- All ranges of the allowable colours which are black, grey, agouti, sable, red and white.
- May be solid coloured.
- May have multiple shades.
- May have white markings.
- A variety of symmetrical or asymmetrical markings and patterns are common, including piebald.
- No preference should be given to any allowable colour, marking or pattern.
- Disqualifying: Merle or Brindle patterns are not allowable and are to be disqualified.
- Merle is defined as a marbling effect of dark patches against a lighter background of the same colour and is not to be confused with a colour patch of banded guard hairs amid white, as is seen in dogs with allowable piebald.
- Brindle is defined as darker and lighter single-coloured guard hairs producing a vertical tiger striping, not to be confused with banded guard hairs and a different colour undercoat, which may produce some apparent horizontal striping
About the Siberian Husky
Origin: United States Of America
- Typical life span
- 12-14 years
- Size
- Medium — from its typical weight
- Weight
- Male
- 20-27 kg
- Female
- 16-23 kg
- Height
- Male
- 53-60 cm
- Female
- 51-56 cm
- FCI status
- Recognised by FCI
- FCI group
- Spitz and primitive types
- Origin
- United States Of America
- Also called
- Husky Siberiano
- Known hereditary risks
- 5 documented conditions, with the test for each
About
What is a Siberian Husky?
Medium-sized, athletic working sled dog with thick double coat, striking wolf-like appearance, and erect triangular ears, bred for endurance sledding in harsh arctic conditions
Siberian Husky history and origins
Developed by the Chukchi people of Siberia as an endurance sled dog for transportation in harsh arctic conditions. Brought to Alaska in 1908 for sled dog racing, gained fame during the 1925 serum run to Nome, and recognized by AKC in 1930.
Siberian Husky appearance and size
Males typically weigh 20-27 kg and stand 53-60 cm at the shoulder; females 16-23 kg and 51-56 cm.
What the breed standard says
- Bred for
- Sledge dog
- Behaviour and temperament
“The characteristic temperament of the Siberian Husky is friendly and gentle, but also alert and outgoing. He does not display the possessive qualities of the guard dog, nor is he overly suspicious of strangers or aggressive with other dogs. Some measure of reserve and dignity may be expected in the mature dog. His intelligence, tractability, and eager disposition make him an agreeable companion and willing worker”
Quoted from FCI standard n°270. It describes the breed the registry recognises, not any individual animal.
Breed reference from The Dog API.
Characteristics
- Size
- Medium
- Exercise needsRead from what the breed was bred to do, in the registry’s own words: “Sledge dog” That is a working purpose, not a measured exercise requirement — an individual dog’s needs depend on its age, health and household.
- 4 of 5
- Easy to train
- —
- Amount of shedding
- 3 of 5
- Grooming needs
- 5 of 5
- Good with children
- —
- Cost to keep
- —
- Tolerates being alone
- —
- Intelligence
- —
- Health of breed
- 5 conditions documented
Pros & cons
Pros & cons for the Siberian Husky
What you get with the Siberian Husky
- Purpose stated in the standard: “Sledge dog”
- The standard describes the breed as: “The characteristic temperament of the Siberian Husky is friendly and gentle, but also alert and outgoing”
What you are taking on
- 3 serious inherited conditions are documented, mainly in brain & nerves and eyes. The health guide tab has the test to ask for on each.
- High grooming needs — the standard’s own description is “Trimming of whiskers and fur between the toes and around the feet to present a neater…”
Drawn from sources rather than written as an opinion — cited health research, the registry’s own standard, and peer-reviewed longevity. FCI breed standard; Siberian Husky Club of America — Eye Testing. One breeder’s animals can differ from any of it, and an empty column means we hold nothing for that side rather than that there is nothing to say.
Characteristics
FCI standard · Siberian Husky
Coat and colour
As the FCI standard sets it out. Every line below is the standard’s own wording, tagged disqualifying.
Coat
The coat of the Siberian Husky is double and medium in length, giving a well furred appearance, but is never so long as to obscure the cleancut outline of the dog.
The undercoat is soft and dense and of sufficient length to support the outer coat.
The guard hairs of the outer coat are straight and somewhat smooth lying, never harsh nor standing straight off from the body.
It should be noted that the absence of the undercoat during the shedding season is normal.
Trimming of whiskers and fur between the toes and around the feet to present a neater appearance is permissible.
Trimming the fur on any other part of the dog is not to be condoned and should be severely penalized
Colour
- Preferred
- Permissible
- Undesirable
- Disqualifying
Preferred, permissible, undesirable and disqualifying are FCI’s own words about the breed. They describe what the standard asks for — not an assessment of any individual dog, and not ours.
Shortened from FCI standard n°270 — each label is the standard’s own wording with the verdict lifted into the tag beside it. Read the full clause at source.
What the standard penalises
What a judge marks the Siberian Husky down for, and what puts one out of the ring, in the registry’s own words. This describes the breed standard — it is not a checklist for the animal in front of you, and a pet with a disqualifying fault is an unshowable dog rather than an unhealthy one.
Disqualifying faults
Puts an animal out of the ring altogether.
- Dogs over 60 cm and bitches over 56 cm.
- Merle and brindle patterns
Breed-level information from The Dog API. It describes the Siberian Husky in general; any individual animal can differ.
Health guide
Health & screening guide for the Siberian Husky
Known hereditary risks for the Siberian Husky breed, and the specific documentation to request from any breeder before paying a deposit. A responsible breeder will have these readily available; deflection is a red flag.
5 conditions documentedThis is breed-level literature, not veterinary advice about an individual animal — your vet knows the animal.
Health checklist (PDF)Bones & joints
Hip dysplasia
Monitor
Malformation of the hip joint; recommended for screening by the parent club, though documented as less prevalent in this breed than in many other large breeds.
What to ask for
A hip evaluation via OFA, PennHIP or an equivalent recognised registry, on both parents.
Brain & nerves
Siberian Husky polyneuropathy and Shaking Puppy Syndrome (SHPN1 / SPS1)
Serious
Two related, recently identified inherited nerve diseases. SHPN1 causes progressive gait abnormalities, loss of coordination and muscle wasting from before 2 years old; SPS1 causes similar but earlier-onset signs. Severity varies widely, from mild lifelong signs to progressive disability, and there is no treatment.
What to ask for
A DNA test for both SHPN1 and SPS1, on both parents, from the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine's Canine Genetics Lab — the only laboratory offering it, available since February 2023 and recommended by the parent club for all breeding dogs.
Eyes
Hereditary cataracts and progressive retinal atrophy
Serious
Two distinct inherited eye conditions tracked together by the parent club: juvenile cataracts, which can appear as young as 3 months old and were found in about 8% of Huskies examined in one survey, and a progressive retinal atrophy that leads to blindness. No DNA test is currently available for either form in this breed; screening is by clinical eye exam.
What to ask for
An annual eye examination by a board-certified ACVO ophthalmologist, on both parents, registered with OFA or the parent club's own Siberian Husky Ophthalmic Registry (SHOR) — clearance is valid for only one year, so it must be repeated annually.
Breathing
Hereditary laryngeal paralysis-polyneuropathy (young-onset)
Serious
A distinct, more severe polyneuropathy in young dogs that specifically causes progressive paralysis of the larynx and megaoesophagus (a dilated, poorly-functioning oesophagus), raising the risk of aspiration pneumonia. A 2020 case series concluded a hereditary basis is likely, based on the dogs' young age at onset and relatedness, but the causative gene has not been identified. This is distinct from SHPN1: the parent club states SHPN1-affected dogs do not develop laryngeal paralysis.
What to ask for
No genetic test exists. Diagnosis in a symptomatic young dog is by laryngeal examination under light sedation by a vet; ask the breeder whether the condition has occurred among littermates or close relatives.
Skin & coat
Zinc-responsive dermatosis (Syndrome I)
Monitor
A genetic defect in absorbing zinc from the gut causes crusting and scaling around the eyes, mouth and footpads, typically starting in young adults. It is usually well controlled with lifelong zinc supplementation but is not curable.
What to ask for
No DNA test exists. Diagnosis is clinical — a skin biopsy plus response to zinc supplementation — rather than a pre-breeding screen; ask whether the line has a history of it.
How long the Siberian Husky lives, in the records
Median survival 11,9 years
95% confidence interval 11,7–12,0 years, from 1947 recorded deaths among 4556 dogs
Mortality hazard 1.15 (1.1, 1.21) relative to crossbred dogs, whose median is 12,0 years.
Measured in the United Kingdom from 584.734 dogs. Median survival is not a prediction for an individual dog.
McMillan, K.M., Bielby, J., Williams, C.L., Upjohn, M.M., Casey, R.A. & Christley, R.M. (2024) Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death. Scientific Reports 14, 531.
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