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Labrador Husky Mix (Labsky): Owner’s Guide

Labrador Husky Mix - Labsky - Owner's Guide
Labrador Husky Mix aka Labsky.

When you take the most popular breed of dog, the Labrador Retriever and mix it with a Siberian Husky, you get an amazing, athletic, and family-friendly mixed breed.

Combining the outgoing nature of the Lab with the athleticism and sassiness of the Siberian Husky creates a mix that just about everyone will be head over heels for!

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Key Questions Answered

What is a Labrador Husky Mix called?

A Labrador Husky Mix is called a Labsky.

How much does a Husky Lab Mix cost?

The cost of a Labrador Husky Mix breed is around $500 to $1,200 dollars.

Where to buy a Labrador Husky Mix?

Labrador Husky Mixes can be hard to find for sale. Your best bet is to Google ‘Labrador Husky Mix for sale’ or call your local dog rescue/shelter.

Are Husky Lab Mixes good dogs?

Yes, Husky Lab Mixes are good dogs, especially for people with an active lifestyle.

Labrador Husky Mix Traits & Characteristics

  • Intelligent
  • Zest for love 
  • Energetic 
  • Family-friendly

Traits Summary Table

TraitsLabrador Husky Mix
Eye ColorBrown, blue or amber eyes.
Coat ColorLabskies can be white or cream, black, yellow, chocolate brown, gray, and any combination of solid colors, patterns and markings.
SheddingLots of shedding
Height21-23 inches
Weight45-70 pounds
TemperamentAttention hogs!
Lifespan12-13 years
IntelligenceHighly intelligent
Daily Exercise1 hour minimum
Good With Kids?Yes, great family dogs!
OriginLabskies were first bred in 90's as a designer breed.
Price$500 to $1,200
PROSHighly trainable, athletic, friendly and loving.
CONSClingy, highly active and lots of shedding.

Appearance

The split is rarely 50/50 for a Labsky so usually the pups will look more like one parent breed than the other but distinguishing traits from the other parent breed will undoubtedly be visible.

For example, one pup may have triangular ears that stick straight like the Husky while another may have the flopped over triangular ears of the Lab. But undoubtedly, both pups will be lean and have a very athletic build.

Labrador Husky Mix Appearance
Check out this beautiful white Labrador Husky Mix appearance! Image from @xaia_the_labsky

Color

Labskies can be white or cream, black, yellow, chocolate brown, gray, and any combination of solid colors, patterns and markings. Many have the patterning of the Husky with the two-toned face mask. These pups can have brown, blue, or amber eyes.

Coat & Shedding

The Labsky will have a double coat, which will mean lots of shedding! The fur can be short but more often is medium in length and soft to the touch. They will need frequent brushing to help with shedding, especially when the seasons change.

When the seasons change, these dogs tend to “blow” their coat, or in other words, their undercoat starts to seriously shed to prepare for new hair growth.

Size

The average Labrador Retriever stands tall at about 21.5 to 24.5 inches. They usually weigh somewhere between 55 and 80 pounds. Huskies on the other hand, are a bit smaller, and stand at about 20 to 23.5 inches and weigh 35 to 60 pounds.

A Labsky will fall somewhere in the middle as far as size goes, and will probably weigh between 45 and 70 pounds and stand at 21 to 23 inches.

How big does a Husky Lab mix get?

Husky lab mixes grow to 21 to 23 inches tall and 45 to 70 pounds.

Temperament & Personality

Labskies can without a doubt be described as legitimate attention hogs. They love to be the star of the show and they just want to love everyone. And forget about having any personal space with this dog in your house!

Even though the Husky side may like a bit of independence, the Lab often takes over and will decide to stick to you like glue.

Labrador Husky Mix Temperament
Awww such a cute and playful Labsky! 😍 Image from @huskador.luna

Lifespan

The average lifespan for a lab is about 11 to 13 years of age. For a Husky, the average lifespan is somewhere usually between 12 and 14 years. The average lifespan for a Labsky will probably be somewhere around 12 to 13 years.

There are various factors that can affect lifespan but with proper nutrition, exercise, and preventative health care, a Labsky will be able to be right by your side for a long time.

Further reading: How old is my Husky in humans years? 

Intelligence

This breed is highly intelligent. With that intelligence also comes a bit of a rebellious or obstinate streak. This just means that training will be incredibly important and you’ll probably need to find a really delicious treat to convince them that it’s worth listening to you!

Sometimes this breed can be too smart for their own good, and they may test your boundaries, or try to manipulate you into giving them multiple treats!

Further reading: How smart is a Siberian Husky?

