Husky Newfoundland Mix (Newsky): Full Guide With Pictures

The Husky Newfoundland mix combines the energetic and quirky Siberian Husky and the lovable and calm teddy bear-like Newfoundland.

The result is a sociable and loving dog that wants to spend as much time with the family as possible. They are great with kids and other dogs, but their large size, thick double coats, and exercise needs can make them hard work for some people.

In this article, we’ll take a deep dive into the Husky Newfoundland mix to learn all about its temperament, exercise needs, and much more.

Let’s get into it.

Quick Overview

Here’s a quick overview of the Husky Newfoundland mix:

Other Names: Newsky
Average Lifespan: 9 to 12 years
Average Height: 22 to 27 inches
Average Weight: 65 to 100+ lbs
Coat appearance: Medium to long thick double coat, lots of color variation
Activity Level: 1 hour per day minimum
Grooming Frequency: Frequent grooming is required thanks to the thick double coat
Typical Temperament: Very sociable and loving, can be energetic and stubborn at times
Daily Food Consumption: High
New Owner Friendly: Not new owner friendly due to huge size and exercise needs
Suitable to live with children? Good with children but does require training to set boundaries
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

Appearance

Newskies have a unique appearance that can vary greatly depending on the parents.

They’re typically much larger than your average Husky, with several Spitz-type features like alert, pointed ears and a more narrow snout.

Their eye color can vary from brown to blue thanks to the addition of the Husky, and they’ll usually have a larger head than a husky but narrower than a Newfoundland.

I’ve included as many photos as possible in this article to give you a better idea of the variation you will likely see with this breed.

Siberian Husky Appearance & Background

Siberian Huskies have a classic wolf-like appearance, with several Spitz-type features. These include erect ears, a thick double coat, and curled tails.

Huskies come in many different 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 feats of endurance.

Huskies have a working background as sled dogs, used to pull light loads over incredibly long distances and rugged terrain. Their slender frame helps them achieve this, and they require a lot of daily exercise and mental stimulation to be fulfilled because of their working background.

Newfoundland Appearance & Background

Newfoundlands are giant dogs weighing up to and over 150 lbs with ease.

Despite their large size, they’re incredibly sweet and calm dogs revered for their temperament. They were originally used as rescue dogs on ships, capable of saving people who fell overboard.

A large black Newfoundland dog in a park

In terms of appearance, Newfoundlands have a flat and coarse outer coat, usually black or brown. They have massive heads with broad and rounded skulls and medium-sized ears that fall close to their head.

They have large webbed feet to aid with their swimming capability and have a gentle and calm expression for such a large dog.

Average Size

Newskies are very large dogs, but the size can vary greatly depending on how much the Newfoundland genes impact the litter.

You can expect them to weigh anywhere from 60 lbs to over 100 lbs, with an average height of 22 to 27 inches.

Coat Appearance

The coat of the Newsky is always medium to long and double coated, but the color and pattern variation is where things become difficult to predict.

A double coat is split into two layers: a dense, wooly undercoat that provides insulation and an overcoat of long guard hairs that protects the fur and skin below from debris and moisture.

Many colors are possible due to the various colors of the parent breeds, with darker shades of brown and black more prominent and white markings common.

Grooming Guide

Grooming is essential for any dog with a double coat, and given how long and thick the coat of the Newsky is, keeping it in good condition is a vital part of owning this dog.

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A few times per week, you should groom their coat fully. This involves a couple of steps and should be done alongside quick daily brushes:

The grooming process starts with a slicker brush, which is designed to target the undercoat and remove loose hairs.
After that, use a dematter comb, which gently removes stubborn tangles with a serrated edge.
A gentle undercoat rake is then used to target the undercoat further and get rid of any remaining loose hairs.
Lastly, a general grooming comb is used to get rid of any loose hairs or matter areas.

You can find a full rundown of this process here.

During the coat-blowing season, you may have to groom a Newsky multiple times daily to help them shed their undercoat.

Bathing

Newskies need to be bathed when their coat becomes dirty, which should be once every 6 to 8 weeks.

Avoid frequent bathing as this can interfere with the natural function of the double coat and dry out the skin.

Is The Siberian Husky Newfoundland Mix Hypoallergenic?

