Skip to content 
Alaskan Husky Dog Breed Introduction
Alaskan Husky is a medium-sized working sled dog created for performance more than appearance. It is a product of careful selection for desirable sled dog characteristics such as speed, endurance, aptitude for pulling, tolerance of extreme weather, appetite, and intelligence from various other breeds. As of now, Alaskan Huskies are neither recognized by any kennel club nor have a formal breed standard.
This is a crossbreed that has been created through the use of Siberian Huskies, Alaskan Malamute, Saluki, Pointers, German Shorthaired Pointers, Borzois, Setters, and Labrador. Some breeders have also used wolves at some point. For this reason, the appearance of Alaskan Huskies can vary markedly, even though various lines have been bred for multiple generations and bred very true to that line’s type.
Some Alaskan Huskies have Spitz-like features such as curled tails and pricked ears, whereas other lines closely resemble their gundog or hound heritage with floppy or tipped ears, tucked-up sighthound-like loins and straight tails. This dog type has no specific physical appearance characteristics since they are bred for the purpose of the dog’s intended style of sled work. Some Alaskan Huskies are bred for distance or sprint. Dogs that display overlap between distance and sprint are categorized under the sub-group. Distance Alaskan Huskies tend to have denser double coats while the sprint type have shorter coats.
Alaskan Husky Origin | History
The Alaskan Husky originated from pre-colonial North America Arctic village dogs that were crossbred with European breeds such as sighthounds, Pointers, and Gundogs to improve their performance. The crossbreeding was a result of producing faster running dogs since the indigenous Alaska dogs were renowned for their great stamina and strength but lacked speed. The creation of Alaskan Huskies was a necessity on the latter half of the 20th century after the primary use of sled dogs shifted from utility to sport particularly competitive sled dog racing. The common traditional husky heritage present in Alaskan Huskies include Siberian Husky and Alaskan Malamute. However, Samoyeds, Mackenzie River huskies, and Greenland Dogs have also been utilized.
Alaskan Husky Lifespan
The Alaskan Huskies have a lifespan of 10 to 15 years.
Alaskan Husky Grooming
The Alaskan Husky has a double-coated coat that sheds all-year round at moderate levels. Weekly brushing will help to remove dirt, loose hair, and keep the coat looking its best. Although, Alaskan Huskies shed heavily twice a year in Spring and Fall. During this period, brush the coat on a daily basis to limit the amount of shed hair on the surface and furniture.
This is a relatively clean breed that requires a bath every 2 to 3 months unless they roll off into something stinky. Use a hypoallergenic canine shampoo and conditioner to bath and moisturize the coat. After a bath, thoroughly clean off the grooming products from the coat to prevent skin irritation. Remember to clean the eye corners using a damp clean washcloth or unscented canine wipes.
Trim the nails of the Alaskan Huskies every 3 to 5 weeks to prevent cracking, overgrowth, and splitting using nail clippers or grinders. Brush the teeth of an Alaskan Husky at least twice a week if not daily to remove tartar buildup using a dog formulated toothpaste and toothbrush. Clean the ears on a weekly basis using an ear cleanser solution and cotton balls to remove excess debris or wax. While wiping the ears, look out for signs of dog’s ear infection such as odor, redness, or a dark discharge. Owners should neither trim or shave the double coat. It acts an an insulator against extreme heat and cold.
Alaskan Husky Shedding
The Alaskan Huskies have a double-layered coat that sheds all-year round at moderate levels and heavily twice a year while blowing of their coats in Spring and Fall.
Alaskan Husky Coat
The Alaskan Huskies that are bred for distances have a denser double coats to better contend with harsh wind and cold temperatures. On the other hand, sprint lines have shorter coats to allow for greater heat dissipation while racing at high speeds. It far more common for Distance-type Alaskan Huskies to be outfitted with dog coats and dog booties during long races and expeditions, so that they can regulate temperature and protect the dog’s feet from rough terrain and ice. As of late 20th century and early 21st century, the distance lines have also been bred for speed, sacrificing some of the heavier and more dense protective double layer of the Arctic breed progenitors.
Alaskan Husky Hypoallergenic
The Alaskan Huskies are not considered hypoallergenic. They shed all-year round at moderate levels and heavily twice a year allowing dander and fur to spread around the house triggering allergies. Apart from dander and fur, Alaskan Husky’s saliva, urine, and mucus also contain a protein allergen that aggravates allergies.
How To Train An Alaskan Husky
An Alaskan Husky is an athletic, intelligent and working sled dog bred for its ability to work without physical feedback from the driver. For this reason, they will tend to be independent thinkers which may make training a bit difficult. Alaskan Huskies are also pack dogs that thrive where a successful pecking order has been established. Failure for the owner to assume pack leadership will otherwise make this dog to undoubtedly take the lead. The Alaskan Huskies are able to reach their maximum potential since they know they are under the leadership of a well-respected, trusted, and loving leader who will make decisions that are suitable for the well-being of the entire pack.
