This is a question I get probably every other week of the
year. Huskies have a double coat. It serves to protect them from both very cold
and very hot temperatures. Therefore, they need the double coat in any climate;
that is the reason why they should never be shaved. Furthermore, no special
type of brush or sheers should be used on them to pull out their second coat;
this is usually recommended by groomers who are not familiar with the breed.
The coat protects them from the UV rays of the sun in hot climate areas, and it
helps them work in minus zero temperatures.
Twice a year, they “blow” or lose their undercoat. This
means that a great amount of hair will be dropped around the house right before
the winter and then again before the hot summer. There have been frantic new husky
owners who have called thinking that their huskies were ill due to their hair
loss; in fact, I answered a Craigslist ad one time where the desperate owner “was
picking up a dog’s worth of hair every day.” However, this is perfectly normal.
He was very relieved to have spoken with me.
The best solution is to take them outside during this time
and brush them. It may take up to three weeks to lose the undercoat, but if the
husky is brushed every day during that time, it may take less time and your
home will be free of a lot of hair.
The rest of the year, huskies should not shed, or if they
do, it will be very little. Wooly coat huskies, the ones with much longer hair,
tend to shed more throughout the year than the other coats associated with
huskies.
