If you’re considering getting a husky kelpie mix, you need to read this article first.
The husky kelpie mix is a highly demanding mix that requires lots of exercise, as well as mental stimulation in the form of obedience training and other activities or games.
Keep reading to learn what it takes to look after this mix properly.
Contents
Quick Profile
Before we get into the details, here’s a quick overview of pretty much everything you need to know about the husky kelpie mix.
- Other Names: Kelpskie
- Average Lifespan: 12-15 years
- Average Height: 17 to 23 inches
- Average Weight: 30 to 60 lbs
- Coat appearance: Short to medium in length and double coated, with lots of variation in color
- Eye Color: Usually brown or blue
- Activity Level:Â 2+ hours of exercise alongside a job to fulfill/lots of obedience training and mental stimulation
- Grooming Frequency: Varies depending on coat type – short coat needs weekly grooming, whereas medium coat requires daily grooming
- Typical Temperament: Very friendly and affectionate towards other people who they know. Can be wary of strangers and are much easier to train than huskies.
- Daily Food Consumption: High – 2 to 4 cups of kibble daily, depending on exercise routine
- New Owner Friendly: Not friendly for new owners at all. Husky kelpie mixes need a job to do, alongside lots of exercise and training
- Suitable to live with children? Not ideal for children as they are highly active and can instinctively try to herd them
- Suitable to live with other dogs? May also try to herd other dogs but are generally well-suited to live with other dogs
- Suitable to live with cats? Very likely to have a high prey drive which can cause problems with cats – early socialization is a requirement
Appearance
Most kelpskies inherit coloring from the kelpie, with black and shades of brown, chocolate, or fawn.
They can either have medium-length coats like the husky or shorter coats like the kelpie.
Kelpskies are smaller in size than your average husky, with a more compact body, medium-length snouts, and alert ears.
In order to get a better idea of what kelpskies usually look like, it’s important to know what the parent breeds look like.
Kelpie Appearance
The Australian Kelpie is a medium-sized dog used for herding cattle. They have an athletic and muscular physique, with short and dense coats that are often double-layered.
Their coat is usually black, chocolate, red, or fawn, and they may have tan markings.
Kelpies have alert and large ears with a fairly long and strong snout.
You can read the full breed standard for the Kelpie by Dogs Australia here.
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 kelpskie. These include red, black and white, agouti, and many more.
Average Size
Husky kelpie mixes are smaller than the average husky in both height and weight, coming in at 18 to 22 inches in height and 40 to 60 lbs in weight, depending on genetics and gender.
Coat Appearance
Husky kelpie mixes can either have a short, dense coat like the kelpie or a slightly longer and fluffier coat similar to the husky.
It will be double-coated, which means that grooming is essential, but if they inherit more of a kelpie-like coat then they won’t shed as much.
In terms of color, reds and browns are very common, with white and black markings.
Physical Features
Kelpskies display a lot of physical features from both parent breeds.
For example, a lot of kelpskies have blue or brown and blue eyes from the husky. They are also smaller in size than a husky, with athletic and compact bodies and alert ears.
They have medium-length snouts, as seen in both parent breeds, and their tails can either be bushy like the husky or short and smooth like the kelpie.
Grooming Guide
The grooming routine for a husky kelpie mix depends on whether they inherit a medium-length coat or a short, dense coat.
If their coat is short, they will only need to be groomed once or twice per week, but if they have a medium-length coat like the husky, they will need to be groomed every day.
Both coat types will be double coated, which means that they will shed year-round and even more when they are blowing coat. Kelpskies will shed much more if they have a longer coat, however.
Bathing
Kelpskies will always be double-coated, which means that they don’t need to be bathed often as it can interfere with the oils in their coats and cause more damage than good.
Bathing once every three to four months is ideal, or when their coats are too dirty for them to clean themselves.
Kelpskies tend to clean themselves just like huskies, so don’t be surprised if they clean themselves off after a long walk!
Nail Trimming
As a highly active mix, nail trimming shouldn’t be an issue as they will naturally stay shorter due to friction with hard surfaces.
