Alaskan Huskies are energetic, hardworking dogs bred to pull sleds.
This breed isn’t officially recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC), since they’re not an official breed but a mix of several breeds, including the Siberian Husky, Saluki, and Greyhound. You may hear them affectionately called “supermutts” due to their specialized breeding.
To learn more about Alaskan Huskies, we spoke with Sarah Piano, who runs Snow Buddy Sled Dog Adventures in Colorado. Her family has cared for Alaskan Husky rescues since 2011, and she shares what it takes to raise these snow-loving sweethearts.
Alaskan Husky Origins
Huskies were originally bred by tribes of nomadic peoples for tasks like herding reindeer and pulling sleds, Piano says. Some Huskies, like the Siberian Husky and Samoyed Husky, got their names from their home region.
Dog-sled racing with Huskies became popular in the 1890s and early 1900s and became a formal sport in 1908. Huskies had a reputation for doing a great job transporting goods, but they had some traits that held back their athletic potential. For one thing, their bulkiness slowed them down. They were also notoriously stubborn.
So breeders started to experiment by adding other dog breeds to their line of racers. Piano says the most common additions were:
- Desert hounds
- Feral hounds
- Greyhounds
- Salukis
- German Shorthaired Pointers
“People tried to breed out obstinance while keeping the big double coat and strong feet and the attitude toward work. They wanted to breed in more appetite and trainability and get the perfect mix of traits that make a good sled dog,” Piano says. The result became what we know today as the Alaskan Husky.
Alaskan Husky Appearance
Piano says visitors to her kennel are often surprised at how little her Alaskan Huskies resemble traditional Huskies. While some do have a similar look to their Siberian cousins, others definitely take after their hound ancestors instead. No two dogs look alike.
However, Alaskan Huskies do share some general traits. Most have pointed ears and long, wolfish snouts. Their thick double coats protect them during winter, and they have large paws, which are essential for traveling across snow.
Piano says the size of an Alaskan Husky depends on what job they were bred for. Sprint racers tend to be bigger, weighing between 45-65 pounds. Mid-distance or long-distance racers are lighter at 35-45 pounds. This means Alaskan Huskies can be either medium or large dogs, depending on their job.
Alaskan Husky Temperament
The first thing to remember about Alaskan Huskies is that they have near-limitless energy. They were bred to run all day, every day, and they need a human who can keep up with them. Piano says senior dogs can learn to turn that energy on and off, but they’re far from natural couch potatoes.
If you can direct that energy toward a task like racing or hiking, you’ll have one of the most steadfast workout buddies around. Alaskan Huskies have an incredible work ethic, especially if you put them in a group. They also get along tremendously with other dogs.
Alaskan Husky Training
“Consistency is huge when training an Alaskan Husky,” says Piano. She gives the dogs at her kennel a regimented schedule, so the dogs know what they’ll do every hour of every day. This kind of routine helps put the dogs at ease.
These dogs also need good discipline, which means clear communication and firm commands with consistent training. But of course, even though they’re working dogs, they still need affection to strengthen your bond!
Alaskan Husky Grooming
Alaskan Huskies shed twice a year in winter and spring. “We brush feverishly for about 6 weeks in each season. Then they don’t really shed and don’t need a whole lot of grooming,” Piano says.
Pet parents should, however, know that Alaskan Huskies living in snowy climates require more nail care. Typically dogs wear their nails down through friction with the ground—but snow is so soft that an Alaskan Husky’s nails can grow without stopping.
“Through the winter, we have to trim nails about every 10 days or so,” Piano says. This kind of maintenance helps prevent injuries to your dog’s paws, so it can’t be skipped.
Alaskan Husky Health
Due to their genetic diversity, Alaskan Huskies as a whole don’t have many inherited health issues. Some dogs may carry a gene for Alaskan Husky encephalopathy, a neurological condition that interferes with their ability to see, walk, and eat. This condition is rare, though.
Generally, Alaskan Huskies are very healthy and often have a long lifespan. Piano says her sled dogs run 20 miles a day, 6 days a week. That level of fitness lends itself to longevity. “The oldest dog in our kennel lived to almost 18,” she says.
Of course, injuries can happen while a dog is pulling a sled. Piano says it’s important to train new sled dogs slowly, gradually increasing their mileage so they can build endurance. If a dog strains a muscle and doesn’t get time to heal, that can become a recurring injury throughout their career, she says.
Ideal Lifestyle & Family For Alaskan Huskies
Piano says pet parents who want to adopt young Alaskan Huskies need to be willing to spend plenty of time outside every day. Remember, these dogs were bred to run—and they’re quite happy to do so for hours.
When you aren’t exercising your Alaskan Husky, they need access to a fenced yard. Make sure the fence extends under the ground, since any dog with Husky blood will likely be a digger.
Ideally, your Alaskan Husky won’t be your only dog. These dogs are very pack-oriented, so they do best in multi-dog households. “They really need a dog companion,” Piano emphasizes.
They can do well with kids too, though you’ll need to teach them how to play gently with small children.
Just proceed with caution if you have a cat. Alaskan Huskies have a very strong prey drive, so they don’t do well in cat households—unless they grow up with a cat already in their “pack.”
Getting An Alaskan Husky
Piano says Alaskan Huskies do best in the environment they grow up in. If you raise a dog to pull sleds all day, they probably won’t do well transitioning to a cramped apartment with a bunch of furniture they can’t climb on. On the other hand, a pet Husky raised with an elderly Chihuahua may get extremely anxious surrounded by a pack of 40 large dogs.
According to Piano, older sled dogs tend to make the transition to pet life much more easily than young dogs. However, senior Alaskan Huskies still need regular exercise and a lot of food, so they may be higher-maintenance than your average older dog.
If you’d like to adopt an Alaskan Husky, you can start by researching rescues near you. Just keep in mind this working breed isn’t officially recognized, and they tend to have a mix of parent breeds, so they may not be as widely available as other standardized dog breeds.
Alaskan Huskies can cost anywhere from several hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars, depending on their age, background, and health history. Younger Alaskan Huskies from a racing line will cost more. You’ll generally pay a lot less if you adopt an Alaskan Husky from a shelter or rescue.
Similar Breeds
If an Alaskan Husky doesn’t quite fit what you want from a pet, you might consider these similar dog breeds:
- Siberian Husky: Siberian Huskies are known for their handsome looks and willful personalities.
- Alaskan Malamute: Malamutes and Huskies are both sled dogs with similar markings, but they do have some key differences. For instance, Malamutes are significantly heavier and fluffier.
- Samoyeds: Samoyeds are friendly, energetic sled dogs with luxurious white coats.
- Pomskies: Pomskies are a hybrid of the Siberian Husky and Pomeranian. While they share an Alaskan Husky’s energy and longevity, their small size means they can’t pull much more than a toy sled.
References:
- Craft traditions – Dog sledding & dog sled making. (n.d.). https://www.nh.gov/folklife/learning-center/traditions/dog-sledding.htm
- Piano, S. (2024). Personal interview.
- Thorsrud, J. A., et al. (2021). Description of breed ancestry and genetic health traits in Arctic sled dog breeds. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8454093/