Short haired huskies are not part of the breed standard, but that doesn’t make them any less loveable. They are well known for being friendly and affectionate, and make excellent companions.
Short Haired Husky Facts
Short haired huskies are Siberian huskies with short hair, instead of the standard plush coat. Huskeis were originally bred as sledding dogs. They were domesticated by the Churchuri tribe 4,000 years ago.
In addition to pulling sleds, they provided companionship for the tribe. They came to America in 1908, when they participated in the All Alaska Sweepstakes.
Eventually, they made their way to the New England sledding scene, and then around the country as pets.
Short Haired Husky Appearance
Short haired huskies have a shorter coat than most huskies. This makes them undesirable in the show ring, but they are still quite beautiful. In fact, some huskies owners enjoy their unique appearance.
Types of Husky Coat
All huskies have a double coat. The undercoat is dense, and helps insulate them from the cold. Their topcoat consists of guard hairs, and can come in different lengths.
There are three types of husky coat. These are plush or fluffy, long or wooly, and short.
The plush or fluffy coat is the only coat included in the breed standard. Wooly and short coats are considered breed faults.
Short coats are shorter than the standard medium length coat. They are otherwise the same as other huskies. They can look a bit smaller than other huskies, simply because of their shorter coat.
Standard coat huskies have a medium length coat. It is plush or fluffy, while still showcasing their graceful build.
Wooly huskies have a long coat. Their coat requires more grooming than other huskies, and can develop skin infections due to their long hair. The wooly coat obstructs the husky’s build.
Both wooly and short haired huskies are less cold tolerant than those with plush coats.
General Husky Appearance
Huskies are graceful, with a long athletic body, and long powerful legs. They have a long bushy tail, and medium-sized erect ears. Their muzzle is also medium in length.
Their eyes are typically blue or brown. Heterochroma, which means each eye is a different color, is common in huskies. Parti-colored eyes, which are different colors within the same eye, is rare but also occur in huskies.
Husky Coat Colors
When it comes to colors, huskies have an incredible variety. The only colors excluded from the AKC breed standard are merle and brindle. Merle is associated with health issues, and brindle is considered a sign of mixed breeding in the husky’s ancestry, because it’s not an original husky color.
A husky’s coat can be black, brown, gray, red, tan, or white. They can also have a few colors in their coat. Black and white and gray and white are the most common husky colors.
Red and white, tan and white, and black and brown also exist. Agouti is anther potential color, which includes red, black, and gray. This is often known as wolf gray.
Short Haired Husky Price
Short haired huskers are usually about $1,000. The price for a registered husky ranges from $800 to $3,000, with show quality huskies being at the higher end of the spectrum.
A short haired husky can be AKC registered, but it can’t be shown because it’s coat is a breed fault. This keeps them at the lower end of the price spectrum.
Short Haired Husky Rarity
Short haired huskies are rare, because they aren’t considered desirable. Ethical breeders do not breed for short haired huskies, because they follow the breed standard.
Despite this, short haired huskies can happen, even with proper breeding practices. Coat length is determined by genes. If a husky has the gene for short hair, it’s possible to create short haired puppies.
Short Haired Husky Life expectancy
The standard life expectancy for huskies is 12 to 15 years, and this is also true of the short haired husky. While lifespan is ultimately determined by genetics, you can maximize your husky’s life by taking proper care of them.
This includes a healthy diet, exercise, and routine veterinary care.
Short Haired Husky Size and weight
Short haired huskies are medium sized dogs. Females are a bit smaller than males. They grow to 20-22 inches tall, and weigh 35 to 50 pounds.
Males will reach 22-24 inches in height, and weigh 45-60 pounds.
In addition to standard sized huskies, miniature huskies also exist. These are genetically the same as standard sized huskies. They were created by breeding the smallest standard sized huskies, until the desired small size was reached.
These mini huskies are 13-17 inches tall, and weigh 15 to 25 pounds. They can’t be shown in confirmation shows, because they don’t meet the breed standard size. This could change in the future if the AKC declares them a separate breed in the future.
Short Haired Husky Health
Short haired huskies are considered healthy. However, there are a few health conditions that can affect huskies that you should be aware of.
Eye Conditions
PRA, or progressive retinal atrophy, is one condition that can affect your husky’s eyes. This condition causes the eyes to go blind, usually at 2 or 3 years old.
Glaucoma can also affect huskies. Glaucoma causes increased eye pressure. This is painful, and also affects their vision. In severe cases, glaucoma can cause blindness or require surgery.
Cataracts is another common eye condition. This occurs when a film forms over the eyes. Cataracts usually occur in older dogs. However, huskies can develop juvenile cataracts, which affects young huskies.
Arthritis
Arthritis is another common health concern for huskies. It affects them similarly to the way humans are affected. It causes the joints to swell, which is painful.
It also causes stiffness, which can affect your husky’s movement. Stiffness and pain are usually the worst in the morning.
