Difference Between Wolf and Husky
Wolf vs Husky
Sometimes, people are unable to differentiate between a wolf and a husky, but there are several differences. Husky is a general term that is used for sled dogs. In the olden times, huskies were generally used as sled dogs, in the northern areas, but nowadays, people keep them as pets too. The original term is ‘Eskie’, but it’s corruption has led to the term ‘Husky’. The common breeds of huskies are the Siberian and Alaskan Husky. The wolf, on the other hand, is the largest member of the canine family. Its origins can be traced back to 300,000 years, and it survived the Ice Age. DNA testing has confirmed the fact, that wolves and dogs, have common ancestry.
The wolves are the prime, or apex predators, in their ecological system. The huskies, on the other hand, do not occupy the prime position. Another difference between the two, is that wolves have been known to thrive in various types of climates, like temperate zones, mountains, tundra, taiga and grasslands, but the huskies have a thick fur that protects them from cold weather, and they cannot survive in areas with high temperatures.
Wolves are a protected species in some areas, while in others they are hunted for fun. Huskies are not hunted. The wolves, unlike huskies, regularly feature in the folklores of various cultures across the world.
There are many types of huskies, like the Siberian husky, Greenland husky, Mackenzie River husky, Sakhalin husky and Alaskan malamute.
The wolves generally have a greyish white coat, while the huskies’coats have more colours, like brown, black, and white. The wolves depend more on their stamina, rather than speed, for hunting, while the huskies depend more on their speed.
The wolves’ paws are adapted to be able to walk on a wide variety of terrains. The eye colour of huskies vary from brown to blue. Even though huskies are kept as pets, they show some wild behaviour, like fierce independence and resourcefulness. On the other hand, wolves are territorial animals, and are usually found in packs. They are wild and temperamental. The young wolves stay with their parents up to the age of 1 or 2 years, and after that they leave the pack to form their own. Young wolves never challenge the older wolves to take on the leadership. Wolves that have erratic behaviour, or those which have been shot by a gun, are generally killed by the fellow members of the pack. Some wolf species never socialise, and spend their life in pairs, or as individuals.
Summary:
1. Wolves can survive in a variety of climates, ranging from tundra to deserts, while husky cannot survive in hot climates.
2. Unlike wolves, huskies can be kept as a pet.
3. Huskies have various coloured eyes.
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Alaskan Malamutes aren’t Huskies, they’re a different breed of dog with several similar characteristics to a Husky.
FINALLY!! SOMEONE AGREES WITH ME!!!!
yep lol XD
To tell all of you the truth, wolves can be pets. With that being said, that is not a difference. Anything can be a pet if you raise it from a baby. That is that. And wolves are not temperamental unless you or something else makes them that way. They are loving creatures if you get to know them and become part of their pack/family. They are like dogs…they can be a best friend. Yes, they are wild, but everything is in some way, shape, or form. Don’t do anything to threaten the wolf or its family, and over time you can make it your best friend. You really don’t know about these magnificent creatures or else you wouldn’t have got that wrong. BTW there are different colors of wolves and their eye color as well. If the eye color is the same color then it’s a different shade of the color from the rest of the wolves. A wolf’s marking and personality are unique like any other creatures.
nice one but honestly it is true wolves can be pets but its not really that good for the wolf to keep it as a pet cause if it ever meets another pack it could get hurt or something else since the wolf wont know how to act. honestly i think wolves are animals that shouldnt be tamed for there own good im a kid btw this is a theory of mine
and also if u do tame a wolf what would u do if u run into its pack and it considers u as a threat
Yeah, I have a wolf. Raised him since he was just little. 6 month’s or a little less. Very vocal but very loving. Now since I’m his registered owner I can say that other packs of wolves don’t pose a threat. Why? Well he’s tame. He doesn’t need a leash and he don’t leave the property. We also have a Australian shepherd and they get along great. Wolves and Huskies are very similar as is. So if you can train a husky why can’t you train a wolf. Well you can and I have.
I couldn’t agree more Justin. I went online to learn more about Wolves & Huskies. I’ve always wanted a wolf since I was a kid & my father’s nickname was Wolfy lol. Anyways I just wanted to say Thanx for the info. Take care & God Bless!!!!
Wolves can 100% be pets I know someone who is getting one
Well Said!!
“the husky can only walk on snow”? That’s definitely not true. Are you saying that if a husky steps on grass it falls over?
I have a pet wolf and huskies!!! they are so lovable:)
Alaskan huskies don’t constitute a breed, but rather a mix of different breeds bred for speed. It is not considered a breed because it has no prefered ancestry. The Mackenzie River husky is also not a breed, as it describes “several overlapping local populations of arctic and subarctic sleddog type dogs, none of which constitutes a breed…” Also, wolves may be colored in black or white.
Sources: Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia
Nice article, but not very accurate. The following are some corrections:
– You need to clarify which husky-type dog you’re referring to when describing a characteristic. For example, Siberian huskies have very high stamina, whilst Alaskan Malamutes don’t. Also, as others also pointed out, husky-type dogs are completely different breeds! Japanese akita and Siberian huskies may both look ‘husky-like’ but they are very different in their breeding, physiology, temperament, etc. This is very misleading in your article.
– Siberian huskies can survive in hot climates (although certainly nowhere near the equator). They shed their coat twice a year (at least), which helps them keep adapt to the seasons.
– You say that huskies rely on their speed, whilst wolves rely on their stamina, while hunting. This is wrong. Siberian huskies are not very fast (compared to other dog breeds), and they have an amazing stamina. A Siberian husky can run for 30-40 miles a day. Their stamina is reflected in their physiology: the narrow, but deep chest provides large lung capacity that doesn’t slow them down (no ‘barrel chest’ like many other dog breeds).
– When you say that one important difference between huskies and wolves is that the former are not hunted, while the latter are, is a flawed conclusion. Wolves are protected in several states, as well as in the United Kingdom, and in many other countries and regions. Also, were a husky to escape in a country where it is allowed to hunt wolves, that husky would also be hunted because they are also predators of live stock. Also, were a husky to escape, he/she would become the apex predator, unless there are also bears around.
– Also, huskies *are* pack animals. The reason that they are not found in packs is because most husky owners don’t have more than one or two huskies.
– Siberian huskies can also have yellow eyes (in addition to brown and blue). Sometimes they are bi-eyed (eyes are a different colour), and sometimes one eye is split into two colours.
– Saying that huskies ‘come from the North’ is also pretty inaccurate. Siberian Huskies, for example, come, specifically, from North-Eastern Siberia.
PS: All facts that are stated about wolves in your last paragraph (before the summary) are also true for huskies.
PPS: I own two Siberian huskies (one pedigree, and one who is 1/16th wolf), and I feel it’s important to add one more thing.
Siberian huskies acquired a bad reputation with regards to running away, aggression, possessiveness and general ill temper.
Siberian huskies are *not* bred to be guard dogs. Any aggression or ill temper comes from bad experiences during puppy-hood. Siberian huskies are very sensitive to how humans treat them – as far as I know much more so than other breeds but I may be wrong. They can read not only body language, but also facial expressions. If a Siberian husky dog is mistreated by someone, that dog will not forget it, which can lead to serious behavioural problems.
By nature, they are not aggressive towards humans and in fact, people are advised against using huskies as guard dogs precisely due to their curious and friendly nature.
If a Siberian husky is treated as a zoo animal (ie. always kept in a cage, or in the back garden, chained up, never let off the lead, never socialised with other dogs and humans) then he/she is going to act like a zoo animal. He/she will run away and may never come back, will try to escape his/her cage or confinement incessantly (Siberian huskies are canine Houdinis in that regard!) and may attack or be very defensive when meeting other dogs.
That said, Siberian huskies are hard work to train. My advise would be to be harsh but fair. They need a ‘master’ (one or two humans) whom they respect above all and they need to be kept at their place because Siberian huskies will periodically challenge authority. This is not due to aggression. It’s just that they want to make sure that their ‘pack’ is led by the most capable member. Beyond rigorous discipline, they need a lot of reassurance in the forms of treats and cuddling. Remember to give them a ‘reason’ for staying with you, and this reason should not only be food.
I hope this was useful 🙂
I own a Siberian husky I believe Siberian huskies have a lot of stamina
And there are all different types of wolves some are even smaller than my Siberian husky
One thing I can tell you bout Siberian husky is they are fast can make cuts and escape from anything
They are super dominant at least mines is over all my other two dogs
I have a German shepherd and a female labrottie
But one thing I disagree is that huskies can’t live in hot weather that’s not tru
Siberian husky can be found and live in any weather as long as it has water and shade at times plus their coats shed and become less thicker in summer
Coat protects from Sun rays and also keeps warm in summer
My lab rottie gets hotter than my husky
I love huskies and wolves but they are way different. huskies have a dark side and that is…. wolf!!!!! yeah!!! like foxes have a dark side it’s that racoon!! get it?
Very well said Kate I am a breeder and I have on a regular year 6 to 9 dogs not Including puppies they have tons of stamina tons of energy they also require a pack leader, because they have a pack mentality. And come in all colors similar to wolves.You’ve pinpointed many incorrect concepts written by the original writer. Thanks for clarifying This to other readers. Great job!
Btw they can also live in various terrains and climates.
Huskies CAN live near the equator. Because that’s where I’m from and I see lots of people having pet husky, especially if they have bigger houses. It can be hot but the rainy weather here helps to keep the temperature from getting too high (average high of about 32 degrees celsius and average low of about 24). Though it’s good for people avoid walking the huskies in the noon where it’s too hot, and when the huskies are at home, allow them to roam from air conditioned indoor to the non air conditioned porch.
I really got a sense u know what u speaking of
An recently I got a husky from the pound an don’t know much else wondering if we could speak more on it he has no colors to eyes most time but occasionally turn a real light sky blue he blk an white except tail looks like a fox tail but it bulk brown an gray he as we speak shedding insanely
If he does escape u can’t catch him u have corner him if he sees a rabbit it’s over he seems more like a hunter
He’s very smart mostly he obeys commands love to test the you too love to run he looks like he flys
My main concern is my boys are young 5 an 6 he seems nippy with them but not to my daughter an i
Seems happen when there running jumping screaming hell start the talking then starts nipping them not enough hurt but scares them I always wonder what the difference between husky an wolf cause mine reminds me of a wolf an I know mine would have no problem surviving an hunting in wild think he’d prefer it
I live in Australia in one of the hottest cities and have a Siberian Husky. As long as he has shade, water and a cool place to rest he is fine. I know of many Huskies that survive without problems in hot climates. Number One rule……… never shave them as this does nothing to keep them cool and can expose them to other problems. He does fine here and is as happy as a pig in ….!:-)
Thank you for sharing that information. I am about to move to Southern California and was worried how my huskies would take it but it’s good to know they’d still be okay. Do you find that they need to swim more often in the heat?
Kate
II have both Siberian and Alaskan husky in northern texas. They do fine but I agree do not shave. Brush and groom. Keep in a/c house apart from potty breaks. Don’t walk during the day in summer, their paws can get burnt from concrete/ asphalt. Make sure plenty of water, I mean several bowls over the house where they lay/ rest/ sleep. They are the most loyal, trainable, great with kids and ppl, BUT they shed. If you hate cleaning or have crawling children. These are not the dogs for you!!! I have to emphisize they shed ALOT! These dogs are found left behind, ppl didn’t want/could’nt cope because of this! It’s sad but these lovable, beautiful dogs are abandoned constantly.
dogs can swim but cats can’t. the huskies will be okay.
I don’t know nothing about a jackal but I think that wolves are the legend they can kill anything. duh! think about it they are smart they don’t care who you are they will come at you like fire. run kid run!!!!
Whoever wrote this does not know he/she is talking about. For ONE thing, Huskies survive just fine here in the Coachella Valley, the hottest populated place in North America. LOTS of people have huskies here, and they do just fine.
u can say that again XO
Other than the fact that I was looking for actual physical traits which this article doesn’t really have, there is a lot of misinformation in here. Was this written for a school project? I would be embarrassed to keep this up on the internet if I wrote it. Huskies can definitely live in warmer climates. They blow out their winter coats and their fur helps to insulate them from the heat as well as cold.
Another important fact is that huskies ARE also pack animals. Living proof is that I adopted a husky and he was not doing well being left alone, so I HAD to get another, and now he is fine.
Also, you are forgetting arctic wolves, who’s fur is all white. Fur color really isn’t an important physical trait considering my husky boy has the exact markings as an actual wolf, including the dorsal cape and marking on the tail which looks like the precaudal gland. A little bit of research would help you to provide some actual differences in appearance (shape of the skull, for example).
I would really consider removing this if you aren’t planning on editing it. Thanks and god bless.
Wolves are extremely family-oriented. No, really.
I was lucky enough to be involved in rescuing a timberwolf, about a year old. I had to do some quick learning to understand the different social and behavioral rules of wolves vs dogs, but they need a pack. They need to belong. A “lone wolf” is not lone by choice… He’s usually left his birth pack and looking to establish his own.
People can be a pack too, and, once this was established, you could see him relax. He was best friend, running buddy, and furry rug.. When my granddaughter was born, everyone warned us he would “eat the baby”… But she was a cub, and needed his care and protection. He slept by her, came running if she cried, and if you wanted to pick up the baby you had to check with him first.
Wolves have a bad rep.. And I shall miss him.
i honestly think wolves shouldnt be tamed for there own good if the pack considers us as a threat and they find out that wolf has been tamed by us who knows what could happen to the wolf
🙂 these are all theorys i gonna do more reasearch to try to pull more facts ill be back with u
Was this written for a school project or something?
No offense, but whoever wrote this, does not actually know much about Siberian Huskies at all. There is only one breed of husky and that is a siberian. Alaskan huskies are huskies that came from Siberia, so they are still Siberian huskies. Also, I have four and we live in Florida. They have a double coat that helps both insulate them in the cold and protect them from the sun in warmer climates. The ONLY time a husky is not able to be in the sun is when their hair has been cut. They can easily get skin cancer, thus why you never cut a huskies hair. Other than that there are probably 10 more things I can find that are also false information, but I honestly couldn’t even read the entire article.
