Description and photo
A crossbreed between a Husky and a Labrador is called a Labsky.
This hybrid looks very unusual, its piercing blue eyes blend very softly with the rest of its appearance, but this dog has a rather stern appearance. In appearance, the dog looks more like a Labrador than a husky. The only thing the dog gets from the Siberian breed is expressive eyes.
It is extremely difficult to guess what such a dog will be like, even externally. Most often, it looks like a Labrador - hanging ears, fawn or black color, and a Labrador-specific tail.
But the color of such a mestizo is never solid - the husky genes intervene here. There may, and most likely will be, white spots on the dog's coat in the area of the chest, abdomen, and muzzle. Sometimes puppies are born with a husky wolf coloring.
NOTE!
Most often, such a mixed breed is obtained from random mating. Breeders have too little information about a dog's psychotype.
What does the RKF standard look like?
The dog is medium in size, with a compact but not coarse build.
The body is rectangular, tending towards a square format, that is, the height at the withers should be only slightly less than the length of the body:
- The head is proportional, with a moderately defined transition to a muzzle slightly tapering towards the nose.
- The ears are erect, triangle-shaped with slightly rounded ends, medium in size, turned forward when interested.
- The eyes are slightly slanted and almond-shaped. Both dark and bluish-blue colors of the iris are acceptable, and the standard does not prohibit heterochromia.
- The nose is medium in size, with well-opened nostrils. Depending on the color, it can be black, or light or dark brown.
- The neck is medium in length, moderately arched, and raised when standing.
- The shoulder blades are located at an angle of 45 degrees, while straight or too loose shoulders are a serious drawback.
- The chest is strong, powerful and quite deep, but not too voluminous.
- The forelimbs are parallel and level, moderately wide apart, with the elbows fitting tightly to the body.
- The hind legs are parallel, also moderately wide apart, with well-muscled thighs and well-defined angulations of the hock joints.
- The tail is medium in length, resembling a fox's in appearance, carried either lowered or in the shape of a sickle. Twisted into a ring, thrown over the back or tucked between the hind legs is considered unacceptable.
For huskies, the so-called “snow” pigmentation of the nose is also considered acceptable, when there are light veins on a dark background.
What did the crossbred get from both breeds?
From this breed the hybrid absorbed the following qualities:
- Beautiful and attractive appearance;
- Physical form;
- Anatomical structure of the body;
- Some character traits: friendliness, ability to find a common language with people, loyalty;
- Some hunting abilities.
From the husky the mixture received the following:
- Expressive look of blue eyes;
- Qualities of a sled dog;
- Follows the scent well, successful in hunting;
- Stubbornness and willfulness.
Character traits
A crossbreed between a husky and a Labrador is another attempt by breeders to curb the wolfish nature of the husky.
With the help of this crossing, they tried to instill some Labrador traits into the Siberian breed in order to suppress the “wolf” genes. This process proceeds with varying degrees of success, because in most cases they predominate.
For example, numerous examples during hunting prove that no matter how breeders try to fight the stubbornness of a husky, these attempts are in vain - a dog can catch game, pick up a scent and track down prey, but it simply does not want to bring it to you: such is the character of this mestizo .
There were also cases where the dog showed abilities and was more obedient, but it is impossible to guess which of the puppies will be the ideal pet.
There have been cases when an adult hybrid’s temperament changed sharply and from an obedient animal it turned into an uncontrollable machine capable of running away or showing aggression towards its owner and others.
For this reason, many breeders say that you adopt a Labsky at your own peril and risk. There is no documented data on the zoopsychology of this mestizo.
In this regard, it is impossible to guess the character of a crossbreed - it is a game of Russian roulette and you will never know what such a dog will be like in terms of temperament and behavior.
IMPORTANT!
Due to this unpredictability, the hybrid of a husky and a Labrador is not particularly popular. Breeders strongly do not recommend falling for the various tricks offered by unscrupulous sellers, trying to sell you a “designer breed”.
Are there Labrador mixes?
According to professional dog breeders, today the exact number of four-legged crosses is unknown. Most often, large types of dogs are crossed with each other - shepherds, huskies, retrievers, huskies, poodles, alabai, etc. When buying a mixed breed puppy, you cannot always predict its pedigree.
