Sibes and other northern breeds

Romy

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#1
They have high prey drive, but are they at all interested in tracking?

Also, are they generally alert barkers?

There's a sibe/mostly sibe mix in a local rescue, and honestly on paper she's close to what I'm hoping for in a third dog. Hopefully they'll let me meet her and see what she's like in person. Just wondering about those traits in general though.
 

Lyzelle

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#2
Depends on the dog, honestly. Zander has a big prey drive, and we've had fun tracking in the woods before. And he'll go after anything that will give him a good chase. But at the end of the day, he can be completely trusted with ferrets, rabbits, rats, and even birds in the house.

As far as alert barkers...definitely not. The majority of Sibes are skittish and shy. Unless you take them completely off guard, they are more likely to run off and hide. Depends on the dog, though. I've met a few that were ballsier than the rest. But not aggressive...more like spoiled rotten, if that makes sense. If they can get away with it, they will do it. But that's the extent of it.

You'll figure it out if you meet her. It really does depend on the dog.
 

Romy

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#4
That sibe x ferret adorableness just made my brain melt. <3

In her pics she looks mostly sibe. If she's a mix I think she's sibe + sibeX or something. I'm hoping to meet her, then we can find out if she's the type to alert to strangers or not. My bozos are totally oblivious and sleep through burglars and police showing up. :rofl1:

But she's small child safe, cat safe, other dog safe (very submissive it says) and there's just something really sweet about her. I don't know. I definitely prefer raising a puppy from a breeder, there's tons of "pretty" dogs out there, but once in a while there's a dog and there's just something that comes through in pics. We'll see how it pans out I guess.



 

~Dixie's_Mom~

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#5
She's gorgeous!

Violet will occasionally alert "gruff" at people at the door, or come running to me whining and staring at the front door to let me know someone's there, but she really has no bark. Once I heard what I think was her barking voice, and it was lower pitched than Chloe's bark...me and my sister were rofling. Hahaha!
 

Shai

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#6
She is lovely!

I've never met a Sibe who alert barked but my experience is pretty limited...we had a foster sibe for about two years when I was a kid, and I knew five or six where I used to live, some better than others. Vocal, yes...definitely chatty...but not really so much with the warning barking. But she could be sn exception...hope you get to meet her!
 

Pops2

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#8
all the russian laika breeds were hunters & herder for HUNDREDS to THOUSANDS of years before they began sledding in the 19th century. so the genetic foundation to hunt & do nose work is in the genes. whether it shows up in any specific dog is a crapshoot.
 

Romy

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#9
If I could find the right laika or karelian I would get her in an instant. Will definitely keep folks updated about this girl if they ever reply. If she's got a dab of something else in her she could have any number of non sibe traits.
 

Lyzelle

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#10
Love the Ferret/Sibe pics, Jess. I'll have to see if I have any laying around with Zander...but I think I only have pics with the Goose(Sibe/GSD)...hm. A hunting I shall go.

all the russian laika breeds were hunters & herder for HUNDREDS to THOUSANDS of years before they began sledding in the 19th century.
I love you for knowing that, Pops. <3 :hail: Absolute love.

She's cute! I have a soft spot for reds anyway, but she's got "that look" to her. Interesting conformation, and the down ear. Who knows what she might be mixed with...although she might just be another BYB Sibe, and the ear was due to an injury.

We'll need more pictures when you get her. :D
 

monkeys23

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#11
Nice dog you should get her!

You could probably teach her to alert bark, though I sure wouldn't depend on a Sibe for being protective LOL.

Both mine are awesome trackers (both have foundation in sport tracking and hunt on their own in the pasture) and good around my cats and our livestock (they are never loose with the stock either though), but they definitely want to eat strange small furry things. Lily very politely begs for the rodents/birds/etc. at the pet store... incidentally with that very same look the dog in that second ferret/sibe pic has.

My honest answer? While I'm willing to manage sled dogs (and other high prey drive breeds) around my personal cats, there's no way in hell I'd step out and get some weasels, bunnies, chickens, hamsters, etc. etc.
JMO though!

And also my girls definitely show their GSD sides a LOT and the main reason Scout eventually bonded with my cat was definitely the GSD sense of "mine." They are both very good watchdogs and Lily will alert if a stranger is messing around outside. She doesn't say anything if its someone she knows. Again thats sooooo not the Sibe half of her. I really got the best of both breeds with her, the sibe goofiness and woo-woo's and the GSD brain, velcroness, and biddability.

Lily does have a daily running requirement. If she doesn't get her minmum daily mileage she starts chasing her tail obsessively. And she'd be more than happy to do mental and physical work literally all day. not all are that high maintenance, but I did end up with two because my friend's mom wanted a dog like Lily. ;)

I think you'll be fine though. Just make sure you are very careful on containment and keeping leashed. ;)
 

Romy

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#14
With two varmint killing zois, I'm no stranger to leashes and fences. lol

They're pretty good at wearing out other dogs too, if there's a day here and there where I can't go running. Put in an app yesterday, but will see if they reply or not.

There was also a fila puppy on craigslist and well... :eek: haven't heard back from them either though.
 

monkeys23

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#15
I figured you were, its just habit now to given the token containment warning lol.

Guess if they aren't meant to be they aren't meant to be... either would be pretty awesome though.
 

Romy

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#16
Haven't heard back from either. :( There's some longer term plans in the works for a breeder puppy. I just figured if the right dog does come up in rescue in the meantime and everything works out, then it was meant to be.

I was honest about having two kids under five and that one of my dogs is intact on their application. I'm betting that will be the death knell for getting any dog from a rescue. Oh well.
 

Lyzelle

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#17
I was honest about having two kids under five and that one of my dogs is intact on their application. I'm betting that will be the death knell for getting any dog from a rescue. Oh well.
I can understand that frustration. Being a military couple under 25 doesn't get one far, either. For breeders or rescues.
 

Romy

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#18
I can understand that frustration. Being a military couple under 25 doesn't get one far, either. For breeders or rescues.
That's really frustrating. :( We were turned down by GSD rescue for the sole reason that one of the two adults in the house was under 25. This was in a house that we were part owner in that had big a fenced yard.

Luckily I found three breeders that are willing to work with me. Just have to narrow down the breeds. It looks like it'll be either a fila, azawakh, or (dun dun dun!) ANCD. ;) Puppies are a ways off though, so just looking around in the meantime and trying to settle on one. I may get to meet an ANCD sometime this winter and that'll help me figure out if they have the amount of independence/drives I'm hoping for. On paper they sound pretty ideal for what I want.

A fila is protective and vigilant, great at tracking, but might be hard to rent with if I need to rent at some point and could get kind of huge. An azawakh is really protective and vigilant, great size, but has zero interest in tracking. ANCD might be a good compromise, alerting to trespassers, possibly be protective, good at tracking, good size. I think one barking at a burglar from inside the door/window would be a pretty good deterrent anyway.
 

monkeys23

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#19
Wow that is ridiculous about the GSD rescue. I've met plenty of irresponsible dog owners over 25. :rolleyes:

I could totally see you with a nice Fila. :)
 
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Romy

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#20
There's a possible litter of filas planned to be born around Christmas and she said I could have second pick female of the litter if I want. Auugh it's so tempting!!! They're great lines and great parents. When it gets closer and/or they're on the ground I'll know for sure.
 

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