Pitbull Husky Mix – Complete Guide On The Pitsky

• Size: Large
• Dog Breed Group: Working Dogs, Family Dogs
• Purebred: No, Cross Breed
• Lifespan: 12-15 Years
• Height: 19 – 24 Inches   (48 – 61 Cm)
• Weight: 35 To 80 Pounds (15 To 36 Kg)
• Coat Appearance: Woolen And Long Or Shiny And Short
• Coat Colors: Grey, Black, Brown, Red, Cream, And Silver
• Temperament: Alert, Athletic,  Affectionate, Cheerful,  Energetic, Friendly,  Intelligent, Lively,   Loyal,     Protective, Pleasant, Responsive, Social, Spirited, Territorial, Watchful
• Good With Children: Yes
• Intelligence Level: High
• Good With Pets: Yes Under Supervision
• Hypoallergenic: No
• Grooming: High
• Shedding: Moderate To High
• Barking: Barks When Necessary
• Suitable For Apartments: No
• Need For Exercise: High
• Easy To Train: Yes
• Good For First Time Owners: Yes
• Health Issues: Hip Dysplasia, Follicular Dysplasia, Progressive Retinal Atrophy, Demodex Canis Mites, Hypothyroidism
• Average Price: 500- 2000 Usd

If you want a dog who is

• An excellent watchdog that does an amazing job and protecting them from harmful intruders
• Highly active and that will keep you in good shape.
• Playful, affectionate, and very devoted
• A friendly, charming and fiercely loyal dog
• A cheerful, lighthearted, sociable dog

Well, a Pitsky may be right for you.  

 If you don’t want to deal with

• Vigorous exercise requirements
• Stubborn, demanding and bossy if given the chance
• Low boredom threshold. hyperkinetic when bored or left alone for longer periods
• High grooming requirements
• Hyper activeness.  Pitsky thrives outdoors and doesn’t have lazy bones in his body

Sorry, a Pitsky may not be right for you. Keep looking.

Size

• Height – 19 – 24 inches   (48 – 61 cm)
• Weight – 35 to 80 pounds (15 to 36 kg)

Pitbull Husky Mix Lifespan

A healthy Pitbull Husky mix should expect to enjoy a life expectancy of between 12 – 15 years when properly cared for and fed a good quality diet to suit their ages.

Pitbull Husky Mix Coat Color

The coat can either be similar to a pit bull or husky’s, which is woolen and long or shiny and short.  If he inherits more of the Husky’s genes, you’ll have a dog with a dense and often harsh coat that needs to be groomed daily.

If he looks more like his Pitbull parent, he’ll have a short, smooth coat, which makes grooming easier and needs brushing once or twice a week.  Coat colors also differ, but predominantly it gets more of the darker shades.

• Grey
• Black
• Brown
• Red
• Cream
• Silver

Pitbull Husky Mix Appearance

Some Piskies look like Pitties and some look like Huskies. If they have  Alaskan Husky parentage with hound lines, they look like hounds.

The Pitbull Husky mix is a medium to the large-sized, stout, muscular dog that is firmly built with a broadhead. Pitsky can either have its Pit Bull parent’s forward-folding ears or Husky’s upright facing ears.

They can either have the long coat of the Husky or the short coat of the pit bull. The look of the breed can differ depending on their parentage, as the mix can include Siberian Huskies or less commonly, from an Alaskan Husky.

Facial region 

Usually, this is a medium to large dog and he is going to have a relatively wide head and a long, black muzzle. Almond-shaped blue eyes and pointed ears that are set high on his head and which gives the impression of being well built and athletic.

The eyes of the Pitbull Husky Mix are its most high-flying feature. They usually inherit the pale blue piercing eyes from their husky parentage.

Body

The physical features of the pitbull husky mix are hard to predict because every pup is unique as the genes are expressed uniquely. It is possible to inherit its parent’s traits in random combos, just as though.

Usually, His body is short and compact but very muscular. They have a repute for being perfect work dogs because of their powerfully built legs and their body compliments with their sturdy hind legs.

Positives

• You’ll be surprised to know that the Pitsky is actually well behaved and doesn’t act over-aggressive despite the fact that their parents the Pitbull and the Husky dog breeds are considered by many as “hard-line” natured.
• In general, they are delightful dogs who love to have human companionship, especially children. It’s not unusual to see them going to great lengths to satisfy and gratify their masters.
• They are predominantly territorial with other animals, but usually good with the pets in their own family, if raised with them.
• Piskies serve homes with kids very ardently as they so effortlessly get attached to a family which in no time is obvious with the protective behavior and affection they have towards them.

Negatives

• The Pitbull Husky Mix is an instinctively an alpha dog and a natural-born pack leader. Though he is an intelligent dog, motivated to learn he will require a firm owner.
• Some Pitbull huskies are really dominant and can be difficult to train as they are also known for their escape antics.
• They just love their pack- meaning…Family. These poor guys can be boisterous when really bored and negate their loneliness with lots of digging and making long noises.
• He loves being active and they will be at their best in an active household. If you have plenty of time to spend with these intelligent workers they will be a sparkling, spirited addition to your family.

Friendliness

• With Family – High
• Kids – High
• Other Dogs – High
• With Cats – Moderate, If Raised Together
• Other Pets – Moderate, If Raised Together
• Strangers – Suspicious, Reserved

• Exercise Needs – Fairly High
• Intensity – High
• Activity Level – High
• Exercise Requirements – >30 Minutes/Day
• Walk Mileage/ Week – 6 Miles
• Playfulness – High
• Grooming Needs – High
• Tendency To Drool – No
• To Snore – No
• Bark – High
• To Dig – Low
• Social/Attention Needs – High

 So, what about the first-time owners?

 Say goodbye to the couch once you have a Pitsky puppy.  Piskies are quite a good choice for fresh dog parents as they love to please their owners more than anything else and are also easily trainable.

They can often let slip a more dominant side so they need to be properly handled and trained right from the outset. They are capable of learning a great deal and are eager to impress but they can be manipulative as well.

You should be consistent and keep your training sessions short and interesting.

Pitbull huskies are, of course, highly active hounds. For a dog that possesses such high energy levels as the Pitsky, a well-planned feeding with the right balance of nutrients and protein-rich diet as well as consistent feeding schedule is needed to accommodate all that activity.

As a general rule, they eat dog food made for small or medium breeds, 3-4 cups on a daily basis, divided into two meals, depending on the health requirements and the dog’s age.  The dog must have food free of any grain to prevent from gaining too much weight.

Daily Food Consumption – Approximately 600 – 1,400 calories per day (i.e., 20 calories/ 1 lb of body weight)

Dog’s weight

• 15 kg = 1000 calories (approximate daily calorie intake)
• 20 kg = 1250 calories
• 30 kg = 1500 calories
• Over 35 kg = 1700 calories

Rough Feeding guide for Pitbull -husky mix dog

Meal frequency for Pitbull huskies:

• First 1-3: three meals per day
• For the rest of life: two meals per day
• Pups between eight and 12 weeks old – 3 meals every 24 hours (200g- 300g).
• 3 to 6 months old – 2 meals every 24 hour period (300-450g)
• Feed puppies 6 months to 1 year – 2 bowls of food daily (400- 450g)
• When your puppy hits his first birthday, one bowl or two smaller bowls every 24 hours is typically all that’s necessary.

Remember; these feedings depend on your dog’s eating affinities and depending on their activity.

Adult dogs need to be fed a good quality diet that meets all their nutritional needs while keeping a close eye on a dog’s weight. Here is a rough diet rules for your perusal.

• Trainability – Quick learners but may be stubborn
• Intelligence – High
• Memory – High
• Mouthiness – Low
• Prey drive – High
• Wanderlust potential – Average to high

Is a Pitbull husky hard to train?

