Mini Husky Dog Breed Facts and Information

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If you’re thinking about getting a Mini Husky, you should learn as much as you can about this miniature breed before taking the plunge.

The Mini Husky is a miniature version of the Siberian Husky. Similar to the Siberian Husky in appearance and personality, the Mini Husky is a high-energy, friendly, and loyal pup. Because the Mini Husky is bred from weaker and smaller Huskies, it’s vulnerable to some hereditary conditions.

Here, I’ll tell you all that there is to know about the Mini Husky. We’ll take a look at how this dog is bred and how this affects its health. We’ll also talk about the size, personality, and potential health issues of the Mini Husky, giving you all the information you need if you plan on taking care of one of these adorable pups. Get ready because this gorgeous puppy might just be the dog for you!

Origin of The Mini Husky

The Mini Husky is a miniature version of the Siberian Husky. This mini dog was created by breeding from smaller Huskies, the runts of their litters.

The runt is the smallest or weakest puppy in a litter. There are some myths regarding runts and how they come to be.

Some of these myths say that the runt of the litter is the puppy in the middle of the uterus or the puppy to be conceived last. These myths have all been discredited by vets throughout the years, though.

In reality, and most vets agree that what makes a puppy a runt is its implantation site in the uterus. The implantation site helps to determine the growth of the puppy. Runts have poor implantation sites while their siblings have better ones, and that’s why runts are born smaller and weaker. It’s really just bad luck.

Now, because they are weaker, runts have to face some disadvantages.

They struggle to fight with their siblings over milk which, means that they are sometimes left out of some eating sessions and ignored by their mothers. This can hinder their growth and slow down the development of their immune system. Ultimately, all of this leaves these puppies more vulnerable to illnesses and gives them a tougher start in life.

Because runts are smaller in size, when you breed from these dogs, the puppies in these litters will also, naturally, be smaller. It took several experiments but, this is how the Mini Husky came to be.

Now, when you breed from two dogs that are not so healthy and more vulnerable to diseases, there’s a risk that their litters will also inherit this vulnerability. But more on this later.

What the Mini Husky Looks Like

In terms of appearance, Mini Huskies are very similar to Siberian Huskies.

They have wolf-like features, erect ears, and a thick coat of fur. This fur was essential back when they lived in Siberia and had to endure countless hours on the snow pulling sleds, the activity that Huskies were essentially bred for.

Their coat can be of different colors but, it always has a white base to it. Below are the most common Husky colors:

  • Agouti and white
  • Black and white
  • Grey and white
  • Red and white
  • Sable and white
  • Pure white

Mini Husky Size

Even though Mini Huskies look just like Siberian Huskies in appearance, they are significantly smaller in size. This is great if you love Huskies but don’t have the room or lifestyle to have a big dog.

On average, a fully-grown Mini Husky will measure between 30 and 40 cm when standing up and weigh between 6 and 16 kg.

Comparatively, a regular-sized Husky measures between 53 and 59 cm and weighs between 15 to 27kg.

Their size is the most striking difference between these dogs. But, is there anything else that they differ in besides size? Let’s take a look.

The Personality of the Mini Husky

Mini Huskies are much smaller dogs, so you would expect them to be calmer or, at least, easier to manage, right?

Wrong! Their smaller size in no way means that Mini Huskies are less energetic or destructive than regular-sized Huskies.

In fact, both dogs’ personalities are quite similar. They are basically the same breed after all.

Below are the main characteristics of the Mini Husky:

  1. Energetic
  2. Curious chaser
  3. Social
  4. Stubborn
  5. Loyal

Energetic

Mini Huskies are very energetic. These dogs love to stay active, both physically and mentally.

They require regular exercise to stay fit and happy. If Mini Huskies aren’t allowed to release their energy in a healthy and appropriate way, they will be forced to resort to destructive behaviors.

Some of these behaviors can include chewing on your stuff, destroying your furniture, or whatever else they can get their little paws on, and peeing inside of the house.

If you want to get a Min Husky, you have to be able to keep up with this dog. This is no easy task though.

Curious Chaser

Huskies have a strong prey instinct which means they love to release the little hunters in them and chase after prey.

As a result, these dogs are very likely to run away when let off-leash. Not because they want to get away from you, but because they can’t help but go after the thing that activated their prey instincts, be that a small dog, a bird, a squirrel, you name it!

Remember that Huskies have a pretty high energy level, so there’s no stopping them.

Social

Mini Huskies are social dogs. They love being around their family, are great with children, and will always greet your guests with an energetic hello!

It goes without saying that they’re not the best guard dogs.

Just keep in mind that because of their over-the-top energy, it’s always best to monitor playtime between your Mini Husky and children. These dogs can end up injuring kids accidentally.