Parents and trainers should start teaching this breed from an early age before they get inclined towards bad behaviors. Pet owners should not let the puppies do what they will not desire the dog to do when it matures such as joining you in your personal space without an invite. To raise well-mannered, well-adjusted, friendly, and people oriented dog, start socialization training immediately he pup joins you home. Usually, this training starts from an early age of 3 weeks while the pup is with the breeder until the age of 16 weeks after the pup has already settled in its new home. Normally , owners take their pets home from the age of 8 weeks.
To socialize the Alaskan Huskies, expose them to a wide variety of people, places, surfaces, animals, sight, experiences, situations, smell, and sounds such as baby crying sounds, sirens, door bells, whistles, vacuum cleaners, washing machines, and lawn mowers. Enrolling an Alaskan Husky in a puppy class also serves as a form of socialization. These classes create a controlled environment where canines interact with each other. A puppy class is also beneficial to the pet owners. It not only allows them to identify and correct bad behaviors but also have access to training information and assistance.
Patience, consistency, and being firm are key to a successful training. Keep the training sessions short, fun, and challenging for a span of 5 to 10 minutes distributed throughout the day to avoid boredom and distraction. Use positive reinforcements methods such as use of treats, playtime, verbal praise, toys, and petting. Avoid use of harsh correction methods such as the use of choke or prong collars, beating, kicking, yelling, and shoving.
Start teaching the basic command words immediately the pup joins you home. Some of the potential life saving basic commands include come, sit, stay, lie down, wait, drop it, heel, etc. Teach one command word at a time until the Alaskan Husky is well-acquainted before proceeding to the next command. Avoid issuing a command while too frustrated or excited since it no longer sounds the same for your pet. Effectively housebreak the Alaskan Huskies by creating a feeding schedule, crate training, and potty training.
A crate is an indispensable tool that helps with potty training. It allows the owner to monitor the pup for signs that suggest the dog wants to eliminate such as circling, whining, squatting, restlessness, whining, and lifting a leg against the crate door. While potty training, take the Alaskan Husky to the designated toilet area for positive outcomes immediately it wakes up, every 2 to 3 hours, 20 minutes after meals and drinks, following an exciting activity such as playtime and car ride, after naptime, and before bed time. From the age of 8 months, the Alaskan Huskies should go for potty breaks every 6 to 8 hours. This is because the bladder and bowel muscles of puppies increases as the dog matures.
Alaskan Husky Temperament | Traits | Personality
- Athletic.
- Intelligent.
- Loyal.
- Independent.
- Affectionate.
- People-oriented.
- Friendly.
- Outgoing.
- Playful.
- Stubborn.
- Trainable.
Alaskan Husky Exercise
This is an energetic and athletic breed more than the Siberian Husky or Alaskan Malamute. They were bred as working dogs hence require various forms of exercise and activities such as hiking, running, pulling sleds, skijoring, and jogging to be physically and mentally stimulated. They are also escape artists that should exercise in a securely fenced yard or go for walks while on a leash. Improper exercise leads to destructive behaviors such as chewing, digging, and excessive barking.
Alaskan Husky Barking
Although the Alaskan Husky seldom barks, they are known for chirping or howling which may be tiring for your neighbors. They also make poor guard dogs. Since they will not bark to raise an alarm when strangers are approaching.
Alaskan Husky Height
The Alaskan Huskies have a varying height range of 20 to 26 inches ( approx. 51 to 66 cm ).
Alaskan Husky Weight
A mature Alaskan Husky has a weight of 35 to 75 pounds ( approx. 16 to 34 kg ).
Alaskan Husky Size
The Alaskan Huskies are medium-sized working dogs that have a height of 20 to 26 inches ( approx. 51 to 66 cm ) and a weight of 35 to 75 pounds ( approx. 16 to 34 kg ).
Alaskan Husky Miniature
As of now, there is no miniature Alaskan Husky. This working breed has not been bred according to size variety i.e. standard, miniature, or toy-sized but based on its function. There are two lines of Alaskan Huskies, distant lines and sprint lines. The former tend to have a denser double coats while the latter has shorter coats to allow for greater heat dissolution while racing. However, some people may refer to Alaskan Klee Kai as miniature Alaskan Huskies(its foundation breed) due to the close resemblance.
Alaskan Husky Bite Force
Reportedly, an Alaskan Husky has a bite force of at least 200 PSI.
Alaskan Husky Health Issues
These dogs are crossbreeds that benefit from hybrid vigour hence perhaps tend to have fewer health issues. However, some of the health problems that affect Alaskan Huskies include hypothyroidism, lysosomal storage disease, malformation of the larynx and eye disorders like progressive retinal atrophy .
