The husky is unmissable with their wolf-like appearance, fluffy coats, and soulful eyes. Bred from domesticated wolves, their predecessors pulled heavy sleds at speed in the freezing cold climates of Siberia and the artic. Today the breed is still considered one of the fastest breeds alive.
There are two types of Husky, the Siberian Husky and the Alaskan husky. The Siberian is a purebred dog whereas the Alsakan is a cross breed so coat colors can be more variable.
The husky is a medium-sized dog, with a long tail and upright ears. This table shows how big your Husky could grow:
Male | Female | |
Height | 21-24 inches | 20-22 inches |
Weight | 45-60 pounds | 33-55 pounds |
Huskies come in many colors and patterns. It is possible to selectively breed a litter of Husky puppies in the hope they will be born a certain color. Selective breeding takes a lot of experience and uses DNA testing. We have put together a list of the most striking Husky coat colors and patterns:
Agouti is an easily recognizable color of Huskies, as it most resembles their wolf ancestry. An agouti has a darker undercoat, usually black, brown, or grey, and a top coat that is lighter in color compared to the undercoat. This creates a stippling effect. There can be variations in the amount of dark and light hairs on the body for the agouti color. Points on an Agouti are black, and any white spots are called cream.
The sable-colored husky has a deep red undercoat and the top coat contains hairs that vary in color intensity as you move up the hair tip, starting with more copper-colored at the root and black near the tip. This creates a warm glow of whites, copper, liver, black, and brown through the coat.
The black tan coat color has a mix of black and tan, and both colors can be of varying intensity. The black can range from coal black to a light silver color. This coat color is often associated with lines or stripes around the head, which enhances your Husky’s natural beauty.
This striking variation can have any amount of red and white on the body. The only two hair colors are red and white, no brown, grey, or black are seen. The red color varies from a deep liver color to a bright auburn or copper color. White stripes along the face, a white belly, and white legs are common in the red-white Husky.
Huskies have a thick, double coat to insulate themselves against the cold and rain. If you live in a warm region, they may struggle with the climate. Huskys can suffer heat stroke if exposed to too much sunshine or heat at any one time.
Huskies need brushing two to three times a week to remove dead hair and promote good circulation. If they enjoy mud or dirt they may need bathing as much as once a week.
Usually, the price for a well-bred Husky starts at around $800-1200. If this is not in your budget, check out your local animal shelter. The cost of adopting an adult is usually much lower than purchasing a puppy, and they come fully vaccinated and desexed. You may have to put in a little extra hard work to correct any behavioral issues but this can be achieved with the help of a good trainer.
Before bringing a Husky home, do your research. Talk to people who own this breed so you can have a first-hand understanding of their needs.
Huskies have a reputation for being fussy eaters. As they are such high-energy dogs, they need a prime source of nutrition to keep them fueled each day, or they can suffer weight loss and other conditions.
The husky can develop separation anxiety and be a destructive dog if left alone for long periods or not exercised enough. Don’t choose this breed if you spend lots of time away from the home. A dog walker or doggy daycare can solve this problem if you are away on an odd occasion. The husky is not suited to apartment living or if you have no garden to let your dog run around in. Garden fences must be at least one meter high, as huskies can jump easily over small fences and escape.
Huskies are a ball of energy and need a lot of exercise. They need at least one hour per day and should be allowed to be playful at home with other dogs or people. Huskies fit in well with multi-dog households. They also get along well with children and older adults.
The husky comes in many coat colors, and each husky coat is said to be unique to another, much like the human thumbprint. Their soft double coats, broad markings, and soulful eyes make us think back to their wolf lineage, and marvel at the fact they were domesticated so effectively in the first place.
The pure white coat color is the rarest color of Siberian Husky.
Its thought there are around 17 different varieties of coat color in the Husky breed.
The American Kennel Club recognizes six colors for the official breed standard in Siberian huskies. These are the agouti and black, grey and white, red and white, black and white, white, sable and white. The good news is, if your Siberian Husky is a different color from this list, they can still be registered and compete in shows.
As the red color codes in the genetics are recessive, it means the red coloration of a husky is harder to breed for. This is because you need two recessive genes to be inherited by the puppy from its parents which is an uncommon occurrence.