Or, for example, if you pick up a mongrel on the street, you can hardly assume that its parents could be purebred four-legged dogs, winners of any exhibitions or competitions. Some representatives of mixed species are so visually different from their ancestors that it is impossible to determine which genus they may belong to. But puppies obtained as a result of crossing a Labrador with other breeds are, at first, practically indistinguishable from purebreds. This feature is often used by unscrupulous breeders, passing off a crossbreed as a purebred dog.
How to distinguish a hybrid animal from a true representative of the species, you ask? First of all, you should be well aware of the description of the breed and the characteristic appearance features that are unique only to these pets. To determine whether the representative in front of you is a purebred or a cross between two different species, you should “talk” with the dog. At the same time, carefully monitor the behavior of the animal, its reaction to your actions, manner of response, and expression of emotions.
Related article: What is tasty and healthy to feed your Labrador at home?
Now let's remember what character traits are inherent in this type of dog? These are kindness, friendliness, responsiveness, openness, devotion, balance, curiosity and obedience. If you have a puppy in front of you that shows aggression and reacts negatively to your commands and calls to them, you should think about the purebred of this pet.
Are there Labrador mixes? Undoubtedly, this breed of dog is valued not only in its original form, but also in its mixed form. The most common breeds are the Labrador Boomer mix, a cross between Labradors and German Shepherds or Laikas, as well as Shar Pei and Labrador mixes.
Dimensions, weight and other differences
The cross has the following features:
- Husky and Labrador are approximately the same size, so his height will be 54-56 cm on average.
- Average weight is more difficult to calculate because Labrador and Husky are in different weight classes. In general, it can vary from 20 to 35 kg.
- This mestizo is characterized by heterochromia - the eyes can be of different colors. This gene was inherited by the hybrid from a husky.
- The results of breeding a Labrador and a Husky can be unpredictable. You can never know in advance what a puppy will look like and what kind of character and temperament it will develop in the future.
- Regardless of how the dog turns out, it will undoubtedly love sledding.
- Any Labsky is characterized by excessive activity. This is due to the fact that both progenitor breeds love mobility and languish without it. It will be difficult to handle such a dog.
- They love to dig and make tunnels.
- This husky mix is most likely to develop a love of running away and getting off the leash.
Expert opinion
Kozhevin Semyon Kirillovich
Expert dog handler.
What the offspring of a Labrador and a Husky will be like is an absolutely unpredictable thing. I don’t even remember a single person in this business so far who would systematically breed these hybrids in order to record some patterns. All the cases that happened in my practice and that I heard about were very contradictory. One puppy could be as obedient and loyal as possible, the second was absolutely resistant to any training. This is due to the husky genes, for the most part they are dominant, because wolves are still independent creatures, and the husky has more from this animal than any other breed.
How to distinguish a good breeder from a bad one
Husky is a fairly valuable and expensive breed, so you can find offers for the sale of puppies anywhere, from simple advertisements on the Internet to rich advertisements of Moscow nurseries. In order not to be deceived, we would like to give some tips on how to choose a husky puppy, or more precisely, how to choose a good breeder. This will be the first and most important step when trying to purchase a puppy of this breed. A good breeder is distinguished by:
- The desire to meet with your potential buyer before having a substantive dialogue about the sale. The more questions a breeder asks during a personal meeting, the better, as this is an indication that he cares about the conditions in which his puppy will be kept.
- The desire to show, if possible, the mother and father of the puppy. Knowing the temperament of parents is important, since their character traits will certainly affect their offspring.
- Availability of “champion” pedigrees for sale with the fact of confirmation of this in the documents. Of course, the cost of such puppies will be noticeably higher and it is not at all necessary to purchase them, but not every breeder manages to own, let alone reproduce, some famous dogs. A puppy from a mother who won a prize at international competitions is an excellent indicator of stability, determination, and therefore the honesty of a breeder who values her reputation very much.
- Availability of appropriate certificates about the health status of puppies and their parents. For huskies, it is very important to look at documents about the condition of their hips and eyes - the weakest points that are susceptible to various kinds of diseases.
- The desire to share with the puppy buyer some thing that has been familiar to the puppy since birth - part of the bedding, a toy or a bowl. This approach will make it easier and faster for the puppy to adapt to a new place. Part of the litter is best suited for this purpose.
- The opportunity to take the puppy back if the need arises, with a full refund. As a rule, good breeders offer to take a puppy for a certain period of time, during which it will be possible to see how the animal’s adaptation process occurs. This is especially true if there are other animals in the house where the puppy is moving.
