and after that it accepted her dominance as "alpha dog".

We have a mixed husky/ shepherd/ and maybe collie. The husky is the dominant breed; the wolf in her shows through. If I am laying on the sofa, she will lay on the floor there, and if anyone so much as walks by, she is up and 5 inches off the ground in a heartbeat, to protect me. The minute she can tell I'm not in harm she lays back down. My last dog was shepherd/ black lab. He would do anything I asked, including jumping throught the eye of a needle. While the husky loves to please, and has never harmed anyone her genetic coding still tells her not to lay down (even for a meat treat in hand), unless it is her idea.

Enjoy your new dog, they can be the best of friends.

-- Rick (WV) (Rick_122@hotmail.com), January 25, 2002.

Thanks for the advice, Rick. I was told huskies were great with kids, not much of guard dogs. The pup is 3 months old and my friend is part of a group of people who raise and like huskies. But I will certainly keep that in mind. Actually, I don't trust many animals very far, even the most docile. One can never be too careful.

-- Randal at home in Brazil (randal@onebox.com), January 25, 2002.

That's funny -- why not a female as choice? When we got our dalmatian, the only restriction I put on Lance (he picked her out, and she is definitely his dog) was that I wanted a female because they tend to be less agressive!

I also wanted one litter of pups, but the vet convinced us that this might not be a good idea if we didn't want to continue breeding her, as dalmatians apparently have lots of trouble with mammary glands and tumors. We had Aerial spayed as soon as she was old enough. I believe I would have this one "fixed", too. It really does affect their disposition in most cases (not all, I know!).

Good luck with the new "baby"!

-- Christine in OK (cljford@mmcable.com), January 25, 2002.