Looking at the most unique mixed dog breeds, the Tibetan Mastiff Husky mix definitely pops up. It’s a rare crossbreed between a Tibetan Mastiff and a Siberian Husky.
Since it’s not a purebred dog, there’s no one standard for what the dog should look or behave like. This can make buying or adopting one of these dogs a bit of a gamble because you don’t know exactly what you’re going to get.
However, the Tibetan Mastiff Husky can make an extraordinary unique dog that’s sure to turn heads.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the Tibetan Mastiff Husky, from its characteristics and temperament to training and grooming, so stick around.
History
Even though there’s no exact information about the history of this mix, it’s interesting to learn a bit about the parents’ origins.
The Tibetan Mastiff originated centuries ago in the Himalayas and was used by Nomadic tribes as a guard dog. Thanks to their massive size, strength, and loyalty, Tibetan Mastiffs were used to protect their owners from predators such as bears and wolves.
The Siberian Husky was bred in Russia’s arctic region over thousands of years. Thanks to their speed and endurance, Huskies were used by the Chuki to pull sleds and help them hunt.
The mix between the two breeds gives you an incredibly unique pet combining the best of both worlds.
Size and Weight
When it comes to mixed dog breeds, it’s not easy to predict their measurements. However, taking a closer look at the parents gives us an indication of the size and weight of their offspring.
The Tibetan Mastiff, also known as the gentle giant of all breeds, weighs 70 to 150 pounds and stands 24-26 inches tall. On the other hand, the Siberian Husky is a medium-sized dog with an average weight of 45-60 pounds and stands 21-23.5 inches tall.
As a result, the Tibetan Mastiff Husky is a medium to large-size dog with an average height of 24-28 inches and an average weight of 88 pounds.
Overall, the Tibetan Mastiff Husky is expected to be larger than the average Husky. It’s also worth noting that gender highly affects weight and height, as females tend to measure less than males.
Lifespan
The lifespan of a Tibetan Mastiff is 10 to 14 years, while the Siberian Husky has a lifespan of 12 to 15 years. On average, the Tibetan Mastiff Husky expected lifespan is 10 to 15 years.
Remember that mixed dog breeds are generally healthier than purebred dogs. Still, your hybrid dog’s lifespan varies according to the health problems he inherits from his parents, which we’ll discuss shortly.
Appearance
It’s no surprise that mixing a Tibetan Mastiff with a Husky produces a unique dog in terms of looks. Keep in mind that the appearance of mixed dogs highly depends on dominant genes. Your dog might take after either parent, so it isn’t easy to predict his appearance.
In most cases, the Tibetan Mastiff Husky has a square head, a face fuller than the Husky, and an intimidating alert appearance. His ears are usually upright and can be either pricked like a Husky or floppy like a Tibetan Mastiff.
Since both breeds are known for their thick double coat, the Tibetan Mastiff Husky has a thick-long coat as well.
The coat color might be black, tan, brown, golden, grey, white, or red depending on the parents’ coat colors. Sometimes the coat has bicolor patterns such as black and tan, and liver and tan.
If your Tibetan Mastiff Husky takes after his Mastiff parent, he’ll probably have brown eyes. If he takes after the Husky, he’s more likely to have blue or brown eyes with an almond shape.
In case you’re lucky enough, your hybrid dog might have the stunning bi-eyes (brown and blue) or parti-eyes (half-brown half-blue).
Overall, the Tibetan Mastiff Husky is a large furry dog with an intimidating appearance that resembles lion cubs or Tibetan bears.
Personality
Like any mixed dog breed, predicting the personality and temperament might be difficult. However, the Tibetan Mastiff and the Husky share some personality traits that might be evident in their offspring.
The Tibetan Mastiff is a loyal, protective and intelligent dog. He’s also highly alert and territorial, making him an excellent guard dog.
Despite being loyal and loving to their owners, Tibetan Mastiffs tend to show stubbornness and independence, making obedience training a bit challenging.
Moreover, his protective nature might lead him to be aggressive toward strangers and other pets. Finally, the Tibetan Mastiff has the tendency to escape. You might need to invest in a high fence.
Huskies are friendly, outgoing, loyal, and highly energetic. They’re also playful and get along well with family members.
Huskies are much more friendly with strangers than the Tibetan Mastiff and might show little or no aggression toward intruders. That’s why Huskie don’t make good watchdogs.
Due to their high energy levels, Huskies can be too destructive when bored or left alone for a long time, making them not the best option for apartment living unless they’re well trained.
Finally, Huskies are notorious for being escape artists, they can jump fences and even slip from collars to find their way out.
The Tibetan Mastiff Husky is expected to be a loyal and protective dog. They’re also highly intelligent and energetic dogs that need plenty of physical and mental exercises.
The hybrid will probably be stubborn and independent as both parents share these traits. Both parents are also escape artists, so expect the Tibetan Mastiff Husky to try escaping whenever he feels bored.
Depending on which parent your puppy takes after, he might be territorial with a high guardian instinct like his Mastiff parent, or too friendly for protection like the Husky.
