Why do huskies shed?

If you are a dog lover then you-for sure-would like to have a Siberian husky at your home. Huskies are over-friendly and sociable dog breeds. They are highly adaptable dogs to the harsh winters which come down to their thick-coated body layers accompanied by a process of annual or seasonal shedding of the fur.

Why do huskie shed is a usual occurrence that often happens in warm regions to help the dogs get adapted to the normal temperature.

Therefore, for huskies living in warm weather shedding comes quite frequently to help them cope with the warm temperature. Whereas, Huskies living in snowy regions shed their fur rarely which only comes in the form of blowing their coats to adjust themselves to the cold and dry environment.

For the regulation of body temperature dogs usually perspire. Nevertheless, they require other ways as well to abstain from heat stress which in particular is essential for huskies living in warm climates. This is because huskies are the double-coated dog breeds that have evolved in Siberia which is an extremely cold snowy region.

Why is a husky’s coat so thick?

Siberian Huskies have evolved in one of the coldest places on earth. Siberia is amongst the most inhospitable places due to its extreme weather conditions which remain in the show throughout the year. This particular breed of dogs is amazingly adapted to this chilled weather.

Huskies have an incredible body coating which is a double-thick coat. The outer layer is strong and wavy which is resistant to UV rays, water, and insects, and the inner layer which is soft and helps in body temperature maintenance.

With time as the outer coat keeps growing it pushes the undercoat and it causes the loss of the inner coat. This process of losing the undercoat as the outer coat grows is called shedding. This is how huskies adapt to the extremely cold conditions in the region.

Related Article: How cold can huskies survive?

When do huskies shed their fur?

Many get curious sometimes and ask do huskies shed all year round and if so when do the dog huskies shed? Mainly huskies shed twice a year in the spring and in the fall season.

Whereas, some shed quite frequently a couple of times a year, and even some shed once annually. However, for huskies living in comparatively warm temperatures shedding comes less frequently.

Even so, most pampered huskies do shed a lot all the time. The inner coat gets shed which is fluffy, white, and short. As a result, it converts into clumps which tend to scratch and groom and this hence fastens the process. Finally, it reaches its peak shedding and then comes back to normal after the end of the shedding season.

In order to get prepared for summers, the huskies shed their thick winter fur which is to keep them cool during the warm summers ahead. Similarly, when winters approach they shed the summer fur and renew themselves with a new thick fur to conserve body temperature during the harsh winter season.       

How much do huskies shed?

Many wonders how much a husky shed or do huskies shed a lot and if so why. Huskies are doubles-coated dog breeds, with an undercoat made up of fur to keep them warm during harsh winters, and an outer coat that is water and heat resistant to keep a maintained cool body temperature during warm weather.

For huskies living in warmer climates shedding occurs very often and a very heavy shedding which ought not to come as a surprise because they have double-coating which needs to be shed with time for the growth and temperature sustenance of the body.

Many although get surprised over the excessive shedding of their huskies which is all very casual. That is the primary reason which reinforces the need to pay close attention to your husky’s grooming irrespective of its shedding season.

Further, for minimizing the massive shedding of fur, giving your husky a regular bath or a brush is a way worth your efforts.

Is excessive shedding a warning sign?

For several adaptive purposes, shedding comes naturally to huskies. In spite of that, excessive shedding in huskies sometimes be worrisome. . If your husky is losing more fur then do take it to the vet to find out exactly what leads the husky to shed massively.

This is because the following might be the reasons for your husky to shed overly due to some health-related issues.

• Allergies or Nutritional deficiencies lead to shedding which results in flaky and dull skin.
• The presence of parasites or fleas irritates your husky which causes excessive shedding in huskies.

Do Siberian huskies shed a lot?

Definitely yes. This is because the Siberian huskies have got the thickest coat in order to survive the extremely harsh weather conditions in Siberia. Just like every other dog Siberian huskies do shed.

But, they shed a lot and excessively. It sheds both the undercoat and the topcoat in order to sustain its body temperature.

Interestingly, the layers get molt to a degree on a daily basis. But the Siberian huskies shed their coats twice a year mainly during the spring and fall they seem to shed intensively.

 How long does it take huskies to shed?

It usually takes three to five weeks to shed. However, it varies within the breed some take longer than this. Still, there are some that take lesser than this span of time and go with a very quick shedding.

Along with this, you need to be cautious to observe the shedding and see if the husky is facing any problems.

How do keep husky’s coating healthy to manage to shed?

In huskies, shedding is part of the normal biological response to changing environmental changes and hence is inevitable. We sometimes become over-conscious of our husky’s shedding therefore we need to plan accordingly to manage the shedding in our huskies.

You can go with the below-mentioned tips to prepare the husky for shedding so that you end up with no dead fur on your floor or couch.

• Brushing the husky’s coat regularly

If you own a husky then you need to keep a proper time for brushing. It is highly suggested that you brush your husky’s coat twice a week during the non-shedding period. To prevent the dead fur accumulation over time, you should give a daily routine brush to the husky’s coat.

Use a quality brush that gives a proper deep brush. Try to develop the habit of giving the husky a daily brush when it’s young so that it becomes used to brushing.

• Shaving husky’s coat

Do not ever try to shave your husky’s fur. This is because your attempt to do so will not hamper the husky’s shedding. This is now important for you to understand that when you shave your husky’s outer coat this results in a coat that is just a mess technically termed matting.

Then the undercoat starts growing which can outgrow a cut or shaved outer coat. Hence the matting leads to overheating because the outer coating which has been removed after shaving is the protective layer.

The double coating prevents over-heating and thus regulates the body temperature. It is highly recommended never to go shaving a husky for the following reasons:

• Shaving leads to bald patches
• The outer and inner coat gets an uneven growth
• Shaving a husky brings permanent damage to it skin
• Never trim the whiskers which are used to sense movements.
  
• Giving huskies bath

You need to be cautious when it comes to giving your husky a bath. Huskies usually do not need a frequent bath this is because their coats are pretty dry and do not produce that much oil.

But frequent bath leads to loss of natural oils in their coats and hence they get a completely dry coating including other skin issues. Therefore, huskies needed to be bathed after every three or four months.

For giving the husky a bath just use a natural de-shedding husky shampoo. Thoroughly massage the shampoo and rinse properly to make sure that there isn’t any residue left. Finally, brush the coat to give it an arranged shape to prevent the clumps.

• Best grooming tools for shedding to be used

For effective grooming, you are required to use quality tools. This is because with the appropriate tools you can easily and quickly clean the husky’s coat. The interesting fact about grooming is that it actually strengthens the bond between you and your husky.

Good grooming can maintain the actual regal look of your husky’s coat for which they are loved the most. Following is the list of the top best tools you can use for grooming:

• Undercoat rake
• FURminator DeShedding Tool
• Deshedding shampoo
• High-Velocity dryer
• Feeding healthy diet

Diet plays a pivotal role in shedding. An unchecked random diet leads to unhealthy shedding. Therefore, to prevent major skin problems, any other allergies and illnesses do focus on a nutritious and balanced healthy diet. For more details about a healthy diet read what do husky eat.

 Frequently asked questions

• Do huskies shed?

Yes, huskies do shed just like any other dog breed. This is to maintain its body temperature and to get rid of the old coating.

• Do Siberian huskies shed?

Yes, they do shed. However, they shed heavily unlike other dog breeds.

• When do Siberian huskies shed?

It depends upon the climate of the region in which your Siberian husky is living. They shed two times annually. Whereas, in warmer climates, they continue shedding several times a year.

• Can we reduce shedding?

Although it cannot be reduced wholly, we can reduce it considerably by focusing on a quality balanced diet and using efficient tools for good grooming.

Conclusion

For those who wonder why do huskies shed and how often, this article proves to be the best for all your wonders to become realities. This article presented an exclusive study of why huskies shed and how often, when do they so, and above all how they shed.

Moreover, it has given additional information regarding the techniques to reduce huskies’ shedding and how to groom them so that we build a strong bond with our husky. We hope this has helped a lot.