The Husky Doberman mix is a challenging breed that combines two dogs with endless amounts of energy but varies drastically in how eager they are to please their owners.
The result? A highly demanding mix that requires a committed owner to get the best out of them.
Dobskies are an incredible mix that will reward you immensely for your effort, but you need to be aware of the challenges involved with this breed, so stay tuned to learn all about these and much more.
Contents
Quick Overview
Here’s a quick overview of just about everything you need to know about the Husky Doberman mix:
- Other Names: Dobsky
- Average Lifespan: 10 – 13 years
- Average Height: 23 to 27 inches
- Average Weight: 50 – 100 lbs
- Coat appearance: Short to medium in length
- Grooming Frequency: Not very often, once to twice per week
- Typical Temperament: Very loyal and friendly to family members, can be wary of strangers, and likely to have a stubborn tendency
- Daily Food Consumption: High
- New Owner Friendly: Very challenging for new owners as they are huge dogs that need a lot of exercise and are hard to train
- Suitable to live with children? Can be great with children and babies but requires socialization and supervision
- Suitable to live with other dogs? Usually fine, but can benefit from being socialized from an early age
- Suitable to live with cats? Must be socialized from an early age due to high prey drive
Check out our article on the differences between the Siberian Husky and Doberman Pinscher to get to know the parent breeds of the Dobsky better!
Appearance
Dobskies tend to take after the Doberman more than the Husky in appearance.
They’ll typically have tall and slender bodies with much shorter fur than a Husky that can be either double or single-coated.
Their ears are usually alert, with blue or bicolored eyes very common thanks to the Husky parent.
The face can be slightly more pointed than a Doberman’s, but they do closely resemble the Doberman in overall shape. I’ve tried to include as many example pictures as possible in this guide to give you a better idea of how the appearance can vary between individual Dobskies.
Siberian Husky Appearance & Background
Siberian Huskies have a classic wolf-like appearance, with several Spitz-type features, including erect ears, a thick double coat, and curled tails.
Huskies come in many colors and patterns, including all white, red and white, Agouti, and many more.
Their piercing eyes can also come in various colors, from blue to brown and everything in between.
The overall build of the Husky is very slender, allowing them to be capable of incredible endurance and excel as sled dogs.
Doberman Pinscher Appearance & Background
Doberman pinschers were initially bred in Germany in the early 19th century as large guarding dogs.
The actual origin of the breed is unknown, but it is thought that a mix of Rottweilers, German Pinschers, and the Great Dane created the Doberman Pinscher.
Since then, Doberman Pinschers have become people-orientated dogs that are highly capable of protecting the family.
They require a lot of exercise and are great companions for families, although some Dobermans prefer to bond with one person in particular.
They have short hair and respond well to positive reinforcement, making them highly trainable.
Dobermans are a large dog breed, typically weighing between 60 to 100 lbs with a height of 24 to 28 inches (per hillspet).
Average Size
Dobskies are very large dogs and easily reach anywhere from 23 to 27 inches in height and 50 to 100 lbs, with many examples growing even larger.
The build is still relatively slender for their size, though, and the shorter fur doesn’t hide this like it does with a Husky.
Coat Appearance
Dobskies, more often than not, have a very short coat that is very similar to a purebred Doberman.
This coat can either be single-coated or double-coated, but it’s usually short and dense, with some Dobskies having a medium-length coat (although this is rarer).
Grooming Guide
In the case of the short-coated Dobsky, you’ll only need to give their coat a quick groom once or twice per week to help loosen and remove any dead hairs or mats.
If they inherit the double coat, you’ll notice more seasonal shedding as they blow their coat, and you’ll need to groom them slightly more during this time.
Bathing
Dobskies can handle being bathed fairly often thanks to their shorter coat, but try not to overdo it and always stick to pH-neutral, soap-free shampoos and conditioners.
Temperament
Temperament is extremely important with any dog breed, especially a mix like the Dobsky that combines two very challenging and different dog breeds.
Let’s take a closer look at the traits of both parent breeds to see what you should expect from a Dobsky.
Very Intelligent & Mischievous
The Dobsky is a super-intelligent mix.
Dobermans are highly intelligent and pick up new tricks and commands rapidly, earning them places in the police and as security dogs throughout the world.
