By Dr. Watuwa JamesDr. James Watuwa Last updated: 27th November 2023

Alusky

A cross between the purebreds Siberian Husky and Alaskan Malamute, the Alusky is a breed of large dogs known for their strength, stamina, and loving nature. Because of their wedge-shaped, upright ears, deep and broad muzzle, almond-shaped eyes, dark nose, heavily furred tail, the Alusky dogs have an appearance similar to a wolf. Most of these malamute husky mix dogs are used for sledding, carting, racing, hauling freight, as well as for search and rescue work.

Alusky Pictures

Quick Information

Other namesHusky Malamute, Alaskan Malamute-Siberian Husky Mix
CoatDense, thick, double coat
ColorSilver; white; light brown; golden; gray; brown; salt and pepper; and cream
Breed TypeCrossbreed
Group of BreedWorking
Lifespan10-15 years
Weight60-100 lbs
Size/HeightBig; up to 28 inches
SheddingSeasonal
TemperamentLoyal, energetic, intelligent, affectionate
HypoallergenicNo
Good with ChildrenYes
BarkingRare
Country Originated inUSA
Competitive Registration/ Qualification InformationACHC, IDCR, DDKC, DBR, DRA

Alusky Puppies Video

Temperament and Behavior

The Alusky dogs, with their playful, charming, and outgoing personality, will greet everyone as friends. These social animals are quite fond of people and are known to get along well even with guests and strangers, a trait that makes them unreliable watchdogs.

However, they have an inherent prey drive, which means they might chase smaller animals including cats, squirrels, rabbits, and other dogs.

These pets can be kept in apartments, provided they get considerable playing time and are well exercised. Since these husky mix dogs are known for their digging abilities, they should be kept inside yards with tall, buried fencing, when outdoors to prevent them from escaping.

Care

Exercise

The Alusky is an active breed, and it should regularly be exercised to keep it from becoming bored and destructive. Make sure that your pet dog gets an adequate amount of walking, hiking, running and playing. Its digging instincts could be properly channelized if you set aside a sandbox that will serve as its own digging place in the yard. Avoid exercising it in hot and humid conditions since your Alusky is sensitive to heat.

Grooming

Daily brushing using an undercoat rake or a slicker brush is necessary during spring and fall since it sheds heavily during these seasons. As for the rest of the year, brush its coat 1-3 times a week to keep it clean and free from tangles. Baths are seldom needed unless your Alusky gets too dirty and smelly. Daily brushing its teeth is needed for a sound dental health while trimming its long nails will prevent them from putting pressure on its toes.

Health Problems

Like its parent breeds, the Alusky may be affected by eye disorders such as progressive retinal atrophy, day blindness, and cataracts, conditions of joints such as hip dysplasia, and canine diabetes.

Training

First time owners who are not well informed about dog behavior will find it difficult to train these stubborn dogs. Do not speak in a harsh manner, as they are quite sensitive to their handlers’ tone.

  • Obedience training: Because of their independent nature, it is necessary that all Alusky dogs participate in obedience training at an early age. During their first 6 months, the puppies should be taught to ‘sit’, ‘stand’, ‘down’, ‘recall’, and ‘walk on lead’. Some other basic obedience commands that you can teach in the first year include ‘wait’, ‘stand-stay’, and ‘down-stay’.
  • Crate training: A crate stuffed with toys, kibbles, and treats not just keeps away boredom but makes housetraining simple. After you bring an Alusky home, start feeding its meals inside the crate. Put a bowl of kibble just inside and order your pet to go to its crate in a cheerful voice. Put the bowl even farther at the next meal, and continue to do so. Give it plenty of treats and praises every time it obeys your command.

Feeding

The recommended amount of dry dog food is 4-5 cups a day.

43 responses to “Alusky”

  1. Kendyl says:

    Hello. I just adopted an alusky from a rescue shelter 3 days ago. Since I’ve gotten her she has refused to pee or poop outside. I’ve taken her out
    Every hour and one day stayed outside with her over two hours and she still holds it in until we get back inside and then goes immediately. I even have picked her up mid pee and taken her outside and she’s somehow able to hold it until we get back. Do you have any advice or tips on how to help her potty train and realize outside is a safe place to pee?

    • Sergey Uhanov (Certified Veterinarian) admin says:

      Hi Kendyl,
      You can adopt the recommendations given below to help your dog eliminate outside:
      • Confine your Alusky to a crate or keep her in a small room with the baby gate or door closed. Dogs do not like to eliminate where they rest and sleep. Give her more freedom gradually. If everything goes well, increase the amount of time she spends out of her crate.
      • If you catch her in the act of eliminating inside the house, start clapping loudly to startle your dog. If your dog is startled, she will stop in mid-stream. Quickly carry her outside and allow her to finish defecating or urinating and then rewarding with praises and treats.

    • Erica Dodd says:

      U may need to walk her in the front yard so she can smell other animals that helped with my puppy I had a friend who had to make a cement corner in her yard for her shelter dog because was so used to going on a hard surface

  2. Matthew says:

    After reading a lot of these I have two things to say for almost all of them. Most negative behaviors can be overcome by further exercising your puppy. Half an hour of running is not nearly enough, nor is letting them roam free in a large dog run area. Even if they are outside all day in a big yard they still need to be actively run for a good hour, more if you can manage it. Many negative behaviors can be alleviated if your pup is pooped.
    The second thing is 100% consistancy from everyone in the family regarding behavior. It can be hard but being very strict (not harsh) is of the utmost importance. They are good at respecting boundaries and behavior even when unobserved if you are always consistant.
    To quote a great man “contant vigilance”.
    Good luck.

  3. Sandra says:

    We had a husky/malamute mix for 15 years. Other than some anxieties he was the best dog ever, especially with kids. The more the better. Would like another one but not sure where to look. Our 1st one was given to us by a friend

  4. Jack says:

    Im looking to buy my first dog. My cousin takes care of an Alusky whos owners are moving into a place where they cannot take him. I love dogs and am willing to go through just about anything for a companion at this time. (For a friend and as a pet.) He is a 4 year old Alasky named Gunner and I was worried if there would be conflict between him and two other dogs in the house. There are already two doxins in the house, neither of them are very high energy dogs and one of them is pretty old and has hip problems. I know aluskis are high energy dogs, but I really want this dog. If things do not go well, what should I do?

  5. Kristine says:

    We have a almost 9yo Alusky Teal’c…. he is the light of our families life. He is stopped and cooed over everywhere we take him. Best thing we did was socialize him a lot when he was younger. We also lived in the mountains and he could be walked off leash – releasing more energy. He is very independent and has his own thoughts. He wants (demands) certain treats (carrots) and which direction he wants to go while on walks (we live in the city now so he is leashed). Warning though… Teal’c grew to be very large he is about 130lbs and a healthy weight for his size.

  6. Alison says:

    Hi! I recently got an alusky from a couple that was rehoming him. Its been about 4 months now, and I have trained him very well with stay, leave it, sit, down, all that stuff. But he is very scared of a harness and his leash and anything that goes around his neck. I have worked with a trainer on this problem but it doesnt seem to be going away.. This is a problem especially when we go to dog parks and stuff, he wont let us grab him because he sees we have his leash. Even hiding the leash wont work. Any suggestions on how to fix this and possibly why he is so scared of it?

    • Lee john says:

      We have to just got one and he does same as yours when we try to put harness on him we think he sees it as a game or he knows he is going to have his exercise as then we have got harness on he stops running around and just what he walk hope this helps

  7. Courtney says:

    We’ve recently fostered a female Alusky, and even if we do regular exercise her she is still destructive and will break out of her kennel..any recommendations on how to fix the issue? She also just turned 4 year young in May

    • MEG says:

      Separation anxiety and probably stress about her new home—she probably is very sweet and loving to you guys but needs more time to feel bonded. I’ll bet she just needs time to settle in—my Alusky is anxious and destructive for several weeks every time we move to a new house or if I go on vacation. He settles back into his easygoing self again though. I’ll bet your girl just needs time to acclimate to her new life and new “pack”. I’ve noticed arctic breeds are REALLY in tune with social/lifestyle changes so they’re more reactive to change like that.

  8. Beverley says:

    I have 3 girls and we brought home a 6wk old siberian and malamut cross husky. She seems to want to bite everything. My 2 daughters loves playing with her and she sleep in one of their rooms – is this okay to do? My other daughter seems a bit scared of the husky. From when can she go outside? I was thinking of taking her for training – from when can I do this?

    • Alison says:

      My alusky sleeps in my room, although it gets a little hot where I live so I will either open my windows and put a fan on or leave my door open so he can sleep on the cold tiles. As for the biting problem, what you do to fix that is say in a high pitched voice “ouch!” and pull your hand away. After that you give them a chew toy.

  9. Shannon says:

    I have an alusky and honestly he’s the best dog ever, such a good nature, loyal and he’s amazing with my 2 year old son. So caring and gentle with other dogs and also cats. Training him wasn’t so bad as I got him from 7 weeks old. Best dogs ever!!

  10. Robin Zartman says:

    We unexpectedly lost our 6.5 year old male husky last week. His sister, whom has never been separated from her brother, is not adjusting well without him. We would like to find a male, blue-eyed Alusky but can’t find any in our area. Do you recommend an Alusky puppy as a new friend/companion for a 6.5 year old female husky who weighs 70 pounds?

    • Sergey Uhanov (Certified Veterinarian) admin says:

      Hi Robin,
      If your 70 lbs female Husky is not well-socialized, introducing the new Alusky pup will not be easy. Huskies are known for their prey drive and putting your adult Husky around a small puppy could trigger her chasing instinct. However, if you desperately want to bring home a puppy, then you may follow these tips:
      • Introduce them to each other at a time so that you can observe and supervise their interactions.
      • Initially, the introduction should take place in a neutral place instead of your home or yard.
      • Keep both the dogs on leashes and have one adult controlling each dog. The person walking your Alusky pup should approach you and your dog from the side.
      • Make sure to walk together so that there is a little space between the Husky and the Alusky pup. It will allow them to see and sniff each other.
      • You should walk together in such an area where there is not much people and dogs to distract your pets. Continue walking until you reach home.
      • While entering the house, do not allow your dogs push each other in the entryway. Get both your pets into the house quickly.
      • Initially, keep the dogs away from places where food is being made or eaten. If either of the two is anxious, it could result in a conflict.

  11. William Didier says:

    Hi, we have our 1st Alusky, Chewy (Chubaca) oh, the love affair???? we got him from a friend of a friend..just after we lost our 7 yr. old shepadmix..he is my husbands support dog (100 0/0 disabled vet..we very much want to mate him and continue this Awsome breed..any takers..we r in Tampa,Fl..

  12. Samuel Cook says:

    We got an Alusky on Christmas Eve, with no stores open until the 26th we couldn’t get a crate until the evening of the 26th and now he cries and barks the whole time he is in the crate, hates it. Forgot to mention he is 7 weeks old.

  13. Abbey says:

    Hey Admin!
    I have been looking into Aluskies and trying to figure out if this would be the best dog for me!
    I grew up with a husky mix and know that I would love to have another in my adult life!
    My only concern is that I sometimes work 6-8hr shifts on some days. Would this be to long to leave a dog alone for? Especially this breed of dog?

    • Sergey Uhanov (Certified Veterinarian) admin says:

      Hi Abbey,
      Most dog breeds experience separation anxiety to some degree, and Aluskies are no different. Since you will be leaving your dog alone for 6-8 hours on some days, it is your job to help make the situation less stressful. You may follow these tips to ease your dog’s separation anxiety:
      • Take your Alusky for a brisk, rigorous walk before leaving for work. Then reward him with water and his favorite food. You need to leave him in a quiet, peaceful mode when you are away from home.
      • Do not make a lot of fuss when you go out for work or when you come back home. Do not touch, talk, or make eye contact with your pet for up to one hour before leaving and returning home.
      • Practice leaving your dog alone, initially for five minutes and then gradually extend the time to an hour. Continue increasing the time you remain away until it is full eight hours.
      • Train your dog to live peacefully in a crate. Introduce him to the crate and feed him regular meals in it. Once your dog eats food in his crate without fear or anxiety, practice confining him there for longer time periods.

  14. Teylor Hall says:

    I Will be buying an alusky for my family this Christmas. I have researched each individual breed for many years and happen to come across this hybrid! I have 3 kids, 11, 8, and 7 months old. The dog will be my 8 year old sons. We also have a male Chihuahua rescue. Ive never even considered a female pup but with the chihuahua, should i be lookong at a girl? Any suggestions on how to transition the dogs and kids and everyone into our home would be awesome, thank you!

    • henry says:

      Good day,

      I’ve owned a Husky malamute for a few years now and she always gets along with other dogs. One thing I would watch for is my dog ran into a small Chihuahua before and it scared the poor thing even though she didn’t mean to. It just depends on how your little dog gets along with dogs 4x her size.

  15. Amanda says:

    Hi we have just bought 2 x husky/malamute female puppies (sisters). They are nearly 11 weeks but we have only had them for a week. They play heaps n usually get along so well, but the last couple of days once a day they get really agressive with each other n I have to pull them away to separate them.
    Can you give me ideas on how to stop/control this?

