German Shepherd vs Husky, this is a comparison that although in my opinion is unfair, it is also very interesting. Unfair, because in my eyes these two dog breeds are two of their only kind and no other dog breed even scratch the surface when compared.
Interesting, because being two of the best dogs in the world, the first and second ranking in the beholder’s eyes of course. Both of these dogs have characteristics that outmatch only each other and no other breed of dog.
| characteristics | German Shepherd | Siberian Husky |
|---|---|---|
| Height: | Males 60–65 cm (24–26 inches), Females 55–60 cm (22–24 inches). When measured from shoulder. | Males 53-60 cm (21-24 inches), Females 51-56 cm (20-22 inches). When measured from shoulder. |
| Weight: | Males 65-90 pounds (30–40 kg), Females 45-75 pounds (22–32 kg) | Males 45-60 pounds (20-27 kg), Females 35-50 pounds (15-23 kg) |
| Lifespan: | Males 9-13 years, Female average of 11.1 years. | 12-15 years. |
| Colours: | Black, white, black and tan, black and silver, red and black, sable, grey. | Black and white, grey and white, light red and white, pale yellow to light orange with pinkish/brown point on eyes, ears, nose, and lips. Sable, agouti, white, and wooly coat husky. |
| Temperament: | Intelligent, loyal, stubborn, brave, friendly, protective, curious, alert, and confident. | Playful and friendly, active, independent, friendly with other dogs and pets, friendly with children and strangers, not good guard dogs because of their friendly nature. |
| Trainability: | Excellent and intelligent. | Intelligent, but due to its independent nature, it can be a challenge to train Husky. |
| Grooming: | Weekly | Require regular bathing and brushing. |
| Exercise hours: | 2+ hours daily | 2+ hours daily |
| Cost: | Breeder cost: $2000 to $4500, Puppy cost: $450-$1900 | $600-$1500 per Siberian Husky’s puppy |
German Shepherd and Siberian Husky, what are they?
Let’s take a detailed account of these two beautiful breeds and how they came into being. It may seem like I am showing prejudice against other dogs (sorry Labradors and Goldens), but it is what it is. You’ll know what I mean, just keep reading.
German Shepherd
Yup, like the name says, these dogs are of the herding breed of dogs and are German by origin. They graced the world with their awesomeness and a retired cavalry officer and dog breeder Max von Stephanitz is given the credit. Although there were many English dog breeders at the time and von Stephanitz experimented with the English ways of dog breeding, he was specifically interested in improving the shepherding of dogs in Germany.
Back then, Max von Stephanitz was a huge fan of attending dog shows which had different kinds of shepherding dogs and he was primarily interested in the ones that resembled wolves.
Though these dogs did not have any breed classification, Stephanitz noticed their intelligence, with senses that had an intensity to it and eagerness to be a part of labor-intensive activities. Stephanitz was sure that he can make them better so it could be used all over Germany.
Max Stephanitz worked with other breeders of Germany, along with his own grandson, and started working towards a dog that had a well-defined physique, the kind where they have more curves than angles.
Using the knowledge from his time in veterinary college and making use of dogs from other parts of Germany like Franconia, and Thuringia, and created a dog that was not only physically beautiful but also very intelligent. That dog is the forefather of today’s dog breed, famously known as German Shepherds or GSD for shorts.
Siberian Husky
There is not a dog that looks more “wolf than dog” than the Siberian Husky. As is the case with any other dog, Siberian Husky comes from the wolf line of the animal kingdom (yup, and cats are from the lion’s line). Husky is what the dog is called in affection and for ease.
There is a tribe in the Eastern part of Siberia, Russia called Luorawetlan, commonly known as Chukchi. They belong to Chukchi Peninsula and Husky was their preferred dog sledding and transport in the harsh cold weather of that region. These people used Husky as a working dog and depended heavily on it for their survival.
The American Kennel Club acknowledged this Siberian dog in 1930 and appreciated the resilience and strength of Chukchi s for honing and perfecting the naturalness of the Siberian Husky.