Overall, the Tibetan Mastiff Husky is too much to handle for first-time dog owners. Why? Because their stubbornness and high energy make training them much harder than other dog breeds.
Training
Training a Tibetan Mastiff Husky is complicated, especially for novice dog owners. That’s because its training will depend on the dominant genes.
For instance, if your dog inherits the extremely high energy levels of the Husky, he’ll require hours of training and exercise to release his energy, and if you skip the long training hours, he’ll destroy your house out of boredom.
Conversely, if he takes after the Tibetan Mastiff, he’ll need less training and exercise, but, obedience training will be challenging because of his stubborn nature.
As with any breed, it’s critical to establish yourself as the alpha and be firm but gentle. Despite their stubbornness, the Tibetan Mastiff Huskies are smart and fast learners, so using positive reinforcement is a good idea.
On top of that, socialization is critical to prevent fear-based aggression, especially if your dog inherits the protective nature of his Tibetan Mastiff parent.
Start socializing your pup with family members and pets as early as possible, as the Tibetan Mastiff Husky can show aggression.
Since the Tibetan Mastiff Husky is a high-energy dog, you should be prepared to commit to a routine of walking and playing with your dog.
When you take your dog for a walk, we recommend not going through the same path every day.
Why? Because the dog he takes after his Tibetan Mastiff parent, he will probably be territorial and show aggression toward other pets in the area.
Grooming
The Tibetan Mastiff and the Husky both have thick, long coats and they shed heavily. Tibetan Mastiffs shed once a year, while Huskies shed twice a year.
So, whoever parent your mixed dog takes after, brushing him will be a great deal, especially during shedding.
Normally, you need to brush your Tibetan Mastiff Husky once a week. However, you should brush him every day during the shedding period.
Regarding baths, it’s better to bathe them only when needed, as regular bathing can strip their skin of natural oils, causing skin dryness.
It would be best to avoid using normal shampoo for your dog. Instead, use a shampoo specially designed for dogs, as it has mild detergents that won’t harm your dog’s skin.
Health Problems
If you’re thinking about bringing home a Tibetan Mastiff Husky, you should be aware of the potential health issues this breed faces.
Even though hybrid breeds are generally healthier, your dog might be prone to health issues inherited from either parent.
- Hip Dysplasia
As with most large dogs, the Tibetan Mastiff Husky is at risk for developing hip dysplasia. This condition occurs when the thighbone doesn’t fit correctly into the hip joint. Resulting in pain, arthritis, and difficulty walking.
To prevent this, you need to ensure you don’t over-exercise your dog, especially when he’s still young. It’s also worth taking him to the vet if you notice him limping or having trouble climbing the stairs.
- Ocular Diseases
The Tibetan Mastiff Husky is prone to ocular problems like cataracts and dry eye. Cataracts usually occur at a young age causing eye clouding and vision difficulties. However, the issue is easily corrected by eye surgery.
Dry eye is another common eye problem, especially in Huskies. It occurs when tear glands don’t secrete enough tears leading to eye soreness and infection.
This hybrid also suffers from several eye ailments such as distichiasis (eyelashes grow in the wrong direction), entropion (inward-turning eyelids), and progressive retinal atrophy.
- Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid gland is unable to produce the thyroxine hormone, which controls the body’s metabolism.
As a result, your dog might suffer from obesity, muscle loss, and a slower heart rate.
- Heart Problems
As a mixed breed, the Tibetan Mastiff Husky can inherit a predisposition to heart disease from his Mastiff parent.
Dilated cardiomyopathy is a common issue in Mastiffs where the heart can’t pump enough blood to different body parts. Unfortunately, the condition can be life-threatening.
- Demyelinating Neuropathy
Demyelinating neuropathy is a chronic inflammatory condition that affects neurological function. It results in delayed reflexes in limbs, muscle twitches, and seizures.
It’s critical to get more information about the parent’s history before getting a Tibetan Mastiff Husky to avoid such genetic diseases.
Diet
A big part of caring for a Tibetan Mastiff Husky is making sure their diet is of high quality and that it’s balanced since feeding these dogs can be tricky.
The Tibetan Mastiff is susceptible to becoming overweight. Still, they need a lot of calories to stay healthy and active throughout the day. Conversely, Huskies don’t need many calories.
In general, the hybrid mix is quite huge, meaning he needs more calories than an average Husky but less than a Tibetan Mastiff.
Two to four cups of high-quality wet or dry dog food are usually suitable for a Tibetan Mastiff Husky. You might as well add some nutritious meals to their diets such as raw meat, vegetables, fish, and lamb once a week.
To Wrap Up
So, there you have it; everything you need to know about the Tibetan Mastiff Husky!
Tibetan Mastiff Husky mixes are intelligent and make great family dogs when they’re properly socialized. If that’s not enough, they can be territorial, which makes them excellent guard dogs.
The main downside of the mixed hybrid is that they’ll put your training skills to the test. In other words, they’re not suitable for first-time dog owners.
Also, due to their massive size, they might be ok with older kids, but they’re not the best option to keep if you have toddlers at home.
Finally, grooming and cleaning these giant thick coated dogs is challenging, which isn’t optimal if you don’t have enough time to take care of your furry friend.