Samoyed Vs Husky

Two of the best breeds that originated in a cold climate

In this article, we’ll talk about samoyed vs husky. Samoyeds and Huskies are both very popular breeds of dogs. They both originated in extremely cold environments and certainly have many explicit similarities. But at the end of the day, they are two different breeds and have some notable differences. 

Both dogs are almost similar in size. Although, Samoyeds may weigh more than Huskies. Both have a thick insulating double coat and both of them originated in Siberia. In fact, both of them are working dog breeds and are employed as sled dogs. However, the personality traits and behavior of Huskies and Samoyeds are quite distinct. 

Samoyeds and Huskies have some notable differences

Name	Samoyed	Husky
Size	Smaller in height	Taller in height
Weight	Heavier in weight	Lighter in weight
Length	Longer in length	Shorter in length
Facial structure	Fox-like	Wolf-like
Coat	Double coat	Double coat
Coat color	Whote, biscuit, cream	Black-white, red-white, completely white, grey-white
Eye shape	Almond	Almond
Eye color	Dark brown, black	Blue, brown
Ear shape	Erect, upright	Erect, upright
Grooming habits	Self grooming	Self grooming
Shedding	Twice a year	Twice a year
Training	Easy	Difficult
Obedience	Very obedient	More stubborn
Intelligence	More intelligent	Quite intelligent
Social habits	Very social	Very social
Attention craving	High	High
Play	Gentle	Rough
Exercise requirement	Ample	Ample
Prey drive	High	High
Noise	Noisy	Noisy
Means of communication	Barking, talking	Howling, whining, talking
Destructive tendencies	High	High

Note the physical differences between samoyed vs husky

Huskies are larger than Samoyeds

Huskies and Samoyeds are both medium-sized dogs. However, Huskies are somewhat larger than Samoyeds in size. The typical height of male Huskies is around 21 and 24 inches while male Samoyeds typically measure between 21 and 23.5 inches. 

Female Huskies typically measure between 12 and 23 inches whereas female Samoyeds measure between 12 and 21 inches. 

Samoyeds are heavier than Huskies

Samoyeds typically weigh more than Huskies. Male Samoyeds generally weigh around 45 and 65 pounds whereas male Huskies generally weigh under 60 pounds at maximum. Female Samoyeds generally weigh equivalent to female Huskies. 

Samoyeds are longer in stature

While Huskies are taller in stature. Samoyeds are relatively longer. 

Huskies have heterochromatic eyes 

Huskies typically have blue or brown colored eyes that make one of their most distinct features. Samoyeds have black or dark brown eyes. Both these dogs have almond-shaped eyes.

Huskies have a wolf-like facial structure 

The facial structure of Huskies is somewhat wolf-like. This includes the shape of their head as well as their facial features. Whereas, the facial features of Samoyed more closely resemble a fox. 

Samoyeds are generally white in color 

Samoyeds are typically white in color. Although, there are different varieties of colors for Samoyeds that include biscuit and cream. Huskies come in more numerous colors as compared to Samoyeds. 

Each color further has many shades. Typical colors for Huskies include black and white, grey and white, completely white, and red and white. 

Huskies howl rather than barking

Huskies are more likely to howl rather than barking. Samoyeds bark to communicate their needs. 

Huskies and Samoyeds have some common physical traits 

Both of them have erect ears

Both Huskies and Samoyeds have erect ears that stand upright on their heads. 

Both of them have double coats 

Both Huskies and Samoyeds have thick double coats. They consist of an undercoat and a topcoat. While the undercoat serves to provide them sufficient warmth. The topcoat provides water repellant properties and is resistant to UV rays. 

Both of them shed their coat twice a year

Both Huskies and Samoyeds shed their coats twice a year. Once during the Spring, and the second time during the Fall. The management practices for their coats are more or less the same. The amount of shedding is huge during the shedding season. The topcoat is shed in moderate amounts throughout the year.

Both are self-grooming breeds 

Both Huskies are Samoyeds are self-grooming breeds and do not require additional grooming unless it is the shedding season. 