Our website contains quite a lot of offers to buy a husky puppy, so you always have the opportunity to make a choice in favor of the best kennel or breeder.
Advantages and disadvantages
Advantages:
- Pleasant exterior;
- Hunting abilities;
- Endurance and physical strength;
- Devotion to the owner;
- Friendliness (often mixed with possessiveness).
Flaws:
- Unpredictability of character;
- Frequent disobedience;
- Difficult training;
- Hyperactivity;
- Outbursts of aggression.
NOTE!
These pros and cons can be considered conditional for the very reason that it is absolutely impossible to predict in advance what a dog will be like.
Life expectancy and health
This hybrid is distinguished by its endurance and excellent health. But this is not an absolute indicator.
Like the parent breeds, the crossbreed may suffer from joint disease. A husky can transmit helminths to a mixed breed, especially if the mother had them. Parasites are considered the weak point of this breed, so the crossbreed is most likely to be susceptible to this scourge too.
The Labski's lifespan
Siberpo (husky and poodle)
© shutterstock
Next comes Siberpo. This adorable husky hybrid is a mix between a husky and a poodle. This interesting dog boasts the intricate markings of a husky, but often embodies the curlier coat of a poodle. As such, it is a unique sight and a truly striking breed. Poodles are naturally hypoallergenic, making them a great choice for those who love Huskies but suffer from allergies. This is because they don't shed and you won't have to deal with a lot of hair everywhere. Breeders began crossing poodles with other breeds in the 1980s, and this particular cross combines the loving and friendly nature of a poodle with the intelligence and energy of a husky. They are best suited for families who know the Husky breed. They thrive on mental stimulation, attention and play and are perfect for a family that knows the breed well.
Maintenance and care
There are no special features in caring for this mestizo.
They are basic:
- You need to brush your dog once every two weeks;
- There is no need to bathe often. Once a month is enough, but from the Labrador the breed inherited a love of water;
- Trim nails in a timely manner;
- Clean your ears and wipe your eyes once a week;
- Lots of activity and physical activity - without it, the dog literally goes crazy.
Of course, it may also be that you will have to make special adjustments and experimentally find out which lifestyle is suitable for your pet. It all depends on how the genes are formed, because, as already mentioned, Labrador and Husky are different in temperament and purpose.
Your dog might be a great couch potato to go jogging with. It may also be that you have to spend a lot of time outside with your pet to meet your pet's exercise needs.
Alaskan Husky (Husky and Alaskan Malamute)
© shutterstock
These puppies are big, bold and truly colorful. They are a stunning mix of Siberian Husky and Alaskan Malamute and are thus a noble choice that can withstand even the coldest temperatures. Their wolf-like appearance is notable, and they are known for their intelligence and stubbornness. They thrive on consistency and are quite patient. Weighing between 30 and 45 kg, these are large dogs and will require owners who can handle their strength. They are boundless balls of energy and will require a lot of walking and stimulation from exercise. These outgoing, sweet dogs are truly amazing and they are sure to bring love and excitement into your life. As always, check your local shelters to see if they have Husky mixes.
How and what to feed?
Mixed dogs should be fed in the same way as purebred dogs. This will prolong and strengthen her health. If you stop at natural food, you will have to try harder when preparing it. In this type of food, it is important to maintain certain proportions in the amount of proteins, fats, carbohydrates and fiber. Without balance, a dog can get sick.
If you choose industrial feed, then you need to choose premium and super premium class. This type of food will provide the dog’s body with all the necessary components.
An adult dog needs to be fed twice a day, but don’t forget to reward it with treats from time to time.
Your pet should always have clean water freely available.
IMPORTANT!
Don't forget that a dog can't eat as much food as he wants. Portions must be rationed. Make sure there is no food left in the bowl. It can go bad, and the dog can get poisoned.
How much does a crossbreed cost?
Since this is a fairly uncommon type of mestizo, there are no set prices for it. To calculate the price of such a hybrid, you need to take into account the cost of purebred parent dogs.
On average, the price for one puppy varies from 15 to 30 thousand rubles.
Some breeders deliberately inflate Labsky prices, arguing that the breed is a designer breed and should cost at least 100 thousand rubles. It would be imprudent to accept such an offer, given that you will never know how the puppy you are about to purchase will grow up.