The white German Shepherd husky mix is a rare mix between the all-white German Shepherd and the Siberian Husky.
This mix requires a lot of exercise and attention, so it definitely isn’t for first-time owners or those who don’t have much time on their hands.
Keep reading to learn more about this rare mix, including everything from health to temperament to exercise needs.
Contents
Quick Profile
Before we get into the details, here’s a quick rundown of the white German Shepherd husky mix:
- Other Names: Shepsky, White Husky, White Shepsky
- Average Lifespan: Assumed to be around 10-14 years, but due to a lack of breeding, it is difficult to say for certain.
- Average Height: Anywhere from 20 to 26 inches, depending on gender and genetics.
- Average Weight: Anywhere from 40 to 90 lbs, depending on gender and genetics.
- Coat appearance: Double coated and medium to long in length, usually black and white or full white, but can vary depending on the color of the husky parent.
- Eye Colour: Brown or blue.
- Activity Level: Very active – at least 2 hours of moderate to intense exercise per day alongside obedience training.
- Grooming Frequency: Very often, as they are double coated. Daily grooming is advised, up to multiple times per day when they are blowing coat.
- Typical Temperament: Very highly driven and loyal. Can be quite stubborn but are (usually) easier to train than a husky.
- Daily Food Consumption: Very high food consumption due to exercise requirements. Anywhere from 2 to 4 cups of kibble per day on average.
- New Owner Friendly: Not ideal for new owners.
- Suitable to live with children? Usually great with children, but care is needed around younger children due to their size and energy.
- Suitable to live with other dogs? Can be achieved but requires early socialization.
- Suitable to live with cats? Possible – both parent breeds have a high prey drive, so early socialization is required to make this work.
Appearance
The white German Shepherd husky mix is usually full white in color or black and white, but it does depend on the color of the husky parent, as huskies come in a wide variety of coat colors.
In order to get a better idea of what they look like, it’s important to know what both parents typically look like.
White German Shepherd Appearance
The white German Shepherd is exactly what you would expect – a German Shepherd with a full white coat.
White German Shepherds have the same proportions as a regular German Shepherd, with pointed ears and a medium-sized snout. They have an alert expression and a muscular frame.
Although a white German Shepherd would be disqualified from an AKC show, it is still a popular coat color for those who aren’t interested in showing their dogs in competitions.
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 white German Shepherd husky mix. These include red, black and white, agouti, and many more.
Average Size
The white German Shepherd husky mix is quite a large crossbreed.
Huskies usually weigh anywhere from 35 to 60 lbs, whereas white German Shepherds are much larger, weighing anywhere from 50 to 90 lbs which increases the size of the crossbreed.
In terms of height, the white German Shepherd husky mix reaches 20 to 26 inches as both of the parent breeds are similar in size, with white German Shephers being slightly taller on average.
Coat Appearance
Both huskies and white German Shepherds have double coats that are usually medium in length, although this can range from medium to long.
The white German Shepherd husky mix is usually all white; however, they can also be black and white or adopt other colors of the husky, such as red or agouti.
As this mix is still very rare to come across, the most common color to see is all white.
Physical Features
White German Shepherd husky mixes have long pointed ears and medium to long-length coats that are thick, as found in both of the parent breeds,
Their eyes will typically be brown or blue, and they are medium to large in size.
Grooming Guide
As both parent breeds are double-coated, there is no doubt that the white German Shepherd husky mix will adopt this type of coat.
Double-coated breeds should be groomed every day, as well as multiple times per day when they are blowing their coat.
Grooming a double coat should always start with a slicker brush to target the undercoat. From there, a dematter comb can be used to target any mats in the fur, followed by using an undercoat rake to remove hairs that are about to be shed from the undercoat.
A grooming comb can then be used to get rid of any remaining hair or mats, and then finally, a bristle brush to give the entire coat a once over.
Full details of this process as well as recommended items can be found here.
Bathing
Bathing should not be frequent due to the double coat – every two to three months should be more than enough.
Frequent bathing is not advised because it can interfere with the function of the double coat by removing oil and damaging the hair.
Huskies are also great self-groomers, which is likely to be inherited in this breed.
Nail Trimming
Since this mix is so active, nail trimming should not have to be done very often, as they will keep their nails shorter by walking or running frequently.
If the nails get too long, we recommend using an electric nail grinder to trim them down.
Is The White German Shepherd Husky Mix Hypoallergenic?
Unfortunately, this mix is not ideal for people who suffer from allergies.
Double-coated breeds shed very often, and there isn’t really any solution to this.
Temperament
The temperament of the white German Shepherd husky mix can vary greatly depending on the traits that it inherits from the parent breeds.
- Huskies are very loyal, affectionate, and full of energy. They can be very stubborn and independent, which makes them difficult to train. Huskies are super friendly to everyone, including strangers.
- German Shepherds are easy to train as they love pleasing their owners. They tend to be very suspicious of strangers due to a strong guarding instinct but make very loving family dogs once they get to know you.
When you consider the temperament of the parent breeds, there’s a good chance that a white German Shepherd husky mix will make an amazing family dog that is loyal and affectionate.
They may have a strong guarding instinct or the opposite, and they might be very easy to train or stubborn instead.
Are They Good Family Dogs?
If you can meet their exercise and mental stimulation needs, white German Shepherd huskies are great family pets.
You need to be careful around small dogs and cats due to their high prey drive, but if you can socialize them together from a young age, there should be no problems.
Both German Shepherds and Huskies are great family pets. They are loyal and love to be part of a pack, and they are also great with children.
Health
Given the scarcity of this mix, we can’t say for certain what health issues they are prone to, but there are a couple of health issues that both of the parent breeds suffer from:
- Hip/Elbow Dysplasia – This is a hip or elbow joint deformity that occurs during growth. It leads to arthritis and, eventually lameness.
- Gastric Dilatation Volvulus (GDV) – This is also known as bloat. GDV requires immediate medical attention and often occurs when food is consumed quickly, leading to an expansion in the stomach which can have several consequences, including causing the stomach to twist.
These are obviously not guaranteed as there aren’t any studies that look into this specific mix.
Exercise Needs
The white German Shepherd husky needs a lot of exercise – ideally 2 hours each day of moderate to intense exercise.
Huskies are renowned for their endurance, being capable of pulling sleds for hundreds of miles.
While German Shepherds might not be quite on this level, they still enjoy lots of exercises and are perfect companions for an active lifestyle.
Is The White German Shepherd Husky Mix Intelligent?
The white German Shepherd husky mix is an incredibly intelligent dog.
Huskies are known for being very smart (in their own special ways), while German Shepherds are used in special forces across the world due to how well they adapt to training.
The white German Shepherd husky mix is definitely one of the most intelligent mixes you could come across, similar to other husky mixes like the Belusky.
Are They Easy To Train?
This mix is definitely easier to train than a regular husky – who can be very stubborn and independent – due to the German Shepherd traits of being very eager to please and highly trainable.
It does depend on what personality traits they inherit, however, as huskies are notoriously difficult to train, while German Shepherds are one of the easiest breeds to train.
How Much Do White German Shepherd Husky Mixes Cost?
The white German Shepherd husky mix is still quite new, and there are not established breeders for this mix, so there is quite a lot of variation in price.
Assuming the mix costs similar to the parent breeds, you would be looking at somewhere in the region from $500 to $2,000.