People who don’t know how the crossbreeds work might think that if they get a Newfoundland/Siberian Husky mixed puppy it will be with guarantee a giant Husky with Newfs cuddly personality. Honestly, this doesn’t work this way.
If you cross two dogs of pure breed with each other, the puppies can inherit any qualities of any parent in any combination. So to get an idea what the Newsky will be like we need to research the parents.
Appearance
Newfoundland is a giant dog. It can get up to 150 pounds of weight. Most probably, crossing it with Husky, that is more of a medium-sized dog, will make the litter to be large dogs, but not reaching the record size. The coat of both parental breeds is double layered and thick, so this you’ll get with a guarantee. This coat makes a Newsky perfectly enduring for the cold winters and living outside, but the hot weather can be a challenge.
As for the color, you cannot be really sure about anything, there’s slightly better odds to have a black puppy, but it can also have red spots, or be grey, or, basically, any other color. Many puppies inherit Newfoundland dropped fluffy ears, some, rarely, get light blue Husky eyes.
Temperament and Training
To guess a future temper of your dog will be another challenge. One thing for sure – it will be really smart. Both, Husky and Newfoundland, are very clever animals, who can perform amazing tasks if trained properly. Now starts the difference…Newfs are eager to please, they like training and take it as a game.
Huskies are very independent and like to be a pack leader, so they are not easy to train and are not recommended for first-time owners. Also Newfoundland is famously good with children and even can be a babysitter. Huskies can be quite aggressive if not having proper socialization in young age.
So, no, there’s no way to guess if your dog will be independent and mischievous, loyal and cuddly or whatever other combination of features. Just cross your fingers and hope that one breed with make the others character better and not the other way around.
Common Health Problems and Lifespan
Usually, mixed breeds are less likely to be prone to the diseases common for the purebreds involved. In case of Newsky it’s good news. Huskies are quite healthy breed, being predisposed for some hip dysplasia and not much more.
The Newfoundland is another story. Being a giant breed it has some health issues: bloat, hip and elbow dysplasia, heart problems, Hypothyroidism, cystinuria. So crossbreeding the Newfoundland can be a way to improve puppy health.
Average lifespan of giant breeds is usually less than of medium-sized dogs. So it’s 8-10 years for Newfoundland and 10-13 for Husky. Let’s say, the average lifespan of Newsky is 9-11 years.
With all above been said, I can tell you that one thing you surely get when you choose Newsky is a hell of a dog. Strong, clever, with interesting personality it will never make you bored.