Dog: Mambo
Breed: Husky x Golden Retriever x Red Heeler
Age: 2 years
Human: Aimee
Her Motto in Life: Love your family, but also play pranks on them!
Describe Mambo’s breed paw-sonality? What makes her so special?
Mambo is smart like a red heeler, loyal like a golden retriever, and stubborn like a husky. She loves family life and being with me, my partner, and her brother. Mambo has been with me since she was born, so I’m very lucky to have seen every stage of her growth.
She enjoys playing with a rope, long walks both on and off-leash. Off-leash is her fave because she can burn all her energy and sniff to her heart’s content. She loves playing with other dogs once she stops barking at them. She plays rough and I often hear a lot of growling from them both, but no fighting. They’re just loud.
Mambo is special because she’s so trusting with anything I want to try. If I’m there, she will dive into the activity snout first.
Is this the first time you’ve had a husky cross or do you have a longer history with the breed?
Mambo is my first ever dog. And I don’t think a mix like her exists outside of her litter of 6.
What’s life like with Mambo?
Life can be full of energy with lots of walks. But she’s also happy to just lay on me while I watch TV or go on errands around town.
She normally comes to my friends’ places, goes out to farms, helps pick out her food every month.
What was different from your expectations of a Husky Cross once you had Mambo?
I expected her to be all energy all the time because she’s got three high-energy breeds. But she can be a real couch potato and just stare at me to pick her 20kg bum off the floor.
Mambo was accompanied by her fur-sibling Sebastian!
Is Mambo like other dogs her breeds, or does she have some unique traits?
Mambo has no tail, and her red colour reminds people of dingos a lot. So we always get asked if she is a part dingo. She also has massive kelpie ears that I call satellite dishes!
What do you love most about being a pet parent to a Husky cross?
I love her unconditional love for me and for life. I may not always be able to walk her twice a day, but she’s never mad about it. She’s just happy that I get home every day and we go on a bigger walk.
What’s not so paw-fect about a Husky cross?
Because she’s so smart, our fence has to be extra high to keep her in. She figures out training very fast and starts to predict what I’ll ask her to do, rather than waiting for the command.
It gets difficult to compete when she’s too smart and does things before being asked. She watches other dogs at Club to figure out what we are doing.
What things should others be aware of before getting a Husky cross?
Make sure you have plenty of time for training and a variety of training courses. Obedience isn’t enough to keep their mind occupied. They also need mental stimulation if you’re going to be out all day at work. I put a lot of her food in kongs around the yard so it takes her longer to eat and gives her mind and nose a workout.
What’s your first memory of Mambo and how did you feel?
I remember watching her being born, seeing how different her colours were from the other puppies and that she had no tail. Within a minute, I named her Mambo No. 5 and she was mine forever.
Are there any events, communities or groups that are especially wonderful for Husky Cross?
Any group of people who like going hiking or having a bunch of friendly dogs off-leash provided there’s supervision. I make friends with people at Dog Club and hang out with them and their dogs away from it to let the dogs socialise in a no-pressure situation.
