Alaskan Husky vs. Siberian Husky: Understand the difference

The Husky breed is popular, thanks mostly to their Nordic roots and ice-blue eyes. But do all huskies have blue eyes? Is the coat always black and white, or it can come in other variations? Surprisingly, most people like Huskies find out there’s more than just one breed. So, if you’re also just learning about Alaskan Husky vs. Siberian Husky differences, this article will help.

The difference between the Siberian Husky and Alaskan Husky isn’t substantial, and it’s not a big deal if you mixed them up so far.

Little changes from one to the other, but knowing the key differences can help you choose the dog that’s best for you.

Do not forget that it is increasingly required to transport your pet in a private car in winter and during the pandemic. Even if these are such large and strong dogs as the Husky, the situations can be different. Therefore, you should always remember the basic rules from the so-called Book of Ra of every pet owner.

Alaskan Husky vs. Siberian Husky: Origins

It’s pretty obvious from their names that the two husky breeds come from different places. While the Siberian Huskies originally came from Eastern Siberia and are believed to be around for thousands of years, the Alaskan Husky was brought to the world by Alaskan and Canadian mushers for daily tasks. As a matter of fact, the Alaskan Husky is a mixed breed since they were crossbred with other sled dogs to get the best sled dog. So, to sum things up, the Alaskan Husky is the result of breeding Siberian Huskies, Greyhounds, German Pointers, and Malamutes.

How the dogs are used

Another main difference when discussing the Alaskan Husky vs. Siberian Husky matter is how the dogs are used. The Siberian Husky is a domesticated pet, and it’s among the most popular dog breeds around the world. They are social, affectionate, and friendly, making them ideal for training to higher levels despite being quite stubborn. Most Siberian Huskies are family pets and not sled dogs.

On the other hand, the Alaskan Husky isn’t a family dog. Not because they don’t have the qualities needed to be a friendly companion and guardian. But mostly because they are still used as working sled dogs. Also, their upbringing means they are less friendly compared to the Siberians. Even so, they can be pets.

Alaskan Husky vs. Siberian Husky: Size and appearance

When talking about size and height, the Alaskan Husky can grow up to 25.5 – 26 inches in height compared to the 24 inches for a Siberian Husky. Both dogs are medium size, and an interesting thing happens when talking about weight. Even though the Siberian Husky compared to the Alaskan Husky is smaller, the Siberians weigh more. They can reach a maximum of 65 lbs compared to the 55 lbs for the Alaskan. Both breeds sport a double-layered coat of medium length.

When talking about their colors and markings, the Siberian is usually White, Black, Gray, Red, or Agouti. Simultaneously, the Alaskan can come in all these colors but can also be all black or all white. Another thing that can help you immediately distinguish between the Siberian Husky and Alaskan Husky is the eyes’ color. While the Siberian usually has blue eyes, they may have brown, green, or brown eyes. It’s not entirely clear why Siberian Husky dogs can sometimes have partially colored eyes, but that’s a possibility as well. The Alaskan Husky usually has brown eyes. However, an interesting phenomenon happens here as well – heterochromia. Alaskan Husky dogs sometimes show heterochromia (different colors for the eyes of a single dog) tied to the merle gene. This genetic pattern causes patches of color on the coat and blue or odd-colored eyes.

Temperament

The temperament for each Husky breed comes from the way they were bred. The Siberian Husky bred by the Chukchi Tribe in Siberia was also used for work, but they were kept inside their tents overnight, and people shared food with the dogs, making them a lot friendlier. Siberian Huskies make great family dogs, and if your kids are excited about them, they might also love this tutorial on how to draw a Husky.

Since the Alaskan Husky was mainly bred for work purposes, the affectionate side of things is less present. Of course, this doesn’t mean an Alaskan Husky doesn’t make a great companion if treated the right way, but it will come more natural for a Siberian to be the playful friend we all see on the internet.

You should know that neither Husky is aggressive or suspicious in their nature. So, despite their serious looks and wolf-like appearance, they won’t do much as guard dogs since they lack the suspicion and aggressiveness for it.

Training and Intelligence

Both of the Huskies are of average intelligence. This doesn’t mean you’ll have an easy time training either of them due to their natural stubbornness. In the long run, the Siberian will prove to be more intelligent, which is thought to be the result of earlier domestication. However, the Alaskan Husky will also prove quite easy to train once you get their strong will.

Conclusion

Hoping that the information shared above helped you learn the key differences between the two Husky breeds, all that’s left is to consider all these and decide what’s the best for you. Also, we invite Husky owners, and not only, to share their knowledge about these two breeds and add other aspects to the ones we pointed out. We’re sure that the many years spent next to your four-legged friend give you all the competence needed to find out other differences or interesting facts!

Ellen Royce is an experienced marketer, copywriter, and entrepreneur. Having started several small businesses online, she knows the importance of effective content marketing in building companies. Ellen loves writing articles on the newest online marketing trends to share on her blog.

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