Appearance

Siberian Huskies may resemble the appearance of a wolf and are often used in movies, commercials and television shows to portray wolves, but by NO MEANS are they part wolf. Siberians are no more wolf than a Golden Retriever, a Poodle, a Chihuahua or any other canine.

Size

Siberian Huskies are a medium-sized dog. The average size for a female should be between 35-50 pounds, with a height between 20 to 22 inches at the withers. A male averages between 45-60 pounds and a height of 21 to 23 1/2 inches at the withers. Sometimes, in rescue, we encounter Siberians who are outside of the breed standard and are extra large or extra small!

Eye Color

Siberians can have blue or brown eyes, or may be bi-eyed - a term describing a dog with one blue eye and the other brown. They might even have what is called a parti-eye - where two colors are present in the same eye. This is one of the traits that make Siberian Huskies so special, unique, and different from other breeds.

Coat

Siberian Huskies come in many colors and with a variety of unusual markings on their heads and bodies. They can be pure white to pure black and anything in between. One of the most unusual patterns is similar to a paint horse, in Siberians described as a piebald. To see some of the amazing colors and markings, please visit The Colors of the Siberian Husky.

Siberian Huskies are a "double-coated" breed, which consists of a top coat and an undercoat. The top coat is made up of smooth guard hairs, while the undercoat is soft and fluffy, and usually white, beige, or gray. The coat is designed to keep them cool in the summer and warm in the winter. The coat is equipped to handle warm, even extremely hot weather; for this reason, you never shave your Siberian's coat, no matter how high the temperature climbs . Of course, if outside in the heat, the Siberian requires shade and fresh water. When the opportunity presents itself, a Siberian will often jump into a pool of water, sit in front of a fan, or lie on an air-conditioning vent.

Shedding

Siberian Huskies shed non-stop all year long, but twice a year the undercoat comes out in clumps (this is called blowing coat). It is a misconception that this is seasonal; your Siberian Husky might decide to blow coat when the temperatures are hovering around zero! You will probably never again wear black. And you will need a new high-powered vacuum cleaner ...dog hair is EVERYWHERE!

Believe it or not, this is the same dog! These pictures were taken only a few hours apart.



Regular brushing will help to minimize the year-round hair accumulation.

Grooming

Siberian Huskies have a complete absence of any odor. Bathing is seldom necessary; regular brushing will help to minimize the year-round hair accumulation and is essential during the shedding season. However, there ARE exceptions...