Being a double-coated breed, Huskies shed. A lot. Double-coated dog breeds need special attention when it comes to the upkeep of their furry coats. This makes caring for their coats a little different than single-coat breeds, but it’s nothing a little know-how can’t solve. Proper coat maintenance and patience during the shedding season are crucial to your pet’s health and safety.
A double coat is precisely as it sounds – it has two layers, the undercoat and topcoat. The undercoat is a soft and fluffy, more delicate type of hair that works to insulate and add bulk to the longer, more coarse and protective topcoat (or guard hair). The undercoat is typically white or cream in color while the topcoat predominantly makes up how a dog looks in terms of color and/or markings.
Huskies shed their undercoats twice a year. This is called “blowing the coat” and usually occurs in the spring as the weather warms and again in the fall to make way for growth of a new undercoat for the cold weather ahead. Regular brushing and a trip to the groomer for a blowout during these seasons of serious hair loss are essential to keep your house and yard from looking like a furry winter wonderland. We recommend an undercoat rake (purchase here) during these times.
You should never have the coat of your Husky manually removed or shaved. It is a common misconception that the double coat will make the dog too hot during summer months. Shaving your double coated dog can actually make it harder for them to cool off as this insulation is not only for colder seasons and environments, as it also helps to regulate the dog’s body heat in summer when the weather is warm as well. Shaving a double-coat can also do long term damage. When it is shaved down to the skin, the undercoat hair will grow back faster, and sometimes will crowd out the slower growing guard hairs. This can change the texture and color of a dog’s coat and make it appear patchy and unattractive. Rather than shaving your dog, here are some steps you can take to keep him comfortable when the weather is hot:
-Brush your dog regularly to remove the dead hair, prevent matting, and allow for better air circulation in the coat.
-Regularly give your dog cool baths or access to a puppy pool to cool off at his leisure.
-Keep your dog’s paws trimmed of excess fur to help sweat evaporate easily. Dog’s sweat glands are in their paws.
-Make sure your dog always has access to cool drinking water and shade, take walks and exercise only during the coolest parts of the day, and is never left unattended in a vehicle even for just a few minutes.
Other double- coated cold weather dogs include:
Akita
Alaskan Husky
Alaskan Malamute
American Eskimo
Chinook – Rare Breed
Chow Chow
Finnish Spitz
Finnish Lapphund
German Spitz
Icelandic Sheepdog
Keeshond
Korean Jindo
Norwegian Elkhound
Norwegian Lundehund
Shiba Inu
Siberian Husky
Samoyed
Swedish Lapphund
Swedish Vallhund