No dog breeds are actually hypoallergenic, but Newskies are especially bad for people with allergies because of how much they shed, especially during the coat-blowing season.

Temperament

Temperament is vital when choosing a dog.

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Some dogs are more suited for family life, while others can struggle to get along with other dogs or even children due to their temperament. Let’s explore the expected temperament of a Newsky to see how they compare.

Friendly

Newskies are very friendly and loyal dogs with an ideal temperament.

Siberian Huskies are known for being friendly to everyone, including strangers, and love spending as much time around people and other animals as possible.

Newfoundlands also have an incredible temperament and are known to be a great family companion. They also have a reputation for watching over babies, which is a testament to their amazing personality.

No matter how you look at it, Newskies will have a very loving personality and get on well with all family members.

High Prey Drive

Both parent breeds of the Newsky have high prey drives, which means this mix is also prone to have a high prey drive.

A high prey drive means they are prone to chasing after small animals without a second thought. This can not only put the animal in danger, but it can also put a Newsky in a dangerous situation, so using a collar or harness is essential.

This is also why they need to be socialized with cats or other small dogs from a young age to live with them; adult Newskies that haven’t been socialized will not be safe to keep with cats or small dogs.

Stubborn Tendencies & Trainability

Siberian Huskies are one of the most stubborn breeds, which can impact how difficult the Newsky is to train. Newfoundlands can also be very stubborn, but usually outside of training.

Fortunately, Newfoundlands are a very eager-to-please breed and are highly trainable, so the Newsky is much easier to work with in this regard than a husky.

It’s still important to be aware of the possible stubborn trait; don’t be surprised if your Newsky is problematic during obedience training or refuses to listen to you at times during daily life.

Intelligence

Newfoundlands are very intelligent, ranking in the above-average working dogs category of Coren’s The Intelligence of Dogs.

Huskies rank lower in the average class, but this is very much in part due to their stubbornness. They have a remarkable ability to understand what you’re asking, but getting them to listen is another problem altogether.

You can expect the Newsky to be hardworking and intelligent; they’re very capable of learning tricks and commands, but you might run into problems with stubborn tendencies.

Prone To Separation Anxiety

Due to the loving personality of the Newsky, they can be prone to separation anxiety if they are left alone for long periods.

They’re much more suited to live in households where there will usually be somebody at home and aren’t great at staying home alone every day while you go out to work.

Moderately Active

Newskies are pretty active, requiring at least one hour of exercise per day and ideally more like 90 minutes.

This is thanks mainly to the addition of the Siberian Husky.

Huskies are capable of extreme feats of endurance and require a minimum of 2 hours of intense exercise per day, which plays a big role in the activity level of the Newsky.

Newfoundlands are more laid back, especially at home, but still enjoy a fair amount of exercise. This means that the Newsky is not an ideal choice if you aren’t very active and can’t meet their minimum exercise requirement.

Little To No Aggression

Both parent breeds have little to no aggression:

Huskies are more likely to befriend a stranger than be suspicious of them at all.
Newfoundlands are renowned for their calm and gentle personalities, lacking aggression.

Newskies are likely to lack any aggression at all, even towards strangers and other dogs.

Is The Siberian Husky Newfoundland Mix A Good Family Dog?

The Siberian Husky Newfoundland mix is probably one of the most ideal family dogs you could find.

They’re incredibly gentle and loyal and great around young children and babies. They’re also good with other animals as long as they are socialized together from a young age.

They do need a more active family, and they are obviously quite large dogs, which also needs to be considered.

How Much Do They Cost?

With a mix as rare as the Newsky, it’s no surprise that there aren’t many dedicated breeders. In fact, you’re more likely to find one in a rescue or shelter rather than from a dedicated breeder.

Both parent breeds are quite expensive, though, with Husky puppies costing $800 to $1,500 and Newfoundland puppies ranging from $1,500 to $2,500; you can expect Newskies to be on the expensive side.

In Summary

Newskies are super rare, but if you manage to find one, they’re incredible dogs with an almost ideal temperament.

They can be stubborn at times, and they do require quite a lot of work in terms of exercise and grooming, though, so you need to make sure you’re up to the challenge. But if you are, they make a perfect family member and companion.

If you’re interested in learning about more husky mixes, you can check out some of our recent articles below: