As a Siberian Husky owner, you’ll notice that by the end of the day your clothes are usually covered in a light dusting of hair, something affectionately referred to as “fur-fetti.”
Where does this hair come from and how often should you expect to see it with your Husky? How often should I brush my Husky to deal with their shedding? What types of grooming tips should I be following to make sure that my Husky is cool in the summer and warm in the winter?
All of these are great questions that we are here to help with including tips on how to ensure a Husky’s shedding doesn’t overwhelm your house with fur.
Explaining the Phenomenon of Husky Shedding
If you’re wondering why Huskies shed so much, the first thing to remember is where Huskies originated from, which is in the breed’s name.
Bred by the Chukchi people of Siberia for sled-pulling in northeastern Asia, Siberian Huskies needed to deal with extremely cold temperatures. The Siberian Husky you see today blissfully sitting in a snowbank is a direct result of their ancestry and breeding.
So how do Huskies stay so warm? The secret is with their double coat, consisting of an outer coat with oily, longer hairs keeping a Husky safe from rain, wind, sun, or heat. The inner coat is denser with short, thick fur that is close to the skin. Together, this double coat of fur armor allows Siberian Huskies to be able to endure temperatures as cold as -60 degrees Fahrenheit.
With two coats though, you might expect some extra fluff lying around at some point of the year.
How Often Do Huskies Shed
For Siberian Huskies, shedding season usually occurs twice a year.
The thick coats offering protection from the icy cold of winter would start to become a burden as the seasons change so Huskies typically “lose” their winter over a period of a few weeks in the spring/early summer as temperatures warm up. Though this is typical for most Huskies, you may see a longer or shorter post-winter shedding season depending on where you live.
Which Coat is Part of their Spring/Summer “Blow Out”?
Though you might think shedding consists of mostly losing the outer coat of fur, you would be wrong! During the post-winter shedding season, Huskies actually lose hair from their undercoat which is why you’ll typically see shorter, clumps of hair lying around your house versus hair from the longer outer coat.
As you start to walk around and see the fur flying, just remember that your Husky is trying to “blow out” their inner coat so they can be cool during the summer, in the same way, you wear fewer layers as it gets warmer.
When Huskies Shed Their Summer Coats
If you thought one shedding season was bad, you need to be aware that most Siberian Huskies will experience another shedding season during the fall as they shed their summer coat. This is to prepare for the colder months ahead, with the duration of this shedding period lasting anywhere from 3 to 5 weeks.
What about Husky Puppies? When do they Shed?
One other thing to keep in mind is that these shedding seasons don’t necessarily apply to Siberian Husky puppies.
As you notice your puppy begins to get more of a furry feel to their coat, you need to remember that because puppies don’t have their adult coats, they won’t experience the same amount of hair being blown out as they will as adults.
You will start to see some shedding around 4-5 months of age but keep in mind this is just part of the puppy growing the outermost topcoat layer of their fur armor.
Between 10-14 months, a Husky puppy will shed all of their fuzzy puppy undercoat and their full adult coat will be in place. They may look different for a short period of time, but they’re still the Husky you know and love.
What to Do with a Shedding Husky
During the two Husky blowout seasons, the key tools for any Husky owner are a good brush and a bag to collect the piles of fur you’ll get from your Husky’s coat!
In addition, you need to ensure you have a compliant Husky who will sit while you brush them so early brushing sessions are encouraged as soon as the adult coat begins to set in so your Husky feels comfortable while getting brushed. Huskies shouldn’t be too unfamiliar with a grooming session while sitting, as they would be performing grooming sessions on each other if they were out in the wild.
During shedding season, daily brushing sessions can ensure your Husky is comfortably blowing out their coat.
How Often You Should Brush Your Husky
Even during winter and non-shedding seasons, Huskies should get regular, at least weekly brushing sessions. One of the key reasons for this is that if you leave their fur unbrushed after it is wet from a rainstorm or heavy snow, the unbrushed matted hair will deter the insulation provided by the undercoat and lead to a cold four-legged friend.
How to Properly Brush Your Husky
A key with brushing is to use a wide-toothed comb, usually, something with metal wires and rounded teeth as that will help collect the hair.
In terms of how to brush, you’ll want to take strong brush strokes ensuring that you’re following the hair growth so you don’t inadvertently pinch your Husky while grooming. Be wary of clumps of hair as you may face some resistance while brushing these but remember, those are exactly the knotty types of hair you want to get.
Focusing on small sections rather than trying to long brushes across a larger surface area is usually the most effective approach.
Make sure you do all sections of your Husky from tail to neck to belly as you want to ensure they get a full groom. Another thing to do while brushing your Husky is to take a few moments to check for fleas, ticks, or any possible signs of injury.
Remember, the key to any grooming session is to ensure your bag of hair is full and your Husky is smiling at the end.
Anything I Shouldn’t Do while my Husky is Shedding?
You’re now brushing your Husky each day in March as the leaves start to turn green but have a thought, maybe I can make them feel better and save time by shaving their coat?
Whatever you do, never shave or clip your Husky’s hair!
The topcoat is vital to protect your Husky from UV sunshine and without it, you are risking sunburns and other possible negative effects. It is important to just use baths, brushing, and blow-drying to keep your Husky happy while you deal with the full Husky shedding process.
Though brushing from shedding may seem like a lot, Siberian Huskies are actually low maintenance when it comes to grooming as they don’t require a large number of hair cuts or frequent baths.
In fact, frequent baths can cause some skin problems as it will dry out some of the natural oils in the Husky coat that repels dirt. The breed is known for its cleanliness so take advantage of your Husky’s good habits.
Just remember that whenever your clothes start to get an extra layer of “fur-fetti”, you can do your Husky a favor by brushing them to their heart’s content.