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Siberian Huskies are known for their amazing ability to withstand cold weather, but even they have to blow their coat once in a while. If your Husky is starting to look a bit thinner than usual or has been scratching a lot, it might be time for a trip to the groomer. During their blowing coat phase, Huskies can lose a lot of hair, so make sure you’re prepared for the mess!
There are plenty of good reasons to keep your Husky well-groomed year-round, and a blowing coat is definitely one of them. Not only will it help your dog feel more comfortable, but it’ll also keep them looking their best.
Specifically bred for their thick coats, Huskies need very little grooming. Brushing once or twice a month can help prevent mats and tangles, but if you notice any snarls starting to form it’s best to brush more frequently.
Husky coat care starts before bathing. Use a wide-tooth comb on wet hair to remove tangles and work in a conditioner or detangle. Always use lukewarm water when shampooing since hot water will dry out the skin.
If your dog is really dirty, it’s okay to wash him with fur cleaner or oatmeal shampoo designed for dogs with sensitive skin. Never use human shampoo as they are not meant for dogs’ fur. Rinse all of the soap residues off completely so that your husky doesn’t ingest any shampoo during grooming.
Since huskies are double-coated, they need to be brushed out or ‘stripped’ periodically. A professional dog groomer will do this for around $20 at your next visit, but if you’re up to the task it’s not too hard (see our article on de-shedding for tips).
Do Huskies Shed?
Huskies shed their undercoat once or twice a year in preparation for winter; however, some huskies blow their undercoat several times per year. This usually happens during spring and fall shedding seasons, when temperature fluctuations cause the coat to change. It’s important to keep an eye on your dog; if he starts excessively scratching or licking himself he may have allergies or mites.
If you notice your dog scratching more often than usual, take him to the vet for a checkup. If it’s allergies, they can give him an injection or prescribe antihistamines to help clear up the problem before it becomes severe. Bathing will only exacerbate an allergy situation, so avoid baths until after all symptoms are gone.
If your husky has some mats developing on his coat, don’t shave them out! His undercoat is what keeps him warm in wintertime and he’ll build new fur underneath those mats once spring rolls around again.
Undercoat for Husky
Cutting out mats can make him very uncomfortable during the colder months and could even cause skin irritations from rubbing against his bare skin. Instead of shaving him down year-round, try to remove any mats you see before they get too thick. If your dog’s coat is severely matted and tangled, you may need the help of a professional groomer.
Cover any furniture near where your dog lays with slipcovers or blankets; huskies like to stretch out and their claws can snag upholstery easily. They also love napping in warm areas so be careful not to leave anything plugged in near where he sleeps.
If you notice excessive shedding even after regular brushing/stripping, your husky may have developed an undercoat problem. You’ll have to strip his coat back down by brushing it out several times a week until the problem clears up. Talk to your vet about how often you should brush your dog to prevent this issue.
Husky Blowing Coat in Winter
A husky blowing its winter coat can be a messy and time-consuming process. The good news is that it happens only once or twice a year, usually after having been cooped up indoors for the majority of the winter.
When your purebred Siberian husky starts to blow its winter coat, you will notice small white hairs beginning to shed from their thicker fur all over your dog’s body. Depending on how much hair they have and how much excess energy they have pent up, this shedding process could go on for several weeks.
If you want to ensure that this shedding and grooming process goes as smoothly as possible (and without too much extra work for yourself), there are some steps you should follow:
Brush Regularly
The longer your husky has to wear its winter coat, the more fur will be produced in preparation for this regular shedding process. It is important to brush your dog every day when it begins to blow its coat, otherwise, you could end up with around an extra cup of fur on your floors and furniture.
On top of that, when the weather warms up outside, it is time for them to get rid of their heavier winter coat anyway. This means that brushing regularly throughout the entire year will maintain a healthy summer coating as well as a healthy winter coat.
Control Their Diet
If you aren’t careful about controlling your dog’s diet during the blowing-their-winter-coat season, they can end up gaining too much weight. This is because extra fur takes up a lot of their energy, causing them to feel more lethargic than usual and often reducing their desire to exercise (which can cause them to eat less).
If you allow your dog to gorge itself on food throughout this period, it will store the excess calories as fat which will contribute even more fluffiness to their newly grown winter coat. However, if you control their diet and keep it consistent with what they had been eating during the winter, there should be very little change in weight or the level of energy they have.
Control Their Energy Level
While Siberian Huskies get a bad reputation of being hyperactive sled dogs that never tire, this isn’t true at all. All dogs, regardless of breed or size, need to get plenty of exercise and companionship in order to be well-behaved pets. However, this is even more important when your husky is blowing its winter coat because it will have an excess amount of energy that needs to be released.
Instead of having constant periods where it gets too excited and runs around the house (which inevitably ends up in destruction), give your husky plenty of opportunities throughout the day for short walks in the fresh air.
These longer walks aren’t necessary during cold weather months when it would rather stay indoors anyway, but make sure to take them out regularly once it starts getting warmer outside even if only for a few minutes at a time so you can keep their energy level under control.
Make Sure They are Properly Groomed
Although huskies do have a thick double coat that naturally repels dirt, it is important to make sure they are properly groomed if you want to keep their fur from becoming too matted and tangled during the shedding process. If you don’t take the time to brush them regularly or have them professionally groomed at least once or twice a year, your dog’s winter coat will become so knotted together that it becomes difficult for them to remove themselves.
The solution here is simple: pay better attention to your Siberian husky’s grooming routine so it doesn’t reach the point where they can’t self-groom anymore. This means brushing its teeth regularly (at least once per week), getting its claws clipped regularly (at least twice per month), and taking it to the groomers’ for a bath, brush out, nails clips, etc. at least every six weeks or so so you can cut down on how matted its fur becomes.
Teach It Not to Fear the Vacuum
As most Siberian huskies are so fluffy that they look like walking mops when their winter coat blows in, there is always plenty of loose furs that end up on your carpeting and floors. If you don’t want to waste hours of your precious time cleaning this fur up by hand then teach your dog not to fear the vacuum!
This is especially important if you have kids who like to play and crawl on the floor. For example, if you teach your Siberian husky that the vacuum means good things like getting treats or going for a walk then it will learn not to fear it when it turns on. This way, when you go to clean up all of its extra fur from shedding season, you won’t have to spend 20 minutes coaxing it over to the vacuum before using it so both of you can get this task done quickly without too much effort.
