When you think of a husky, you may picture a grey and white huskies. They are common and beautiful. Surprisingly, there are a few different shades and patterns of gray that a husky can be.
Grey and White Husky Facts
The gray and white husky is a gray and white colored Siberian Husky. They have grown in popularity in recent years, rising from 25th to 12th in popularity in the last decade.
Husky History
Siberian huskies are descendants of the Taimyr wolf, which is also the ancestor of modern wolves. They were first domesticated by the Churchuri tribe 4,000 years ago.
They were used to pull sleds, but they also provided companionship for the tribe.
They first came to America in 1908, when they participated in the All Alaska Sweepstakes. Eventually, they became popular for sledding in New England.
Today, they are popular as pets across America. However, they are still used as working sled dogs as well.
Grey and White Husky Appearance
Grey and white huskies are popular thanks to their beautiful double coat and range of colors and shades. They often closely resemble their wolf ancestors.
Husky General Appearance
Huskies are graceful dogs, with a slim athletic build and long legs. They have a fluffy double coat, and a fluffy long tail.
They typically have blue or brown eyes. However, rarely, they will have green eyes. Heterochroma, which means each eye is a different color, is common in huskies. Their eyes can also be parti-colored, which means there are two colors within the same eye.
Medium or Dark Gray
Medium or dark gray is the most common husky gray color. They have a beige or gray undercoat. They can have slight red undertones, along with dark gray. They will also have areas of white.
Silver Husky
Silver Huskies have a light gray or silver colored coat, along with a white undercoat. They have no red tones, resulting in a cool gray color.
They typically have a white chest and stomach, and can have white feet as well. Silver huskies can have black tipping on their topcoat in some areas.
Wild Gray or Agouti
Wild gray is often known as agouti or wolf gray, because it’s remarkably similar to the coat of a modern wolf. It’s the warmest of the grays, with beige, red, or tan on the ears, on their legs, and on their back. They have a beige undercoat.
Agouti huskies are similar. However, agouti huskies have bands of different colors on each hair. The bottom portion of the hair is black, and the top portion is gray, with areas of white or red.
Wild or gray agouti huskies typically come from racing or sledding lines. This coloring is beneficial in the wild, because it helps them blend in with their environment.
Grey and White Husky Price
Grey and white huskies typically cost about $1,000. Prices for a registered husky puppy range from $1,000 to $3,000.
Rarely, huskies from prestigious lines or rare coloring can cost more than $3,000. Huskies who are considered show quality typically cost around $3,000.
On the other end of the spectrum are unregistered huskies. These typically cost $400 to $800.
Grey and White Husky Rarity
Grey and white huskies are common in general. Medium gray huskies are common, while agouti huskies are fairly rare. Silver huskies are also rare.
Grey and White Husky Life expectancy
Gray and white huskies typically live for 12 to 15 years. This is largely determined by genetics. However, you can maximize your dog’s lifespan with a healthy lifestyle. This includes exercise, a healthy diet, and routine veterinary care.
Grey and White Husky Size and weight
Grey and white huskies are medium sized dogs. Females are slightly smaller than males. Females weigh 35 to 50 pounds, and reach 20-22 inches tall. Males weigh 45 to 60 pounds, and grow to 22-24 inches tall.
In addition to standard huskies, you can also find miniature huskies today. They are genetically the same as standard sized huskies. They were created by breeding the smallest standard sized huskies.
They can’t be AKC registered, even though they are purebred, because they don’t meet the size and weight requirements for the breed standard.
They weigh 15-25 pounds, and reach 13-17 inches tall. Their smaller size makes them popular with people living in apartments or urban areas.
Grey and White Husky Health
Grey and white huskies are considered healthy dogs. They are a robust breed. In addition, genetic testing in recent years has improved the health of the breed.
Many health issues can be passed down from parents to their offspring. Genetic testing allows breeders to identify these health issues. If a husky has a genetic health problem, they won’t be bred.
Over time, this reduces the number of huskies born with the health condition.
Eye Conditions
There are several eye conditions that can affect huskies. One of these is PRA, or progressive retinal atrophy. This causes the eyes to go blind, usually at 2 or 3 years old.
Glaucoma is another eye condition that can affect huskies. Glaucoma occurs when the pressure in the eyes increases. This causes pain and affects the husky’s vision.
Cataracts can also affect huskies. Cataracts cause a film to form over the eye. This does affect their vision, but it doesn’t cause pain. Cataracts typically occur in older dogs.
Huskies can also develop juvenile cataracts. This occurs in young huskies, rather than senior pooches.
Arthritis
Arthritis is a common health problem for people, but it’s also an issue for many dogs, including huskies. It’s more common in older dogs.
Arthritis causes pain and swelling in the joints. This can also impair their movement. Movement is painful, particularly first thing in the morning.
Arthritis can’t be cured, but it can be treated with medication. This can reduce the symptoms. Gentle exercise can also help your husky cope with the condition.