It’s still recommended to check their nails every few weeks and trim them if they become too long, as it can be uncomfortable. We’ve had the best results using a metal nail grinder for this.
Is The Husky Kelpie Mix Hypoallergenic?
As a double-coated mix, kelpskies do tend to shed quite often – especially if they inherit a longer coat.
This does, unfortunately, mean that they are not ideal dogs if you suffer from allergies. If you want to learn about husky mixes that shed less often, then we have a guide here that you can read.
Temperament
Husky kelpie mixes have great temperaments, but they are a very highly demanding mix to own.
Here’s a rundown of all of their key personality traits.
Work Drive
The defining feature of the husky kelpie mix is its work drive.
Huskies have a working background as sled dogs, and kelpies have a working background as herding dogs.
When you mix these two dogs, you get a mix that has a large drive to work.
This means that obedience training and mental stimulation are a requirement for this breed, and ideally, they would prefer a home where they have a job.
Guarding Instinct
Husky kelpie mixes are not very good guard dogs and make better watchdogs instead.
Huskies are known for being very friendly, even towards strangers, and although kelpies can be more wary of strangers, they don’t have a protective instinct.
Affection
Another key aspect of the husky kelpie mix’s temperament is affection.
Both parent breeds are highly affectionate towards other people, including children and sometimes strangers.
They are also quite good with other dogs, although they can sometimes have a high prey drive which can cause issues with small dogs or cats and early socialization is required here.
Separation Anxiety
High-maintenance dogs tend to suffer from separation anxiety, and kelpskies are no exception.
They will not tolerate being left alone for long periods of time, and they will suffer from separation anxiety which can lead to destructive behaviors such as excessive barking or chewing.
Are They Good Family Dogs?
Husky kelpie mixes are not great for family dogs, as they are more of a working mix and need a lot of exercise and mental stimulation every day to be happy.
The simple fact is that the husky kelpie mix is a highly demanding dog, and they are not suited for a family lifestyle.
There are exceptions to this rule, but you need to be willing to exercise them for at least 2 hours a day alongside other mental stimulation, such as playing games or obedience training alongside having a family to make it work.
They will get along well with other dogs and other members of the family if you can get over the hurdle of satisfying their mental and physical needs.
Health
It’s hard to say for certain what types of health issues kelpskies will face as they are a rare crossbreed to come across, so there isn’t much research into this area.
There are a few common health problems that both parent breeds face, however, and these are listed below.
- Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) – This inherited eye disease leads to blindness. DNA testing is available for PRA, but not all of the variants that cause it have been discovered, so there is always a risk of this.
- Hip Dysplasia – This affects one or both hip joints and is caused by abnormal development during growth. Hip dysplasia often leads to arthritis later in life.
It’s safe to assume that this mix is quite healthy due to how active they are and how long both huskies and kelpies live on average, both having lifespans between 12 and 15 years.
Is The Husky Kelpie Mix Intelligent?
The husky kelpie mix is highly intelligent, thanks to the parent breeds.
Huskies themselves are not great for obedience training but have great problem-solving and communication intelligence.
Kelpies are incredibly intelligent and learn commands very easily – they have comparable intelligence to the border collie, so they can pretty much learn anything.
When you combine these two breeds, you get a highly intelligent mix that needs a job to fulfill in order to be happy.
Are They Easy To Train?
Husky kelpie mixes are definitely easier to train than huskies and will learn commands relatively quickly.
It’s important to find a job for these dogs to fulfill, as they will not be satisfied simply being sat around all day at home.
Husky kelpie mixes are ideal dogs for working farms or ranches, but if you decide to keep one as a pet, it’s crucial to give them plenty of obedience training and other mental stimulation alongside plenty of exercise.
How Much Do They Cost?
Husky kelpie mixes are not common, so prices can vary drastically as the breeding pool is not established.
You could pay anywhere from $500 to well over $1,000 or just adoption fees if you choose to go that route.
In Summary
Kelpskies are a highly demanding mix that isn’t suitable for most people.
If you can meet their exercise and mental stimulation needs, you will be rewarded with a loyal and affectionate companion.
If you’re interested in learning about more husky mixes, you can check out some of our recent articles below:
