Know whether shaving your Husky is a good idea
Can you shave a husky? Never ever shave your Husky. No matter how hot the weather may be, you must not clip your Husky’s fur. Huskies have a special double coat that plays a significant role in the maintenance of their body temperature.
The only time when it is acceptable to shave a Husky’s coat maybe during a medical procedure when an area needs to be exposed. There are several other ways to cool down your Husky in warm weather conditions. There are many ways in which your Husky can be made comfortable no matter how hot it is. Under no other circumstances or advice should you shave your beautiful Husky?
Can You Shave A Husky-A Detailed Guide
If you are considering shaving off your Husky’s coat because they become hot in warm weather conditions, do read a few suggestions about this subject before you make the cut.
Dogs have different mechanisms of regulating their body temperature
Unlike humans who regulate their body temperature by sweating, dogs don’t sweat. Only a few areas of a dog’s body make sweat to regulate the temperature of their body. This includes their ears and paws. The mechanism of regulation of body temperature in dogs is quite different. Instead of sweating, their predominant mode of losing excessive body heat is by panting from the mouth.
So if you are aiming to cool down your Husky by shaving off their skin, know that it isn’t gonna help.
Husky fur offers protection against harmful parasites
Your Husky’s double coat is meant to protect their body and sin from invasion by dangerous parasites. If there was no fur, their body would be even more susceptible to such damage. Once you shave a Husky’s coat, the integrity of their top and bottom coats is disturbed and they might never grow back in the original position and form. You might end up disfiguring your Husky permanently.
By shaving a Husky, you expose their body to harmful UV rays
The skin of Huskies is very different from human skin in its anatomy and physiology. Unlike human skin, the skin of Huskies does not have melanin pigmentation to protect them against harmful UV rays of the sun.
The upper coat of Husky fur is water-resistant and also resistant to damage by UV rays. When you shave off your Husky, you expose them to harmful UV rays. Note that their skin is quite sensitive and much more liable to get damaged by the same amount of sunlight as human skin.
A variety of dangerous skin diseases could emanate from such an exposure including skin cancer. It is essential that you consider the role Husky fur plays in the maintenance of their body’s health before you decide to shave it off.
Understand the significance of a double coat
A double coat is very unique to Huskies and works inadequately maintaining their body temperature in a variety of weather conditions. The double coat of Huskies is supremely reliable in the coldest of environments. This double coat plays a very important role in the maintenance of your Husky’s temperature as well as in providing protection to their skin.
The topcoat is protective in nature
The top portion of the double coat of Huskies plays a protective role. It consists of longer hair that covers the underlying soft fur. The upper coat is water repellant. This feature is especially beneficial in the Arctic environment where it is essential for the fur to be impervious to water. If water reaches the overall fur of a Husky and freezes, it could be fatal.
Not only water, but the top coat of Huskies is also resistant to damage by the harmful UV rays of the sun. There are no protective pigments in Husky skin. This topcoat offers reliable protection against sun damage.
Furthermore, the topcoat is also functional in repelling parasites and insects. Long hair is sometimes referred to as ‘guard hair’ owing to its protective nature.
The undercoat helps in temperature regulation
The undercoat of Huskies is shorter in length than the topcoat. It essentially lies hidden beneath the topcoat. This layer is extremely important in availing reliable temperature control to Huskies. The undercoat not only provides excellent warmth in the harshest winter conditions, but it also functions incredibly in cooling down your Husky in warm weather conditions.
Understand the functioning of the undercoat
You’ll be quite fascinated by the way the undercoat functions in regulating the temperature of your Husky’s body. The undercoat is incredible in regulating their body temperature on both extremes of temperature, be it severe cold or extra hot.
Owing to its fluffy consistency and thickness, the undercoat serves as an insulator during the winter months. The presence of this coat is vital to save your Husky from the development of hypothermia.
During the hot summer months, the undercoat goes through shedding. Essentially, Huskies undergo about two shedding cycles in a year. During the shedding period, the undercoat loses a lot of hair so that it loses its thickness. The degree of insulation is reduced.
To manage the consistent loss of hair from your Husky’s undercoat, you must thoroughly brush them on a regular basis.
Know about the best tools for the maintenance of their undercoat
While you must never shave your Husky, it is integral to maintain their double coat by virtue of proper grooming. These steps are especially essential in the summer months when the Husky undergoes a period of shedding. Grooming with the help of these special brushes will aid you in getting rid of the excessive hair within the brush. Like this, you wouldn’t have to face the menace of Husky hair in every portion of your house.
Use a brushing rake
A rake is a very important instrument in the grooming process of Huskies. We recommend that you regularly brush your Husky with a rake for the best maintenance of their double coat during warm weather conditions.
As the summer arrives, the undercoat of your Husky’s double coat will become loose. The undercoat hair will form clumps. You can use the rake to get rid of these clumps as they form. This action will remarkably improve the circulation of blood in your Husky’s skin. This will also create extra accessibility for cool air to reach their skin.
By this method, you maintain the integrity of your Husky’s fur while still excelling at cooling them down during the summer months. The topcoat will remain functional in offering reliable protection from harmful UV rays and dangerous parasites.
If you don’t brush your Husky with a rake in the warmer months, you’d make the conditions unbearable for your Husky because there’ll be considerable insulation in the way of cool air. The loss of heat will be comparatively difficult and your dog could have overheating problems.
Use a furminator
Once you have brushed with the rake, employ the furminator in removing any additional hair that may have escaped the rake. Although, furminator is not always recommended as a useful tool for the maintenance of Husky’s fur. It can nip and cut the longer hair of the topcoat which shouldn’t be altered.
A Husky’s coat may only be shaved in some uncompromisable situations
There are only a few situations in which it can be acceptable to shave a Husky’s coat.
In case their fur is matted
Long-time negligence can cause your Husky’s fur to become matted. It is really important to brush double coat dog breeds on a daily basis or their fur faces such irreversible problems. However, you must never let such a situation arise. As a Husky owner, it is your responsibility to maintain the health of their fur.
If there is some medical emergency
If you shave off your Husky’s coat without any consideration of its dangers, you could invite many problems or your dog’s health. The absence of a coat could increase the chances of your Husky suffering from a heat stroke.
Ideally, your Husky should only be shaved when there is some medical emergency. That also when some procedure actually requires a portion of their skin to be exposed.
Conclusion
You must not shave your Husky’s coat no matter how much you think it will help them in facing the warm weather. The double coat of Huskies plays a very important role in the regulation of their body’s temperature whether the weather is hot or cold.
The topcoat also serves to protect their skin from damage by UV rays and from the action of dangerous parasites. The coat also protects the skin against dirt accumulation.
Know that shaving off your Husky’s coat will not aid you in getting rid of the shedding. The undercoat grows back very fast and it will be shedding again before you know it. You must also consider the possibility that your Husky’s hair might never grow back with its original integrity.