Do Huskydoodles Shed? (Poodle x Husky Shedding Guide)

The Huskydoodle is a Poodle and Siberian Husky mix that’s also known as the Huskypoo, Siberian Poodle, Poosky, and Siberpoo. This shaggy, scruffy dog is active and bright, making it an ideal companion pet.

But how much do they shed? Huskydoodles can be moderate shedders, as the Siberian Husky sheds quite ferociously while the Poodle sheds minimally. Taking care of the Huskydoodle’s grooming is often a challenge, too, due to the dog’s long, scraggly coat.

If you want to learn about all things Huskydoodle shedding, you’ve come to the right place. Ahead, I’ll elaborate more on how much this dog might shed given its lineage and talk about the Huskydoodle’s grooming requirements.

Let’s get started!

Huskydoodle Shedding

Since the Huskydoodle is a cross between the standard-sized Poodle and the Siberian Husky, assessing the shedding habits of both those breeds will better indicate how much a Huskydoodle may shed.

Let’s start with the Husky part of the Huskydoodle name, which is, of course, the Siberian Husky.

These dogs were bred to survive the freezing cold tundra as sled dogs. That alone should give you the expectation that a Husky might shed more than most.

I would rate the dog’s shedding as a 4/5 or higher.

The Husky is a double-coated dog, which only makes sense given its working conditions. That means the Husky has an underlayer with woolen insulating hairs for warmth.

The outer coat is comprised of medium-length guard hairs that are slick to repel dirt.

Twice a year, the Husky sheds seasonally, too. This happens in the summer and the winter when the dog needs a lighter and heavier coat, respectively.

Seasonal shedding leads to several weeks of heavier-than-normal fur loss, which is something to contend with.

Now let’s look at the other parent of the Huskydoodle, the Poodle.

It doesn’t matter the size of the Poodle, as all are considered low-shedding. Not only that, but the Poodle is among the lowest shedding dog breeds around.

And there are a couple of main reasons for this:

• First, the Poodle has a single coat, which benefits the dog (and its owner), as no seasonal shedding occurs.
• Second, the curly, wiry texture of a Poodle’s coat allows loose hair to get trapped within the curls, so it doesn’t fall to the floor as easily.

Smaller Poodles tend to shed marginally less than bigger ones as well, which is due to the reduced surface area, but it’s nothing too dramatically different either way.

Overall, I would rate a Poodle’s rate of shedding as a 1/5, even for the standard-sized Poodle.

So that brings us to the Huskydoodle.

A Huskydoodle is a 25-inch dog, so it’s already more sizeable than the standard Poodle, which is 18 to 24 inches.

The more surface area a dog has, the more it usually sheds. However, the size differential between the Huskydoodle and Poodle isn’t that significant.

The long, shaggy coat of a Huskydoodle can be wiry like a Poodle’s coat but lacks those trademark curls to catch loose hair.

Long-haired dogs tend to shed less than shorter-haired dogs due to the hair growth cycle, which is more delayed from stage to stage when a dog has longer fur.

The wiry texture of a Huskydoodle’s coat also does it favors in the shedding department.

The real determining factor in whether your Huskydoodle will be a moderate shedder or a heavier shedder is how much Poodle is in its genes.

As we’ve discussed in other articles about different doodle breeds, the more Poodle-like the dog is, the less likely it will be to shed. And there are different “ratings” given to crossbreed that show how much Poodle the dog is.

For example, an F1 Huskydoodle is a 50/50 Poodle Siberian Husky mix. And this variety is likely to be a low-to-moderate shedder. But there’s also the F1B, which is 25% Husky and 75% Poodle, so this variety is likely to shed a lot less.

There are other “F1” varieties too. But the gist is that the more Poodle your Huskydoodle is, the better in terms of shedding.

Another thing you can look at to help determine the Huskydoodle’s rate of shedding is whether or not he is single-coated or double-coated.

Not all Huskydoodles are double-coated by default. It all depends on which parent has the more dominant genes.