Huskies are pretty smart, too, but in their own way.
Huskies are very stubborn, which means they choose when to listen to you when they feel like it. This can lead to some naughty behaviors, making them hard to train and also likely to try to escape whenever possible, earning them the reputation of escape artists.
When you combine these two, you get an intelligent dog prone to having a mind of its own at times. This is why new owners might struggle with a Dobsky and where experience with stubborn breeds will come in handy.
Highly Active
Dobskies are a demanding mix in terms of exercising, needing at least two hours per day.
There isn’t any room for negotiation here either; Huskies are incredibly active and can pull sleds for hundreds of miles through rugged terrain, and Dobermans also require a lot of daily exercise.
This is another reason why the Dobsky can be a challenge for new owners.
Prey Drive
An important thing to know about the Dobskies is their high prey drive.
Huskies naturally have a high prey drive, and Dobermans are the same.
A high prey drive means that Dobskies are prone to chasing after small animals without considering it. This can not only put them in danger but also the animals that they are chasing.
It also means that Dobskies can’t be kept with other small animals like cats or dogs unless they are socialized together from a young age.
Trainability
The trainability of the Husky Doberman mix can vary a lot.
This is because the Husky and Doberman are very different; Huskies are incredibly hard to train because of their stubborn nature, whereas Dobermans are very easy to train due to their background as protection dogs and their willingness to please.
This means that Dobskies can sometimes be easier to train than others, depending on how much stubbornness they inherit from the Husky side.
Prone To Separation Anxiety
Separation anxiety is a real problem for many Dobskies, as the Husky and Doberman suffer from it.
Separation anxiety is common in highly active, intelligent dogs as they can become bored easily if they are left alone, especially if they haven’t received enough exercise before being left alone.
Separation anxiety can quickly lead to destructive behaviors, like excessive chewing or howling.
Potential Guarding Instinct
This is another area where the Husky and Doberman are very different.
Huskies have little to no guarding instinct and are more likely to befriend a stranger than be wary of them, whereas Dobermans are the only dog breed in the world bred for protection purposes.
This means that the guarding instinct of a Dobsky can vary greatly, from very protective to almost no instinct at all.
This might not matter for many people, but it’s worth knowing that you can’t rely on a Dobsky to have a strong guarding instinct.
Is The Husky Doberman Mix A Good Family Dog?
Husky Doberman mixes can make great family dogs, but there’s no denying that they need a lot of work.
If you have any other small pets, they’ll need to be socialized together from the puppy stage, and you’ll need to be prepared to exercise them for 2 hours per day when they’re fully grown.
Socialization is extremely important for the Dobsky so they can learn how to behave around other people and become more confident. Still, if you’re willing to invest time, Dobskies can make ideal family companions.
How Much Do They Cost?
Dobermans and Huskies are both pretty expensive:
- Huskies cost anywhere from $800 to $1,500 on average
- Dobermans cost anywhere from $500 to $2,250 on average
While there aren’t any reputable breeders who currently breed for the Dobsky specifically, you should expect to pay a premium price if you manage to find a breeder.
It’s much more common to find Dobskies in shelters or rescues, though, where the only fees to pay are the adoption and vet fees.
In Summary
Dobskies are a rare and intriguing mix, combining the energy of both parent breeds, the stubbornness of the Husky, and the guarding instinct of the Doberman.
There’s a lot of variation with the temperament, given how different certain aspects of the parent’s personalities are, so it’s important to be informed about both characters beforehand so you know what you’re getting into.
Assuming you’ve researched, the Husky Doberman mix is an incredibly rewarding dog that suits a very active and experienced home.
If you’re interested in learning about more Husky mixes, you can check out some of our recent articles below:
- Husky Chow Chow Mix [Chowsky]: Complete Guide & Pictures
- Husky Yorkie Mix [Yorksky] – Full Guide With Pictures
- Husky Newfoundland Mix (Newsky): Full Guide With Pictures
- Siberian Husky Staffy Mix [Staffsky] – Profile & Pictures
- Siberian Husky Saint Bernard Mix (Saint Berhusky) Full Guide
- Labradoodle Husky Mix: Full Profile & Pictures
- Siberian Husky Great Pyrenees Mix: Full Profile & Pictures
