Want to learn about all the possible different Siberian Husky coat colors?
You’ve come to the right place.
In this guide, we’ll break down 25 different Siberian Husky coat colors, patterns, and coat types, with examples and photos for each. We’ll also explore which patterns are undesirable due to potential health problems they can cause.
Let’s waste no time and get straight into it.
Contents
AKC/Breed Standard Accepted Husky Coat Colors
Let’s start with the colors accepted by the American Kennel Club breed standard for the Siberian Husky.
1. Agouti And White
Agouti and white huskies are the most wolf-like huskies.
Agouti simply means that hairs are banded, which gives them a speckled or dirty appearance.
Agouti huskies usually have various shades of black and tan, as well as white markings, and there is a lot of variation in how they look depending on how much agouti pattern they have.
2. Black And White
Black and white is one of the most common color combinations for huskies, and it’s what most people associate with the breed.
There’s a lot of variation from just black and white, and we’ll explore some of the other rarer variations later in this list.
3. Gray And White
Gray and white is often considered a variation of black and white, although they are not the same.
Gray and white huskies have more of a wolf-like appearance similar to the agouti coloring, and there are various shades of gray, possible with lighter gray more common.
4. Red And White
Red and white huskies always make people take a second glance, and for good reason.
Red huskies are less common than black and white, but they are still a pretty popular color to see.
5. Sable And White
Sable and white huskies are quite rare to see.
The sable part of the coat is lightly colored with dark tips, which gives depth to the coat, with the remaining coat white, often with cream parts as well.
6. White
White huskies are visually striking and often confused for other dogs like the Samoyed.
White huskies are perfectly camouflaged for snowy conditions, and it’s very rare to see a husky with a full white coat.
7. Brown
A lot of people don’t realize that all brown huskies even exist, which makes sense, given how rare they are.
Brown huskies usually have other markings on their coats, and it it’s normal for the guard hairs to be tipped as well.
8. Black, Tan And White
Black, tan, and white huskies are similar to agouti huskies in that they have a lot of colors in their coats.
These typically have white masks and stomachs, with a blend of black and tan colors on the rest of the coat. The guard hairs will usually be tipped with black as well.
9. (Mostly) Black
The last officially recognized husky coat color is black, although in the majority of cases these coats have markings of other colors like white.
Remember that just because these are the officially recognized colors, it has no impact unless you plan to show your husky.
Some patterns are known to be associated with health issues like Merle, and we’ll explore those in detail later in this guide. These patterns are associated with impure breeding, so it is essential to be aware of them.
Unusual Husky Coat Colors, Patterns & Combinations
Let’s explore some of the more unusual and not necessarily ‘recognized’ husky coat colors and patterns.
10. Red Tint
Some huskies have a red hue or tint to their coats, and this is commonly seen in brown and white or grey and white coats.
These are the most noticeable in the sunlight, and oftentimes, you won’t be able to see the red tint in low-light conditions.
11. Splash
Splash huskies are primarily white with splashes of other colors on their coats, hence the name.
This is a pretty rare coat pattern to see on a husky, and it’s usually seen on huskies that are all white or cream.
12. Pure Black
We touched on this earlier, but pure black huskies are one of the rarest colored huskies you can see.
Similarly to all-brown or all-white, all-black huskies resemble other dog breeds and can be hard to identify if you aren’t familiar with the husky breed.
13. KB Domino Agouti
If you’re not sure what ‘KB Domino’ means, don’t worry; it’s just a reference to an allele. So KB Domino means a husky that has the KB allele, causing an increased expression of black pigment, as well as the domino, which causes some pheomelanin pigment to be produced.
These huskies are very similar to agoutis but with less sharp contrast on the face markings.
14. Red Agouti
Red agoutis are simply agouti pattern huskies that are red primarily instead of black and white.
Red agoutis are very rare and have a very unique appearance.
15. Light Red And White
Light red and white huskies are red and white huskies that have a very light, almost unnoticeable shade of red to their fur.
16. KB Domino Tanpoint
These again have the KB allele that fails to make them completely black, leading to points and a spotty grey face color.
17. Solid White
White huskies with markings are quite rare to begin with, but full white huskies are even rarer.
18. Saddleback
The saddleback pattern is very rare for huskies and refers to most coloration focused on the dorsal area (AKA along the spine).
These are usually white huskies with grey or black dorsal markings, but they can also be seen in agouti and tanpoint huskies as well.
19. Copper And White
Copper and white huskies are very similar to red and white with a different tone of red (more intense); the terms are often used interchangeably, and it isn’t uncommon to see full copper huskies either.
20. Wolf Gray And White
Wolf gray and white huskies are very similar to black and gray or black and white huskies, but the gray is more of a mix of black and white with a hint of blue/silver.
21. Silver & White
Silver and white huskies are similar to wolf gray, but the silver is a very light shade of gray that is almost not noticeable.