Huskies and Samoyed have different temperaments 

Huskies are difficult to train 

Huskies are quite difficult to train. You require a lot of effort, patience, and persistence for training a Husky. It is important to put a lot of effort into training your Husky from the start. You’d require to repeat certain steps several times in different environments so that they learn to obey in all conditions and situations. 

Samoyeds are very easy to train in comparison to Huskies. They are eager to learn and love to please their owners. Samoyeds also need to be trained right from a young age or they can become just as unruly as Huskies when they grow up. But the amount of effort that goes into training is certainly less.

Samoyeds are more gentle 

Huskies and Samoyed are both affectionate and loving by nature. However, Samoyeds are more gentle in nature when it comes to little children and smaller animals. Huskies are way more energetic and tend to get rough during play. It is possible for Huskies to unintentionally hurt others during play owing to their high-energy levels. Samoyeds are more reliable in this aspect.

Huskies are more stubborn

Huskies are generally independent and stubborn by nature and are less eager to please others. They do crave attention and affection but they have a tendency to disobey commands and ignore their owners sometimes. 

Samoyeds are a more ‘people-pleasing breed. They are also independent by nature but they tend to follow commands easily once they are trained. 

Samoyeds are more intelligent

Samoyeds are certainly more intelligent than Huskies and tend to learn fast. Huskies take more time to learn whereas Samoyeds are quicker in learning. Samoyeds are faster than Huskies in solving problems.

Samoyeds are more obedient 

Samoyeds are less likely to ignore commands. Once trained, they are always willing to please their owners. Huskies are certainly less obedient and need to be trained very hard to be somewhat disciplined.

Samoyeds are more upbeat 

Samoyeds have more happy personalities as compared to Huskies. Their faces appear like they are always grinning. They are extremely friendly and love being around other people.

Siberian Huskies are master at escaping

While both these dogs have somewhat independent minds, Huskies are more well-known for planning escapes by jumping over the fences and from underneath the ground by digging. 

Huskies and Samoyeds have some similarities in behavior 

Both the dogs are mischievous 

Both Huskies and Samoyeds are mischievous and tend to easily get bored. Both these dogs need something to entertain them. It is suggested that you provide adequate physical and mental stimulation to keep their energy and the tendency to get naughty in control. 

Both of them are social 

Both Huskies are Samoyeds, are very social by nature, and love to interact with new people. They love the company of other people and stay happy while playing. Both these dogs tend to invent games to entertain and interact with other people and to gain their affection. 

Both of them need ample exercise

Both Huskies and Samoyeds need ample exercise on a daily basis to be happy. You need to exercise these dogs for up to two hours daily or else they’ll get bored. 

Both these dogs tend to get lonely

Both these dogs tend to get lonely and it is not a good idea to leave them alone for long periods. These dogs are prone to develop anxiety and get destructive when they are lonely and bored for long.

Both these dogs can get destructive 

Both these dogs have the tendency to get destructive if their needs for attention aren’t met. When left alone for long, these dogs can destroy your furniture. 

Both these dogs are playful

Both Huskies and Samoyeds are very playful by nature and enjoy engaging in games. These intelligent dogs need adequate physical and mental stimulation to be happy. 

Both these dogs crave attention

Both Huskies and Samoyeds love attention and crave human interaction. In the absence of adequate attention, they tend to get destructive.

Both these dogs eat minimal food 

Unlike most other dogs, Huskies and Samoyeds aren’t greedy for food. They eat only as much as they require. This is because both of them are working dog breeds and they were initially utilized to pull sleds over long distances with minimum food requirements. 

Both these dogs are intelligent 

Both Huskies and Samoyeds are very intelligent dogs and have great problem-solving abilities. 

Both these dogs are noisy 

Huskies are Samoyeds are both noisy dogs and love interacting with their owners. Both these dogs have tried to talk to their owners and convey their emotions. In fact, both of them are regarded as talkative breeds. 

Both of them have a high prey drive 

Both Huskies and Samoyeds have a high prey drive. They need to be monitored around small animals and while they are out on walks. It is suggested that you always walk these dogs on a leash lest they wander off chasing prey. 

Conclusion

Both these breeds originated in the cold Siberian regions so both of them have some similarities. Although, they are somewhat different in temperament and quite different in physical appearances.