Chukchi people brought the Siberian Husky to Alaska, America in 1908 to be used as working dogs and to be further trained for sled racing. Research in 2015 discovered that these Arctic dogs trace their lineage back to Taimyr, the wolf of the Northern part of Asia.
It is also worth knowing that Siberian Huskies are probably even more ancient than the Greyhounds and have a history that dates back to some 9500 years ago.
Siberian and German Shepherd, their physical appearance
Physical appearance keeps a lot of importance when it comes to dogs.
Siberian Husky’s physical appearance
The Siberian Husky is not a very big or short dog. Its size is medium and is more long than tall. Huskies are 45 to 60 lbs. heavy and have a bearing of 21 to 24 inches tall when measured from shoulder.
They have wolf-like pointy ears and have eyes that are cold blue, brown, or a blend of these both. Their beautiful eye color, rich beautiful fur that is available in grey, white, black, and brown, or the combination of these, makes these very attractive for the people who want to own a dog.
Because they came into being in cold and harsh climates, Siberian Huskies have a double lining of fur that protects them from the brunt of bitter cold. The first layer of fur protects the body heat and the outer layer is resistant against moisture and the fungus accumulation that comes with long exposure to wet and cold climates.
Their piercing, cold blue eyes like those of Arctic blue ice cubes, make them look like pet dogs of The White Walkers from Song of Ice and Fire, a series of novels written by George R.R Martin. This adds to the glamour of Siberian Huskies in my very own humble opinion.
German Shepherd’s physical appearance
German Shepherds are an embodiment of natural grace and strength. Just being around them gives a person a sense of being protected against the worse. They weigh 65 to 90 lbs. in weight and stand proud at 24 to 26 inches tall.
Being the graceful and proud creatures that they are, they keep their slobbering at the lowest and do not care if drooling is natural with all things dog! They do bark a lot though and my own justification for them is because they are overly protective of their family. Barking is a way of either signaling a potential threat or just giving their hoo-man family a “safety-first” lecture in dog language.
They have single or double coat lining that come in shades of black, brown, brown-red, pure black or a combination of two or more of these colors. They have muzzles that look more square than round (kind of reminds you of “the square-jawed-handsome-dude” from romantic novels that you probably read in your teens). German Shepherds have brown, black, or a blend of both, colored eyes shaped like almonds.
All black or all brown is not a very common trait that German Shepherds are found with, but it is not unheard of either.
Disposition: Temperament and behaviour
Every dog has different characteristics and traits and they are recognized by the way they behave with owners.
German Shepherds
Like suited to any intelligent dog, German Shepherds are curious but wary of strangers, which is not a surprise as thus wariness springs from their nature of natural protectors. That being said, they love to be useful and will follow and obey your command to the t.
German Shepherds are alert of their surroundings, faithful, obedient, and very loyal. With early socialization and positive reinforcement training, it can control its ruinous behavior around other pets, family people, people around you, children, and your lovely furniture.
Siberian Husky
By the unsuspecting, Siberian Huskies can easily be mistaken as wolves, if come across in the cold wilderness. But they are not, at least in the eyes of their owners. The ice-blue eyes also give one the impression of Siberian Huskies being flinty and unfriendly, but the dog’s parents disagree once again.
Independent in nature
Being pack dogs, Siberian Huskies are very defensive as it is inbred in their nature. Towards their family and other pets, Huskies are friendly, even those they are not familiar with. I am sure this is where the German Shepherd would beg to differ. Like a particularly rowdy cat, Huskies are found to be frisky and flighty and you will not find them in their baskets where you put them just moments ago.
At heart, Huskie are amiable and free-spirited with people in general. Because they are independent in nature compared to a good dog that would follow your command, Huskies have a propensity to take flight the moment you loosen your grip on the leash. So make sure they are on a “tight-leash” when outdoors.
Friendly
Huskies would make excellent friends with people of whatever age due to their very amiable nature. This can be a good thing if you are only aiming at a companion dog, but look the other way when you want a watchdog that actually means business. This is mainly because they nurture a soft corner towards strangers, and strangers mostly mean danger!
