You can call this good boy a Siberpoo, Siberian Poodle, Huskydoodle, or Huskypoo. In all cases, you get a fun, social, affectionate, intelligent, and incredibly energetic crossbreed of Huskies and Poodles.
The Husky Poodle mix is always in demand for its great temperament as well as cute looks. If you’re not sure whether or not getting one will match your lifestyle, this article is for you.
Below, we’ll go through everything from this dog’s physical characteristics and personality to his health, diet, training, and grooming requirements. So, let’s get to it!
Husky Poodle Mix History
The Husky Poodle mix is the result of breeding two of the most popular dog breeds in the U.S. and even the entire world—the Siberian Husky and the Poodle. But when and how was this first mix created?
Of course, Huskydoodles may have naturally existed for hundreds of years for all we know. Yet, breeders started intentionally breeding them as designer dogs in the late 1990s as it was quite the rage back then.
While no one is 100% sure why this idea first crossed their minds, chances are breeders wanted to limit the Husky’s shedding rate by introducing the Poodle’s non-shedding genes.
The Origins of the Siberian Husky
Siberian Huskies have been bred for hundreds of years after they were a result of crossbreeding two ancient sled dogs. These are the Laika and the spitz.
The Huskies have been faithful companions of the Chukchi people since they first bred them. Their main goal was to have a loyal and strong working dog breed that’ll handle the arctic weather conditions.
Later in 1908, the Husky found its way to Alaska, which is the closest part of North America to Siberia. As the years passed, Huskies captured the hearts of Americans with their unusual blend of fierce looks and goofy personality to the point of being sought out as pets!
The Origins of the Poodle
The Poodle’s history is a bit controversial, as some kennel clubs believe it originated in Germany, while others claim it’s a French dog.
Whatever the case is, there’s no information on when exactly this breed came to be, as it’s been depicted in European art since the 15th century. More interestingly, historians have found drawings of similar-looking dogs in ancient Egyptian and Roman artifacts.
Due to its proud personality and fabulous looks, the Poodle became a favorite of people of high society in France, Germany, and Spain. It’s also been well-regarded for being a water dog—a dog breed that helps retrieve hunted game from the murky water of marshes.
Husky Poodle Mix Overview
The Husky Poodle mix can be a great candidate as a family dog because of its amiable personality. However, first-time owners should think carefully before buying one as it’s not the easiest to train.
Regardless, a lot of dog owners appreciate how it’s fantastic around other dogs and children.
Husky Poodle Mix Appearance
Let’s dive deeper into the unique appearance of the Husky Poodle mix!
Size and Weight
If you’ve got a crossbreed of a standard Poodle and a Husky, it’ll likely be medium-sized, say from 20–25 inches at the shoulder. As for the weight, it may be anywhere between 40 and 60 pounds.
However, you should remember that the offspring of a toy Poodle and a Husky will be much smaller and lighter in weight. In that case, you can expect the height to be around 12 inches and the weight to be less than 40 pounds.
Coat Type and Color
Huskydoodles usually have coats that are hard to predict, as there’s a huge spectrum of possibilities between a Poodle’s coat and a Husky’s coat.
Still, more often than not, your little pup’s coat will be in the colors white, gray, or black. It might also inherit some other Poodle-associated colors like brown or apricot, but that’s rare.
The coat may be solid or multi-colored, depending on how the parents’ genes play out!
As for the type, the coat may be single or double and low-shedding or medium-shedding.
Even though the reason for creating this breed was to lower its shedding rate, sometimes the mix will lean toward its Husky side. This will make it unfit for people with allergies.
However, one cool result of mixing these two dogs is a crossbreed that handles cold climates thanks to the Husky’s genes!
Husky Poodle Mix Behavior and Temperament
The following traits make the Husky Poodle one of the best family dogs you can think of.
Highly Energetic
It’s hard to match the energy of a Husky Poodle mix considering Huskies have a top spot amongst the most energetic dog breeds. While still a puppy, it’s normal for your crossbreed to show hyperactive behavior like jumping on furniture, running around the house, etc.
As he grows older, this hyperactivity might decrease, but it won’t disappear altogether. So, you must make it a priority to dedicate an hour or two daily to physical activity, whether it’s in the form of walks, jogs on the beach, hikes, etc.
Otherwise, such a naturally active dog will find other ways to expel his pent-up energy like destroying furniture and chewing on inedible objects.
One thing you should keep in mind here is that this mix needs plenty of space to run around and not feel contained. Consider your living conditions before bringing one home, as keeping him in an apartment or a small house without a fenced yard won’t work well for him.
Affectionate and Friendly Toward Family, Kids, and Other Pets
The Husky Poodle is also well-known for his friendly personality and affection. He’s all about cuddles and kisses, especially if he’d been raised by his human family since he was a little pup.
This mix is great around kids, too, and he doesn’t mind the accidental rough play. Still, to ensure his safety as well as that of your children, it’s best to supervise their playtime.
Even better, this dog does fairly well with other dogs in your household, so you should expect no aggression whatsoever. But you may want to think twice about throwing a cat or any similar pet into the mix as it can trigger your Husky Poodle’s prey drive.
