Being a true northern dog, the Siberian has a double coat consisting of a thick, soft undercoat and an outer coat of longer, coarse guard hairs. The guard hairs are naturally oily and, in winter, can produce a fleeting, faint charcoal smell in the fur when your dog comes inside from a romp in the cold. More important, the naturally occurring oils in the outer coat provide a measure of water resistance, a survival trait in arctic climates where staying dry is a matter of life or death.
Moisture and dirt tend to collect on the guard hairs, whereas the undercoat stays clean and dry. A good shake is usually all it takes to remove snow, dust, or dirt from the outer coat. As a result, the Siberian Husky is a naturally clean dog and should never develop a “doggie” odor. If your Siberian lives in your home, he will need, at most, two baths a year.
Bath time for this breed is usually late spring, coinciding with the shedding of the undercoat. Most breeds of dogs shed, but the Siberian Husky produces a veritable hair explosion – hence the term blowing coat. The quantity of hair on a Siberian is so abundant that some owners collect and spin it into enough yarn to make a hat and matching scarf. If dog hair in your house is an issue, this should be a factor when deciding whether to acquire a Siberian Husky.
Shedding occurs over the course of six to eight weeks, starting with visible tufting on the legs, and moves up the body to the top line. The hair of the tail and britches (longer hair on the rear of the thigh) is usually the last to become loose. Loose hair on the haunches, neck, and tail will form mats without regular combing. You can speed up the shedding process with a warm soak or two, and vigorous daily brushing.
As soon as you see that first tuft of loose hair, comb your dog from head to tail. The best tool for this job is a “greyhound” comb – a stainless-steel comb with 1 1/8-inch (28 mm) teeth, widely spaced on one half and closely spaced on the other. Several brands are available at most good pet stores, especially those carrying dog-showing supplies. Use the widely spaced tooth side of your comb first, to untangle and loosen dead hair.
Switch to the closely spaced tooth side and comb your Siberian until you can run the comb through his coat quickly, in any direction, without resistance. If your dog seems to blow his entire undercoat all at once, you might consider investing in an undercoat rake to get at the denser parts of the coat. The rake has very widely spaced teeth positioned at a right angle to its handle, and is specifically designed to pull dense, loose undercoat through guard hair. With a gentle but firm touch, rake about a 6-inch swath at a time.
If you find a mat, first separate it lengthwise into two mats with your fingers. Keep pulling the mats apart into smaller mats until you can gently untangle them with a comb. Tangle remover, a liquid available at pet stores, may be helpful if your Siberian Husky’s coat mats easily. Putting your dog up on a grooming table, picnic table, or other stable, elevated platform will make grooming an easier daily process for your back and indicate to the dog that this isn’t playtime.
As shedding progresses, a timely bath will clean the skin, hasten the removal of loose hair, and accelerate the loosening of dead, but still attached, hair. Shampoos formulated for humans are not suitable for use on Siberian Huskies. A dog’s skin has an alkaline ph, whereas human skin has an acidic ph. Human products will irritate your dog’s skin and excessively dry out his coat.
Use a good shampoo formulated for dogs, or diluted dish soap: three parts water to one part liquid soap. Don’t bathe your Siberian Husky with flea shampoo unless he has fleas!
In warm weather, you can bathe your Siberian outside, using a kiddie pool and a garden hose. If the planned bath includes a warm soak to hasten shedding, or the weather is cool, you’ll want to bathe your dog in a bathtub or enclosed shower stall using a handheld sprayer attached to the faucet or shower head. In either case, save the face and ears for last.
Begin just behind the ears, working back and down, to wet your dog to the skin. He will want to follow the sprayer with his nose, so lift his muzzle Slightly above parallel to keep water out of his ears while you are drenching his neck. Work the lather through the coat to the skin, paying particular attention to the longer hair of his ruff (coat around his neck), haunches (the hip and thigh), and tail. Use a nail brush on his legs and feet if they are very dirty.
Rinse thoroughly, working down and back from the neck, then rinse some more. Every trace of shampoo must be removed to prevent soap residue from burning your Siberian’s skin. A wet cloth, rinsed often, is all you will normally need to clean his face and external ears.
The advantage of bathing your Siberian Husky outside is that when he shakes, the water that flies out of his coat is outside as well. If he’s been bathed in the bathtub, keep one hand on his head while you quickly pull the shower curtain closed, then let him shake once or twice before toweling. Your Siberian will race around, roll, and shake vigorously after a bath, so towel-dry him as much as possible before turning him loose in the house, and don’t turn him loose in the yard if it’s wet or muddy.
Be aware that it can take between 10 and 12 hours for a Siberian Husky in full coat to air-dry, even longer in humid climates. So, if you don’t want a damp dog in the house for that long, an ambient-air, high-velocity dog dryer is your friend. In addition to blowing water out of your Siberian’s coat, these high-velocity dryers are powerful enough to blow dead hair and loose dander right off the dog.
During the height of shedding season, 15 minutes every other day, a pin brush, and the dryer will do wonders to keep your Siberian Husky’s hair outside – where songbirds can use it as nesting material. Dryers also make it easier for you to inspect your Siberian’s skin for ticks and sores.
Although you might think shaving your Siberian Husky in summer will make him more comfortable, you would be wrong. The Siberian’s coat insulates him from both excessive heat and cold, and it protects his skin from the sun and insects. As long as your Siberian Husky has adequate ventilation, available shade, and fresh water, he will be just fine in even the warmest climate. Removing the coat will make it difficult for your dog to regulate his body temperature, and will leave his skin exposed to sunburn and every insect that flies by. Except for medical reasons, the Siberian’s coat is not to be cut or shaved – ever.
Grooming Supplies for Siberian Husky
The Siberian Husky is a wash-and-wear dog, no endless grooming required. You’ll need the following to keep your dog groomed to the nines:
Must have
✓ Greyhound comb
✓ Pin brush
✓ Nail clippers and styptic powder
✓ Scissors (small, sharp)
✓ Shampoo formulated for dogs
✓ Toothbrush and toothpaste formulated for dogs
Nice to have
✓ Coat rake
✓ Tangle remover (liquid)
✓ Self-rinsing shampoo
✓ Ambient-air, high-velocity blow dryer
✓ Grooming table and arm