Short-Haired Husky Behavior/Characteristics
Short haired huskies are very friendly and energetic. They are a happy go lucky breed. They need lots of attention, and develop very close relationships with their family.
They are very pack oriented, and view their family as their pack. They also need time with other dogs. If you don’t have another pooch, you’ll need to schedule doggie playdates.
How to care for a Short-Haired Husky
Caring for a short haired husky is similar to caring for a plush coated husky. However, there are a few differences you should be aware of.
Grooming
Huskies are a double coated breed, which means that they need regular grooming. Huskeis are a bit easier to groom than most double coated breeds, because their coat length regulates itself.
You’ll need to brush your short haired husky at least once a week. Begin by combing to remove any tangles. Then use a paddle brush to remove dirt and shed hair.
Begin with the undercoat, and then brush the topcoat.
Huskies shed twice a year, in the spring and fall. This allows their coat to adjust to the changing temperatures. When they are shedding, you’ll need to brush your husky daily, or at least every other day.
This will speed the shedding process, and reduce the amount of husky hair everywhere.
You can use a deshedding tool or deshedding shampoo as well. Short coated husky coats are a bit easier to manage, but these tools can still be helpful.
Huskies don’t require frequent bathing. They don’t produce a lot of oil, which means they don’t smell like dog strongly like some breeds do.
You can bathe them once every 1 to 3 months. Bathing them too often can dry their skin, while bathing them too little can lead to rashes or skin infections.
Exercise
Huskies are incredibly active, so they need plenty of exercise. In fact, a husky can run 150 miles in a day, and reach speeds of 30 mph.
Your husky will need at least 1 hour, and preferably 2 hours, of exercise each day. You can also allow them to walk or run 3 to 5 miles at least 4 days a week.
Huskies do well with a fenced in yard, because it allows them to be active. However, you’ll need to be sure they can’t escape under or over the fence.
Diet
Huskies originated in Siberia, so they evolved to eat a slightly different diet than most breeds. Like polar bears, they can consume a high fat diet without negative health consequences.
Ideally, huskies need to eat a diet that’s high in protein and medium in fat, with a low grain intake. If you choose commercial dog food, you’ll need one that’s high protein.
You should also pay attention to quality. Find a food that lists meat, not grains or meat by products, as the first few ingredients.
Some husky owners choose to feed a raw diet. This can be healthy for huskies, but it requires plenty of work and planning.
Still other owners choose a dual approach that includes commercial and raw food.
If you choose to feed your pooch a raw diet, or a combination of commercial and raw food, it’s best to talk to your vet to be sure the diet is balanced.
Training
Every dog needs to be properly trained. Huskies are intelligent, but they aren’t the easiest breed to train. This is because they are very independent.
Living in the arctic and pulling sleds, independence is important for huskies. It allows them to make decisions quickly, often without owner input.
However, it also makes them uninclined to follow commands. To train your husky, you’ll need to be authoritative yet calm.
If you aren’t accustomed to a strong willed dog, obedience classes are a great idea.
Coat Considerations
Because short haired husky have shorter coats than other huskies, you’ll need to keep this in mind. In the winter, they are less tolerant of the cold than their fluffy counterparts. If they are outside, be sure they are able to keep warm.
You should also take care in the summer, or when they are exposed to strong sunlight. Light coated huskies, particularly white huskies, are particularly susceptible to sunburn.
The shorter coat offers less sun protection. Avoid leaving them in strong sunlight for extended periods of time without sun protection, particularly if htye have a light colored coat.
How do you buy a Short Haired Husky?
When buying a short haired husky, it’s essential to find a reputable breeder. Since reputable breeders try to avoid short haired huskies, this can be difficult, but far from impossible.
Breeder Registries
Breeder registries are the simplest way to find a reputable husky breeder. Only breeders and puppies who are AKC registered are listed, so you don’t have to worry about irresponsible breeders.
You can also check out the Siberian Husky Club of America’s breeder registry. They are considered reputable, and are closely affiliated with the AKC.
Finding a Reputable Breeder
You can also find a short haired husky through an internet search. However, you’ll need to do your research to be sure the breeder is ethical.
Generally, breeders who register their huskies are ethical, because of the regulations required to register puppies.
This doesn’t mean that unregistered puppies always mean an unethical breeder. It does mean that you should use more caution and ask questions.
How do they determine breeding pairs? Do they do genetic health testing? How do they ensure that their dogs and puppies are healthy?
You can also check out the husky’s home. This allows you to meet the parents and see the husky’s living conditions.
Determining the Coat Type
To get a short haired husky, you’ll need to know how to tell if a husky has short hair. Huskies will develop their adult coat at about 1 year old. However, you’ll be able to identify their coat type much earlier. You can usually tell the coat type by 4 to 12 weeks old.
Puppy coats are fluffier and softer than adult coats, but short haired puppies will have shorter puppy coats than plush coated huskies.