These ancient sled dogs are one of the oldest dog breeds in existence and still have genetic links to a type of Siberian wolf that lived over 35,000 years ago. Even today you can still see the striking resemblance in their markings, patterns, colors, and coat textures. So it’s of no real surprise that Siberian Husky’s come in all sorts of shades, colors, and hues.
They are still one of the most popular dog breeds out there. From their intriguing eye colors to their rich coats, humans adore these working dogs. Many pet parents who get their husky from a puppy will often ask themselves “Will my husky puppy change color?”
The answer is yes, they will change color and it will be due to several different reasons. We’ve put together a list of 7 important things you need to know about your pup’s color-changing fur and why they do this so you can put your mind at ease.
Will My Husky Puppy Change Color?
Yes, your husky puppy will change color. Husky pups are typically born with soft fuzzy coats that often contain darker tones through their fur. After their first shedding season, you may notice that markings that were once black are now light gray in color.
This change happens because your pup has developed its coarse, thick adult coat. If your husky has dark patches around their eyes, these could fade out completely or they may turn into a lighter shade. These changes are only likely to occur during a shift in the seasons or during shedding.
Why Is My Husky Changing Colors?
There are several reasons why your husky may be changing colors. A change in the seasons and shedding are the two main reasons why your husky is changing colors. A lesser-known reason for your husky pup’s color change is sun exposure. Prolonged exposure to the sun can cause your Siberian husky’s fur color to change from dark hues to lighter hues – reverse tanning – while in most cases it will revert back once you limit the amount of sunlight they get, it can in other cases be a permanent change.
So be careful if you live in an area where you get a lot of harsh sunlight and spend a lot of time outdoors. You’ll also find that husky’s will change color as they age. Some husky’s that appeared black when they were pups will now have more gray tones, this is due to the natural aging process. Just like humans, husky’s can also develop gray hairs!
What Are The Different Colors Of Huskies?
Husky’s are unique in the fact that each part of their double coat can be a different color. As well as this, dilution factors, age, and sun exposure can also affect your husky’s fur color. According to the American Kennel Club, these are some of the standard husky colors:
Agouti
Also known as ‘wild coloring, and agouti husky looks almost identical to a wolf. Agouti huskies have dark heavy masks and cream-colored markings. The pigment extends far down the canines body and their undercoats are usually charcoal while their outer coat can be a mixture of black, tan, red, or grey.
Black and white
The undercoat of a black and white Siberian husky can be white, charcoal, beige, or even a mix of all three. While their topcoat can range from jet black to a dilution known as ‘salt and pepper’ grey, you may also find that some huskies have a slight red tint to their fur. Though this red tint is rare and usually a result of sun exposure.
Red
Some Siberian husky’s come in a variety of red or copper tones. From red and white huskies to chocolate copper huskies, they all have a varying degree of red throughout their fur with some lending more of the tan colors to come through where others have more red hues showing through for darker fur color.
Sable
Considered a rare color, but not as rare as a pure white husky, Sable-colored huskies have black points and black tipping of the fur, and the undercoat is always a shade of red.
The Three Greys
Some huskies come in one of three shades of grey; wolf-grey, silver, or dark/medium grey. The wolf-grey husky has warm shades of grey with either beige, tan, or red behind the ears and on their legs and back. Their undercoat is normally beige. A silver husky tends to have a silvery or blueish tone to their fur and their undercoat is normally white. A complete contrast to the wolf-grey husky. The medium/dark grey husky is the most common with their undercoats being a mix of beige and silver.
Some colors and patterns, such as the double merle, have been linked to certain health conditions including sight and hearing problems.
What Is The Rarest Husky Color?
Pure white is considered to be the rarest color for a husky. This color is a result of recessive genes that have removed the pigmentation from their coat. While you can get white husky’s they may have hints of yellow through their coats.
A white Siberian husky can have liver-colored or black points – usually the color of their nose and skin around their eyes. Their undercoat however is white or silver. This husky is truly striking, especially when paired with captivating bright blue eyes. Pure white huskies are not a sign of albinoism as many believe, it is simply due to other hues being completed restricted.
How Often Do Husky’s Change Color?
Mature husky’s will change color once or twice a year. This change occurs due to the shedding of their fur. A Siberian husky tends to shed their coats twice a year – once in the lead up to summer and then again just before winter. However, every once in a while your husky may only shed once in the year. This factor tends to be weather-related as well as location-dependent.
Be aware that your husky may constantly shed if you live in a place that is relatively warm all year round. It’s likely that your husky’s fur coat will be darker during the winter months due to the coat being thicker and lighter during the summer months as the coat is normally thinner.
Do Husky Patterns Change?
It’s unmistakable that a husky puppy’s markings make it adorable and very unique but sadly their markings don’t stick around for long. As your husky reaches adulthood their markings will undeniably change. When and how the markings change is unknown as it varies from canine to canine.
No two huskies are the same when it comes to their markings or patterns and some can be more striking than others. Generally, husky’s have darker markings which become lighter as they change their fur colors. Gray colors are more prominent in dark-toned huskies.
As your Siberian husky ages, their mask is going to change color. If your husky had dark patches surrounding their eyes, these areas could fade into the same colors as the rest of their mask. You may also notice that your husky’s eyebrow markings will fade as they age and become part of their overall mask.
Solid-colored or monochrome huskies will not have a mask or any recognizable patterns, but that’s not to say you won’t notice color changes as they mature.
Do Husky’s Eyes Change Color?
You are likely to notice that your husky’s eye color will change slightly. This normally only happens as a puppy. It’s not likely that your pup’s eye color will change once they reach adulthood. Blue or brown are the most common colors for husky’s eyes, however, you may see a husky with green eyes.
The most unusual and rarest colors are split-eye and parti-. Parti-eyed huskies will have a predominant eye color with another color sprinkled across the iris, whereas a split-eyed husky will have eyes that are half one color and half another color. You may have even seen husky’s with each eye bring a different color. This condition is called heterochromia.
It’s possible that some husky pups may not have the same blues eyes in adulthood. While striking blue eyes are the most common color in husky’s, you should notice if your pup has different colored eyes to that fierce blue when they are between 5 and 8 weeks old. During this period you’ll notice that your husky’s blue eyes (if they have blue eyes that is) will start to darken. They could even turn gray or a murky color. By 12 to 16 weeks of age, your husky should have achieved its final eye color, however, some husky’s can take a little longer.