Like with any independent creature, Huskies should be taught repeatedly where to draw a line. Show them that they need to obey an order when given one or it can have consequences, both for the dog itself and its family.
Houdinis by nature, are masters of escaping from wherever you put them in. They’ll gnaw or break free of their leash, fences, or anywhere in general, so never leave your Husky without you overseeing it.
Exercise and Training
One cannot ignore how much training and exercise are important in a dog’s life.
German Shepherd
German Shepherds are the champions of obedience training. They have a voracious appetite for learning new things which is why the police departments in the world use them as service, search and rescue dogs. For this reason alone, German Shepherds are relatively easier to train. They learn and follow new commands compared to other dogs.
Being very active dogs, German Shepherds can get bored easily if not given reinforced and positive training. This leads the dogs to indulge in destructive behavior like chewing and shredding at whatever they can get their paws on. Deflect their attention by giving them something less harmful and more interesting to chew on like a chew toy.
Also, engage them in plenty of physical activity. Take them out on trailing or running and you’ll thank yourself for that. This keeps the energetic German Shepherds positively stimulated and preventive of developing bad habits.
Siberian Husky
When it comes to exercising your agile dog, taking them out once a day for a long walk won’t do the trick. German Shepherds need at least 2 or more hours of high-intensity activity routine like taking it out on a quick run to the nearest market or making it feel like you are in danger from someone non-existent in the distance and letting it runoff. Don’t make it a habit though, your dog may stop trusting you with your commands.
Siberian Huskies are sportsmen at heart and will be in need of some kind of daily drilling. A daily walk or run, trailing or play-time in your fenced lawn can work for a Husky but because of its insatiable agility and physical prowess, an adult should take it upon himself to monitor the activity taking place.
The Husky can run amok, hither and tither, before you know what has happened and it is safest if the adult in charge is also in the good physical condition and able to handle the situation.
If you can’t handle your Husky’s energy quotient, get him a dog friend. It doesn’t have to be another Husky but any good dog. That should them both happy and you comfortable.
Unbeatable energy of Siberian Husky
Involve you Husky in multiple energy-burning activities throughout the day and they don’t even have to be hours long. A short burst of any physical pursuit will save them from boredom and in the process, slipping into undesirable temperaments like howling for no reason, chomping on un-chomp able things, drooling on your favorite rug, digging a hole in the garden, and the sorts.
Huskies’ owners should train them in absolute obedience as they have an unrestrained inclination towards outwitting their owners. It may sound cute but let’s all just put ourselves in the owners’ shoes! Done? Well, I don’t think it’s cute anymore but very annoying and more worrisome. Imagine yourselves having your Husky’s back when your next-door neighbor finally makes a move on robbing you!
Who doesn’t love getting treats for good behavior? So do Huskies. Motivate them when training in obedience by offering them dog treats. That would get you their complete attention. It is crucial for any dog to be trained in obeying your commands or things can get out hands pretty darn fast.
Health and Nutrition
Let’s look into the health and nutrition of these breeds, both dogs require a balanced diet which could keep all diseases at bay.
German Shepherd
The overall health of your German Shepherd is inherent to the genes of your dog’s breed. Most of the diseases your pet suffers with are genetic but that s doesn’t imply at any rate that your German Shepherd will have all of them.
Though the common diseases that generally all the German Shepherds suffer with are Hip Dysplasia, where the joints don’t position together. The constant chaffing of the joints leads to arthritis in GSDs.
Elbow Dysplasia, Canine Degenerative Myelopathy which causes paralysis by weakening the rear legs. Anal furunculosis, cataracts, multifocal retinal Dysplasia. Hemophilia A and B makes the wound bleed profusely because the clotting process stops. Cancer another life-threatening condition the German Shepherds suffer with.
Ever since Co-Vid happened to this world, German Shepherds are the only dog kid that contracted the global pandemic. A German Shepherd named Buddy was the first-ever dog to have tested positive.
