Hi, my name’s Irena and I live in Greece on the beautiful island of Crete with my 3 cats, Hammie, Dimitris and Ebony and my crazy, but lovable dog, Sherlock.
I’ve been here for over 20 years and in that time, I have had 10 dogs and 22 cats, nearly all of them strays needing homes.
However, we’re not here to talk about my menagerie, but I’m going to tell you about the different types of Huskies. They are beautiful looking dogs with masses of energy.
How Many Breeds of Huskies are There?
There are 4 purebred types of Huskies and these are the Siberian Husky, the Alaskan Malamute, the Greenland Dog, and the Samoyed.
In addition, there are numerous Husky crossbreeds that we are also going to look at, as well as a few dogs which look or act similar to Huskies.
The 4 Types of Huskies
Siberian Husky
Siberian Huskies are probably the most well-known dogs of this breed. They are medium-sized dogs, with males being 21″ – 24″ in height, while females are 20″ – 22″.
Males weigh between 45 – 62 pounds while females weigh 34 – 51 pounds. Their life expectancy is 11 – 13 years.
As their name suggests, they are originally from Siberia in Russia where they were used as sled dogs by nomads.
Even today they are still used as sled dogs in various cold weather countries. I was lucky to go on a sled ride when I was in Lapland and boy, were they fast.
Since the beginning of the 20th century, they have also been used in sled races.
Siberian Huskies closely resemble wolves although they are smaller. Like wolves they howl, rather than bark.
They have a dense coat and they do shed so be prepared for a lot of cleaning. Their coats can be any of several colors, but the most common is black and white.
They have ice-blue eyes which make them stand out in a crowd.
Siberian Huskies should be kept in a house with a big garden so that they can run about. They also need long walks.
Siberian huskies are dogs that need plenty of exercise otherwise they will get bored and could become destructive.
They need to be able to do things that stretch them both mentally and physically. If you are into cross-country runs, they will be very happy to go with you.
They like to have company and are great family dogs. They shouldn’t be left alone for too long as they love being with their people.
They’re not dogs to be had if your whole family is out for most of the day.
If you do have to go out, make sure that you leave them plenty of toys and puzzle games to keep them active. They are too friendly to become guard dogs.
Siberian Huskies need to be trained from an early age, otherwise, they will think that they are the head of the pack and can run riot. They’re probably not the best choice for an inexperienced dog owner.
Alaskan Malamute
Alaskan Malamutes are a bit bigger than Huskies. Their height is in between 23” – 26” and they weigh between 75 – 88 pounds.
Alaskan Malmutes life expectancy is 10 – 12 years. Their fur is thick and rough, and they have a dense oily undercoat.
Like Siberian Huskies, Alaskan Malamutes need to live in a house with a big garden so that they can run about.
They have been bred to work so they need plenty of exercise. They won’t suit you if you are a couch potato. Long walks or runs with them are the order of the day.
They are generally much calmer in temperament than Siberian Huskies, but they are stubborn and like to challenge their owners.
Once again, they need to be with an experienced dog owner who knows how to train dogs.
Greenland Dog
Greenland Dogs are medium-sized. They grow to a height of 22″ – 26″ and weigh between 55 – 77 pounds. Their life expectancy is between 11 – 13 years.
Greenland dogs are a very robust Nordic breed that needs to work even more than Siberian Huskies and Alaskan Malamutes do.
They are kept as sled dogs and you don’t often see these dogs outside their native homeland.
Greenland dogs are friendly dogs and loyal to their owners, but they do need leadership to stop them from thinking that they are the leader of the pack.
They can be strong-willed, but they are also courageous and energetic. Greenland dogs are very hardy and willing to work. They would go crazy if they weren’t able to be active.
Samoyed
Like Siberian Huskies, Samoyeds originated in Siberia thousands of years ago, where they are still kept.
Their tasks include pulling sleds, herding reindeer, guarding and protecting people and pulling boats over the snow to open water.
However, they are still friendly dogs who love the whole family. They’re not a one-man-dog.
Samoyeds are family dogs and working dogs combined into one. They aren’t aggressive, but they will defend their family if it is threatened.
They need plenty of activity so apart from long walks or runs, they should have access to a big garden. If they don’t get plenty of exercise, they can bark a lot and even become destructive.
They like to sleep outside with their heads under their tails even when there is a lot of snow about. They are very hardy and are suited to a cooler climate.
Male Samoyeds grow to a height of 23”, while females are around 21” and they weigh between 44 – 55 pounds.
Their coats are lush, and they need to be brushed every day. They shed particularly during the change of seasons so be prepared to do a lot of sweeping up.
6 Types of Huskies Cross Breeds
There are so many Husky cross breeds that we can’t mention them all here.
Instead, we will look at the most popular ones.
Alusky
Aluskies are a cross between Alaskan Malamutes and Siberian Huskies.
As they both have a history as sled dogs, you will be getting very active dogs that will need plenty of physical as well as mental stimulation.
They need a house with a garden and plenty of long walks every day. Aluskies are very intelligent dogs, so dog puzzles are a good idea especially when you are out.
