Huskollie Dog Breed

The Huskollie is a mixed breed, and thus is not an official member of any breed group. Neither does any info exist about these hybrids' true origin, but they were probably first bred for commercial purposes during the designer dog "explosion" in North America in the late 20th century. These intelligent, energetic dogs will have strong work ethics, so they're best suited as general-purpose work dogs--but they'll make enthusiastic pets for active families as well.

A few Husky-Collie mix facts: they're medium- to large-sized, averaging 23 inches at the shoulders in height and 60 pounds in weight; they have short to medium, thick, double-layered coats (with the length and texture dependent on whether the Collie parent's coat is of the Rough or Smooth variety), and the coats will shed seasonally; and they'll be pretty energetic, and will need a good bit of daily exercise.

Some advantages and drawbacks to owning a Collie-Husky mix:

A Siberian Husky mixed with a Collie is an interesting hybrid: the two breeds are both active, intelligent, and personable--and whether pulling sleds or herding livestock, these dog breeds were developed to work all day.

It's no surprise, then, that the typical Huskollie will be incredibly task-oriented. Like other working breeds, these dogs are at their best when they have a job to do; they'll need lots of stimulation, mentally as much as physically. Depending on inherited traits, Huskollies might also be stubborn and independent like the Husky, in which case they'll need obedience training and socialization--starting during puppyhood if possible--to help them learn proper respect. But all work and no play makes a Huskollie a boring dog--so thankfully, these hybrids love playtime! They'll be great playmates for kids, and will be good competitors in canine sports competitions too.

While not being super-active, these dogs are used to a lot of physical activity, so they'll need outdoor exercise on a daily basis. When taking your Huskollie out, though, be sure to use a leash, as they have fairly high prey drives that'll make them instinctively take off after critters like birds or squirrels.

The Huskollie doesn't see too much variety in physical features. Specific body features like muzzle, leg, or tail length might differ some in individual dogs, but these variations are naturally occurring and don't signify a breed sub-type.

The main Huskollie variation is in the coat. Collies have two coat types: Rough (longer and thick) and Smooth (short)--so a Rough Collie-Husky mix will generally have a more abundant coat than a Smooth Collie-Husky mix.

Size is pretty consistent in these hybrids too, but can vary from about 50 to 70 pounds or more depending on the size of the parent dogs. Breeders might also use selective breeding techniques, in which they breed progressively smaller Huskies and Collies, to develop what could be called a Miniature Huskollie--but again, these little dogs don't represent a true variation.

Active, friendly, task-oriented, intelligent, and at times stubborn and willful, the Collie-Huskie mix temperament is one of equal parts work and play. These hybrids will be smart and independent, and can learn things quickly--if they're in a teachable mood, that is! Perhaps the best attribute of the Husky-Collie mix is that they can get along with people and animals alike. They do have strong prey drives and they tend to bark a lot, though, so these unfortunate habits will need to be trained out of them.

Speaking of training: Huskollies can take well to it, but if they inherit the Husky's stubbornness they may require a few repetitions to learn tasks, tricks, and commands. As with any dog, firm, consistent, reward-based training methods are best.

And one unpredictable aspect of the Huskie-Collie cross temperament: its watchdog skills. Neither parent breed is known for anything like aggression, so these dogs don't have protective instincts; they're alert and vocal, so they're bound to bark if they perceive an unknown sight or sound--but they probably don't have the ability to neutralize potential threats like intruders.

The Huskollie, due to hybrid vigor (in which a crossbred dog inherits the healthiest traits from its parent breeds), is very healthy. Still, these hybrids may suffer ailments common to the parent breeds including various eye issues (the most serious of which is Progressive Retinal Atrophy, or PRA) along with hip dysplasia and assorted allergies. Potential owners are advised to ask breeders for health screenings for the dog and/or its parents, or they can have their own veterinarians do the screenings.

Life expectancy for Huskollies is 11-14 years.