As in the case with all mix-breed dogs, the behavior of the Pitsky can pendulate in a delicate balance between nature and nurture so do, keep in mind that your care and training for your Pitsky is just as important as its innate disposition.

Despite the fact that he is a clever dog and motivated to learn, he needs a firm and consistent trainer/ owner.  If he is not trained properly, owners may find it quite hard to handle him as he gets older.

Thanks to their husky parentage, their recollection isn’t always good and they are notorious for their escape antics. They haven’t over and done with their history of mad dashing through the wild as sled dogs.

If you have time to spend on training and activities, we can assure you that training will be fun and you will never have a dull moment with this cheeky gentleman.

Their intelligence makes them reactive to reward-based training and positive reinforcement, but, you must start during their puppyhood along with their socialization.

Sometimes there can be a streak of stubbornness in them but you just need to be patient and persistent so as to make sure to establish yourself as the pack leader.

• Coat density – Short soft or dense, double coat
• Length – Long or short and shiny
• Texture – Straight
• Brushing frequency – Daily or weekly twice
• Trimming/stripping – No
• Hypoallergenic – No
• Shedding – Moderate to heavy

Pitsky grooming can be either a cakewalk or a real pain in the butt. As Piskies are a crossbreed, you can never be completely sure what you will get. The best option you get is by looking at his parents.

But, even this won’t guarantee whether you will get more pitbull than husky or vice versa. If your dog leans towards the pitty side of things, grooming will be easier; a couple of brushes a week will be ample.

When your pup is huskier than Pitbull, The thick husky coat will probably need brushing most days, de-matting, bathing, grooming, and generally more caring for your dog’s coat to make sure it stays nice.

They will also have two blowouts per year. All of the double-coated dog owners know that practically they just don’t stop shedding…ever.

It is essential you brush your dog’s coat regularly, most importantly, during season shift periods. Brushing the dog’s fur keeps it healthy, tangle-free and maintains the natural sheen.

Using a fulminator slicker brush is recommended to manage the problem of shedding.

Major concerns

Hip dysplasia – Abnormal development of hip joint which results in loose and unstable joints and damage to the cartilage surface of the joint – which often develops into painful arthritis

Hyperthyroidism – A rare condition in which the dog’s thyroid glands are over-producing thyroxin hormone that results in metabolic hyperactivity or as a result of carcinoma of the thyroid. If this does not receive proper treatment, it will cause heart and/or kidney failure that leads to death.

Allergies – Food Allergies, inhalant allergies by airborne pollens, Dust mites, contact allergies such as Flea and tick bites, bedding, dog shampoo or due to chemicals

Demodex canis mites – Also called as called “demodex” or “red mange”, this is a common noncontagious parasitic dermatosis caused by the ectoparasite Demodex Canis found in the hair follicle and, rarely, the sebaceous gland.

Minor concerns

Cataracts – Approximately 10% of Huskies have eye problems, in particular, cataracts.  Senior piskies also can get cataracts

Hypothyroidism – This is the most commonly diagnosed hormone disorders in the dog and it is an inherited disorder of thyroid gland, causing slow physical and mental development.

Follicular dysplasia – Follicular dysplasia in dogs is a Color dilution alopecia which is a poorly understood condition that manifests predominantly on the trunk of the animal.

Pitbull Husky Mix Price

You should expect to pay at least $500. Some can go up to $2000for your Pitbull Husky mix puppy depending on the pedigree and the breeder. The huge variety of possible coats and colors is also a decisive factor in puppy pricing.

Pitbull Husky Mix Breeders

Breeders, animal shelters and rescue groups

A good place to start is Pitbull and Husky rescue groups in your state and let them know what you are looking for in the event that they know of an eligible cross available for adoption.

Get started by searching for a good breeder on national kennel or breed clubs.  As with all hybrids, the cost of these pups often depends on the breeder and the availability.

Click here to check Pitbull Husky Mix breeders in your area.