Husky: Your Complete Guide
The husky is an umbrella term used for sled dogs that were bred for endurance and cold climates, though the Siberian husky is almost always the dog breed that comes to mind first. However, there’s also the Alaskan husky, which is highly regarded as the best sled dog, especially for races like the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, and other huskies, such as the Sakhalin husky and other varieties that vary in appearance depending on the region.
While all huskies are bred for pulling a sled and enduring cold climates, they also share many other traits that everyone interested in these dogs should know. If you’re considering a husky-type dog as your next companion, or looking for one or more of these dogs for sledding, our article is here to guide you through their characteristics.
Read on as we cover everything about husky breeds, from size and temperament to physical measurements and health. By the time you get to the end of this article, you will have enough of an understanding of these dogs to decide whether you should get a husky.
Quick Look at the Husky
Below is a quick look at huskies in terms of their physical appearance, lifespan, temperament, grooming needs, family life, and more. We will cover each point in greater detail further down.
| Weight/Height | 30-70 pounds / 17-24 inches |
| Coat Type | Medium length thick double coat |
| Grooming Needs |  |
| Shedding | |
| Temperament | Affectionate, intelligent, energetic, pack-oriented |
| Good With Kids | |
| Good With Other Animals |  |
| Intelligence |  |
| Easy to Train |  |
| Energy Level | |
| Barking Habits | |
| Lifespan | 12-14 years |
What Is the History of Huskies?
Huskies are a group of Arctic dogs that were originally bred for pulling sleds. These dogs are well-recognized for their ability to pull sleds for over 90 miles in a single day as part of a team.
Let’s take the Siberian husky, regarded as the most popular husky, as an example. As the name suggests, this variety originates from Siberia, specifically the northeastern regions. They were bred through selective breeding by the Chukchi people who needed a dog that could pull light loads over vast frozen distances while requiring less energy, which translated to less feeding.
Siberian huskies, along with other huskies that share a similar DNA, descend from these dogs that were bred by the Chukchi people. The modern Siberian husky first gained public attention in the late 19th century, but it wasn’t until sled racing that the breed’s popularity picked up.
While there isn’t a big need for sled dogs anymore, they were once a reliable means of transportation in cold climates, with huskies being the most preferred. In fact, Togo, arguably the most famous sled dog, led the most dangerous leg of the 1925 serum run to Nome, playing a critical role in delivering medicine across hundreds of miles of treacherous icy terrain.
Although there are many huskies still pulling sleds as working dogs, most of these dogs are kept as companion animals. With many in love with their majestic appearance and funny quirks, breeders now breed huskies with lighter coats to meet the increasing demand for them in places where it is warm year-round.
What Do Huskies Look Like?
Huskies come in a variety of coat colors. They can be seen in a combination of the above colors, though most solid-colored huskies are either white or black. The most common coat color combinations are gray and white, sable and white, black and white, and brown and white.
Regardless of coat color, huskies have a wolf-like appearance with their erect, triangular ears that sit high on their head. Coupled with their eyes, which can be blue, brown, or a combination of brown and blue, huskies have very alert and intelligent expressions. They also have bushy tails that often curl over their back, especially when at rest.
What Size Is a Husky?
Huskies can be categorized as medium-to-large dogs. Depending on the variety, they weigh anywhere between 30 and 70 pounds and stand up to 24 inches tall at the shoulder.
The Siberian husky, for example, weighs 35 to 60 pounds and stands 20 to 24 inches tall. The Alaskan husky, on the other hand, which isn’t standardized and therefore isn’t recognized by the American Kennel Club, typically weighs 35 to 60 pounds and stands 17 to 24 inches tall. With all this to keep in mind, the exact size depends on the variety, but most huskies are medium-to-large dogs.
What Is a Husky’s Coat Type and Length?
Huskies have thick double coats that tend to be medium in length. The guard hairs are straight and typically don’t fall off, though their shedding intensity can be a little too much to handle – more on how much huskies shed in detail down below.
While huskies have a fluffy appearance with their thick coats, note that there’s an athletic dog underneath all that fur.
What Is a Husky’s Temperament?