Bloat
Bloat can develop in any dog. It’s a serious condition. In fact, it can be fatal within hours of symptoms beginning.
Bloat occurs when the gas that forms in the stomach during digestion can’t be released. As the gas increases, the pressure increases as well. This pressure can cause the stomach to twist if it’s not treated quickly.
The symptoms of bloat include severe pain and bloating. The pooch may also retch without productive vomitting. If you notice the symptoms of bloat, you should get your pooch to the vet immediately.
Epilepsy
Huskies can also develop epilepsy. There are three types of seizures. Reactive seizures are caused by metabolic issues or toxin ingestion. Secondary seizures, on the other hand, occur due to brain trauma, including strokes and head injuries.
When there’s no clear cause of the seizures, this is known as primary epilepsy. These seizures typically begin at 6 months to 3 years old.
Seizures cause a dog to lose muscle control. This can cause them to fall down, kick their legs, and drool. They can also lose control of their bladder and bowels. Seizures typically last for 30 seconds to 5 minutes.
Grey and White Husky Behavior/Characteristics
Grey and white huskies are very friendly and affectionate. They are excellent with kids, because they are gentle and patient. They are also very playful.
They are pack oriented, which means they need plenty of time with their family, or pack. They are friendly with strangers and other dogs. They need time with other dogs, just as they do their favorite humans. If you don’t have another dog, it’s a great idea to set up doggie play dates.
How to care for a Grey and White Husky
Grey and white huskies are a lot of work, but owners believe they are well worth the effort.
Diet
Because they are very energetic, hsukeis need a high quality diet. They’ve evolved to eat a high fat diet without health problems because they are accustomed to arctic conditions. Polar bears also have this adaptation.
However, high fats like seal blubber isn’t their ideal diet. They do need a high protein diet with a medium fat content.
You can choose a high quality commercial dog food that is high in protein and has plenty of fat. You can also give them a raw diet. Huskies do well on a raw diet, but it’s recommended to speak to your vet to be sure their diet is balanced.
Some owners choose to feed a commercial dog food along with raw food. This can give you the best of both worlds.
Exercise
Huskies have incredible energy and endurance. They can run 150 miles in a day, and reach speeds of 30 mph. Dont worry, you don’t need to take them on cross country trips.
However, you will need to exercise them for 1 to 2 hours a day. Ano0ther way to think about it is that you can also run or walk them 3 to 5 miles, at least four days a week.
A fenced in backyard can help your husky get enough exercise. Keep in mind that you’ll still need to exercise them, even if they have plenty of space.
They are known to be great escape artists. They may slip under or over the fence, so you’ll need to be sure it’s secure.
Grooming
Like other double coated breeds, huskieis need regular grooming. The good news is, they are easier to groom than most double coated breeds.
They don’t need hair cuts, because their hair grows to an appropriate length. You will need to brush them regularly, at least twice a week. Start by combing their coat to remove tangles, and then brush with a paddle brush. This will remove shed hair, dirt, and distribute their natural oils.
Begin with their undercoat, and then brush their topcoat.
They shed in the spring and fall. This allows their coat to get warmer or cooler, to prepare for the changing temperatures.
They need daily brushing when they are shedding. This will reduce the amount of gray and white hairs you find everywhere. It also helps speed the shedding process.
You can also use a deshedding shampoo or a deshedding tool to help them through shedding.
Training
Training is important for huskies. They are good natured dogs, but they are also strong willed. They are very independent. This is necessary when pulling a sled, because they need to make quick decisions, often without owner input.
While this makes them great sledding companions, it does make training them challenging. If you aren’t experienced with strong willed dogs, consider enrolling them in an obedience course. This will get the two of you off to the right start.
How do you buy a Grey and White Husky?
When buying a gray and white husky, you’ll need to take the time to be sure the breeder is ethical. Ethical breeders put the health of their dogs and the breed as a whole first.
Unethical breeders are often concerned with profits. However, some irresponsible breeders are simply uninformed. In either case, poor breeding practices are the result.
Breeder Registries
Breeder registries are a great way to find a gray and white husky. The AKC breeder registry only allows registered breeders and dogs on the registry. This weeds out unethical breeders.
The Siberian Club of America is another option. They are closely affiliated with the AKC, and also have a breeder registry.
Finding an Ethical Breeder
Breeder registries aren’t the only way to find ethical breeders. You can also find them through an internet search. Breeders who register their pups are likely to be ethical.
Breeders who don’t register their puppies may be ethical as well. However, it’s important to do research to be sure before choosing a pup.
You can do this by asking questions. How do they determine breeding pairs? How do they ensure their dogs and puppies are healthy?
You should also expect to answer a few questions. Ethical breeders want to be sure their puppies are going to good homes. Expect them to ask about your intentions for the pooch, and what their living conditions will be. They may also ask about your previous dog ownership experience.