Intelligent But Stubborn
There’s no doubt that a Huskydoodle is a smart dog, so training him and teaching him a few tricks should go smoothly, right?
Well, this isn’t always the case because this dog has loads of stubbornness in him. While training him can be a bit hard, persistence, patience, and positive reinforcement should get you where you want eventually.
Husky Poodle Mix Price, Expenses, and Rarity
Because breeding a Husky Poodle requires special care to pick healthy parents, perform tests, and more, you can expect the puppy’s initial price to be quite high.
A Huskydoodle pup’s price starts at around $700–$1,000 and may even go upward from there if you get him from a reputable breeder.
Of course, the price may be a bit higher or lower depending on the location, dog size, and more. But, in general, it shouldn’t be too low—this means that the breeder hasn’t invested enough time or money in taking care of this dog.
Other Expenses
A Husky Poodle mix has other expenses, too, like grooming, food, toys, and other necessary things to make his life at your home more comfortable.
Here’s a breakdown of the average cost of these items per year so that you can see what you’re signing up for:
- Bed and blankets: $50–$200
- Toys and accessories (leashes, collars, etc.): $50–$100
- Food, treats, and snacks: $300–$700
- Supplements: $200–$600
- Grooming: $30–$500
- Routine vet visits: $600–$2,000
- Training classes: $50–$300
- Dog sitters or boarding: $100–$300
- Walks: around $20 per walk
Rarity
Despite their parents being quite popular dogs in the U.S., Husky Poodle mixes are pretty difficult to find, especially if you’re looking in dog shelters. That’s because they’re a relatively new designer dog breed.
You may still come across a mixed puppy in a dog shelter, but your search may take a while. You’ll probably have a higher chance of finding this pup in a shelter designated for Poodles or Huskies.
Your other, and better, option is to look for a reputable breeder online—a good idea is to start your search with a Poodle or Husky breeder. Even if they don’t cross-breed these dogs, at least they might know someone else who does.
Husky Poodle Mix Life Expectancy
Husky Poodle mixes can live for 10–14 years.
You could boost your little doggo’s lifespan further by taking proper care of him. Make sure to meet all his dietary needs, let him exercise regularly, and monitor his health to ensure his well-being.
Husky Poodle Mix Health Concerns
The Husky Poodle mix is a healthy dog, but this breed is still prone to several health issues that the Siberian Husky and the Poodle tend to develop, including:
- Hip dysplasia
- Elbow dysplasia
- Bloating
- Skin issues and allergies
- Obesity (if you don’t exercise your dog or feed him nutritious meals)
Watching for the symptoms of each condition and keeping in touch with your veterinarian should help you tackle any underlying illnesses at an early stage.
How to Care for a Husky Poodle Mix?
Now that you know all about the Huskypoo, here’s what you should do when it comes to his exercise, training, grooming, and diet.
Exercise
As we already mentioned, the Husky Poodle mix is bursting with energy that you need to provide an outlet to. Plus, maintaining a balanced physical activity schedule will lower your dog’s chances of becoming obese, which can prevent further health problems.
That said, your Huskypoo requires a minimum of an hour of exercise each day. Besides daily walks, your dog could benefit from:
- Active playtime (tug of war, hide and seek, fetch, etc.)
- Swimming
- Jogging
- Dog sports
- Joining you if you go on hikes, cycle, or skate around the neighborhood
- Obedience training
This dog’s readiness for activity due to his Husky working-dog genes makes him the perfect companion for a fitness guru!
Training and Socialization
Next up, you should start training and socializing your puppy as soon as you take him home. While Husky Poodle mixes can be a bit opinionated, using several tried-and-true training techniques should help you overcome their stubbornness.
For example, using rewards like treats, praise words, pats, or anything else that your dog likes to receive will make training a bit easier. Just steer clear of any negative reactions when your pup doesn’t do what you ask, like yelling at him, punishing him, etc.
That should go hand-in-hand with socialization, which will help your dog blend in with other pets in your household and deal with strangers.
The right introduction to people and pets and providing exposure to various smells, textures, sounds, and experiences should go a long way in achieving that goal.
Grooming
Thankfully, you won’t have much trouble meeting your pup’s grooming needs, as Husky Poodle mixes shed much less than Huskies. Even if your dog’s coat is closer to his Husky origins than his Poodle side, he’ll only be a medium shedder.
What that means, either way, is that your Huskydoodle will require periodic brushing that can range from daily to a couple of times per week. Take his coat’s length and thickness as well as his shedding level into account to determine how often to brush him.
Besides that, you’ll also have to give your dog a trim and a bath on occasion, clean his teeth and ears to ward off infections, and trim his nails.
Diet
Your dog will grow into a medium-sized or large dog, depending on the size of the parent Poodle. In all cases, he’ll need a high-protein diet that’ll match his weight and energy levels, but nothing too large that it might lead to obesity.
The best way to make sure that your puppy gets the perfect amount of nutrients to meet his individual needs is by consulting a vet. They’ll tell you all about the right type and amount of food to feed your furry friend!