If that’s the Siberian Husky, then your Huskydoodle will be a more significant shedder thanks to its twice-annual seasonal shedding.

Should the dominant genes be attributed to the Poodle, then the Huskydoodle should be single-coated and shed less.

Grooming Your Huskydoodle

Even if your Huskydoodle is on the lesser side of the shedding spectrum, know that grooming this hybrid dog is still going to be a more involved process.

First, there’s brushing the Huskydoodle. I would recommend you do this just about every single day using a slicker brush and once or twice a week with a de-shedding tool.

If your Huskydoodle sheds seasonally, then daily brushing during these shedding spikes will make your life so much easier.

Brushing will catch all that loose, dead fur before it comes off your dog and makes piles around the house.

Even if your Huskydoodle is single-coated, I’d still advise you to brush the dog daily. Huskydoodles have long, scraggly coats that are prone to knots, tangles, and mats.

By staying on top of the dog’s brushing, you can ensure the Huskydoodle’s coat never ends up a painful, snarled mess.

Brushing will also spread skin oils across your dog’s body to reduce itching (and thus scratching and the shedding that follows) in addition to lending the coat a lustrous sheen.

About every six weeks, you should grab the dog-grooming scissors to clean up the Huskydoodle’s long hair.

You can wait as long as eight weeks to give your pup a trim, but no longer than that.

Feel free to take your pup to the groomer if you’re more comfortable with them tending to your Huskydoodle.

How often should you bathe a Huskydoodle?

Most owners wait until their mixed-breed dog starts to smell.

That’s not a bad rule of thumb. Bathing your dog too frequently, after all, can dry out its skin.

When bathing the Huskydoodle, use lukewarm water and dog-friendly shampoo. Avoid towel-drying your dog post-bath, as you don’t want to contribute to mats or knots.

After every bath, the Huskydoodle needs its ears cleaned. You should also plan to trim its nails (or go to a groomer) about every single week or every two weeks.

Is a Huskydoodle Right for You?

Knowing what you do about the Huskydoodle, are you still debating whether this dog could be the right four-legged friend for you? This section will help you decide.

The Huskydoodle is a designer dog bred from the Poodle and Siberian Husky. Most are standard-sized Huskydoodles, but miniature Huskydoodles are available as well.

Known for its bright temperament, the Huskydoodle is very friendly and affectionate. The dog is moderately adaptable, fairly easy to train, and very, very smart.

Huskydoodles are also incredibly active dogs, and they love high-intensity exercise at that.

Keeping that in mind, as well as the bigger size of this dog, I’m not sure the Huskydoodle would be the best candidate for apartment living.

You’d have to make adequate space for the dog and ensure you regularly tire out your Huskydoodle by taking them on long walks around the local dog park.

The Huskydoodle is companionable around other dogs but requires early socialization to help this hybrid breed adjust.

As for cats and other small animals in that same vein, I wouldn’t recommend it. The Huskydoodle has a rather high prey drive that might make a harmonious relationship between the two animals difficult.

The friendly demeanor and sociability of the Huskydoodle mean this dog is a natural companion around children. Socializing the dog and the kids before allowing them to coexist is always best.

However, a house with younger kids maybe isn’t the greatest choice for a Huskydoodle. This big dog could bowl the kids over without meaning to.

You shouldn’t run into the same issue with older kids. 

The Huskydoodle is also an excellent watchdog and, as such, will bark only to alert the family of potential threats. Your house will be quieter, and you’ll feel at ease with a Huskydoodle around.

Bottom Line

The Huskydoodle is a designer dog that’s a mix between the Siberian Husky and the Poodle.

Although the Poodle lineage is strong in the Huskydoodle, this dog can still shed more than you’d expect, thanks to its Husky genes. Still, how much Poodle the Huskydoodle has in its genes and whether it’s single-coated or double-coated will play a major role in its shedding.

Grooming the Huskydoodle will be a challenge no matter which genes dominate, but this dog’s sweet personality and watchful eye make the hybrid dog a winner!