Stubborn

Huskies, in general, are known for their stubbornness. Mini Huskies are no different.

They are very intelligent dogs but their stubbornness can make them a little harder to manage, especially when it comes to training your Mini Husky. These dogs definitely love having their way.

Loyal

Huskies are incredibly loyal to their families. You’ll be your Mini Husky’s whole world, so never forget that.

The truth is that as crazy and energetic as these dogs can be, they will stand their ground and be there for you when you need them.

Health Issues Common to Mini Huskies

Huskies, in general, have a predisposition to some health issues.

Mini Huskies, in particular, can be more vulnerable to these conditions because of the way they are bred and the weaknesses of their parents.

This vulnerability is common among miniature breeds, and it’s the reason why miniaturization is such a controversial subject. Some experts condone compromising on health for size or appearance.

But the reality is that it’s not a given that your mini dog will be born sick and weak. We can’t, however, ignore the higher chances of that happening.

The most common health issues among Mini Huskies are:

  • Hip dysplasia
  • Hypothyroidism
  • Progressive retinal atrophy
  • Cataracts
  • Follicular dysplasia

Hip Dysplasia

Hip dysplasia is more common among larger breeds. However, because Mini Huskies come from Siberian Huskies, a medium-to-large breed, these mini pups are also prone to this condition.

Hip dysplasia is, simply put, a deterioration of the hip joints that causes a lot of pain and discomfort to dogs.

This is, first of all, a genetic condition and passes on from the parents to the litters. Other than genetics, other causes of hip dysplasia can be related to inadequate exercise, poor nutrition, and excessive weight.

Hypothyroidism

This condition, unfortunately, is common among Huskies. Hypothyroidism is caused by an underactive thyroid.

Some symptoms of this condition are uncommon weight gain, laziness or lethargy, and bald spots in the fur.

Hypothyroidism can’t be treated but, it’s not life-threatening either. Luckily, this condition can easily be managed so that your pup lives as if nothing is wrong.

Progressive Retinal Atrophy

This condition is a degenerative eye disease that affects specific cells in the dogs’ retinas, causing blindness overtime.

Progressive retinal atrophy is also a genetic condition and seems to affect mostly male Huskies.

This isn’t an easy illness to uncover because there aren’t many symptoms. How this condition evolves is that it starts to affect the dog’s night vision first, making it harder for the pup to walk around dark rooms.

You’ll notice this is the case if your dog starts to look uneasy in dark spaces or if you find it bumping into things in dark rooms in which your pup used to get around just fine.

Unfortunately, there is no treatment for this disease yet.

Cataracts

Huskies are unusually prone to eye diseases, and cataracts are another one of these diseases common among Mini Huskies.

In fact, Huskies suffer from hereditary cataracts, a form of disease not common among many breeds.

You’ll see, most cataracts develop in senior dogs, much like it happens with people. Hereditary cataracts, however, can develop much earlier, starting to show when puppies are as young as 1 year old.

These hereditary illnesses can usually be avoided if breeders use healthy dogs to breed. This can easily be confirmed by doing eye tests on the dogs.

However, because Mini Huskies don’t tend to come from the healthiest parents, this is a disease to keep an eye out for.

Follicular Dysplasia

Follicular dysplasia is a skin condition that some Huskies suffer from. It can be described as an abnormality of the dogs’ hair follicles and causes hair loss and abnormal hair growth.

Some symptoms of this condition are hair loss and scaling or flaking of the skin.

The most common form of this disease is black hair follicular dysplasia, which like the name states, affects black hair only. If your dog has black patches of fur, it can be a candidate for this condition.

There is no treatment for follicular dysplasia either, unfortunately. It can, however, be managed so that the dog feels a little more comfortable in its own skin.

How to Care for a Mini Husky

When it comes to caring for a Mini Husky, you’ll need to know what it takes to ensure that this dog is healthy and happy.

It all starts at the beginning – by choosing the right breeder from which to get your puppy. Why is this important?

As we’ve seen, when it comes to health, Mini Huskies are a little more vulnerable to certain conditions, most of which are hereditary.

Now, even though you can’t protect your dog from developing conditions that are in its genes, you can ensure that your pup is as healthy as possible when you get it.

The truth is that the more trustworthy the breeder is, the healthier the litters will be.

One way in which you can ensure you’ve selected a quality breeder is to ask him to see the medical exams performed on your puppy’s parents. This is because breeders who care about the puppies they help bring to life make sure that they only breed from healthy dogs.

Shady breeders, unfortunately, don’t care about the health of the dogs they breed so, the chances of you getting an unhealthy dog are ridiculously higher.

Once you get your Mini Husky home, all you need to do to take care of it is to make sure all of its needs are met.

Exercise

Exercise is a must for these dogs. Like we already know, Mini Huskies are very energetic and love being active, so they’ll thrive in an active household.

