# Should you shave a husky?????



## Diddyrice (Jun 18, 2008)

Should you shave a husky shephard mix??? We live in Idaho and it gets quite hot in summer. My son thniks our dog needs to be shaved.


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## TeddieXRuxpin (Sep 11, 2007)

Personally I wouldn't. The thick coat not only protects them in the winter from the cold, but it also helps keep the heat out too. I have a Malamute mix and would never shave her. It makes them that much more hot from the sun and heatwaves. They have their coat for a reason. 

Another reason is that the coat doesn't grow back the same.


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## jng2985 (Jun 17, 2008)

i shaved mine for the summer, since it get 100+ here durring summer. You dont need to if if the dog in an indoor dog. I run 3 miles a day with mine so it keeps him cool.

you can if you want but dont need to, just plenty of fresh water and a shaded place to rest



TeddieXRuxpin said:


> Personally I wouldn't. The thick coat not only protects them in the winter from the cold, but it also helps keep the heat out too. I have a Malamute mix and would never shave her. It makes them that much more hot from the sun and heatwaves. They have their coat for a reason.
> 
> Another reason is that the coat doesn't grow back the same.


the coat does grow back the same.. its no different then the hair on a person head.. but for it to get back to full length it takes a while


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## Yvette (Sep 13, 2007)

Actually, I was asked just this past Saturday, about stripping a PB Husky.
I told the lady that we could do it, but I did not reccomend it. Just because of the undercoat thing. It does keep them cool. It also protects froms dogs getting sunburned too. I've seen shave downs on both breeds before. IMO
it does not look to good.


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## Patt (Feb 12, 2008)

TeddieXRuxpin said:


> Personally I wouldn't. The thick coat not only protects them in the winter from the cold, but it also helps keep the heat out too. I have a Malamute mix and would never shave her. It makes them that much more hot from the sun and heatwaves. They have their coat for a reason.
> 
> Another reason is that the coat doesn't grow back the same.


I second the above. I found out the hard way.


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## K8IE (Apr 28, 2008)

Someone recently posted this on a dog group I'm an admin for. You might find it helpful:

Why NOT to Shave Your Husky

Public Service Announcement: DON'T SHAVE YOUR HUSKIES!

* The Siberian Husky should never be clipped / shaved except in medical emergencies. Yes, there are "professional" groomers out there who will tell you to shave your Husky. They will even do it without asking your consent! There are vets who will tell you to shave your Husky. These vets are uninformed about the breed.

* Dogs do not sweat like humans. Their cooling process is done via panting from the mouth, sweating at the paws and cooling the blood in their ears. Shaving the dog does nothing to keep the dog cool. It just makes the human feel better when looking at the coated dog.

* The Siberian Husky has little to no pigmentation in its skin. If you shave the Husky, you expose it to the sun without protection. Now you have a dog that can come up with a variety of skin problems including skin cancer.

* Fur acts as a protection against insects and parasites. You remove that protection the dog is exposed to even more insect problems than he would have had if he had been allowed to keep is protective coat.

* Furthermore, if you clip or shave a Husky it will eventually ruin the coat and disturb the proper shedding process.

* Shaving/clipping makes Huskies more susceptible to skin allergies, sun burn and parasite infestation. The treatments for these problems can then lead to more serious conditions.

* The husky “color-coat” also known as the top coat works as the reflective barrier. Shaving this coat exposes the undercoat and when the two coats grow they no longer “blend” properly to allow the maximum protection necessary or maintain the look in which the husky is known for.

I hope that this will prevent people from shaving their poor Husky's beautiful, protective coat, and I hope it will also educate people so that they won't go telling Husky owners to shave their dogs!


Ways to Keep Your Husky Cool In the Heat

* For dogs that like to wade, lie or play in water, a plastic kiddie pool is AWESOME!

* If your Huskies like to play in water, let them run through the sprinkler with the kids!

* Make a "sand box" in your yard where your Huskies are allowed to dig. Many Huskies will dig ditches and lay in them to keep cool.

* ALWAYS make sure that your Husky has plenty of fresh, cool water!

* NEVER leave your Husky out in the heat for long periods of time without checking on them and giving them the option to come in and cool off!

* A cooling mat - You get it wet in the bath tub, wring it out, and then put it in the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes. Then put it in your dog's crate and they can lay on a nice icy cold mat!


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## jesirose (Mar 27, 2008)

Thanks for posting this.

When we got Sadie my DH's coworkers kept telling him we should shave her and I was like...no, I really don't think so. Now I have something to show them the next time someone mentions it. A lot of people in TX shave their dogs "because of the heat" and I think part of it may be lazy grooming. They don't have to brush the dog if it has no hair :/


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## Poodle & Sammy (Jun 24, 2008)

I agree. I would never clip my sammy either. The coat of a good polardog is lika a thermos - it keeps them warm in the winter and cool in the summer. We have had this discussion on a swedish board and some people says that we can´t blame americans to clip their dogs because there is a differant kind of insects and parasites and stuff.. I dont know..


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## acanoffleas (Jan 15, 2008)

Can you shave a husky? Yes. Should you? In my humble opinion, no. As a groomer, I feel one of my most important priorities is to educate, and frankly the vast majority of people who want their double coated breeds shaved want to do so b/c they think it will a) help keep the dog cool and b) reduce shedding. Both of these reasons are, unfortunately, not really factual. As already mentioned, the coat protects from the sun and helps to regulate temperature. As for shedding...you may not notice it as much because the hairs are just much shorter/smaller. Shaving a double coated dog risks ruining the coat texture. All this said, though, I will still shave them down if that is ultimately what the owner wants. 

If the dog is properly groomed on a regular basis you won't have to worry about shedding and an overheated dog. The undercoat is what causes the problems, and regular grooming removes that (i.e. brush out, bathe, and blow out).


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## Chiweenie (Jun 25, 2008)

Yes you can. I wouldn't though. I would tell the groomer to leave his/her fur a little bit longer than a shave. You can if you want, but thats my opinion.


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