The husky keeshond mix, also known as the huskeeshond, is a rare husky mix that is ideal for families and loves to show affection.
Huskeeshonds are relatively easy to train and get on well with other dogs as well, and in this article, we’ll explore just about everything there is to know about them.
Let’s get into it.
Contents
Quick Profile
Here’s a quick overview of the husky keeshond mix before we dive into the specifics.
- Other Names: Huskeeshond
- Average Lifespan: 12-15 years
- Average Height: 17 to 23 inches
- Average Weight: 30 to 60 lbs
- Coat appearance: Long and double coated, with lots of variation in color
- Eye Color: Usually brown or blue.
- Activity Level: 1 to 2 hours per day is usually fine.
- Grooming Frequency: Daily grooming and multiple times per day when they are blowing coat
- Typical Temperament: Very friendly and affectionate towards other people who they know. Can be wary of strangers and are easier to train than huskies.
- Daily Food Consumption: Moderate – 1 to 3 cups of kibble daily, depending on exercise routine.
- New Owner Friendly: Quite good for new owners as they are relatively easy to train and don’t require excessive exercise.
- Suitable to live with children? Great for children as they are highly affectionate and quite small in size.
- Suitable to live with other dogs? Suitable for living with other dogs.
- Suitable to live with cats? Can live with cats but may sometimes have a higher prey drive, but early socialization can address this.
Appearance
The husky keeshond mix, or huskeeshond, is smaller in size than a regular husky with a long, thick double coat that is typically black with white markings.
In order to get a better idea of the appearance of the huskeeshond, it’s important to know what both the parent breeds look like.
Keeshond Appearance
Keeshonds have a classic spitz appearance similar to other breeds like the pomeranian, with thick double coats with shades of black, grey, cream, and other colors.
Keeshonds usually have a black mask with pointed ears and a very friendly demeanor.
Husky Appearance
The Siberian Husky is a medium to large-sized dog. They are slightly longer than they are tall.
They have graceful lean bodies. They are very strong and athletic because they were used to pull sleds across the Arctic ice.
They have an elongated head and a medium-length snout. They have medium-sized, erect ears.
They sport a long bushy tail that they can curl around their body to keep them warm.
Huskies come in a wide range of colors, which can have a direct impact on the appearance of the Huskeeshond. These include red, black and white, agouti, and many more.
Average Size
Huskeeshonds are small to medium-sized dogs, and weigh 30 to 60 lbs with a height of 17 to 23 inches on average.
These estimates are based on the size of the parent breeds:
- On average, huskies weigh 35 to 60 lbs and reach 20 to 23.5 inches.
- Keeshonds reach 17 to 18 inches in height and weigh 35 to 45 lbs.
Coat Appearance
Huskeeshonds have long, thick double coats that can have lots of different color variations, but the most commonly seen colors are black and shades of brown or white.
Physical Features
Huskeeshonds inherit a lot of physical features from both parent breeds.
Their fur is thick and double-coated, like both parent breeds, and they can inherit lots of different color variations from either parent as well.
They have characteristic pointed and alert ears seen in many arctic breeds and have gentle eyes with medium-sized snouts.
Their tail is fluffy and curled as well, which is seen in both the husky and keeshond.
Grooming Guide
Huskeeshonds have long, thick double coats, which means that grooming is quite the challenge.
Double-coated breeds need grooming every day and multiple times per day when they are blowing coat. You can find full details of the grooming process in this article.
A double coat simply means that their coat has two layers – a dense wooly undercoat and a long guard layer. Twice a year, they will transition from a winter coat to a summer coat in a process known as blowing coat.
Bathing
Double-coated breeds should only be bathed once every three to four months as needed, as excessive bathing can interfere with the natural oils found within the coat and cause more damage than good.
Nail Trimming
Huskeeshonds are a pretty active mix, which means that their nails shouldn’t need clipping very often.
