Have you wondered how long can a husky run for? Huskies are high endurance, energetic, resilient dogs. And they can run surprisingly long distances with training.
A Siberian Husky can run as much as 125 miles a day. Huskies that are well-conditioned for racing can run for more than a hundred miles a day for 10 days in a row. Racing Huskies can run for as much as 11 hours per day.
The average pet Siberian Husky can run up to 10 to 20 miles a day without much training. Like humans when dogs train they get better at running longer distances. If you think about a runner who is training for a marathon, that person can run much longer than the average person. Huskies that are trained as race dogs, can run much longer distances than pet huskies.
Alaskan Huskies that are bred for sprinting can run up to 30 miles a day at high speeds. At higher speeds the Huskies can cover lower distances. Sprint races in Alaska usually span 3 days. In these races Alaskan Huskies average more than 19 miles per hour (31 km/h), covering 20 to 30 miles (32 to 48 km) each day.
History of the Siberian Husky – Born to Run
The ancestors of Siberian Huskies lived in a very harsh environment in the Siberian Arctic, and had to travel long distances. The semi-nomadic people of Siberia were the ones who bred the husky. Their nomadic lifestyle required them to travel long distances to find food.
The nomadic “Chukchi” people of Siberia worked on expanding their hunting grounds. They needed a dog that could transport them long distances. About 3,000 years ago, they bred the ideal sled dog, the Siberian husky. This new dog could travel long distances, carry heavy loads with very little food or water. The Siberian Huskies of today are closely related to these original Chukchi dogs.
These dogs were first introduced to North America in 1908. they were brought to Nome, Alaska for sled dog racing from Siberia.
How Long Can Siberian Huskies Run
In sled dog races, Huskies are the preferred breed. The longest Sled dog race is a race known as the Iditarod sled dog race. The total distance covered in this race is a staggering 1000 miles.
Huskies run this distance over 8 to 10 days. The record time achieved to cover on this race was 8 days, 3 hours, 40 minutes. That means every single day the Huskies ran about 125 miles, for 8 days in a row. During the sled races, a team of dogs can maintain a speed of 10 to 11 miles per hour.
So to answer the question of how many miles can a Siberian husky run – the answer is up to 125 miles per day.
The original sled dogs used in the Iditarod race was the Alaskan Malamute. Overtime Siberian Huskies became the most popular breed for this races. Modern racing dogs are mostly mixed-breed Huskies.
They have high endurance, good attitude, and a passion for running. The dogs that are bred for long distance running weigh between 45 to 55 lbs. The dogs that are bred for sprinting weigh less; typically between 35 to 45 lb.
These races are very energy-intensive. A Husky running a hundred and twenty miles a day, will often burn as much as ten thousand calories.
How Fast Can a Husky Run
The Siberian husky can run at a top speed of 28 miles per hour. When the husky is not sprinting, they can go 20 miles per hour without much difficulty and cover as much as 50 miles at that pace. They are only bested by racing dogs like Hounds and Salukis that run at around 40 miles per hour. But none of the racing dogs are as high endurance as a Husky.
How Much Should Huskies Exercise
Siberian Huskies require daily exercise. Running is what Siberian huskies are bred for. If a husky doesn’t get enough time to run – it will usually try to find a way to run on their own without supervision.
Huskies love to run and if you allow them to run long distances they will enjoy it. Huskies do not have to run long distances to stay healthy though.
If you have a husky plan on walking your husky for at least one hour a day. If you are considering getting a dog and cannot dedicate the time to walking a dog for 1 hour a day, it may be better to choose a different breed.
How Should you Exercise a Husky Puppy
A good rule of thumb is to make sure that your husky is walking about 1 – 2 minutes per week of age. So if your puppy is 12 weeks old you would want to walk the puppy for about 12 to 18 minutes. You may even go up to 24 minutes.
When can a Husky Puppy Start Running?
You should never run a Husky before the Husky Puppy is 6 months old. Husky puppies’ joints and muscles keep growing until they are 1 year old. It is best to wait until your Husky Puppy is one year old to start running.
Once your Husky Puppy is one year old, start increasing distances slowly.
Safe Temperatures for Huskies to Run
Siberian Huskies can get easily overheated. They have a thickly furred double coat.
During the summer or during hot temperature months, consider running Huskies early in the morning or in the evening. It is safe to run a husky below 60 degrees Fahrenheit. You should not run a husky when the outside temperature is above 70 degrees.
If it is too hot even in the evenings, walk your Husky versus running. If the temperature is in the 70 to 80-degree Fahrenheit temperature range – give your Husky enough breaks while walking. Also bring water and offer it to your Husky. Try your best to walk in the shade if temperatures are higher than 70 degrees Fahrenhiet.
Low temperatures are not a problem for Huskies. Siberian huskies can withstand temperatures as low as minus 60 degrees Fahrenheit (or minus 51 degrees Celsius). The Siberian husky was bred for the cold and they love to spend time outside in the cold. In fact, that thrive in cold weather.
How Long Can a Husky Run For – Summary
A well trained Siberian Husky can run up to 125 miles a day. They can cover this distance while maintaining 10 to 11 miles per hour speed. The average pet husky that lives with people in a house can run from 10 to 20 miles per day.
Based on the training level, the distance covered per day can vary greatly.
If you have a Husky check out our best dog food for huskies page.