Brown Husky
May 13, 2021 2021-05-13 6:40Huskies are best known for their black and white coat and piercing blue eyes. However, they come in many colors and varieties!
Brown Huskies are becoming increasingly popular in recent years. Especially with blue or green eyes they look stunning and have many fans. Let’s explore this special breed and see if this is the right dog for you and your family!
Table of Contents
Can Huskies be brown?
Indeed – they can be brown! The Siberian Husky (which is the most popular breed of Husky) comes in many different colors, such as:
- Black and white
- Cream and white
- Silver and white
- Agouti
- Red/brown and white
- or even all brown!
Which color your Husky is will depend on the color of his parents. In dogs, black is dominant over brown. A dog requires two copies of the red gene to look red or brown.
Because black is dominant, black Huskies are more prevalent than brown ones. Some breeders cross two brown Huskies on purpose to breed a litter of all-brown puppies.
Appearance and characteristics
Brown Siberian Huskies are medium-sized dogs. They reach:
- 35-50 lbs for females and 45-60 lbs for males
- 20-22 inches for females and 21-24 inches for males
They have a thick double coat and are heavy shedders – year-around!
As all Huskies, they can have many different eye colors, such as light blue, green. hazel, gold or brown.
Are brown Huskies rare?
While brown Huskies are less common than black/white Huskies, they are not exceedingly rare. Brown is a recessive color, that means that dogs have to carry two copies of the gene in order to have it expressed. Black on the other hand is a dominant color, and a dog only requires one copy of the black gene to appear black.
This does not only apply to brown Huskies, but holds true for dogs of any color. In all breeds brown dogs can be more rare than black dogs.
Some breeders specifically strive to produce brown Huskies. By pairing two brown dogs, they are guaranteed to get litters consisting of 100% brown puppies, as no copy of the black gene is present in any of the parents.
Training and exercising your brown Husky
Huskies have become very popular in recent years. Many families with children decide on a Husky and some owners even try to train them as service dogs. While they are very friendly, outgoing and happy dogs, you must not forget that Huskies require a lot of exercise and training.
Huskies are not beginner dogs. Due to their background as sled dogs, that are not hard-wired to work together closely with their owners. Brown Huskies have a strong desire to run and explore and not always want to listen and come when called.
Training and exercising your dog will have to go hand in hand. The more outlets for his energy you can give your dog, the better he will respond in training. It is impossible to train a brown Husky (or any dog for that matter) who is buzzing with energy.
How much exercise does a brown Husky need?
You should plan to provide at least 2 hours of activity to your Husky every day. “Activity” can mean different things – and it should include mental as well as physical exercise!
If you only tire your Husky out by running but do not provide brain games and thinking challenges to him, he will develop impulse control problems. Strive to find a healthy balance between:
- on-leash walks
- off-leash running in safe, fenced-in areas
- social exposure (such as at a daycare, walking through the city center etc.)
- training (obedience, tricks or agility)
- brain games and food puzzles
What are the most common behavioral issues seen in brown Huskies?
Huskies tend to be very social dogs that are friendly with everyone and rarely exhibit reactivity or aggression. However, they often do poorly with staying by themselves and show increased incidence of separation anxiety.
Brown Huskies also are very vocal and pose a problem for owners living in apartments. They dislike being confined and can exhibit intense whining in a crate or exercise pen.
Last but not least, because brown Huskies are dogs with high prey drive, they tend to run away and make teaching a perfect recall very difficult.
Health, grooming & feeding
Huskies are a rather healthy breed, and this applies to brown Huskies as well. The most common problem in the breed are eye issues, such as cataracts and Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA). You should have your Husky checked by your vet twice a year for any potential changes to his eyes and vision.
As all colors of Husky, brown Huskies shed a lot! Your need to brush your Husky several times a week to get the shedding under control. Shedding occurs independently of coat color – brown Huskies will shed just as much as black, silver, grey and white Huskies.
Feeding your Husky a nutritious and balanced diet will contribute to his long-term health and well-being. This can be a high-quality kibble, wet food, raw food, freeze-dried food or a combination of those.
You should of course never feed your dog table scraps or spoiled food. By selecting a healthy and balanced diet, you contribute to your brown Husky’s health every single day.
