14 Surprising Husky Fun Facts You May Not Know About

Huskies are some of the fluffies dog breeds coming from the coldest regions of northeast Asia – Siberia. But they are quite popular dogs and have spread all over the world.

You might know a few things about this beautiful breed, but there are things even the owners might not know. We prepared a few Husky fun facts that might surprise you.

Most Interesting Facts about Huskies

• Huskies are a very old breed originating thousands of years ago.
• The double coat of the Husky is waterproof and retains heat.
• They are described as gentle giants and do very badly as guard dogs.
• Siberian Huskies fit very well with people that love jogging.
• Described as “Houdini dogs”, Huskies are notorious escape artists.
• Huskies are the best dogs for sled pulling, being involved in it even today.
• Their bravery also includes participating in World War II.
• The Husky paws are made for snow, having an anti-freeze effect.

1. Huskies are some of the oldest dog breeds.

The origin of the Siberian Husky begins around 3000 years ago in the Siberian Peninsula. These dogs were used as sled-pulling dogs by the Chukchi people. The people even developed legends about this breed. A famous legend says that two Huskies guard the gates of Heaven and turn back people who were cruel to dogs.

These dogs were popularized in the US in 1909 when they were brought to Alaska to compete in sled-pulling races.

2. The Siberian Husky coat is waterproof.

Because they originate from one of the coldest regions in the world, Huskies developed a thick double coat to protect themselves. The Husky coat consists of two layers – the undercoat and the top coat. 

The short and thick undercoat allows them to retain heat, and the long top coat is protective and water resistant. This coat can’t get wet and thus will conserve heat. But even though they have such large coats, Huskies can also live in warm places.

3. They are gentle giants but terrible guard dogs.

Siberian Huskies are “pack dogs” and create strong bonds with everyone they like. They are naturally friendly and do well meeting new people and dogs. This makes them amazing family pets. But also because of this Huskies are not considered good guard dogs.

But, an interesting Husky fact is that they make great watchdogs. They are large intimidating dogs with a wolf-like appearance that will scare any intruder. They are also curious and vocal dogs that will bark to alert you.

4. Huskies make the best jogging partners.

Because their origin includes pulling sleds over long distances, Huskies evolved with high amounts of energy. This makes them perfect pets for owners that want to spend a lot of time running or hiking. 

Huskies evolved such a powerful body for pulling sleds, that they are able to control their metabolism. They can slow down their metabolism and burn fewer calories over time which lets them survive without food longer.

5. Such good escape artists that Houdini would be proud of.

You should never underestimate a Husky’s ability to escape any situation. These dogs are notorious for being excellent escape artists.

Husky owners will often find their yard dug up under the neighbor’s fence. They might also have their Husky slip out of its collar and start running towards somewhere. Because they are curious and fast runners, this can be a big problem for Husky owners. Microchipping the dog might be a good idea to prevent it from getting lost.

6. Sled-pulling is still an activity done by Huskies.

Most northern parts of the world, like Siberia and Alaska, still have Huskies that help pull their sleds. Some of these people also use the mix of the Husky and Alaskan Malamute called the Alaskan Husky.

In Alaska, the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race is run annually. It is meant to represent the heroism of Huskies in 1925 when a pack of Huskies saved a town from a diphtheria epidemic. This happened in the town of Nome, Alaska.

7. Huskies have shown to be very brave dogs.

As mentioned before, a pack of Huskies was responsible for saving a whole town from an epidemic. But they have also shown other feats of bravery.

Another Husky fact is that they bravely took part in World War II. They were a part of the US army and were used in search and rescue teams. Using Huskies was essential in places where humans and their machines couldn’t go. Huskies would also transport provisions, medicine, and mail. 

8. The paws of Huskies have a natural antifreeze effect.

Having such a long history of running on snow, Huskies developed the perfect paws. Scientists discovered that their paws have a high fat content which is more resistant to freezing compared to other tissues. 

They have also developed a counter-current heat exchange system. This system is made up of a bunch of small veins in the paws closely connected with small arteries. Their job is to heat up the blood coming to the periphery thus preventing freezing.

9. A gene mutation is responsible for their piercing blue eyes.

The almond-shaped blue eyes of the Siberian Husky will instantly pull your attention to this beautiful dog. One study proved that the mutation of a gene called ALX4 is responsible for this color. Some Huskies have heterochromia with two different-colored eyes.

Another interesting Husky fact is that these eyes can see in the dark 5x better than humans can. Also, the shape of the eyes makes it easy to prevent snow from coming in them.

10. Huskies have some connections with wolves. 

The first time you see a Husky, you will be confused that you might be seeing a wolf. These two animals have a lot of similar traits. Sometimes Huskies are used in movies to play wolves.

Some scientists discovered genes similar to ancient Taimyr wolves, which makes them a distant descendant of these wolves, or part wolf. The good news is that Huskies are not aggressive animals like wolves and they are big sweethearts.

11. The Siberian Husky is a talkative breed.

If you are a Husky owner, you’ve had situations where your pup wanted to tell you something. Huskies like to talk by looking at their owner and making sounds that sound like talking. Sometimes they even learn short phrases like “I love you”, “no”, and “yes”.

A Husky fact is that they don’t actually talk or understand speech. They just like making sounds that mimic human speech. Sounds like howling, barking, grumbling, and yipping play part in their speech.

12. Sometimes they will act like children.

Huskies are quite intelligent dogs and will sometimes show emotions similar to children. If you have been mean to your Husky or done something bad, it might hold grudges against you. Their grudges are not as significant as humans, but they still may make you feel bad.

Huskies may even resort to throwing tantrums. Boredom, frustration, lack of attention, or hunger, can all be triggers for this 2-year-old child’s behavior.

13. Some Huskies can live as vegetarians.

Even though all dogs belong to the order Carnivora, some can survive by avoiding meat in their diet. There is some research on this topic done on Huskies specifically proving that even hard-working sled dogs can avoid eating meat.

That said, meat is an important ingredient in one’s diet. It provides a lot of amino acids and other nutrients vital to a dog’s health. Because of this, before you start feeding your Husky vegetarian food, speak to your veterinarian first.

14. Huskies can develop a “snow nose”.

If you take a Husky out in the cold, you might notice that its then black or brown nose, turns into a pink dog nose. This is a condition known as “snow nose” or “hypopigmentation of the nose” which doesn’t pose any threat to its physical health.

The real reason behind this is not known exactly. Some think it may be connected with tyrosinase, an enzyme that produces melanin. In time, the nose usually comes back to its original color.

Those Were All The Husky Fun Facts We Could Find

Siberian Huskies are beautiful fluffy dogs with a loving and friendly temperament. Their fluffy coat, blue eyes, and wolf-like appearance make them very noticeable and desirable as a breed.

We hope you had fun and learned something new about this lovely breed. If you are a person who loves fluffy dogs with a lot of energy and bravery, we recommend you consider the Siberian Husky.