If you enjoy going on walks, riding a bike, jogging, doing nature trails, or any other outdoor activity, then this might be the ideal dog for you. Your Mini Husky will be your sidekick in all of these adventures and more!

If you are not an outdoor person, that’s still fine, but it’s important to note that these dogs require at least one hour of exercise per day, so you’ll need to be able to provide that.

If you can’t ensure plenty of walks during the day, at least help your dog stay mentally active if you want to avoid destructive behaviors.

There are plenty of games you can play with your dog indoors to help stimulate its mind and keep your puppy busy.

However, you should think really hard if this is the dog for you or not because if you can’t provide your Mini Husky with what it needs, neither you nor your dog will be happy.

Diet

A Mini Husky diet plan should be designed based on a few factors:

  1. Age
  2. Level of activity
  3. Health conditions

Age

Dogs of different ages have different diet requirements. While puppies need to eat a diet that’s specifically formulated for a growing puppy’s needs, adult dogs can usually withstand a wider range of diets.

Lastly, senior dogs tend to require a diet that’s formulated to help with aging and any issue your dog might have as a result of aging.

So, the diet will differ if you get your dog as a puppy or if you adopt an adult Mini Husky.

Level of Activity

The level of activity of a dog can help to determine the amount of food that dog eats.

Active dogs need to eat more than sedentary dogs. This is because active dogs, naturally, burn more energy, and this energy needs to be replenished through food.

Like we saw, Mini Huskies are notoriously active and energetic dogs, so they will require more food than calmer dogs of the same size.

Health Conditions

Some health conditions such as kidney issues, liver failure, heart issues, among many others, require a diet that was formulated with these conditions in mind.

For example, Siberian Huskies tend to have sensitive stomachs, and dogs with this condition are usually advised to eat a diet that’s low on grains and easier to digest.

These factors give you some clues as to a potential diet for your Mini Husky but you must include a veterinarian in this decision to ensure that your dog’s diet is 100% tailored to its needs.

Grooming

Huskies have a thick coat of fur, which is why they can endure such low temperatures. They also have a double-coat that sheds heavily at least once a year, around summer. This happens because their fur was made so thick to help them endure the cold of Siberia, that Huskies need to shed a good part of it to get through the hot summer of climates warmer than Siberia.

For the better part of the year, Mini Huskies require brushing approximately once a week to keep their fur looking healthy and clean. During shedding season, they will need more regular brushing, possibly as much as once a day.

To brush your Mini Husky it’s recommended that you use two different kinds of brushes: a wide-toothed comb and a paddle brush.

Firstly, you should start by using the comb to remove the majority of the hair from your pup. Then you should use the paddle brush to smooth the fur and take off any stray hairs.

Luckily, Huskies’ fur is not very oily so, you won’t need to bathe your Mini Husky too many times. Aim for once a month or even less. In fact, you won’t need to worry about bathing your pup until it starts to smell and the fur loses its shine. Otherwise, no need to go through the trouble.

If you feel like your Mini Husky needs to have its nails clipped, make sure to add this to the grooming schedule. However, because these dogs are so active, their nails probably won’t need much extra care.

Training

If you get the chance, you must start training your Mini Husky while it’s still young. In fact, you should start training it as soon as you bring it home.

These energetic dogs will become little furballs of destruction if they’re not trained from a young age to behave and obey commands.

The funny (or not so funny) thing about Huskies is that they’re incredibly smart but, also incredibly stubborn.

These dogs are perfectly capable of learning and obeying commands but, they choose not to sometimes… well, often actually.

Training your Mini Husky will definitely require some extra patience. It can be done though, so just dig in your heels!

Is the Mini Husky a Good Family Dog?

Absolutely! The Mini Husky is definitely a good family dog!

This dog is social and loyal. It loves to be around loved ones and to be involved in family activities. The Mini Husky is also very active and energetic and, for this reason, it makes it the perfect companion for outdoor adventures with lots of play times. Not to mention that this pup is great with kids! What else could you want, right?

The Mini Husky is definitely a great addition to a full, happy, and active household and, because of its smaller size, it won’t take up that much room.

Final Thoughts

Despite the circumstances of how the Mini Husky is bred and the controversy surrounding this type of breeding, this breed is definitely here to stay.

The Mini Husky is friendly and loyal and has lots of energy to spare. If you’re looking for a fun sidekick to take with you on different activities and adventures, this dog may just be the one for you. If you have kids, the Mini Husky will also be the ideal companion for your kids and the perfect dog for your big family.

If you’re thinking about getting a Mini Husky, just make sure you do your research first and choose a good breeder. This is how you can ensure your pup is as healthy as possible when it joins you and your family in its new home. Asking for the parents’ medical records is always a good way to go.