Coat Colors & Markings

Huskies come in a wide range of colors, markings and masks. The AKC recognizes 9 coat colors. Those include Agouti & White, Black, Black & White, Black Tan & White, Brown & White, Gray & White, Red & White, Sable & White, and White.

Agouti & White

Agouti and White Huskies have banded guard hairs. The fur starts black at the root, then turns to a beige/reddish color in the center, and the tip of the fur is black. So the transition is dark-light-dark. If the fur isn't banded like this, the dog is not agouti. You may see cream, red, and grey tones throughout an agouti's coat. Typically there are no pure white markings. Agouti coloring is sometimes mistaken for sable or wolf grey. Agouti is also known as "wild coloring"; this color is similarly seen on wolves.

Black

Mostly Black, or just "Black" according to the AKC, is the darkest shade a husky can get. They are very dark because they lack white guard hairs; their undercoat is a dark charcoal color. Typically the black will cover most of the body, leaving white markings only on the chest, feet and face. There will always be some spot of white no matter how small it is.

Black & White

Black and White is one of the most frequently seen colors of the Husky. The undercoat of a Black & White Husky may be white, charcoal, beige, or a mixture of these three. The top coat can be a range from jet black to a dilution, making the dog look almost gray. The dilution also gives the coat depth of color. A red tint is also allowed to the black. This red hue is quite rare, and develop when a black dog is exposed to the sun for long periods of time. When blowing the coat, a black Siberian can appear gray.

Black Tan & White

Black Tan and Whites have markings that will appear more tan than white. The tan is most easily seen on the back of the legs and on the face. The tan fades into white on most parts of the body. The black coat has monochromatic black guard hairs and either back or charcoal undercoat. Black Tan & White's are sometimes born looking solid black but will start to lighten in areas by 2-3 weeks old, most noticeable in the cheeks. Our beautiful Eriana is a Black Tan & White.

Brown & White

Brown & White or Copper is the darkest shade of red a Husky can be. Similar to a Mostly Black's coat, their guard hairs and undercoat are a monochromatic deep red/brown that gives them a much darker look than Red & White's. The only white markings are on the legs/feet, chest and face. There should be no white in the coat; if you were to part the fur of a Brown & White, the tip to the base of the fur should be a copper color. This color is desired by many-- it is rich and beautiful.

Gray & White

Gray & White's probably have the most color variation in the breed. They have black tipped guard hairs and white-ish roots and will have light cream or tan undercoats. In this category there is also Wolf Gray and Silver. Wolf Gray's are a warm shade of gray, with beige, tan, or red behind the ears and on the legs and back. The undercoat is beige. This coat gives off a rich color with lots of depth. Wolf Gray should not be confused with Sable. Silver is the complete opposite of a wolf gray. There is no red, tan, or beige. The coat has a silvery tone and the undercoat is white. Black can often tip the hair. Desperado, pictured below, is a standard Gray & White shade.

Red & White

Red and White's always have liver-colored points (like their nose); their undercoat can be copper, light red, or cream with red tipped guard hairs. Dilution factors can fade the coloring from dark to light across the body. They can be chocolate-colored to almost white. They also have a lot of color variation just like the Gray's! Unlike Brown & White, you will see more white in the coat if you parted the fur of a Red & White.

Sable & White

Sable and White Huskies always have black points and black tipped fur. The undercoat is a shade of red, but never beige as in Wolf Gray coats and less black than Agouti. Pigment is restricted with full allowance of color. Red tones are more noticeable on the top of the head, the back of the legs, behind the ears, and throughout the body. Some Sable & White's are born a Wolf Gray color, but the red tone deepens as time goes on. Sables are sometimes called "black-nosed reds."

White

White Huskies basically lack color, a result of the complete restriction of pigment and extension of white over the dog's entire body. White 'blankets' the true color underneath; you can tell what color that is by looking at their nose. Whites with black points carry the Black gene and Whites with liver points carry the Red gene. Yuki, pictured top, is a black pointed White and Poppy, pictured below, is a Liver pointed White.

Patterns

Splash coat & piebald

The Splash Coat pattern, pictured top, has an excess of white usually over the shoulders and front legs. The white wraps around their neck like a shawl.

Piebald, or Pies, pictured bottom, only have about 30% of actual color on their bodies. Most of their body is white with patches of pigmentation throughout. They may be all white with only one small spot as well.

Solid

Solid Huskies have coloring that covers almost their whole body including the cheeks and much of the legs. Solid Huskies include Mostly Black and Mostly Copper. Mostly because all Huskies will have some sort of white on them due to their genetics. Solid huskies can still have white markings on the face by the nose area. Our Zephyr, pictured left, is a solid Black and Takowa, pictured right, is a solid Copper.