    • Sergey Uhanov (Certified Veterinarian) admin says:

      Hi Amanda,
      Aggression between your two female Alusky pups can have many underlying motivations:
      • Changes in the family, routine, or household may lead to a change in responses between your pets. It may occur from underlying anxiety or a lack of ability to adapt to the change.
      • In some cases, the aggression may be redirected. When either or both the dogs become aroused by a stimulus or event unrelated to the other one, such as your departure or homecoming, or the mailman’s arrival, she may direct her aggression to her sister because she is nearby or easily accessible.
      • Your dogs may fight due to an underlying anxiety like noise sensitivities or separation anxiety.
      • Aggressive behavior will possibly occur over the access to resources, which are considered essential to one more than the other. These might include territory, resting places, food, social interactions with you, or their favored possessions.
      You need to identify the possible underlying cause and resolve the issue by consulting an experienced dog behaviorist and a vet.

    • Linda says:

      Amanda,
      I got two female sisters that are “gladiators” on Oct 15, 2017. They are now just over 5 months. They are fighting for dominance and usually don’t “hurt” each other but they have lost teeth and left blood going for each other’s throats, legs and tails. The only time they get more aggressive is when one goes for each other’s bone or food bowl. They have very different personalities. One more husky, sleek, fast and a little taller but also more “mellow” the other more malamute, strong, stalky and will do anything for food/treats and definitely more rambunctious! I hear that once spayed the aggression lessens ????????. I’d love to hear how they are doing now a few months have gone by.

  16. Shateka says:

    Hi there!

    We have a male Alusky who is a little over 6 months old. He has been gaining roughly 10lbs each month and is now at 70lbs already. My husband and I are just wondering how big he may get?

    • Sergey Uhanov (Certified Veterinarian) admin says:

      Hi Shateka,
      Since a pup usually undergoes the rapid growth phase until he is 6 months of age, it seems like your dog is about his normal weight. Keep in mind that a full-grown Alusky can weigh up to 100lbs. Talk to a vet to find out whether your Alusky is obese and ask him about how to maintain your dog’s healthy weight.

  17. Anon says:

    Hey,

    My partner has an Alusky, she’s getting to 6 months now.

    Just wondering tips on what to do when she gets bitey, playfully because everything we do to get her to stop excites her more and makes her think we’re enjoying it.

    She’s much better than she was as a younger pup and she understands sit and wait and some other basic commands, but stop or no when she bites doesn’t seem to do the trick, we’ve read putting your hands behind your back or ignoring her but then she just bites wherever else she can, I’m sure it’s just an attention thing or playful temperament, but wondering if you have any advice.

    Thanks

    Thanks

    • Sergey Uhanov (Certified Veterinarian) admin says:

      Hi there,
      You can teach your Alusky to inhibit biting. When your pup latches onto your finger or hand, let it go limp and make a loud yelping noise. When she releases your hand, ignore her for 10-20 seconds before resuming play. Do not try to pull away from a bite. It might trigger her chasing instinct and worsen the issue.

  18. Barb says:

    I’m looking to rehome another families malamute husky pup. She is 10 months old. This is what the owner has to say about her.
    ( So far she hasn’t liked anyone that has come to see her. Youre welcome to come see her, but she’s timid around strangers and might take some time to get her used to a new person. She barks and growls and doesn’t let anyone near her.) The owner said this wasn’t like her tell after they picked her up from the kennel aftwr a few days.
    I went to see her and she more barked at me then growled. And it took me about a hood 45min to even try to per her. I’m going back to see her again this thur. To see how this visit gos. I was wondering is there anything that I can do gain her trust of me and any of my family members.

    • Sergey Uhanov (Certified Veterinarian) admin says:

      Hi,
      When you go back to see the Alusky pup this Thursday again, you need to keep these things in mind to earn her trust.
      • Do not greet her with nervous energy. Stay calm, speak softly, and avoid the temptation. Excitedly approaching the pup could make her more excited, which could result in an unwanted greeting.
      • Respect the pup’s space. Do not stand too close to her and make sure that you leave a minimum four feet space between you. Do not touch, talk or make eye contact with the animal.
      • Approach the dog from the side instead of from the front. Stoop down and face the same direction as that of the dog. Hold your hand and make a fist while avoiding eye contact. It is a non-confrontational way of entering her space.
      If she is interested, she would definitely come to you and sniff your hand. You can then pet her chest. You can also accompany the pup’s owner when she is taken outside for walks. That way, she will accept you as a member of her pack.

  19. Joan says:

    I have a 8 month old male alusky,can’t seem to find out much information on them.At what age are they consider fully grown.

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