Activity Level

Labskies are incredibly active dogs. They love to be on the move. At the very minimum, these dogs will need an hour of exercise daily.

They’ll enjoy walks around the block but they’ll also love sprinting, jogging, hiking, and even swimming. And they love to play and even excel in all sorts of dog sports like agility, frisbee, dock diving, and any other activity!

Labrador Husky Mix Physical Activity
This is Milow a beautiful black Labrador Husky Mix getting some outdoor activity. Image from @milow_1507

Are Labrador Husky Mixes Good with Kids?

Because of their size and their energy, they can be a little bit too excitable for little ones but overall, they have a loving attitude that makes them great family dogs. Like all dogs, they’ll just need to be supervised when they are around young children.

Speed, Strength & Endurance

Huskies are fast dogs, even when they are pulling a big heavy sled behind them! They also have stamina to travel long distances. Moreover, Labrador Retrievers are one of the first breeds that come to mind when thinking of athletic dogs! With both of these working breeds as parents, it’s certain that a Labsky will be a true athlete.

Behavior

Labskies are incredibly sweet, loving, and good-natured pups, but boy, do they know how to be naughty sometimes, too! These pups can get into all sorts of trouble. Make sure you get a tight lid on your garbage can otherwise the Labsky might just get into last night’s dinner!

Aside from their mischievous antics, Labskies are overall really wonderful dogs. They generally get along well with other dogs, but may have a high prey drive due to their hunting instincts so they may not be great around cats or other small animals. 

A Labsky with little training, and too much energy can become high strung easily so training and exercise are super important for this mixed breed.

Ways to circumvent bad behaviors include training, plenty of physical activity and exercise, and even doggie daycare where he can play for hours on end with other pups for days when you may not have time to get your dog’s exercise in.

Mental stimulation can be really beneficial too like training, or interactive puzzle toys.

Visit our Husky Behavior hub to learn more.

Labsky Behavior
This Labsky loves being in nature! Image from @aimreepups

History & Origin of the Labrador Husky Mix

History of the Siberian Husky

The Siberian Husky is believed to have originated some 4,000 years ago in northern Siberia. A tribe known as the Chukchi bred these dogs to not only be a working dog that would help them survive but to also be companions.

In addition to cuddling up with the Chukchi people to keep warm, Siberian Huskies would pull sleds full of food and equipment long distances as the Chukchi people traveled. In the early 1900s, the Siberian Husky made its way to Alaska, where it continued to grow in popularity.  

History of the Labrador Retreiver

The Labrador Retriever is believed to have originated in Canada in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador hundreds of years ago. In the early 1800s, English nobles touring Canada met these dogs and fell in love with them.

They were the perfect water dog and retriever. The English nobles brought some of these dogs back and continued to breed them into what is recognized as the Labrador Retriever today-the most popular dog in the United States, if not most of the world!

Breeding the Labrador Husky Mix

While both parent breeds have histories that go back hundreds of years, it has only been in the last 20 to 30 years or so that the Labsky and the Siberian Husky have been purposefully bred together.

Today, the Labsky can be found both through a breeder who is passionate about both breeds, as well as through oopsie litters when two dogs who weren’t neutered or spayed get together.

Unfortunately, these pups sometimes do end up in shelters or in the care of rescues so be sure to check there as well if you are interested in a Labsky. 

How to Take Care of a Labrador Husky Mix

Nutrition

Labskies really love their food, so it will be important to avoid overfeeding and avoid nutritionally empty foods that have filler ingredients like soy, wheat, and corn. It is also best to avoid foods with additives, byproducts, artificial flavors and colors.

For a breed as active and energetic as the Labsky, focus on foods for active breeds with a high protein content, moderate fat, and low carbs.  About three cups of food is the usual recommendation but this, of course, can vary depending on the dog’s size and activity level.

Visit our Husky Nutrition hub to learn more.

Labsky Nutrition
Labskies eat grass and flowers just like huskies! 😂 Image from @knipspfote_abby

Exercise

At the very minimum, these dogs will need an hour of exercise daily if not more. This mixed breed has pretty much endless amounts of energy.

Daily walks will be a must but they will also benefit from jogging, running, hiking, and swimming. Even sprinting in the back yard to chase the ball is a great workout for these dogs. And of course, zoomies never hurt either!

Further reading: How much exercise does a Husky need?

Grooming

Regular grooming is an important aspect of keeping a Labsky in tip-top shape. Depending on the length of the fur, you may want to use different tools.

If the dog’s fur is shorter, a soft bristle brush or a rubber curry comb should do the trick to remove dead, loose fur and help evenly distribute healthy oils. If its fur is longer, a pin brush, deshedding rake, comb, and slicker brush all work great.