Huskies have an interesting temperament compared to many other dogs. They are affectionate working dogs that enjoy spending time with their family members but don’t always like taking guidance. They enjoy doing their own thing, which can make them act mischievous at times. This temperament explains why they are notoriously difficult to train, especially for advanced tasks.
Huskies can also act quite dramatic sometimes. They are emotionally expressive dogs that have a very low tolerance for boredom. If they want to go out, for example, a husky will let the owner know about it one way or another. This makes them fun to watch from time to time, but it should be taken into consideration for those who aren’t able to give their dogs the attention they need due to various life commitments.
While these are just a few points about the temperament of huskies, there’s more to their personality.
Are Huskies Good With Kids?
Huskies are among the most favored dog breeds for families with children. Regardless of the variety, they bond strongly with kids and get along well with them no matter their age or temperament. This is partly due to their close relationship with kids, as they were developed in colder climates, which meant they also took on the job of warming up kids during bedtime.
If you have kids, you can be sure that any of the husky breeds will make a great addition to your life. As long as you supervise interactions during playtime and teach kids to respect dogs’ space and behave nicely around them, you shouldn’t have anything to worry about when adding any of the husky breeds to the family.
Are Huskies Good With Other Animals?
Huskies do exceptionally well with other dogs in the family, especially if raised together. They are social dogs with high social intelligence, making them adapt well to households with dogs. You shouldn’t have anything to worry about adding a husky to the pack if you already have dogs.
However, huskies can be problematic around small animals due to their high prey drive. Although huskies do well with cats, they can have difficulties letting go of their instinct to chase after small animals, which can also be a problem during walks if they spot a squirrel or other small wildlife. This part of the husky must be taken into consideration by households keeping prey animals like rabbits or chickens.
Are Huskies Aggressive?
By default, huskies are considered to be one of the least aggressive dog breeds. They have minimal desire to challenge other dogs and are typically sociable dogs that enjoy interacting with friendly, playful dogs. Even though the husky’s energetic temperament and reactivity as puppies can be mistaken for aggression at times, they aren’t inherently aggressive or prone to it.
However, any dog can act aggressively due to a lack of socialization or past traumas. This is important to keep in mind, especially when adopting a husky with an unknown background. While only a small percentage of huskies act aggressively (and they are often dogs with an unfortunate past) huskies can easily be trained to become non-aggressive with professional training and controlled socialization.
Do Huskies Bark?
In the quick look table above, we’ve given the husky four bones for their barking habits. While they are certainly vocal dogs that use their voice to communicate with the owner, huskies don’t necessarily bark. These dogs typically whine or howl to express themselves, and they do it loudly and often.
This means that once you have a husky at home, you will have a dog that makes all sorts of noises when they are feeling any emotion. All future husky owners should be prepared for this, especially those living in an apartment setting.
Are Huskies Affectionate?
Huskies are among the most affectionate, regardless of the variety. They enjoy cuddling up with their owner and receiving praise when they do something good. Since they have an energetic temperament, a perfect day for a husky consists of exercising for a few hours and snuggling up on the sofa for the rest of the day with their owner.
While many dogs are affectionate, huskies tend to be loving towards all family members, even those that they rarely see or interact with, indicating that they may also be friendly around strangers. Given that huskies are pack-driven, they also bond strongly with other dogs in the family, making them affectionate dogs with enough love for every one of their pack members.
Are Huskies Intelligent?
Pulling a sled across various distances and terrains doesn’t just require an athletic dog but also an intelligent one. With how alert and tuned into their environments huskies are, it is safe to say that they are one of the most intelligent dogs. They understand their surroundings well, and their social and emotional intelligence proves how smart of a dog huskies are.
While this much intelligence can be a problem at times, especially when a husky is bored, it is one of the key traits that could describe these dogs as a whole.
Are Huskies Energetic?
Without a doubt, a dog that can run for up to 90 miles in a 24-hour period is going to be high-energy. While they aren’t hyper every day like some other working dogs, all huskies, regardless of variety, are high energy dogs that need daily exercise and mental stimulation.
They should be walked, taken on adventures, given a job to do, allowed to solve problems, and explore new places to release excess energy and get the mental enrichment they need in their daily lives. As long as a husky receives about two hours of daily exercise that involves casual walks and playtime to keep their minds sharp, they will be healthy and happy.
Are Huskies Easy to Train?
Huskies are certainly intelligent, but they don’t have the best trainability due to their independent temperament. While they understand many of the things that the owner wants them to do, huskies don’t have an inherent desire to execute commands to get the owner’s approval.
This temperament surely makes training a husky challenging, but they can learn basic commands fairly quickly with positive reinforcement training using high-value rewards.
Are Huskies Good Watchdogs?
Huskies aren’t generally considered good watchdogs due to their overly friendly temperament. While they are alert and can get protective at times, they make poor watchdogs by modern standards. Huskies are more likely to greet intruders with a wagging tail than confront them.
Are Huskies Good Service Dogs?
Since huskies don’t have high trainability and tend to get bored pretty quickly, they usually aren’t suitable for service dog work. Even in colder climates that require a dog with a thick coat like the husky, they aren’t preferred over popular service dog breeds like the Labrador retriever or the border collie.
While huskies aren’t the best when it comes to service dog roles, note that they make excellent emotional support dogs and therapy dogs with their sociable nature.
How to Care for a Husky?
We covered many of the care needs of huskies, but they also have some specific care requirements. Below is a quick overview of what it takes to care for a husky, covering grooming, shedding, health, and feeding.
Do You Need to Groom a Husky?
Huskies need brushing one to two times a week, and a bit more often during summer months. They should be brushed a bit more frequently in warmer months to manage shedding. With their medium-length coats, huskies typically don’t need professional grooming, but they can be taken to a groomer for a deshedding treatment. As for baths, they only need it when dirty or smelly.
Other than that, huskies have some basic grooming requirements like ear cleaning, nail trimming, and dental care. Ear cleaning is particularly important, as huskies can be prone to chronic ear infections.
Do Huskies Shed?
Undoubtedly, huskies are among the heaviest shedders. These dogs shed intensely during seasonal changes as their thick coats prepare for the next season. As mentioned above, they should be brushed more frequently during warmer months as they shed their dense, insulating fur to prepare for the heat of the summer.
What Health Problems Do Huskies Have?
Huskies are overall healthy dogs that live much of their lives without any apparent health issues. Even senior huskies can lead active lives with a higher quality of life compared to many other dogs. Still, like any other dog breed, huskies are prone to developing certain health conditions. These can include hip dysplasia, cataracts, epilepsy, and corneal dystrophy.
In Siberian huskies, breeders must screen their breeding stock for hereditary diseases like Siberian husky polyneuropathy, which is a neurological condition that can affect a Siberian husky’s ability to walk. When adopting a dog, prospective owners should ask about the health and background of the dog to know what health problems might affect their newly adopted dog.
How Long Do Huskies Live?
Huskies have an average lifespan of 12 to 14 years. However, note that this is just an estimated range; many huskies can live longer or shorter lives depending on genetics, care, environment, diet, and lifestyle.
What Should a Husky Eat?
A husky should eat a well-balanced diet that benefits their health and supports their overall lifestyle. However, with so many options out there, choosing the best commercially available dog food for a husky can be challenging. Get our dog food recommendations for huskies to know exactly what to feed one of these dogs.
Owners can also opt for a homemade diet, but it must be formulated by a vet or an animal nutritionist to ensure the husky gets all the nutrients they need to live a healthy life.
Is a Husky the Right Dog for Me?
Huskies are working dogs that appeal to many, but they aren’t always a good match. If you’re planning to get a husky, it is critical to take a look at your life circumstances and overall lifestyle to determine whether a husky is the right choice.
Huskies are adaptable dogs that can adjust to living in various settings, from families with kids, to households with pets. It all comes down to the owner’s willingness to meet their exercise and emotional needs. However, huskies are more suitable for those living in a house with yard access as their tendency to be vocal can lead to conflict with neighbors in apartments with noise restrictions.
Therefore, the husky can be the right dog for you if you can provide the living space these dogs require and meet their exercise and mental stimulation needs on a daily basis. You should also be prepared to manage a stubborn dog and understand how much work it takes to groom them with their thick coats.
With all this to consider, get a husky only if you’re ready to care for a high-maintenance dog and can dedicate yourself to raising a model citizen on four paws.