Perhaps you’ve heard of the Cavapoo or the Labradoodle, but one new mix between a Corgi and a Husky has dog lovers everywhere melting. Sometimes called the Horgi or the Siborgi, this mix takes the best features of both dogs and creates something that is absolutely adorable and heartwarming.
If you’re thinking about buying a Siborgi, here are a few things about the breed that you should know.
Origins
While the exact initial designer of the Siborgi isn’t known, most believe that the first Sigori was created in Germany. This is due to the fact that Germany has bred many of the other hybrid dogs that so many people have come to love.
Mixing two different breeds isn’t an exact science either. While initially the dog may have been bred for a particular purpose, a breeder cannot always predict exactly what’s going to come out of the two parents. For example, it’s difficult to predict which dog has the dominant genes for a particular feature.
In one crossing, for example, the Corgi might actually have the dominant gene for height. That means that when it’s crossed with a Husky that has a recessive gene for height, the resulting dog will be shorter. The Corgi’s dominant height gene was what was passed over and expressed in the puppy.
Because of the sheer size difference between a Husky and a Corgi, breeding isn’t done naturally. The Husky stands at 20-23 inches at the shoulder while the Corgi stands typically no higher than 12 inches. There’s a big weight difference, too. Huskies can weigh around 35-60 pounds while Corgis typically weigh never more than 30 pounds.
Because of that sheer difference, artificial insemination is performed instead. Due to the randomness of the size, the one bearing the pups is always a Husky female. A female Corgi might not be able to give birth to a litter that retained its height from the Husky father.
The Two Parent Breeds
To better understand how a Siborgi’s behavior will be, you first have to understand its parents. First, is the Siberian Husky. This breed is a direct descendant from the Taymyr Wolf. It retains many of its wolf-like features but is actually usually a gentle giant.
While many believe that the Husky descended from the Grey Wolf, recent evidence has suggested that it actually stemmed from the Taymyr Wolf, which is a subspecies of the Grey Wolf.
Initially, they were bred by the Chukchi people who lived in the harsh land of the Chukchi Peninsula. Typically, they were used as work dogs. The Huskies would help transport materials, goods, food, themselves, and other materials to help them build homes and perform trade.
Huskies were beloved by the Chukchi people. They would join them inside of their huts for dinner and were allowed to play outside during the warmer months at their leisure. Huskies were often left to hunt for their own meals on occasion as well. Because of that, they developed a prey drive.
This means that while Huskies are typically extremely good with children, they should never be left alone with smaller ones. Even though several decades have passed since they were allowed to hunt on their own, that instinct still exists within them.
Huskies were introduced to North America in the 20th century thanks to Russian traders. They brought them to Alaska during the famous gold rush. The locals were quite taken with the agility, strength, and endurance that the breed displayed. They started using them as sled dogs.
Today, Huskies make great pets for those who are active. Because it’s a working dog, it has a lot of energy and is used to directing that energy towards a goal. Huskies are quite healthy and can live anywhere from 12 to 15 years.
The other half of the odd couple is the Welsh Corgi. This breed was created primarily for herding and hounding. The origins of the Corgi have two different versions. The Welsh believe that the Corgi was brought to their lands by fairies. More realistically, they believe that the Corgi descended from the Vallhund of Sweden.
While some Corgis are still used in herding, many are used as simple lap dogs. They’re most famously used as a lapdog for the royal family in England. Corgis are quite active, outgoing, and extremely friendly. They’re great with kids though they may attempt to herd them now and then due to their instincts.
They’re also protective and watchful. This makes them a great watchdog for families. Unfortunately, the Corgi isn’t the healthiest of dogs. It suffers from conditions like degenerative myelopathy, hypothyroidism, eye problems, hip problems, and epilepsy.
Physical Features of the Siborgi
With knowledge of the parents in mind, you might be able to predict some physical features in the resulting pups of the two. Here are a few quick facts about their physical features.
Siborgis usually stand at around 15 inches in height. It is possible for them to grow taller, however, if they manage to receive the height gene from their mother. The same goes for weight. Most will weigh around 20 pounds but they can sometimes weigh up to 50 pounds. It all depends on which gene it receives for weight.
They also have a dense coat with an undercoat. You might also notice feathering on their chest, ears, feet, and legs. That means that you’re going to have a lot of shedding in your household.
Their coat can vary but some of the most common hues are white, cream, orange, black, brown, and even blue.
As for their head, you’ll notice that it’s a bit rounded like the Corgi but has the pointed ears of the Husky. It also has the Corgi’s short and stubby legs that have made it such a beloved pet.
Behavior
For those who want to introduce the Siborgi into their family, you may wonder about its behavior. Luckily, the temperament of the Siborgi is quite friendly. It is not recommended, however, that you include this dog into your family if you have a child that is younger than eight.
That’s simply due to the prey instinct that still exists within the Siborgi.
Siborgis are very eager to please, however. They love praise and performing tasks for their owners. That makes them easy to train. Because Huskies are quite intelligent, their pups are also quite bright. That makes training them simple as they catch on quite quickly.
However, due to the Husky’s stubborn nature, it may not listen if it believes that you’re not being dominant enough as the pack leader. You’ll need to establish yourself as the pack leader early on if you want to be able to wrangle your Siborgi.
Training and socializing are also important to ensure the dog is friendly towards other dogs and people.
Siborgis do tend to be barkers. Due to the watchful nature of the Corgi, they will alert you to a stranger approaching the house. You can attempt to train this out of the dog, but it’s good to understand that it’s simply their protective instinct at work.
Exercise Needs
Because it has two working dogs in its line, the Siborgi requires a lot of exercises and mental stimulation. If you don’t happen to have sheep for it to herd or a sled for it to pull, then you can easily wear the Siborgi out just by playing with it.
Even taking your Sibrogi out for a walk can be a great exercise for them. At the very least, your Siborgi will require 30 minutes of active playtime. It certainly doesn’t help to provide a bit more time, especially when they’re younger.
You can also introduce games to it like nose games to hone their hunting skills and keep them mentally stimulated.
Let a Siborgi into your family.