You’ll still need to check them every so often, just like any other breed, and opt for a metal grinder rather than a clipper to make the job easier.
Is The Husky Keeshond Mix Hypoallergenic?
Huskeeshonds are not ideal for people with allergies due to their thick double coats.
They will shed year-round quite a lot, and even more so when they are blowing coat, which will cause lots of issues for people with allergies.
If you want to learn about husky mixes that don’t shed as much, check out this article.
Temperament
The huskeeshond has a great temperament.
Huskies and keeshonds are both very affectionate dogs and love to be around people.
Huskies can sometimes be quite driven and need a lot of exercise to calm down, but this aspect of their temperament is tuned down which the addition of the keeshond, which requires less exercise and is a companion dog.
Affectionate
As mentioned, huskeeshonds are highly affectionate.
Both parent breeds love to be around people – huskies are natural pack animals, and keeshonds are companion dogs.
Separation Anxiety
A downside to this breed is that they will not like to be left alone for long periods of time.
This condition is known as separation anxiety, and it is partly due to how much these dogs like to be around people.
Separation anxiety can cause destructive behavior like excessive barking and chewing and is something that you will have to address with training.
Guarding Instinct
Keeshonds can be wary of strangers, but huskies have pretty much no guarding instinct at all.
Huskeeshonds are not ideal candidates for guard dogs because of this, and there is only a chance that they will be wary of strangers, if at all.
There’s a higher chance of them being friendly to strangers instead.
Are They Aggressive?
Huskeeshonds are not aggressive at all and are more likely to get into trouble by trying to play with another aggressive dog.
Are They Good Family Dogs?
Huskeeshonds are ideal family dogs.
They are highly affectionate and great with children, and due to their smaller size, they pose less risk of accidentally knocking over a small child than a husky, for example.
They require a good amount of exercise, but not an amount that isn’t realistic for a family. They are also super playful, which is great for children, and there’s no need to worry about them being aggressive.
You do need to be careful with other small animals, such as cats, but as long as you socialize them from an early age, there should be no problems.
Health
Both huskies and keeshonds are quite healthy breeds, which average lifespans between 12 and 15 years.
It’s hard to say for certain what health issues the huskeeshond will be prone to, given how rare this mix is, but there are some health issues that can affect both parent breeds:
- Hip/Elbow Dysplasia – The dysmorphic and lax joint formation of the hip and elbow joint causes hip and elbow dysplasia. Dysplasia leads to stiffness and a wide variety of other issues and can eventually cause lameness.
- Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) – PRA refers to a group of degenerative diseases that affect the eye and ultimately lead to blindness.
Overall, huskeeshonds are a very healthy mix, but it’s important to be aware of some issues that they may face.
Is The Husky Keeshond Mix Intelligent?
Huskeeshonds are a highly intelligent breed due to the parent breeds, particularly the keeshond.
Keeshonds excel in obedience training and are also often used as therapy dogs. They are very trainable and respond well to obedience training, being able to learn commands quickly.
Huskies are known for being hard to train due to their stubbornness and independence, but they are intelligent in other aspects, like problem-solving and communication.
When you combine these two breeds, you get a highly intelligent dog that (hopefully) responds well to training.
Are They Easy To Train?
Huskeeshonds are easier to train than huskies due to the addition of the keeshond.
Keeshonds are still spitzes, which are notorious for being stubborn, just like the husky, but they are not as stubborn as most spitzes and are actually relatively easy to train.
How Much Do They Cost?
The huskeeshond is not a common mix to breed for, which means that it is more likely that you would adopt one of them than purchase one from a breeder.
You could spend anywhere from a few hundred dollars to over a thousand, but it really depends on where you get them from.
In Summary
Huskeeshonds are great pets for beginners and families.
They are smaller than regular huskies and require less exercise, which makes them less demanding. They are also a lot easier to train and tend to be less stubborn.
Want to learn about more husky mixes? Check out some of our most recent crossbreed articles below:
