Are you a Husky lover already? Do you know your way around dog breeds that tend to be vocal and overly social with strangers?
Are you on the lookout for a Husky-like dog that is differently wired?
If so, you are in luck because the Agouti Husky might be what you are looking for. Let’s explore further and learn what an Agouti Husky is.
What Is An Agouti Husky
Agouti Husky is a Siberian Husky with an agouti coat pattern. This color pattern is easily recognized as it contains a band of black-based pigment and a band of red-based pigment on individual strands of fur.
At the base, the band is of red-based pigment.
Does this mean that every hair comes with these defined bands of color? No. Not every hair comes with these bands of color.
In fact, it’s common for these bands of color to be located on top of their head, back, and legs. Also, the hairs on their belly are the same color as the red-based banc on the banded hairs. This same applies to Husky’s chin and inside their legs.
The Agouti Color Gene
Agouti is a gene that appears in multiple different types of animals.
This gene is often seen in horses, mice, and dogs. The Agouti gene is also directly responsible for the amount and distribution of melanin.
What does this gene do? Agouti is responsible for causing black and dark coloring in dogs, making them look fawn or sable (just think about German Shepherds or King Shepherds), and have tan points.
If a Husky comes with a wild-type coloring, he is called the Agouti Husky, which is also named the ‘wolf sable.’
All in all, this gene gives the dog the famous and recognizable ‘dark’ color.
Is Agouti Allowed Color In Siberian Husky?
Yes, agouti is allowed color in the Siberian Husky of any size and sex. Actually, agouti is one of the six allowed coat colors in the Siberian Husky breed standard.
Since Huskies arent dogs of a single color, color variations of an agouti Husky are possible.
For example, your Siberian Husky may come with bands of black color, but he may have red pigment in his fur.
How Do I Know If My Husky Is Agouti?
Agouti Huskies usually look like any other Siberian Husky. This color pattern is very similar to another standard Husky coat pattern – sable.
Did you know that saddle dogs come with red-based coats? Sable dogs have black tips on the fur on the top of the dog head, ears, and back.
Agouti and sable coats look very similar, but they are in fact caused by two very different genes.
What’s their difference? Both sable and agouti coats have bands of black and red pigment on each hair, which leads to their similarity in appearance. But… There is a simple way to separate these two effects.
If your Husky has a small band of black at the type of their fur, they are sable.
If there is a wide band of black, your Husky is agouti.
There are always ‘in between’ cases, which are challenging to define. If possible ask your breeders for more information on the dog’s coat.
Are Agouti Huskies Rare?
Agouti Huskies are considered to be rare.
If you want to have an Agouti Husky you need to find a reputable and responsible breeder who has extended experience with Agouti Huskies.
How to find this breeder? Your most effective starting point should be to contact breeders of working and sled dogs.
These breeders are your best chance, because agouti Huskies are often seen working as sled dogs.
Important: You should never try to get a dog merely for its looks. Every dog comes with a unique set of traits that should be welcomed into your home.
Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for people to choose Husky due to their eye color merely, completely neglecting that these dogs shed a lot and are very vocal.
These traits can be overwhelming and people may choose to leave dogs in animal shelters or pass them further because they have missed getting the most information on the breed in the first place.
Always do your research on the breed first: compare breeds that you are interested in, learn if the breed can be left alone or not, be honest about how much free time you have, and if can you invest your time into training, and so on.
Once you are 100% sure that you can afford to own a dog you should do the proper research on dog breeds, and then choose your dog.
Huskies of all colors (agouti and others) are playful dogs, packed with high-energy levels that should be handled in the right manner.
These dogs were specially bred to run for long distances. If you miss providing a proper exercise regime, this breed will eventually become bored and destructive.
Having a large size dog in the home who is destructive is an issue.
You can work with a professional dog trainer to handle this situation. It will take some extra time and money investment into training sessions, but it will be worth it.
Make sure that you have enough living space for this breed to move freely and that there is a dog park near your home, or that you have a bigger backyard to let your Husky run every day.
If you cannot provide this kind of surrounding, you might think about getting a smaller size dog.
All in all, Huskies are a great choice for active families who have experience with owning a larger size dog.
Again: if you can not provide regular exercise for this breed, do not get one.
What Is The Rarest Husky Fur Color?
Agouti Huskies are rare, but is agouti the rarest Husky fur color?
One is for sure – agouti is definitely the oldest and the most spread coat color in all mammals.
Why is this the case? In the wild, agouti color serves perfectly. This color helps mammals reach the perfect camouflage level, helping animals adapt better to survive.
Even in the wolves, agouti is the most common color and we all know that wolves are amazing when it comes to surviving in the wild, even today.
Even today, the agouti gene is widespread in both wolves and dogs. However, wolves remained living in the wild, while dogs were left with people.
