Why Is My Husky Small? [4 Reasons Why & What To Do]

Lots of owners feel their husky is kind of small. This post talks about what size a husky should be and why your husky might be smaller than you expect.

Your husky could be small for a few reasons. It could be their family history, not eating enough or getting the right food, too much exercise when they were a pup, or health problems.

How Big Should Huskies Actually Be?

Something I have found interesting for a long time is that most people think Siberian Huskies are big dogs…

Due to their striking “wolf-like” appearance, Huskies appear to many as big dogs, when in reality, they’re technically a medium-sized breed.

So before worrying about whether your husky is too small, it helps to have a good idea of the average ranges. The following averages are for adults only.

Average Ranges For MALES:
● Height: 21-23.5 Inches
● Weight: 45-60 Pounds

Average Ranges For FEMALES:
● Height: 20-22 Inches
● Weight: 35-50 Pounds (potentially heavier in rare cases)

If you would like to know more about the differences between male and female huskies,

Husky Size Timeline

The above figures are just averages, so it can mean your particular Husky may be smaller or bigger.

Males are nearly always bigger in terms of height and weight compared to females.

Take a look at this timeline. These figures are just averages, but it can help you get an idea of where you Husky “should” be.

These charts were made by My Happy Husky, if you wish to use them please provide attribution.

Female Husky Growth Timeline AVERAGES

Age	Weight (lbs)	Height (Inches)
2-4 Months	10-25 lbs	10-12 Inches
4-6 Months	25 – 38 lbs	12-14 Inches
6-8 Months	38 – 46 lbs	14-16 Inches
8-10 Months	46 – 50 lbs	16-18 Inches
10-12 Months	50 – 55 lbs	18-20 Inches
+ 1 Year	+ 55 lbs	20-22 Inches

Male Husky Growth Timeline AVERAGES

Age	Weight (lbs)	Height (Inches)
2-4 Months	10-25 lbs	10-12 Inches
4-6 Months	25 – 40 lbs	12-15 Inches
6-8 Months	40 – 50 lbs	15-19 Inches
8-10 Months	50 – 55 lbs	19-22 Inches
10-12 Months	55 – 60 lbs	22-24 Inches
+ 1 Year	+ 60 lbs	24  Inches

These charts were made by My Happy Husky, if you wish to use them please provide attribution.

Remember, these are just average numbers. So whether you have a girl or boy husky, their weight or height might not be the same as what’s listed. And that’s totally fine.

Notice the 1-year mark section. This doesn’t mean to say your Husky will be more than 55 or 60 lbs, it’s suggesting that IF your Husky is destined to be this big it will happen slowly after the 1-year mark.

1 year is when Huskies are considered adult dogs, although it can still be much longer before growth completely stops.

How Much Should Your Husky Weight At…

• At 4 months old huskies are typically around 25lbs
• At 5 months old huskies are typically between 28-35lbs
• At 6 months old huskies are typically between 36-42lbs

These are the most commonly referenced age points that owners want to know.

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Psst. A quick word on training! Brain Training For Dogs is one of the best training methods suitable for a husky. Other owners and I are seeing improvement in obedience, behavior, and stubbornness quicker than ever before. I seriously recommend checking it out.

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4 Reasons Why Some Huskies Are Smaller Than Others

So after looking at the chart above, is your Husky on the smaller side of the scale? Let’s go through the most important reasons behind why some huskies are smaller than others.

1. Genetics
2. Diet & Eating Habits
3. Too Much Exercise
4. Health Issues

1. Genetics

Before we get into further reasons, it’s important to cover genetics first. To really understand this you will need to have had good knowledge of the Husky’s parents, both mother, and father.

If your husky’s mom and dad are bigger than usual, then it’s likely your husky will also grow to be bigger. The same is true if they’re smaller; your husky might end up being smaller too.

If you have a particularly small Husky, it could be because one or both of the parents have some mix-breed genes in their bloodline. It may not necessarily come directly from them, but genes can be passed down.

What To Do About It:

There’s not really anything you can do about this, and if you’re concerned about your Husky’s size, it’s a wise move to check their parents before you start worrying about anything else!

2. Diet & Eating Habits

The next important thing to consider is their diet, nutrition, and eating habits. Huskies are known to be difficult eaters, this isn’t to annoy you, it’s because they have naturally very sensitive stomachs.

If your Husky feels a little bit full, they will not eat anymore. On top of this, Huskies will stop eating any food if they sense it is not working well for their stomachs. And unfortunately, there are many dog foods out there that do not work well for huskies.

The best diet for a Husky is one that contains a high ratio of protein & fat with low carbs. This mimics the nutritional breakdown they have been used to eating for thousands of years. This is best for their growth and digestive system.

What To Do About It:

You should start by monitoring your Husky and observing them while they eat. Do they seem hungry and eager to eat? Are they disinterested in their food? Do they finish their food?