Alaskan Husky Names
The Alaskan Husky parent may decide to get a name for the pet before it joins them home from the breeder or days after the pet joins them home to understand the personality of a particular dog. Parents may get name inspirations from the heritage of the breed, coat color, function, personality, celebrity Alaskan Huskies, movies, books, songs, nature, or historical figures.
Regardless of where you will source the name for your pooch, ensure the it freely rolls off your tongue. The name should not make you embarrassed once it is uttered out loud in the public. Alaskan Huskies and other dog types better understand names that have vowels. Avoid giving your pet a name that rhymes with the command words.
If the husky parent settles with a long name, he or she should find a cute nickname for the dog. If the Alaskan Husky shares a name with any family member or guest that frequent your home, it may result to chaos.
Alaskan Husky Female Names
- Aurora.
- Glacier.
- Sky.
- Avalanche.
- Snow.
- Lynx.
- Cedar.
- Dakota.
- Blazer.
- Polar, etc.
Alaskan Husky Types
There are two lines of Alaskan Huskies:
The distance group that has Spitz-like features such as curled tails and pricked ears.
Sprint lines that resemble pointer and sighthound type dogs with straight tails and floppy or tipped ears.
Male Alaskan Husky Names
- Willow.
- Wolf.
- Raven.
- Alaska.
- Akira.
- Ice.
- Sledge.
- Bear.
- North.
- Storm.
- Winter, etc.
Alaskan Husky Food
The amount of food that the Alaskan Huskies feed on depend on their age, activity level, metabolism, size, and body build. Puppies tend to eat small portions of food 3 or 4 times a day due to high metabolism rates from when they start weaning until the age of 6 months. From the age of 6 months, Alaskan Huskies should feed on a total two meals a day. Remember to watch weight level and calorie consumption to avoid overfeeding especially with treats.
Alaskan Huskies may feed on dry food, wet food, home made, or a raw diet depending on the budget and time of the pet parent. Regardless of the food type, parents should ensure that the dog feeds on a balanced diet to maintain a good health eventually allowing it to develop cognitively and physically. If an Alaskan Husky parent decides to feed the pet with the commercial dry or wet food, he or she should ensure the first three ingredients are proteins from a known source.
The commercial dog food should neither contain preservatives, chemicals, additives, meat by-products, generic meat products, nor fillers. The same goes to the snacks. Dry or wet food should also be formulated for medium-sized, puppies, adults, and seniors depending on the age of your Alaskan Huskies. Check the physique of your fur baby to tell whether it is overweight or underweight.
If you can see the ribs, chances are the dog is underweight. However, if the ribs are not visible but can be felt without pressing hard, an Alaskan Husky has an ideal weight. If the ribs can’t be felt, the pet is overweight and should be exercised. Pet owners who want to switch to another quality food should gradually do this over a period of one month by mixing both new food and old food. As the weeks progresses, the amount of old food reduces as the new food increases until the Alaskan Husky is only feeding on new food during the fourth week.
Apart from Alaskan Huskies, other dog breeds include:
Alaskan Husky Colors
The Alaskan Huskies may have any color or pattern. Common colors include black, white, and gray.
Alaskan Husky Eyes
Most Alaskan Huskies have dark colored eyes. Although, some may have blue-colored eyes due to the Siberian Husky contributor in their lineage.
Alaskan Husky Tail
The Alaskan Huskies may either have curled or straight tails. The former is common in Spitz-like Alaskan Huskies while the latter is common in hound or gundog-like Alaskan Huskies.
Difference Between Alaskan Husky And Siberian Husky
The Alaskan Husky is a crossbreed that has genetic composition of the Siberian Husky, Alaskan Malamute, Greyhound, Saluki, and German Shorthaired Pointers in its lineage. Whereas the Siberian Husky is a pure breed that originated in Siberia. Generally, Alaskan Huskies are slightly taller as compared to the Siberian Huskies. The former is not recognized by any kennel club while the latter is recognized by major kennel clubs such as AKC.
Are Alaskan Huskies Hypoallergenic
No. Alaskan Huskies have a moulting coat that sheds all-year round. Shedding releases dander and fur into the environment aggravating allergies.
Are Alaskan Huskies Aggressive
No. The Alaskan Huskies are playful, energetic, independent, affectionate, stubborn, and outgoing dogs. However, they are not aggressive.
Do Alaskan Huskies Shed
Yes. The Alaskan Huskies shed all-year round at moderate levels and heavily twice a year while experiencing seasonal change in Spring and Fall.
Alaskan Huskies Quick Facts
- They are crossbreeds hence not recognized by any kennel club.
- While in harness, Alaskan Huskies are capable of pulling a load that is far greater than their own body weight.
- The sprint lines of the Alaskan Huskies are capable for running for a speed of 28 miles per hour ( approx. 45 km/h ).