Dogs were so closely tight with people throughout the centuries, that dogs’ brains evolved to understand people better and find a proper language with them.
The big factor of domestication is the human approach to a dog’s appearance.
In other words, humans deliberately made certain breeding preferences. This is why some huskies have different coat colors, and color genes that come with agouti color.
Desired colors in Huskies vary from period to period, and at the time the rarest Husky color is white.
White Huskies are out there, they may not be large in numbers, but they are present.
Agouti Husky Temperament
Huskies are known for being extremely outgoing dogs. They are so friendly, that they won’t mind following the first stranger that offers them a treat.
This is the main reason why dog owners of this breed never leave them alone in the backyard or front of a store – they are fast to wander off and follow anyone.
Among dogs, they are true escape artists. Not that they are athletic and energetic, but they are talented to dig their path under any fence and run toward the first interesting thing they spot.
Walking them on a leash is a must.
If you have a backyard, make sure that you double-check it daily for hidden spots and extra secure the fence to prevent any possible escapes.
Huskies are great problem solvers so keeping them entertained is a must.
Make sure that you provide enough training toys and puzzle toys to keep him entertained when indoors.
Huskies thrive in homes with active family members who won’t mind taking their dog with them wherever they go.
If anyhow neglected or ignored this breed will become bored. This boredom will result in unwanted behaviors that are hard to deal with later on, like chewing it digging.
These dogs may be large in size, but that won’t stop them from climbing over fences.
All in all, Huskies are great family dogs who will enjoy every family activity. They will be great with children as long as children know how to behave around dogs.
Teach your kid how to train a dog, and educate them on how to interact safely with dogs.
Some of the factors that will affect your agouti Husky’s personality are:
- Genes
- Their sex
- Training
- Early socialization
- Exercise
- Mental stimulation
- Nutrition
Once you get a Husky you’re directly responsible for his weight.
Dogs are food-driven beings and treat should be used as a training tool but in moderation.
Adding extra pounds to large dogs’ bodies is easy, especially if you feed them with smaller treat pieces.
Obesity in dogs is on the rise across the States, and you don’t want your Husky to be part of this trend.
To keep his weight optimal provide the following:
- High-quality food
- Learn how much your dog should eat and when
- Learn to read pet food labels
- Provide an easy access to freshwater
- Know basic nutrition guidelines for dogs
- Learn what a bloat is and how it can harm your canine
- Provide regular veterinarian check-ups
- Serve treats in moderation
Agouti Husky Health?
Siberian Huskies are considered to be healthy dogs.
If you are buying a puppy you should deal with responsible dog breeders only. This way you have the best chances to get a healthy dog.
Responsible dog breeders will always screen puppies for most common health issues and present you with medical documentation on the puppy.
Plus, they will show you the facilities, let you meet the dog’s parent or at least the mother dog, and provide you with the right tips on overall care, grooming, and nutrition.
They will also ask you a lot of questions to make sure that you are the best fit possible for their dog.
What if you decide to adopt? If you are thinking about adoption you should know that animal shelter representatives will always provide you with as much information as possible.
It’s common for purebred dogs to have some sort of genetic issues like German Shepherds suffer from joint-related issues.
Opposite to the majority of purebred breeds, Siberian Huskies are free from hereditary genetic diseases. This is something that breeders are responsible for.
Since Huskies were bred to work in hard conditions and harsh weather, the breeder’s top priority was creating strong and healthy dogs.
Since the agouti coat color isn’t linked to any health risk in Huskies, breeders decided to keep this shade.
To make sure that your Siberian Husky is healthy have a full check-up at your veterinarian as soon as you get the dog.
Pro tip: Know that the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals recommends that Huskies are tested for hip dysplasia and eye disease.
Finding An Agouti Husky
As mentioned earlier, when it comes to finding the best agouti puppy you should find a good breeder.
This means that you will have to do some research, check online reviews, and even check animal shelters to find your dog.
Agouti Huskies are the standard color for a pedigree dog breed, so finding a breeder by word of mouth is possible.
Attend dog shows, check national breed registries, and check regional clubs.
Did you know that the Siberian Husky Club of America holds a directory of breeders by the state?
This can be very useful if you saw a Husky that you liked in California, but if you are located in Michigan and you are not sure how to find the best breeders in California.
Finding Huskies, in general, isn’t difficult when it comes to the States. These fluffy dogs and among America’s favorites.
Still, many of them could be found in animal shelters, so think about adopting a dog.
It’s a very humane thing to do, as you could save a dog’s life.
Do not get a Siberian Husky unless you are 100% sure that you understand the breed, know what to expect, and have enough space for this canine.
Still interested in adopting a Siberian Husky? If so, check any Husky-specific rescue organizations as there are many.
These organizations can even help you foster a dog for a while before they find him his forever home.