These are all good questions to be asking yourself and you can find out a lot just by watching over a few consecutive mealtimes.

● Ensure you’re using a trusted, high-quality brand. If your Husky is consistently leaving their food, it may be time to change it.

Ensure you use a recommended, high protein, limited ingredient food formulated for dogs with sensitive stomachs. I strongly recommend checking out one of my most popular articles: What’s the best dog food for huskies

● Mix 80% dry kibble with 20% wet dog food. This encourages your Husky to finish their meals as it’s usually tastier and the difference in textures makes it more palatable and interesting.

This also provides a more varied nutritional breakdown and can help with their weight gain and growth. Check out my article reviewing the best wet dog food options for huskies

● Scheduling. It’s important to have a schedule in place and stick to it. This way your Husky’s body will automatically know when mealtime is approaching and will start to become hungry around that time.

● Time-restricted eating. This is a very effective method but there’s a small learning curve. This means you only give your Husky a limited amount of time to eat, say 10 minutes. After you put the bowl down with their food, remove it in 10 minutes whether they’ve eaten it or not.

It will only take a few times before you Husky realizes they should be eating their food as soon as you put it down. Day grazing is not a good feeding method for Huskies.

3. Too Much Exercise

Yes, exercise is extremely important for your Husky’s growth and development. And ss your Husky experiences their major growth spurt from 2-8 months, proper exercising will help their muscles develop the way they should be. However…

It’s very easy to be over-exercising your puppy, and they can even do this to themselves sometimes.

Rest is essential, and your puppy needs time to properly recover from their daily activity.

This is actually one of the reasons puppies sleep for so long! This is a good sign, at least in the beginning while they’re young.

Overexercising could prevent their muscles from properly recovering and could hinder the natural growth of their bones and ligaments. It can then lead to many other health issues you really want to avoid.

What To Do About It:

Follow the 5 minutes per day, per month of age they have. For example when your husky is 1 month old, give them 5 minutes of walking per day, every day. When your Husky is 2 months old, give them 10 minutes of walking per day, every day.

If you Husky puppy goes crazy inside the house then you may not need to talk them out specifically for their walk. Monitor how they are and adjust accordingly.

After 6 months you can start exercising your Husky more like how a Husky should be exercised.

Remember that your Husky will grow during periods of rest, not during moments of physical activity

4. Health Issues

In the worst-case scenario, their small size could be due to a health issue or some kind of illness.

The only way to get a reliable answer to this one is by of course scheduling a check-up with your local veterinarian and having some tests done.

If your Husky seems lethargic, depressed, in pain, or generally without a spring in their step. It could indicate that something is bothering them. There’s a vast range of health issues that can cause all dogs to lose weight, make them frail, and will generally hinder their growth.

What To Do About It:

If you think something isn’t quite right with the way your Husky is acting do not hesitate and visit your local veterinarian as soon as possible.

Popular articles on My Happy Husky
● Does My Husky Love Me? 13 Real Signs Of Husky Affection
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Can You Make Your Husky Bigger?

I often receive emails about how to make a “small” husky bigger. So is it really possible?

While you could technically help your husky gain weight which would make them appear slightly bulkier, there’s nothing you can do to make them taller, which is what most people are referring to when they say “make bigger”.

And as long as your husky isn’t drastically skinny or underweight then there should be no reason to try and make him gain weight. Especially just to try and make him appear bigger.

Unfortunately, height is something we can’t change or alter, and this is purely down to genetics.

Skinny vs Small Husky: The Difference

Being skinny is different from being small. If your Husky is significantly underweight then it’s likely down to either their diet, eating habits, or underlying health issues.

In this case, I would recommend visiting your local veterinarian as soon as you can to rule out anything more serious.

After getting feedback from your vet you will better know how to resolve the situation safely.

All huskies are different and kibble that may work well for one husky, may not work well for another.

Trial and error is common, but it’s important not to give up until you find a kibble that really does suit your husky.

I have a complete article covering why your husky may not be eating and what you can do about it. Check it out here

Popular Articles on My Happy Husky ⭐
● What’s The Best Dog Food For Huskies
● How to Help Your Husky Gain Weight

Summary

As long as your Husky is healthy and happy that’s all that matters. There can be legitimate reasons your Husky is smaller than average, sometimes you will be able to do something about it, and other times you might not.

If you are unsure if your Husky has any health problems or you suspect any kind of illness, you should visit your vet as soon as possible to do further health tests.

Most Recommended For Huskies

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The Kurgo Tru-Fit Smart Harness remains to be the best harness I’ve seen for a husky. It’s affordable and reliable.

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Brain Training For Dogs has become increasingly popular with Siberian Huskies in the last few years. It’s now recognized as perhaps the best way to train a husky in the most stress-free, positive way.

Best Husky Puppy Book ⭐

If you would like an easy to read guide for training your husky puppy, check out my book The Husky Puppy Handbook on Amazon. All purchases are greatly appreciated.