Husky Halfway House Foundation
Husky Grooming
Bathing
Did you know? Huskies, malamutes & other northern breeds have a special "hydrophobic" coating on their fur. Hydrophobic means, literally, water (hydro) fearing (phobic). It repels water from penetrating their dense undercoat and getting down to their skin. This is to protect them in harsh winter environments, but it has an added benefit - because they repel water, they don't get stinky like other dog breeds!
As such, huskies and other northern breeds only to be bathed about once every 4 months, or only if they get really dirty.
Shampoo recommendations:
Burt's Bees
Aroma Paws
TropiClean
Chi
Some northern breed owners like to use specialized dog blow dryers (ex. K9 Dryer), while others towel dry. If you're bathing at home, you might find the AquaPaw hose attachment helpful for scrubbing & rinsing! https://www.aquapaw.com/
Brushes
There are lots of different dog brushes out there but some are better than others when it comes to tackling huskies and their double coats! So what brush is best to use? (Click the bold/underline text to be redirected to where to buy these brushes.)
Undercoat Rake: These heavy-duty metal brushes are meant for use on dogs with thick, double coats to effortlessly move through the dense fur and remove dead and shedded coat.
Bristle Brush: These brushes are not hardy enough to get through the dense fur of huskies. Skip these!
Pin Brush: Just like bristle brushes, pin brushes won't get to the deep undercoat. Don't waste your money!
Slicker Brush: These come in many varieties but they all work in the same way. Soft, short wires are placed close together on a flat brush head and work quickly to easily eliminate the shedding undercoat and any matted fur.
Deshedding "Blade": Unlike the furminator, these don't actually cut your dog's fur and are great for removing the outer coat/adding shine.
The final verdict? Only you can decide what brushes are the absolute best for you and your dog, but our vote is on the undercoat rake & slicker brush combo!
Shaving
Bottom line - point blank, period - NEVER, EVER, EVER shave your husky (or any other double-coated breed of dog). Except in very specific medical or neglect cases, double coated dogs like huskies and malamutes should never be shaved. Brushing should be done to ensure their coat is in optimal condition, but no shaving is needed. Their coats are designed to keep them cool in the warmer months, and warm in the cooler months. Shaving their coat will actually make them hotter/colder, possibly lead to sun burns & skin cancer, and the coat doesn't always grow back or grow back as it once was. Again - NEVER. EVER. SHAVE. YOUR. HUSKY.
Nail Trims
Taking care of your husky's nails is of utmost importance. Long nails cause discomfort for the dog and if left untreated for too long, can cause arthritis or even joint deformity. When the nail is too long, it causes the toes to sit unnaturally and the dog is forced to walk on the feet wrong. Discomfort from long nails can also cause "inexplicable" aggression ("my feet hurt and now I'm mad!"). When introducing your husky to the nail trimmers for the first time, make it short and sweet. Show them the clippers and give them lots of treats, encouragement and patience. Don't trim the nails until they are comfortable with seeing and being touched by the clippers themselves. Practice touching your husky's paws with the clippers (without actually cutting the nails). Then move on to clipping one nail at a time. You might have to take breaks in between nails.
If you are too uncomfortable to cut their nails on your own, or if you worry you won't do it correctly, that's okay! Take your husky to any local groomer. Most groomers will handle the nail trim for under $20. Some groomers like Petsmart allow walk-ins with no appointments. Check with your local groomer for pricing & policies. Groomers will require your husky be up-to-date on all necessary vaccines.