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Husky dogs are a large breed of dog and they have a rather headstrong and wilful nature.  However, they make energetic, fun and loving pets that will fit in well with an active family that has the time to care for them. They are not the right pet for anyone who is planning on just letting their dog have a run around the garden twice a day: these dogs need space and plenty of stimulation and exercise.

A bored, unhappy husky can develop behavioural problems and end up, like so many do, in the care of an animal charity such as the RSPCA.  As well as exercise and attention, huskies need regular grooming.

There are plenty of breeders who offer huskies for sale, and many will be enthusiastic and very knowledgeable about the breed. A good breeder will be happy for you to meet the puppies’ mother and spend time with the litter to help you decide which puppy you want to take home. By meeting the mother and seeing the puppies in their natural environment, you will learn a lot about what sort of dogs they will become: their temperament will most likely be similar to their mother’s, and if they seem happy and healthy and to have been allowed to socialise properly they will become happy, healthy dogs.

Whilst it is true that many huskies in rescue or rehoming centres are there because their owners have not been able to cope or care for them properly, it is not true that they cannot be loving, well-behaved pets if cared for by the right family.  It is usually the previous owner’s lack of proper care that has led to a husky being put up for re-homing, rather than anything wrong with the husky itself.  Staff at the RSPCA will be able to advise you about whether a particular dog will suit your family and will be able to give you information about its temperament and background.  They will also have made sure that the dog has been neutered/spayed and vaccinated, so you will be sure to have a healthy dog.

If you have the time to care for a husky and educate yourself about how to manage them properly, you can adopt a husky and end up with a very good pet that the whole family will adore.  


 
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If you are considering buying or adopting a horse as a pet, you will need to do your homework if you’ve never owned one before. People seldom buy or adopt horses as pets if they have never had any experience of caring for a horse before, so are generally aware of the sorts of issues that can arise when keeping horses. But caring for someone else’s horse and caring for one that you own can be very different experiences: you will have to think of things as an owner that you wouldn’t have to think about as a volunteer at someone else’s stables (e.g. where to stable your horse, where to get veterinary help for your horse, etc.). 

The first thing to consider, of course, is which horse to choose.  Be sure to choose a horse you bond with, taking time to get to know it in all sorts of different environments so that you can be sure of what you’re buying.  Consider adopting rather than buying a horse since there are so many abandoned or neglected horses currently being cared for by animal charities such as the RSPCA that all need loving homes and a second chance at a good life.  Horses are clever animals and will know that you have saved them from an uncertain future, and they will respond well to love and attention even if they have previously been treated badly. You need to be sure that you can commit to your horse for the rest of its life, and take considerable time choosing a good stable and physical environment for it to live in. 

When you have chosen your horse you will need to make sure that it is introduced to its new home properly.  It’s sometimes hard to remember that horses were once wild, herd animals as they have been domesticated for so long.  But they still have herd instincts such as a respect for a ranking system of sorts and a sense of danger that ripples through the herd if one detects a predator. So if you are going to keep your horse with other horses (perhaps at shared stables), you should take advice on how to introduce the new horse to the others in a way that will allow your horse to join the herd successfully. 

Be sure that the place where you’re thinking of housing your horse is somewhere without much noise, since horses rely on their sense of hearing to detect danger and can feel stressed if they are exposed to too much noise that would prevent them from hearing properly. 

Finally, if you are adopting or buying a horse, make sure you familiarise yourself with where the nearest vet is who will care for your horse, and check how quickly they would be likely to be able to respond in an emergency (some stables in towns may be many miles away from the nearest specialist vet).  


 
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As pets go, a horse is pretty much at the top of most children’s wish list. A horse offers companionship and freedom to ride around independently and is lots of fun to be around.

Of course, a horse is a powerful animal and proper supervision must be given at all times when allowing your child to ride or care for one.  

But if your child is properly supervised and learns how to ride properly as well as care properly for their horse, there are many benefits to your child of keeping a pet horse. For one thing, your child will quickly learn that they are responsible for caring for their horse and that that means getting up early every morning, feeding, mucking out, grooming, cleaning tack and picking out hooves – a pet horse isn’t just for riding.  

This sense of responsibility and duty will stand your child in good stead as they grow older, and the need for them to be up early to care for their horse each day (and the fact that they will want to spend all their time at the stables) will keep them out of trouble as they hit their teens!

Whilst most sorts of pets live in the house and don’t take much looking after compared to a horse – so there’s no pet quite like a horse for getting your child out of the house and into the fresh air. Horse riding is aerobic exercise, great for keeping a child’s heart and lungs in top condition and good for reducing excess weight or maintaining a healthy weight. With fitness comes confidence, so your child will develop their sense of self and really come out of their shell. Horse riding also improves co-ordination, dexterity and balance – if your child has dyspraxia then it is a great hobby to get them interested in for that reason alone.  

If you are thinking of investing in a horse as a pet for your child, only do so if you can commit to caring for that horse for the rest of its life. Remember that the horse might still be alive and in need of looking after even after your child has moved out to go to university or to live independently. A horse also represents a huge financial commitment. Many horses are abandoned or taken to charities to care for because an owner cannot afford the time or money to continue to care for it. If you want a horse as a pet, consider rehoming one such horse and you’ll have a friend for life.