The best conditioners for huskies are those that are very gentle on the skin and fur. We’re looking for conditioners free from harsh chemicals and soaps, made from natural products, and designed to boost the health of your husky’s coat and skin.
This guide will break down all the factors that go into choosing the ideal conditioner for huskies, the top 5 best options on the market today (for different needs), and a handy guide for how often you need to use conditioner on your husky. We’ll also address the question of whether huskies actually need a conditioner or not.
Let’s get straight into it.
Quick Note – Always consult with your veterinarian before implementing a conditioner into your husky’s grooming routine.
Contents
Our Top Pick
If you’re in a hurry and want to know the best conditioner for your husky, then look no further than the Earthbath Oatmeal & Aloe Dog & Cat Conditioner.
- pH Balanced For Sensitive Skin
- Soap Free So Doesn't Interfere With The Natural Oils Or Irritate Your Husky's Skin
- Paraben And Phthalate Free
It’s free from all the nasty chemicals while being very mild and pH-balanced, which are both incredibly important for huskies to keep their skin and coat healthy.
Do Huskies Even Need Conditioner?
Before we dive into the things you need to look out for in a good conditioning product, as well as our top 5 picks, it’s essential to know whether huskies need conditioner in the first place.
Some dog products can seem excessive or unnecessary, but conditioner is a product that we recommend you use on your husky for several reasons.
Conditioner soothes the skin, detangles fur, and makes it shinier and healthier. This differs from shampoo, which is used primarily to clean the fur.
Check out our top recommendations for husky shampoo here.
Conditioner isn’t necessary for all breeds, but it’s beneficial for huskies because they have thick double coats prone to becoming matted. Huskies can also be susceptible to having their skin dry out, and conditioner can help to soothe the skin.
Things To Look Out For In Husky Conditioners
Here’s a quick rundown of what you must consider when choosing a conditioner for your husky.
Don’t worry if this all sounds a bit complicated; we’ve considered all of these factors when selecting the products on the list.
pH
When we look at husky conditioners, it’s essential to consider the pH level.
We’re looking for neutral pH, which is the most gentle on their coat and skin. Acidic or alkaline pH levels should be avoided as these can harm the skin and interfere with the coat.
Ingredient List
The ingredient list is also where we need to focus most of our attention.
Harsh chemicals like parabens, phosphates, and others should be avoided as they can cause irritation and dry out the skin. They also interfere with the natural oils found within the husky’s coat, which is obviously not ideal.
We also want to avoid soap where possible, as this dries out the skin.
What About The USDA Organic Seal?
There’s a big misconception about the USDA organic seal and dog conditioner or even shampoo products.
Many people assume that the USDA organic seal is good, but it’s the opposite for these products for one simple reason – it requires a product to contain 100% natural soap.
Soap dries out the skin and coat of dogs very quickly, which is not something we want to happen as it can lead to issues like dry skin and interfere with the natural oils in your husky’s coat.
Top 5 Best Conditioners For Huskies
Now that we’re on the same page about what qualities we need from a conditioner to make it suitable for our huskies let’s look at the five best options on the market today.
1. Earthbath Oatmeal & Aloe Dog Conditioner
- pH Balanced For Sensitive Skin
- Soap Free So Doesn't Interfere With The Natural Oils Or Irritate Your Husky's Skin
- Paraben And Phthalate Free
Our top pick is this conditioner by Earthbath.
I particularly like this product because it has everything you need from a husky conditioner: pH-balanced, based on natural ingredients, and free from harsh chemicals.
It’s incredibly gentle on the coat, which is precisely what we are looking for. It also smells fantastic, too, particularly the vanilla and oatmeal version.
2. Buddy Wash Original Lavender & Mint Dog Conditioner Rinse
- pH-Balanced
- Mostly Made From Natural Ingredients
- Can Be Used Instead Of Or With Shampoo
This conditioner by Buddy Wash is very similar to our top pick; it’s free from harsh ingredients, pH balanced, and made with natural conditioners.
It’s a great alternative if you prefer the scent, and it’s also slightly cheaper, which isn’t something to overlook.
3. Furminator deShedding Ultra Premium Dog Conditioner
- Designed Specifically To Help With Breeds Prone To Shedding
- Free From Parabens, Artificial Colors And Chemical Dyes
- Works In Conjunction With The Shampoo Product For A Complete Grooming Routine
FURminator makes a great range of products, including not only the conditioner above but also shampoo and grooming tools that are all designed to be used together. Unsurprisingly, their shampoo also appeared in our roundup of the best husky shampoos.
I think their products are perfect if you want a complete grooming routine to follow; their conditioner specifically is made from natural products and free from the harsh chemicals that we want to avoid.
I recommend using this one during the coat-blowing season when your husky sheds excessively, as it’s ideal for dealing with shedding specifically.
4. TropiClean Lime & Cocoa Butter Deshedding Dog Conditioner
- Targets Shedding Specifically
- Derived From Natural Ingredients
- Soap Free
I wanted to include this conditioner by TropiClean because it can ship in 2.5-gallon bottles, which is ideal if you have more than one husky or other dog.
It’s also designed to be diluted, which means you’re getting a lot of bang for your buck compared to some of the other options in this list.
This isn’t the only reason, though; it’s soap-free and contains no parabens or dyes as well. It helps moisturize the skin and contains many natural ingredients that are gentle on the skin and coat.
5. Burt’s Bees Grapefruit Dog Shampoo & Conditioner
- Shampoo & Conditioner
- Plant-Based
- Well-Established Brand
Last but certainly not least is this 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner by Burt’s Bees.
Burt’s Bees is an incredibly well-established natural product brand, and their shampoo & conditioner is a great example of this. It’s based on natural products with neutral pH and smells amazing, too.
This is a good compromise if you don’t have time to use shampoo and conditioner separately.
How Often Should You Use Conditioner On Your Husky?
Conditioner can be used every time you bathe your husky.
This might sound too frequent, but you shouldn’t be bathing your husky very often as it is. Bathing should be done once every 3 or 4 months as necessary, which is why expensive conditioners are worth the investment, as you’ll only be using them a few times per year.
Huskies are excellent at maintaining their own coat, so bathing should only be done if they cannot clean their coat themselves (yep, huskies clean their own coats).
Using Conditioner During Coat-Blowing Season
A top tip that I learned many years ago is to use conditioner when your husky is blowing coat.
This doesn’t mean that you should bathe your husky more than usual. Still, using a deshedding conditioner like the FURminator conditioner in our list above can help your husky shed their fur quickly during this time of year.
Coat blowing should only occur twice yearly, so it can align nicely with your regular bathing routine.
In Summary
Conditioner makes a great addition to your husky’s bathing routine because it boosts skin and fur health, while shampoo can focus on cleaning the coat.
I highly recommend trying conditioner at least once to see how it improves the condition of your husky’s coat; you might be surprised at just how effective it is!