These dogs are double coated, so shaving is never recommended unless medically necessary. Shaving a double coated dog can make it more difficult for the dogs to regulate their body temperature.

And in many cases, the fur will grow back coarse and almost sharp to the touch.  Instead, a good deshedding bath, blow-out, and brushing will be a perfect spa day. And don’t forget about regular ear cleaning, teeth brushing, and nail trimming!

Labsky Grooming
This looks like a good spot for a Labsky bath! Image from @donche2306

Training

Training is definitely going to be a top priority for this breed. Even with good, consistent training, a Labsky will keep you on your toes. Labskies are usually eager to please but sometimes the Husky in them takes over and they like to show a little bit of stubbornness or have a bit of a sassy attitude! This sassiness can be part of what makes this breed so endearing though. 

Early socialization classes and obedience training will be necessary so your puppy can learn how to be a polite and well-mannered dog. But not to worry if you plan on an older Labsky. Old dogs can easily learn new tricks, especially when it’s a dog as smart as the Labsky. Labskies can be used for tracking, police and military work, as service animals, and for therapy work.

It’s never too early to start training but remember to keep it fun no matter the age. Many dogs often do best when they work on their training in short increments instead of long training sessions. Having several quick sessions throughout the day will ensure that both you and the pup leave the training sessions feeling confident instead of frustrated.

If your dog isn’t focusing or paying attention, end the training session on a positive and fun note, and try again after a little while. But usually if you have a treat in your hand, a Labsky will follow you to the ends of the earth!

Further reading: Can a husky be a police dog?

Visit our Husky Training hub to learn more.

Labrador Husky Mix Training
Koda the Labsky training to shake hands! Image from @koda.thelabsky

Labsky Puppies

The puppy stage is without a doubt, one of the most fun but also one of the hardest parts of being a new dog parent. As puppies, Labskies are fun and energetic but they can also be little troublemakers. This is what makes the puppy stage one of the most frustrating stages!

Do your best to stick to a routine for potty training and sleep time and incorporate lots of play sessions in between nap times!

Though a Labsky puppy won’t be ready to run fast or run for long distances, they will need lots of play sessions throughout the day in between naps to keep them happy and nutritious food so they have energy for all that play and all the growing they have to do! 

Also keep in mind that training a puppy is not always a linear process! Sometimes puppies seem to be doing great with their skills like potty training and coming when called but after a few months, it can seem like they are getting worse! Don’t give up hope, this is not unusual and is usually just a phase. 

Further reading: When do Huskies calm down?

General Health

The Labsky is a healthy breed with relatively few concerns. A few concerns common for many breeds, including the Labsky include osteoarthritis, elbow dysplasia, hip dysplasia, and degenerative disc disease.

Others more specific to Huskies include eye problems like cataracts and progressive retinal atrophy. From the lab parentage, the Lab may be more susceptible to obesity, allergies, bloating, cancer, and epilepsy.

Visit our Husky Health hub to learn more.

Labsky Health
Labskies need their beauty sleep too! 😍 Image from @whatalovelyecho

Labrador Husky Mix Price

The price for a Labsky puppy from a breeder usually lands somewhere between 500 to 1,200 dollars. It’s always recommended to look for a reputable breeder that ensures the dog’s health with testing. Since these mixes are sometimes the result of an accidental litter, Labskies can sometimes be found in shelters or rescues.

Depending on the shelter or rescue, the price could be as low as 200 dollars for a senior dog to as high as 500 dollars for a puppy. The higher price for puppies is to discourage people from impulsively adopting a puppy they aren’t prepared for.

Visit our Siberian Husky Price hub to learn about the maintenance cost of Huskies.

Labsky Pros & Cons

PROS: Highly trainable, athletic, friendly and loving

CONS: Clingy, highly active and lots of shedding

Labrador Husky Mix Alternatives

Labsky not quite the right fit? Here are some Husky mix alternatives:

Recommendation

The Labrador Retriever is America’s most popular breed and the Husky is high up there on the list, too! A combination of the two is almost certain to be a great dog.

This Siberian Husky mix breed is a great find for anyone with an active lifestyle who loves to have company on their adventures. If you love a sassy, sweet, and energetic dog, the Labsky might just be the perfect pup for you!

Have you got a Labsky?

Share your experience below.

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Author
Max Jacobs
Max Jacobs is the owner and lead author of Husky Gifts. He loves spending time with his family, who have two huskies. Max loves to write and is passionate about creating interesting and engaging content. To learn more, visit the team section of the about page.

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