I have one problem with this article and it’s the following:
“Wolves can survive in a variety of climates, ranging from tundra to deserts, while husky cannot survive in hot climates”
That’s highly inaccurate. I live near Fort Lauderdale, FL and my pure bred Siberian Husky loves it here. In fact so does our neighbors.
A lot maybe 3 out of 4 disagree with surviving climate for a husky but it is true..the article was correct and well written. I won’t say that I am the leading authority, I just haven’t run across anyone who knows more about them. I have been in search for wild wolves and only have seen one in Edinburg, Alberta, Canada at Wolf Creek. They are fearless and gorgeous. I kept a wolf and white huskies for years, siberians, malamutes and german shepards as well through 60 years. Some huskies have died in heat when humidity is comparable to Southwest Florida where wolves would adapt easier. You should never cut their hair. Comb out the winter coats in the spring. The coat will stay thin till later fall, but huskies tend to keep growing and shedding thru the year. The wolf is more stable in that sense and lack the ability to act like a dog but have unbelievable physical abilities you could not imagine unless you saw it for yourself, there is no mistaking a wolf. They take several years to become full grown unlike the dog and will mate with only one in their life. They are like Sikh’s in many ways. A hybrid however can act much like an immigrant terrorist and that is why they are illegal to own. They will victimize everyone, but when they want something they will act as sweet as apple pie.
I have owned three Siberian Huskies and one the I currently have is most likely a Samoyed Siberian mix. All three were rescues with the first one being very difficult. She was owned by a backyard breeder and had behavioral issues. None of the three ever escaped the pen I built for them. If you are thinking of getting a Siberian be prepared to walk them at least once a day and you had better escape proof your house. Do what I did and install a pen with a minimum 6′ high fence that is at least 1′ under the ground (they will dig under your fence to escape). You can also stake chicken wire horizontally flat to the surface of the ground inside the fence perimeter so they can’t dig near the fence at all. Mine has a dog door into the house which is great for when you can’t be there to take them out to go potty. If your Siberian is lanky and thin, although it is unlikely, they may be able to scale a 6′ chain link fence. The way to stop them is to weave wooden or plastic slats into the links so they can’t use the links like steps on a ladder.
I have rescued a dog but she looks like a wolf where I got her she was the only baby and the where more like her but older and she fully white she looks like a wolf but looks like a husky at the same time
What about their tails wolves i believe have straight tails and huskys curly?
Soo much misinformation in this article.
Huskies can survive in hot climate.
Huskies are not “wild”, they are dogs like any other breed.
The difference between huskies and wolves are much more than eye color.
Wolves can be kept as pets. Even though they are different from dogs.
I work with wolves on a weekly basis ans i can tell that a lot of people on here have no idea about how wolves work, but as far as temperament, wolves and huskies are almost nothing alike. Wolves are very unapproachable at first and must trust you and that could take months. Nothing about owning a dog is similar to owning a real wolf even if the wolf only has 1 percent dog dna in it. They have 1200lbs of jaw pressure and are to be taken very seriously.
Huskies can survive in the heat, im not going to go all scientific because i wouldnt really know, but my friend has a husky and we live on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. The dog loves the water, and the beach, must admit, his hair is shorter and thicker then other huskies. Just thought id leave this here, in case anyone was wondering.
You are so right. I had three 1/4 wolf/ Shep. I gave one to a deputy for his daughter for company and safety while away at school. I lost my majestic very big boy just before this past Christmas. He had DM. I have little sister left. We put her on a diet a few months ago and she is down to 90 lb. From 120. She lost 30 lb. Their Grandmother was a full timber wolf. Their mother was beautiful like my baby. She had a predominantly black coat. Pepper and King and Ginger were just like the mom. Pepper and King were the darker coat Ginger was the color of ginger. Ginger was the alpha female , Pepper was the beta. King was the beta behind my now 12 yr.old Shep.
King had brown eyes and Pepper has gold. She is still skittish. She is extremely protective of her self and me.
She assumed a more alpha female since Ginger left nine years ago. She does not like males. She is petrified of my husband. He is 68 and we got the puppies about a year before he went to Iraq with the army. She had just gotten used to him when he left. When we return it started all over again. Toby me sweet old man is not afraid of him . He basically lies near him always. Her eyes are gorgeous. Her fur is incredibly soft and fluffy. She is able to walk again since the vet put her on synthroid. She lost all that weight.
CAN WOLF MATE FOX
I have a husky, and I am in a group of friends who also have huskies, and I live in Rep. of Panama, it’s not true that huskies can’t live in hot climates, they can adapt their coat by losing the necessary hair. There are hundreds of huskies in my country.