The samusky, also known as the Samoyed Husky mix, is a cute pup. It might not be as popular as its purebred parents, but dog enthusiasts are starting to take notice. If you want to find out if the Samuskey is the dog for you, you’ve come to the right place. This guide will tell you everything you need to know about this unique breed when you’re looking to buy or adopt one.
What is a samusky mix?
The samusky is what you get when you cross a Samoyed with a Siberian Husky. The parent breeds look similar in appearance, which can sometimes confuse people. One could even argue that a Samoyed is just a fluffier version of the Husky.
What’s interesting is that both purebreds come from Siberia and are classified as working breeds. Both breeds make great companions and sled dogs. But while the Samoyede people raise the Samoyed, the Chukchi people are responsible for developing the Husky.
When Samoyeds are not pulling the sleds of local Siberian tribes with a smile (they’re known as the smiling sled dog), they’re busy hunting reindeer and herding livestock. On the other hand, the Husky is also a loyal guard dog on top of being a sled dog.
The samusky was bred to possess the best qualities of both breeds. They’re designer dogs, meaning they’re often developed for their appearance.
Samusky Health & Appearance At a Glance
If you’ve never seen a Samusky before, it can be hard to imagine what this mixed breed can look like. Rest assured, the Samoyed Husky mix is one of the best-looking and endearing dogs one can own. Here’s what you need to know about their appearance and health at a glance.
Build, Height and Weight
As you might have guessed, the Samusky will look similar to its Samoyed and Husky parents. It can have erect or folded ears with a medium-sized muzzle and long, fluffy tail. Like its parents, the Samoyed Husky mix will also be a medium-large dog, and it can reach a height of 20-24 inches and weigh 45-60 pounds.
Samusky Colors and Coat
The samusky has a fluffy double-thick coat. Their undercoat is dense, plush and curly, while the outer coat is soft, thick and straight. The undercoat is usually black or brown, and the outer coat can be white, grey, cream, fawn, sable, red, agouti and fawn. The colors of the dog’s fur can be solid or a mixture of several.
Life Expectancy and Possible Health Issues
Although it’s not really known how long Samuskies live, one can make a reasonable guess based on how long the parents live. The Samoyed can live for 12-14 years, while the Husky can live for 12-15 years. This means the samusky can live for 12-15 years, on average. Common health issues that inflict its parent breeds are hip dysplasia, hypothyroidism and progressive retinal atrophy.
Samusky Personality traits
The Samoyed Husky mix is known for being an affectionate and loyal dog. They are outgoing and easygoing, which is why it is easy to befriend them. Samuskies are also attention seekers to the point that they’ll jump on your lap, forgetting that their medium-large size doesn’t make them ideal lap dogs.
Samuskies are also highly intelligent and independent dogs who are not afraid to do their own thing. They’re also highly energetic and can get bored relatively quickly. This combination means that they need constant mental stimulation. Otherwise, they can resort to destructive behaviors out of boredom.
For example, when bored, the Samusky can become quite the escape artist. This escapist behavior is inherited from the Husky parent, a well-known “Houdini hound.” If not trying to escape, they might bark a lot until you distract them with the right activity.
The Samoyed Husky mix’s need for a lot of stimulation makes it a great family pet. Family members can take shifts, ensuring the pooch gets all the exercise and playtime it needs. Older kids get along better with the samusky since they can easily be taught how to play with them. Kids also have lots of energy, which they can use to take the pup to the yard for a long game of fetch.
Samusky Temperament and Instincts
The samusky has a high prey drive, meaning it will bark at other animals. And once they decide to chase something, nothing else will matter. Socializing them with other pets, especially cats, is recommended. However, you should always be around during their interactions. Otherwise, things can escalate quickly.
Samuskies are fond of singling out one human and forming a deeper bond with them. When that happens, they can become quite hostile towards any perceived threats against their favorite human. They have a strong instinct to protect due to their Huskey genes.
How to Care for a Samusky
As mentioned earlier, the Samoyed Husky mix has a double-thick coat, making them very fluffy. As a potential owner, you need to be prepared to deal with a lot of shedding. Your pooch will “blow” its coat twice a year. When this happens (usually when seasons change), the heavy shedding will begin. However, there’s hope.
Regular grooming is recommended if you don’t want pet hair everywhere. You need to be at peace with the fact that you’ll never get rid of the fur problem entirely with this breed. However, daily brushing will keep it at a minimum. Any hair that your furry friend drops from then on can easily be managed with some simple vacuuming.
Your samusky also needs a bath once every 2-3 weeks to keep them clean and their coat in good condition. Bathing is also an excellent way to remove dead hair. During their daily brush, check their ears as well and remove any debris you find and pests to prevent infection.
Also, check your Samusky’s teeth daily and brush them regularly. If you notice signs of teeth infection, take your pup to the vet for teeth cleaning. You should inspect your dog’s nails too at least once a month and trim them if they appear to be overgrown.
When it comes to feeding your samusky Husky mix, you need to pay special attention to their nutrition. You can’t just feed Samuskies anything. If you bought the pooch, you should speak with the breeder to determine what diet they were born with and keep providing it to them. Other than that, your samusky will be able to thrive on a dry dog food diet since this type of food is easier to digest and nutritionally complete.
To stay healthy, your samusky will require a lot of exercise. Furthermore, exercise is a more constructive way for them to alleviate boredom. Take them out for 30 to 60 minutes every day to walk. However, since they have too much energy, you need to sprinkle in a couple of shorter walks and active play sessions in between. If you need extra help with walking and playing with your pooch, you can get a dog sitter or dog walker to help out.
How to Train a Samusky
If trained properly, your samusky’s positive traits can shine through. When not properly trained, your Samoyed Husky mix can become rather stubborn. The breed is quite intelligent, which means they’ll need a little more convincing to get them to comply with your commands during training sessions. A combination of mentally stimulating activities and positive reinforcement works best with dogs as smart as the samusky.
When training them, you need to be firm but gentle. You have to show your furry companion that you are the alpha. Remember that the other half of their lineage is the Husky, a breed known for displaying dominant behavior. Because of this, your samusky will try to dominate you. This means you need to be confident and authoritative when issuing your commands, so they identify you as an alpha worthy of following.
During training, it’s best to socialize your pup with other humans and animals. The last thing you want is to have an aggressive medium-large dog in your house.
If training and socialization are successful, your samusky will be the friendliest and most loyal companion you could ever have.
Known Samusky Health Problems
Mixed breeds pose a challenge for owners, and they’re prone to more health conditions than pure breeds. However, chances are, the crossbreed will be perfectly healthy and should continue to be if the owner takes good care of their furry companion.
The mix’s Samoyed bloodline makes the pooch prone to hypothyroidism, glaucoma, hip dysplasia, diabetes Mellitus, glomerulopathy and progressive retinal atrophy. And its Husky lineage makes the samusky susceptible to progressive retinal atrophy, hypothyroidism and hip dysplasia.
Due to the many genetic predispositions that mixed breeds have, you need to make sure you’re purchasing your pup from a reputable dealer. One thing to look out for that can indicate the Samoyed Husky mix isn’t from a quality bloodline is a low price.
Basically, if the breeder is selling the pups for less than $350, it should begin to raise some red flags. But whatever you do, always ask for proof that your mixed breed comes from healthy bloodlines. If the breeder can’t provide the evidence, you might want to try another one who will.
Daily Routine for a Happy Samusky
For your samusky pup to be well adjusted and happy, they need a routine. You can essentially boil it down to eating, sleeping, exercise, playtime, and, of course, potty breaks (lots of them). We’ll discuss a good routine for your puppy below. However, keep in mind that it is not set in stone, and you can adjust it to fit what works for you and your furry companion.
Here’s a daily routine to ensure a happy samusky:
As soon as your pup is awake, let them go outside to do their business. As soon as they return, you should have breakfast with them. Thirty minutes after breakfast, you should take your furry friend out for another potty break followed by a short play or training session. From this point on, you can leave them to rest during the remaining morning hours while you get some work done.
Around lunchtime, give your samusky some launch and then take them for a walk or some playtime outside to tire them out. Make sure to give your pup another potty break. When you return, let your dog get its afternoon nap while you finish off the rest of the workday. In the late afternoon, take your samusky for a potty break followed by some exercise, training, socialization and playtime.
During the early evening, give your pup some dinner and let them do their business again. Then, go for another walk and play in the backyard for a bit. You can also schedule some training. During the late evening, take your samusky out for another potty break and head to bed.
Is a Samusky the Right Dog For You?
A Samukesy is a demanding breed, which is why they’re a good breed for experienced dog owners. If you are someone who’s able to provide the Samoyed Husky mix with the stimulus, exercise and nutrition it needs, you’re the ideal owner for this dog. You need to have an active lifestyle to offset the dog’s high energy levels when exercising.
You should also remember that they’re incredibly stubborn (the downside of having an intelligent dog). You need to be patient because training your pup to have the desired behaviors can take a long time and a lot of firmness. When it comes to the latter, you need to be someone who isn’t afraid to show them who’s the boss.
The dog may also be right for you if you have kids. That’s because you’ll have more people to help train and keep the pooch active. However, it is essential to teach children, especially younger ones, how to play with samusky. Playing too rough with the dog can get them hurt due to the dog’s size.
Should You Buy or Adopt a Samusky
If you are looking for a samusky, you can buy one from a local breeder in your area. If there aren’t any, you can purchase one from a reputable breeding website. You can expect to pay anywhere between $650 and $1,200 for a very young Samoyed Husky mix.
Some samusky breeders can go as high as $2,500. The expensiveness results from the pup’s Samoyed lineage, as these purebreds are known to be costly. A superior bloodline can reach up to $3,000 or more on the breeding market. So if your samusky is priced highly, just know there’s a high chance their Samoyed parent has quality genes (as always, ask for proof).
You can also adopt a Samoyed Huskey mix from the shelter, although these dogs are rare to find in such places. If you’re set on rescuing a samusky instead of buying one, try checking shelters that usually have either Samoyed or Huskies – sometimes, they can take in a mixed breed.
FAQS About Samusky
Samusky Facts and Figures Summary
| TRAITS | DETAILS |
|---|---|
| Life expectancy | 12-15 years |
| Height | Male: 20-24 inches |
| Weight | Male: 45-60 lbs |
| Personality | Affectionate, Loyal, intelligent |
| Temperament | High prey drive, Protective |
| Health Conditions | Hip dysplasia, hypothyroidism, progressive retinal atrophy |
| Shedding | Heavy |
| Puppy Cost | $650-$1,200 |