22. Isabella
Isabella huskies are very similar to full white huskies, but they have a very light shade of red or fawn on their coats with no black points; instead, they have dilute pigment points.
23. Cream
Cream huskies are similar to all-white huskies, but the coat has a slight yellow hue to it.
24. Tan Husky
Tan huskies are another variation of the all-white husky, similar to cream huskies, but this time the coat has more of a sandy, warmer tone.
25. White And Tan
White and tan huskies have white coats with tan markings and shades, rather than all tan like tan huskies.
Husky Coat Patterns & Markings
It’s crucial to understand the different patterns and markings that are commonly seen on husky coats to understand why some huskies look the way they do.
Color and markings/patterns go hand in hand, so let’s look at all the different possibilities.
Agouti
Agouti huskies have a darker coat with bands of black and another color and are often the most wolf-like huskies you will see in terms of appearance.
The AKC accepts the agouti pattern, and it is described as its own color combination, specifically with white in the standard.
Sable
Sable is similar to agouti in that the AKC accepts it as its own color with white.
Sable means that the hair is mostly lighter colored with black tips, a pattern often seen with other breeds like the German Shepherd or Belgian Malinois.
Piebald
Piebald is a pattern with patches of banded guard hairs among white fur and is often confused for the merle pattern.
The AKC fully recognizes the Piebald pattern.
Merle
Merle huskies are defined as having a marbling effect of dark patches against a lighter background of the same color.
Merle is not considered to be in the Siberian Husky gene pool, and huskies with this pattern are not from a pure line. The merle gene is dominant, meaning that a husky only needs to inherit it from one parent to have this pattern.
Health Problems Associated With Merle
Merle as a pattern is only accepted in a few breeds, and huskies are not one of them,
A merle husky has a higher risk of problems with their eyes and ears, which can worsen if both parents have the merle gene.
Brindle
Brindle huskies have single-colored guard hairs that transition from dark to light, which produces a vertical tiger striping effect.
Brindle is another that is associated with impure breeding, like Merle, and the Siberian Husky Club of America strongly advises against this pattern (and has disqualified it alongside Merle).
Types Of Husky Coat
As per the breed standard, huskies should have a thick double coat that is medium length.
A double coat means that their fur is split into two distinct layers: a short, dense, wooly undercoat that provides insulation in both cold and warm weather, and a long guard layer that protects the coat and skin below.
While all huskies have a double coat, some have a longer coat than usual. These are commonly referred to as ‘wooly huskies,’ while they would not be accepted in a show, they’re more common than you would expect.
There are also so-called ‘short-haired’ huskies who have a shorter coat than normal. Again, these would not be accepted as per the breed standard.
What Determines The Color Of Your Husky’s Coat?
All canine coat colors result from two pigment molecules: eumelanin and pheomelanin.
Eumelanin is black or brown, and pheomelanin is reddish-yellow. Most huskies have a mixture of both, but the production of these molecules is influenced by genetics.
There are 15 different genes in total that control coat color and pattern, which is why there is such a large variation in coat color.
Will The Color Change With Age?
Huskies do change color as they age, and there isn’t much you can do to avoid this. For example, most husky puppies lighten up drastically after their first proper shed and most older huskies start to grow lots of gray or white hairs on their masks.
This happens for lots of reasons, including how much they shed, the amount of sunlight they experience throughout their lives, genetics, and much more.
Agouti huskies typically experience the most change in their coat color because of how many colors are found in their coats.
Can Huskies Look Different After Grooming?
Removing matted fur or loose hairs from your husky’s coat can make a difference in how its coat looks, particularly if the light hits it from a certain angle.
This is even more noticeable if they are blowing coat, as during this period, they will be losing much of their undercoat, which is typically a lighter color.
After they’ve blown their coat, you can expect your husky to look darker than before, with prominent colors like black or red becoming much more noticeable.
What Are The Rarest Husky Coat Colors?
Some of the rarest husky coat colors are full black, brown, or white, as it’s very common for huskies to have markings or tones of other colors on their coats.
Other rarer colors include agouti (especially red agouti), cream, and tan, to name a few. Patterns like saddleback and patch are also very uncommon,
What Are The Most Common Types Of Husky Coat Colors?
Black and white and variations of black and white with gray are among the most common husky coat colors, followed closely by red and white.
A lot of people think that red huskies are incredibly rare, but this is not the case.
Key Takeaways
- The majority of husky coat colors are accepted, and the majority of those that aren’t should have no impact unless you plan to show your husky.
- Merle and brindle patterns should be avoided as they are associated with an increased risk of certain health issues.
- All white, black or brown, and various other unusual husky colors are much rarer than your ‘standard’ variations of black and white.
- Some huskies have woolier coats than others, with the accepted coat length medium.
Recommended Reading
I highly recommended checking out some of the resources below if you want to learn more of the specifics about husky coat colors, like the gene combinations that lead to certain coats and why some patterns and colors are favored over others: