Huskies and pit bulls are two very popular breeds in the US and worldwide, but do huskies and pit bulls get along, or are they incompatible?
Huskies and pit bulls can get along, but there are some important things to consider. These include the gender of each dog, how old they are, whether the pit bull is territorial, and much more.
If you’re considering keeping a pit bull and husky together, I highly recommend you read this entire guide to improve your success odds greatly.
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Husky Compatability
Huskies are a very social breed thanks to their pack mentality that developed from their working background as sled dogs.
They will try to make friends with everybody and show very little aggression.
Huskies are compatible with living with other dogs because of this, but you need to be careful with smaller dogs or dogs of the same gender that could try to assert themselves as the alpha.
Pit Bull Compatability
Pit bulls are also a very social breed, although they are often misunderstood as the opposite.
Poorly socialized pit bulls can show aggression towards other dogs; as a breed, they are more territorial than most other dogs.
Properly socialized pit bulls are lap dogs that love attention and spending time with their owners, however, so it depends on how they are raised.
Things To Know Before Introducing Huskies And Pit Bulls
Before introducing these two breeds, there are some important things to consider.
Socialization
In an ideal world, the husky and pit bull would be properly socialized from a young age before they meet.
Socialized dogs are more used to meeting other dogs, spending time with them, and dealing with unfamiliar environments and stress.
Socialized dogs are much more likely to be compatible, and it can help to reduce the risk of any aggression that might be present between the two.
This is particularly important for the pit bull, as they can be prone to becoming defensive of their territory if they aren’t socialized well.
Introducing A Husky To A Pit Bull
Pit bulls are much more territorial, which means some risks are involved with introducing a husky to a pit bull.
Huskies are on the opposite end of the spectrum; they are not very territorial and love to socialize, so they might try to befriend the pit bull right away and dominate their space, which can lead to unwanted aggression.
If the pit bull in question is very territorial and has shown aggression in the past towards other dogs, we strongly advise not keeping them together.
Is It Better To Raise Huskies And Pit Bulls Together From Young?
Raising a husky and pit bull together from a young age is a good idea as long as both are socialized and trained properly and separately.
The main benefit of raising them together is that the pit bull will be comfortable with the husky being in its territory right from the get-go, as they won’t know anything else.
Training and socializing them separately is important to build a bond with both pups and to help them get used to other dogs and each other.
Plus, huskies are much harder to train, so it would be challenging to train them together.
What About Introducing A Puppy To A Mature Dog?
Introducing a husky puppy to an older pit bull or vice versa can work very well, assuming two things:
- The older dog is not too old to the point where they wouldn’t be able to keep up with the puppy. Senior dogs can become agitated with puppies who are full of energy and constantly trying to play, which can be especially true for husky puppies, who have endless energy.
- The adult dog is well-socialized.
A territorial mature pit bull might still perceive a husky puppy as a threat, so again, socialization is important.
Gender Considerations
Another important thing to consider before introduction is the gender of each dog.
Huskies have a strong pack mentality, meaning they seek out an alpha from the pack.
Male huskies will try to assert themselves as the alpha, which can clearly lead to problems with other dogs like pit bulls.
On the other side, male pit bulls can be more territorial and have a stronger guarding instinct than females.
You’ve probably already figured it out by now, but here’s a summary of the gender combinations and potential issues:
- Male-Male: Highest risk of aggression between the two, especially if the husky is introduced to the pit bull.
- Male-Female: Can work well, assuming the male isn’t a pit bull who is highly territorial.
- Female-Female: This is the best pairing, ideally with a pit bull being introduced to the husky.
You can learn more about husky pairing in our guide here.
How To Introduce A Pit Bull And Husky In 4 Easy Steps
The steps below outline a general procedure for introducing a husky and pit bull together; remember that territorial pit bulls will need more time to adapt to the husky being in their space, especially if they haven’t been well socialized.
If the risk is too high, you should not keep the pit bull with any other dog.
Step #1 – Walk Them Near Eachother On A Leash
The first step for introducing them is to let them walk near each other on a leash without allowing them to interact.
This will give you a very good idea of how they will react to the other dog and provide them with a chance to see and smell the other.
To do this, walk them past each other on a field or road but keep a distance between them so they can’t interact.
Step #2 – Let Them Get Closer & Lose The Lead
If the first meeting goes well and the pit bull isn’t reacting aggressively towards the husky, repeat the first step but walk closer to each other so they can meet properly.
Be vigilant during this time and keep good control of the leash at first.
If they are both friendly, you can move to a secure location like your backyard and lose the lead to let them play properly.
If there are any signs of aggression, break things up quickly before it escalates.
Step #3 – Go Inside The Home
The next step is to let them meet inside the home.
At this point, we are assuming that the pit bull is not highly territorial, as you would have been able to figure this out by this point.
Give both dogs lots of praise and repeat this process until they are both comfortable.
Step #4 – Keep Them Separate While Unsupervised
It’s sensible to keep them separate while unsupervised when they first start living together.
It can take up to a year for dogs to get used to having a new dog living in the same house, so give it time for them to bond.
What You Need To Know About Keeping Huskies And Pit Bulls Together
Once a husky and pit bull have been introduced and start living together, some important things remain to remember.
Prey Drive
Huskies and pit bulls have a naturally high prey drive, which means they are both prone to chasing after small animals instinctually.
This has several repercussions for daily life:
- Keeping them with cats is risky unless they have been brought up from a young age together or properly socialized.
- In unsecured places, both should be kept on a leash to prevent them from chasing after a small animal.
- Your yard needs to be secure for the same reason as above.
In a way, it is good both huskies and pit bulls have this type of prey drive to make exercising fair for both of them.
Trainability
Huskies and pit bulls are very different in terms of trainability.
- Huskies are notoriously difficult to train for many reasons. It isn’t that they aren’t intelligent, but they are too independent and stubborn to listen most times.
- Pit bulls are quite easy to train as they like to please their owners.
It’s best to train them separately to make sure each makes progress towards their goals because of this. If you train them together, your pit bull won’t reach their obedience potential.
Guarding Instincts
Another area where huskies and pit bulls are drastically different is their guarding instincts.
Huskies have practically zero guarding instinct despite how their appearance can be intimidating to lots of people. They’re super friendly to just about everybody, and that’s one of the reasons why I love them so much.
Pit bulls have a natural instinct to protect their families and their space, but this varies between individuals.
Pit bulls who are socialized properly from a young age tend to be less protective than those who aren’t.
Playfulness & Energy Levels
One thing that huskies and pit bulls both excel at is their playfulness and energy levels.
Pit bulls need at least 1 to 2 hours of exercise, while huskies need a minimum of 2 hours.
Having both breeds can be beneficial because they will play with each other and burn off excess energy, but don’t neglect to take them for long walks and other types of exercise every day.
Finding Out Who Is The Alpha
Don’t forget that huskies have a pack mentality and will need to determine who the alpha is and what order the pack goes in.
Female huskies won’t compete for the top spot, but males are more prone to this behavior, which won’t mix well with a male pit bull.
You should still expect some struggle for the alpha position, but it’s not a huge concern as long as it doesn’t get aggressive.
Check out our guide on the differences between huskies and pit bulls here!
In Summary
Huskies and pit bulls can get along well; it just requires a bit of thinking before mixing the two breeds due to the pit bull’s protective instinct and the husky’s pack mentality.
If you implement the tips in this article and introduce them according to the steps above, you will give yourself the biggest chance for success with these two breeds.
Check out some of our other husky compatibility articles below if you want to learn more about how huskies live with other dogs:
