# Qiestions about Siberian Huskies and warm weather



## Wag_More (Jun 7, 2011)

I purchased a mixed breed puppy nearly a year ago, content with whatever breeds happened to be in her. I found out later that her mother was a Siberian Husky. As Aura (my dog) grew up, it became more and more obvious that she was half Husky, even more in personality than in appearance. While at first her 'husky-ness' was a challenge, I adapted and grew to love all the traits she clearly inherited from her mother (even the Houdini escape acts, loud singing/talking, and the endless thrill of leash pulling). I've decided that I love this breed, and I want to see more of it in the future... here's the tricky bit..

In a year or two, me and my husband are relocating from BC, Canada to Dallas, Texas. I'm not worried about Aura, her coat is short and not too thick, she'll be ok in the heat (her dad was part lab, and she seemed to get her coat mostly from him).. but what about future Huskies? I've heard that they are good at adapting to different climates, but would Texas simply too much for a double coated northern breed?

This really isn't an issue at the moment, we wont be moving for a while yet and don't plan to get another dog soon, but if another Husky is out of the question then I want to come to terms with it sooner than later!

Thank you for reading


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## Niraya (Jun 30, 2011)

Siberians can do perfectly fine in hot weather. Obviously you can't leaver hem outside in the heat, but their fur doesn't only insulate them from the cold. So he/she would have to be in air conditioning but they're very adaptable dogs. Just don't exercise them a lot in the heat - you know the deal. The Siberian actually might not even develop as thick a coat as normal because of the heat.

Also, heir fur helps to regulate their temperature in the heat - so don't shave them because you think they'll be too hot


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## Wag_More (Jun 7, 2011)

Sounds like me and a Husky would be a match made in heaven in Texas. As a Northern born human I also require copious amounts of AC and absolutely no exercising in the heat, lol. Thanks for the info! I had a feeling you'd pipe up 



Which actually brings me to another point, for anyone who lives in Texas or an equally hot area... please don't laugh at me for asking this (take pity on a Canadian here) .. do I have to put booties on Aura to walk her down the sidewalk in the heat? Seems to me that pavement would be very very hot and unkind to her pads. How do we handle this?


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## Niraya (Jun 30, 2011)

I'm glad to help!!
I also totally get the whole AC thing since I'm from the north as well 

I put paw wax on Bella. I just started it for the winter to protect her pads from the salt that they put on he roads and so the gravel and what not from the pavement doesnt tear op her pads. That's suppose to help also. Look into mushers secret.


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## Niraya (Jun 30, 2011)

Also, I apologize for all of my spelling errors! The SO is on my computer and I'm on my iPhone


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## heat_2008 (Feb 10, 2009)

Huskies can indeed do just fine in warm weather, they can play in the sun for a bit as long as they have some water and shade. I wouldn't leave them out there too long tho, if they don't have a free path indoors to the AC they'll let you know when they're ready. My girl can run around for about an hour outside if she wants, it's not quite as hot as TX where I live though. 

Still they'll do fine as long as they have shade and water while out, and some AC to come in to.


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## Wag_More (Jun 7, 2011)

> I put paw wax on Bella. I just started it for the winter to protect her pads from the salt that they put on he roads and so the gravel and what not from the pavement doesnt tear op her pads. That's suppose to help also. Look into mushers secret.


Oooh, ok, thats sounds like a really good solution, thanks! Aura never could get used to snow boots, lol. 



> Huskies can indeed do just fine in warm weather, they can play in the sun for a bit as long as they have some water and shade. I wouldn't leave them out there too long tho, if they don't have a free path indoors to the AC they'll let you know when they're ready. My girl can run around for about an hour outside if she wants, it's not quite as hot as TX where I live though


This sounds managable. I'm a big fan of doggy-doors (I'll have to look into magnetic ones or something, so as not to jack up my electricity bill TOO much..)



Thanks for all the advice! I feel much more optimistic now


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## Niraya (Jun 30, 2011)

I really like the wax! It's also good if you have hardwood or lamanent floors and your Siberian can't walk well on them 

As it helps to prevent slipping and sliding!


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## Wag_More (Jun 7, 2011)

> I really like the wax! It's also good if you have hardwood or lamanent floors and your Siberian can't walk well on them
> 
> As it helps to prevent slipping and sliding!


hahahaha this is so true! I may just get some of this stuff now, Aura has the hardest time with our linoleum. High energy + linoleum = hilarity, but I'm sure she would appreciate a little traction!


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## Niraya (Jun 30, 2011)

It's really good for that! We have linoleum in our kitchen (which isn't huge but big enough) Bella does really well on it. You put her on any other slippery surface that isn't our kitchen though and her feet just go a mile a minute under her as she tries to get traction/balance.


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## Charis (Jul 12, 2009)

I'll throw out our routine - since we live in the Dallas area and have a husky.

During the summer it is humid and hot! I hate being outside. Start now finding a good inside game - we use a fox on a string for her to chase in the apt - to wear down energy inside due to the heat. We use wax as well and try to stay on grass as much as possible. We took our long walk in the early morning (before 9am - any later and it starts getting hot!) and if I was off work we walked after dark in the evening for the second walk. The dogs learned to do their business fast. 
Look up H2M2 on facebook/google. It is a local group of husky owners that meet a few times a month in the Dallas area at various dog parks. 
It does get cold in the winter (probably not as cold as Canada) but chilly none the less - Misty loves it! After about Oct. it is cool enough to walk whenever you want (it is still warm but not horrible). 
My girls are indoor only (I have no yard) and she does fine in Dallas in the summer (because she spends all day in the AC ). Dallas and huskies can mix - you just need to do a few extra things.
If you need any dog park locations, dog suppliers, etc - let me know. I live in the DFW area and I would be more than willing to help you. There are tons of suburbs around Dallas (I live in one and I am 30 minutes from downtown Dallas). You may be in for culture shock moving to Texas (unless you are from around here). No - we don't all wear cowboy hats, own horses or work on ranches. Although that is pretty common


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## hanksimon (Mar 18, 2009)

We're also in the DFW area. Welcome to Texas, we really do say Howdy and ya'll !

We had extreme weather this past year, nearly a month of winter and 2 weeks of it was below freezing ... you could see it during the SuperBowl  Then, in the summer, we had a record 3 mos of drought and 100+ degree weather. 

You can still condition to exercise in the heat. I expect that your husky will blow his coat and adapt to the heat, probably less active in the summer, but as long as he has shade and plenty of water (I have two buckets in the yard), he'll do OK. In fact, my Lab mix sleeps in the sun when the temperature is below 90 degrees - early summer.

When the temperature is in the 100s, I walk my dog twice a day, just before sun rise and just after sunset. Since I walk him every day, he and I get conditioned to the heat, and his pads get toughened to walk on the street. For that reason alone, I strongly recommend a good walk every afternoon. Walking in the sun, when the temp is 105 - 110 is rough, but once the sun goes down, it is still hot, but doesn't feel as bad. Then, he gets plenty of water when we get back.

BTW, the Stockyards in Fort Worth have a cattle walk in the street and rodeos when it is cooler. And, Denton TX just north of DFW is one of the horse capitals of the US. (We also have peacocks, armadillos, ostriches, camels, and other critters that like heat. I was surprised to learn we even have beavers!)


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## Poly (Sep 19, 2007)

Wag_More said:


> .. do I have to put booties on Aura to walk her down the sidewalk in the heat? Seems to me that pavement would be very very hot and unkind to her pads. How do we handle this?


(1) *Musher's Secret* - great for walking on hot pavement in the summer and on treated surfaces in the winter. 

(2) If you're doing 'serious work' in the summer - or anytime- and you're concerned about potential pad injuries - *Pad Heal* is the way to go. Smells like h*ll and can stain if you're not careful, but it really works.


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## Wag_More (Jun 7, 2011)

> If you need any dog park locations, dog suppliers, etc - let me know. I live in the DFW area and I would be more than willing to help you. There are tons of suburbs around Dallas (I live in one and I am 30 minutes from downtown Dallas). You may be in for culture shock moving to Texas (unless you are from around here). No - we don't all wear cowboy hats, own horses or work on ranches. Although that is pretty common


Thanks! When we do move (1 year, 2 max) we're going to be fish out of water. We don't know the first thing about the area. My Husband traveled there to tend to the house, but I've never ventured any further south than Oregon. Its going to be one hell of a culture shock, yes! We're going to be in a suburb as well, in Cedar Hill, which will only add to my being out of place (I've lived my whole life on a farm. I sure will miss that, the horses too)





> BTW, the Stockyards in Fort Worth have a cattle walk in the street and rodeos when it is cooler. And, Denton TX just north of DFW is one of the horse capitals of the US. (We also have peacocks, armadillos, ostriches, camels, and other critters that like heat. I was surprised to learn we even have beavers!)


I will definitely have to check that out! We have a rodeo that comes through twice a year where I live now, which I'll miss attending. I'm glad to hear that DFW is equestrian, I've owned horses my whole life but never been able to afford lessons (that might sound a bit contradictory, but any professional farmer can understand how this is possible) and I would love to finally learn some riding skills haha. I'm quite surprised to hear you have Beavers.. In the wild? I've also been told by a man from Oklahoman that Texas has cockroaches (quote) "big enough to throw a saddle on"... but then we have Cougars in Canada, so I suppose it balances out, haha. (And Moose. Moose are surprisingly violent.)


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## Niraya (Jun 30, 2011)

I have family in Houston, Texas and I've heard the stories of the giant cockroaches.  It's terrifying.

Also of the lizards and armadillos that will reside in your yard.


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