German Shepherds respond very well to diets made rich with protein, at least 20 to 22%. A healthy and balanced diet that has a blend of proteins, fats, grain, fruit and vegetables, and fiber. Don’t give your dog table scraps or human food which can put your pet’s wellbeing in danger.
Siberian Husky
Huskies require almost the same kind of diet plan that German Shepherds need. Give them a diet rich in proteins, decent levels of fat, and minimal carbohydrates. Huskies are very hungry and mouthy dogs given their energy-filled nature, and they will keep eating until they feel ready to burst. So it is upon you, like good parents, that you are feeding Mr. Gorgeous the right stuff.
Although Huskies eat a lot, they still function just fine if they eat less for as long as their food is high in protein. Generally, Huskies are a lot healthier than all his other dog kinds but they still face the risk of contracting almost the same diseases, like hip and elbow Dysplasia, Progressive Retinal Atrophy, like the German Shepherds do.
Health situation that are specific to Siberian Huskies includes Corneal Dystrophy, Uveo dermatologic Syndrome, Zinc deficiency, and Hypothyroidism. Given all this, give your dog food that won’t upset his digestion. Get dog food from your trusted food shop that is made of unprocessed ingredients. The availability of clean water would ensure a healthier metabolism as well.
Grooming
Grooming is essential be it any dog without it dogs become dull and lethargic grooming keeps them active and prolong life span.
Siberian Husky
Compared to any other dog, Huskies are cleaner and their coats don’t stink if they haven’t had a bath in a long time, but that doesn’t count them out of the general hygiene protocol.
Bathe your Huskies at least twice a month anyway and brush his thick lustrous coat at least twice a week. Regular brushing equals a tangle-free zone, though they don’t shed as much as German Shepherds do.
Clipping your Husky’s nails regularly is another big nod due to its ability to grow nails fast. To avoid ear infections, clean your canine’s ears regularly so there is no wax build-up that can give your Husky ear infection. Brushing their teeth is also key to a healthy gut.
German Shepherd
When the term grooming is mentioned, it doesn’t always mean to give your German Shepherd a bath. That would be just too easy. Due to the double layer of fur, German Shepherds shed a lot of hair all year round, and more than usual in the shedding season, that is Autumn and Spring.
Like with all sorts of grooming regimes for all sorts of creatures, humans included, well grooming will enable the German Shepherd to shed much lesser hair. Brushing their beautiful, double layer of coat at least 4 times a week will prevent tangles and decrease shedding.
Do not bathe your dog frequently as this will give your German Shepherd dry and itchy skin making it prone to skin irritations. Do give them a good long bath after a particularly rigorous workout session, that would be just fine. Use anti-flee shampoo by all means, if the dog has developed a flea situation.
Like humans, dogs can get plaque and tartar accumulation on teeth, and like humans, these dogs need regular brushing as well. Just use dog-specific toothpaste to avoid uncalled for dental issues.
Final Thoughts
After reading the article, I hope you have reached a decision about which dog to make a part of your life and family. Generally, both the German Shepherds and Siberian Huskies have well-bred dog properties but one natural characteristic sets them apart.
On one hand, German Shepherds make excellent overall dogs, they are excessively protective of their family and sometimes it is a good thing and they also follow orders to perfection.
On the other hand, Huskies are overly friendly, even with strangers and that is why they do not make very good guard dogs. Although, one being a Herding dog and the other a Pack dog, both are by nature guarding dogs but only one of them is brilliant at doing its job.
But if you live in a safe neighborhood and between German Shepherd and Siberian Husky just want a friendly, gorgeous looking dog, Husky is the obvious go-to dog. Happy paw-pupping!
FAQs
Both breeds have different qualities, huskies are more attractive.
No German shepherds are usually less expressive.
German shepherds definitely.
Both dogs make the best of pets.
German shepherds are really sharp and bright and they have keen observance of their surroundings, shepherds are basically looking for their prey all the time and their timing is accurate too. in short german shepherds are unbeatable.