Aluskies can be stubborn dogs, so training is needed from an early age to stop them thinking they are the leader of the pack.
They are not dogs for inexperienced owners. They have thick fur coats and can overheat, so keep an eye on them if you live in a warmer climate.
Gerberian Shepsky
Gerberian Shepskies are a cross between Siberian Huskies and German Shepherds.
They are full of energy and fun and do need a consistent and firm owner as well as one who gives them an outlet for their energy.
They are very affectionate to their families, but the German Shepherd part of the mix can sometimes make them wary of strangers.
However, in day-to-day life, they make good family dogs and will even get on with children.
They’re not ideal for a house with other pets unless they have been socialized from an early age. They are quite striking dogs.
They look a lot like a German Shepherd, but they have the blue eyes of Siberian Huskies.
Goberian
Goberians are crosses between 2 very popular breeds; Siberian Huskies and Golden Retrievers.
From their Golden Retriever side, they get their smartness and a wish to please their family. Siberian Huskies bring extra energy into the mix and intelligence, as well as a little stubbornness.
They need to be trained and socialized from an early age so that they accept that the pack leader is you. Luckily, they are easy to train and will be loyal to their family.
Pitsky
Pitskies are a cross between Siberian Huskies and Pit Bull Terriers. Some people think of Pit Bull Terriers as aggressive, but Pitskies certainly aren’t.
They have masses of energy and are lots of fun to have around. They will suit an active family that goes out for long walks and jogs.
There isn’t a standard look that these dogs have. They could have more Pit Bull features than Siberian Huskies or vice versa.
However, one thing is always prominent and that is they have those gorgeous blue eyes of the Siberian Huskies.
Beasky
Both Beagles and Siberian Huskies are loving dogs so you will get lots of affection if you cross them.
They have the intelligence of Siberian Huskies, but the mellowness of a Beagle. They are easy to train and suit large families.
Still, they should be trained and socialized early on so that they get on with any other pets you have and your children.
Huskita
Huskitas are a cross between Siberian Huskies and Akitas. Both are very old breeds.
Siberian Huskies have been around for thousands of years in Russia and Akitas have been in Japan for hundreds of years.
The combination of these dogs produces a great designer dog that has the loyalty of Akitas and the energy of Huskies.
Their coats are generally short to medium and the coloring can come from one of the parents or both.
They have become very popular, but the American Kennel Club hasn’t allowed them to be on the roster of purebreds.
7 Types of Dog Breed Similar to Huskies
There are quite a lot of breeds out there which have similarities to Huskies. Here we are going to look at 7 breeds which have either the characteristics of Huskies or their looks.
Akita
Akitas are very loyal and affectionate and make great family pets. However, there is usually one person that they feel the most loyalty to.
One of their humans must be the pack leader. They need long walks and a yard is good so they can run about and expend some of that energy.
They can be overprotective, so firm training is required.
Utongan
Utongans are a cross between Alaskan Malamutes, Siberian Huskies, and German Shepherds.
They aren’t guard dogs or working dogs, but because of their strength, they can be trained to do various tasks.
They look like Siberian Huskies, but they are bigger.
Tamaskan
If you are looking for dogs that look like Siberian Huskies, but don’t shed much, you won’t go far wrong with Tamaskans.
They make great family dogs; they accept other dogs and they are gentle. Tamaskans are very intelligent and have plenty of energy, so they need both mental and physical activity.
Alaskan Klee Kai
Alaskan Klee Kais look a lot like Siberian Huskies but are much smaller. They only grow to 13 – 15 inches in height.
Their temperament, however, is completely different from a Siberian Husky. They are shy dogs and they are wary of strangers.
They need to be socialized from an early age so that they get on with people.
American Eskimo Dog
American Eskimo Dogs are strong, alert and agile and make great family pets. They need to be trained well and not left alone for too long otherwise they could become destructive.
American Eskimo dogs have dense white coats with a lion-like ruff around their chests and shoulders. They come in 3 sizes: toy, miniature, and standard.
Finnish Spitz
Finnish Spitzs look quite similar to Siberian Huskies. They are very talkative and love to bark at anything and everything.
My Sherlock is just the same! If they’re not trained, they will bark a lot more. They were bred to hunt so it’s not a good idea to have them if you have cats or other small animals.
They love to eat so don’t give them too many treats or overfeed them.
Keeshond
Keeshonds are medium-sized dogs that are descended from Samoyeds and Spitz-type dogs.
They have an abundant coat which sheds like mad, a plumed tail and markings around their eyes which makes them look as if they are wearing spectacles.
They love company and get very miserable if left on their own for long periods.
Final Thoughts: Types of Huskies
I hope that you’ve enjoyed your journey through the world of Huskies.
As I have shown, there are 4 purebred types of Huskies, but plenty of crossbreeds and others that have similar characteristics to Huskies.
One thing they all have in common is that they love company and don’t survive well if they are left alone for long periods.
Also, most of them are energetic so you do need to be prepared for long walks and playtime.
Thank you for reading the 4 different types of Huskies, have a great day!