This is an important question, and by reading the below, you will have the answer and all the best possible ways to control the shedding. I understand that the shedding can be a lot at times. However, shaving your Husky will do them more harm than good. Here we can explain and educate you why you shouldn’t and how the double coats work to protect your Siberian Husky.
Shaving your husky dog will endanger their life. The fur coat acts as a barrier against parasites, insects, dirt, and solar rays. It also helps with their cooling process, and by removing this barrier, your dog will be at risk.
The cooling process of dogs is different from that of humans. The dogs do not sweat like their human companions. Instead, they pant. The dogs also reduce their body temperature by cooling their blood through the ears and sweating through their paws. From this, one can easily interpret that shaving the coat does not help your dog maintain its body temperature. If anything, shaving can cause serious health issues.
The double-coated fur of the huskies play an essential role, and it is there for a good reason. It does not matter what your groomer tells you. Never shave or clip the fur of your husky unless it is suffering from any severe medical conditions. Avoid professional groomers who oppose this simple fact.
That being said, understand that grooming is a must for your husky. Brush your Husky often to avoid its fur flying all over the place. Brushing also improves the conditions of the coat of your dog. Regular brushing helps your dog stay cool in the summer and warm during the winter months.
Why can’t I shave my husky?
Now that you have an answer to your primary question, should I shave my husky; this must be the one question nagging at the back of your mind. To answer this question, you need to have in-depth knowledge about the huskies coats.
Huskies are known as the double-coated breed. That means they come with two different layers of fur on their body. The first layer is usually shorter and sits very close to the skin. The hairs of this layer are fluffy and delicate. It is the layer that traps air and creates insulation during the winter months.
The next layer works as the topcoat of the huskies. This layer is made with coarser guard hairs that create a barrier around the skin. It protects the dogs from harsher insects and UV rays.
The huskies shed their topcoat and undercoat, depending on the fluctuating temperature. This seasonal shedding also helps the dogs maintain their body temperature without developing any health emergencies.
So, it means that shaving your huskies would never help them to cool down during the summer months. Also, being a Siberian breed, the huskies developed the coats of hair thousands of years ago. The coats helped them ward off the harmful solar rays for thousands of years. As a result, the huskies never developed any skin pigmentation.
If you shave your dog, you will be exposing its defenceless skin to the harsh rays of the Sun. It makes the huskies vulnerable to different skin diseases.
Hampering the natural growth of fur coats is another factor you should keep in mind. Once shaved, the fur coats might not grow naturally and blend properly. It might create long term health issues also. In the worst case, your dog can develop skin cancer as well.
That means, by shaving your dog, you are hurting it for the rest of its life. Shaving your husky might be aesthetically pleasing to you, but it is not a joke for the health of your dog. So, take this matter seriously and only listen to the authentic veterinarians.
Shaving does not help in temperature regulations.
Most people think that the heavy coat of the huskies is suffocating them during the summer months. The truth cannot be farther from this idea. Dogs do not regulate their body temperature through sweating like humans. They primarily use panting to regulate their body temperature. The paws are the only body part of the dogs that sweat. The dogs also use it to cool down its body.
Some owners shave their dogs because they believe it is best for their pets. However, others shave their huskies just because they are tired of the continuous shedding.
While the huskies tend to shed throughout the year, it becomes uncontrollable twice a year. During spring and fall, the huskies shed their coat, known as blowing. If you are not prepared enough, this shedding can quickly get out of hand.
Before you get a husky as a pet, you must be aware of blowing. This excessive shedding lasts for about six weeks. During this time, you, no doubt, have to deal with a lot of shedding. But that does not mean you should shave your dog to avoid it.
Fashion is another factor that pushes the owners to shave their huskies. This behaviour is despicable. Before getting a husky, you must understand that these dogs are not fashionable accessories. It is better to know all the answers to the question, should I shave my husky before getting one as a pet.
Anatomy of the Husky double coat
From the above section, you must have understood that huskies have two different types of coats. These coats are designated as the topcoat and the undercoat. These two types of coats work hand in hand to meet all the requirements of the huskies.
The topcoat
These are the visible hairs in your husky’s fur. These coarse and long-haired coats act as the protected layer. It repels parasites, insects, dirt and sun rays.
Undercoat
This coat is constituted with softer and shorter hair. It is hard to see the undercoat from the outside. This coat offers protection against heat as well as the cold.
How does it work?
The topcoat and the undercoat work as the insulator during the winter months. The natural layout of the coats is such that it traps the air and creates insulation. This insulation protects the dogs from extreme cold. The topcoat also prevents the buildup of ice and snow against the skin. It helps your dog to skip the problems of hypothermia and frostbite.
The undercoat gets an intense shedding in the spring, which makes it considerably thinner. So, if you want your dog to be comfortable during the summer months, you should only brush him at regular intervals.
How to take care of the coats?
While reading the answer to your question, should I shave my husky, you must have understood the fur coat’s functions. To make sure your dog is healthy and happy, you have to create a proper routine to care for their fur coats. Here are some steps that you should take to maintain the fur of the huskies. Check it out.
Brush the coat
While the huskies look like a heavy maintenance breed, they are not. By brushing your dog regularly, you can maintain the gorgeous looks of their coat. Brushing is one of the essential grooming tactics you should use for your husky if you want to handle their shedding.
Establish a brushing routine for your pet. During the non-shedding months, you can brush your husky once a week. However, during the shedding seasons, you should brush them more often.
Use a wide-toothed comb to brush the fur of the huskies. Even during the no shedding season, it would help you to eliminate the dead hair and matting.
Also, make sure to brush on the direction of the hair growth and not against it. You should train your husky to the brushing routine from a young age. It would help you in the long run.
Bathe your husky
Huskies do not like water, and it is unnecessary to bathe them more than twice a year. The fur of the huskies does not produce excessive oil. That means if you clean your dog frequently, their skin can get dry. It might lead to other skin conditions. If you must, you can wash your huskies once every three to four months.
Also, during the bath, always use the special de-shedding shampoo that is merciful to their skin. Wash the coat thoroughly to ensure there is no conditioner and shampoo residue left. Brush the damp coat to remove any mats and clumps.
Healthy diet
The shedding of the huskies depends on the quality of the diet as well. We cannot stress enough about the importance of a healthy diet. An unhealthy diet can lead to unhealthy sheddings. Also, a balanced diet helps to prevent allergies and other health issues.
Use the best grooming tools.
Make sure to use the best grooming tools that will not harm your dog’s coat. While the task of grooming your husky can be daunting, if you have the right tools by your side, it can become significantly easy. With the right tools by your side, it would be easier to take care of your husky.
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Conclusion
Now that you know the answer to the question, should I shave my husky, you must have understood the importance of their coat. The gorgeous double coat protects the dogs from parasites, insects, dirt, and solar rays. In short, if you shave your husky, you will make it vulnerable to all the above problems and some more. So, please leave the fur coat of the huskies as it is. Just take good care of their coat, maintain a healthy diet, and your dog will be fit and happy.
