How To Groom A Husky: 5 Easy Steps & Owner Tips

Learning how to groom a Husky is one of the most important things that a responsible Husky owner should do.

Luckily, grooming a Husky doesn’t have to be complicated, but it is worth learning the correct process so you can groom their coat properly.

In this guide, I’ll share a quick and easy 5 step process for grooming your Husky, including the best tools for each step, the benefits of grooming, and much more.

Let’s get straight into it.

Why Do Huskies Need To Be Groomed In The First Place?

Huskies need to be groomed because they have a thick double coat that is prone to becoming tangled or matted, not to mention how easily it can get caught with debris.

If you don’t know what a double coat is, it just means that the fur is split up into two distinct layers: a short, wooly undercoat and a longer guard layer that protects the skin and furbelow.

Grooming your Husky has a lot of benefits, which will be discussed later in more detail, but for now, let’s focus on learning how to groom a Husky properly.

Grooming A Husky’s Double Coat in 5 Easy Steps

The secret to grooming your Husky properly is to use the right types of brushes – see our recommendations here – in the correct order.

This way, you can target both layers of their coat to remove all the dead or loose hairs and deal with any matted areas.

Step 1 – Slicker Brush

The first step of the process is to use is to use a slicker brush

Slicker brushes are designed to comb through the undercoat and remove loose hairs, which makes them especially useful for the thick undercoat of the Husky.

It’s best to start around the neck and rump, where matting is most common, and don’t forget to target the legs and stomach.

Step 2 – Dematter Comb

The next stage of Husky grooming is using a dematter comb.

Dematter combs have a serrated edge that gently removes matted areas from your Husky’s coat. I’m not going to lie; your Husky probably won’t like this part of the grooming process, but it’s crucial to deal with tough mats and remove them quickly.

Choosing the right dematting comb is crucial because many brands have brushes that are too harsh on the coat and remove too much hair.

Step 3 – Undercoat Rake

An undercoat rake is used after the dematter comb, and no Husky owner’s toolkit is complete without one of these rakes.

Undercoat rakes target the short, wooly, dense undercoat of your Husky and remove loose hairs without damaging the topcoat.

Again, it’s crucial to choose an undercoat rake that isn’t too harsh on the undercoat while still removing hairs effectively. Avoid serrated undercoat rakes and those prioritizing removing as many hairs as possible.

Step 4 – Grooming Comb

This stage is the easiest of all five and involves using a simple grooming comb to target loose hairs or matted areas that have been missed.

Grooming combs work best on the outer coat, but by this point, the undercoat should have been groomed fully.

Step 5 – Bristle Brush

The final step is using a bristle or rounded pin brush.

Bristle brushes or rounded pin brushes are gentle on the coat and allow you to have a quick once-over of your Husky’s coat to make sure there aren’t any areas you’ve missed.

These help to lay the coat flat and in the natural direction, and it’s a great way to help your Husky relax after a long grooming session.

Bonus Tip – Nail Clipping

Huskies shouldn’t need their nails clipped often as they are active and should be exercising daily, which will naturally wear them down.

You can use doggy nail clippers with safety guards to clip them when needed, though, as this will make grooming easier and safer! You can find full details of this process here if you’re not confident clipping your Husky’s nails.

How Often Should You Groom Your Husky?

The steps above are for a full grooming routine – you don’t need to do this every single day.

You’ll only need to follow the steps above once or twice per week at most, and for daily grooming, I’d recommend just using a slicker brush for a few minutes to get rid of any loose hairs quickly.

Red husky blowing coat
If your Husky is blowing their coat, you will have to groom them more often.

The frequency does change if your Husky is blowing coat, though, which is the process where they transition into and out of their summer coats, which happens twice per year on average.

What About Bathing?

Bathing your Husky can be beneficial for their coat, but you shouldn’t bathe them often as the coat of the Husky is great at maintaining itself, and too frequent bathing will actually cause more harm than good.

Before bathing, brushing their coat is a good idea as it can loosen up the fur and make it easier to get into their coat with shampoo and conditioner.

What To Do If Your Husky Doesn’t Like To Be Groomed

Luckily for us Husky owners, they are quite good at cleaning themselves, much like cats do.

This only works so far, though, and if your Husky is afraid or too stubborn to be groomed, you need to address the behavior so you can maintain their coat and check for any health problems relating to their skin or coat.

Starting from a young age is obviously the best idea here, but that doesn’t apply to all situations. For example, if you adopt an older Husky that is already afraid of being groomed.

Here are some tips you can use right now, no matter how old your Husky is, to help them get used to being groomed.

Pick The Right Time

Timing is everything if your Husky doesn’t like to be groomed.

Avoid times like just before lunch or exercise when your Husky will naturally be more energetic than usual. I’ve found that the best time to groom my Huskies is during the evening when they’ve been exercised and are relaxing in their beds.

For you, this might be a different time, like after your morning run, but you get the idea.

Consider Using A Grooming Glove

If your Husky still doesn’t want to be groomed when tired, consider using a grooming glove.

I’ll admit, these aren’t the best for grooming your Husky properly, but they’re a great starting point to introduce them to grooming in a low-stress way.

Grooming gloves mimic the act of petting your Husky with your hand, so if your Husky doesn’t let you go near them with a brush, try one of these gloves instead.

Use Treats

Distraction is another great way to groom your Husky.

Take a handful of their favorite treats and offer them to your Husky regularly while you gently try to groom them.

It helps to have two people for this if your Husky is especially nervous or stubborn, with one person feeding treats and the other gently grooming from the side or back.

Don’t be afraid to feed them a lot of treats; as long as they’re low-calorie, it’s worthwhile to be able to groom their coats and make sure there aren’t any severe mats or tangles.

Benefits Of Grooming Your Husky

Grooming your Husky has many benefits, not just in maintaining their coat either.

Control Shedding

One of the main benefits of grooming your Husky regularly is that it helps to control shedding.

Grooming won’t stop your Husky from shedding, but it does let you remove most of the dead or loose hairs in a couple of minutes, rather than the hairs getting all over your house.

It’s especially useful for the excessive shedding that your Husky will do when they blow their coat.

Bonding Experience

Huskies are very affectionate and love spending as much time with you as possible. Many people forego grooming because of the effort it takes, without considering the quality time it allows you to spend with your pup (never mind the other benefits).

Winding down a grooming season with a bristle brush is ideal because it gives you time to bond with your Husky and spend some quality time with them. Over time, they’ll come to look forward to being groomed if they aren’t already.

Check For Any Other Health Problems

An underrated benefit of grooming your Husky is being able to check their coat and skin for any signs of a health issue.

For example, you might notice patches of dry skin that could be a sign of zinc deficiency or zinc-responsive dermatosis, which is common in Northern breeds like the Husky.

Another common example would be spotting signs of fleas or ticks, which could be causing your Husky lots of irritation and causing them to chew or scratch at their skin.

Coat Maintenance

Grooming is the best way to keep your Husky’s coat healthy and mat-free.

As I mentioned before, bathing can help, but you shouldn’t bathe a Husky often because it can have a negative impact on the natural oils found within the double coat. Grooming doesn’t damage the coat and instead helps to maintain it and keep it mat-free.

In Summary

If you don’t groom your Husky regularly, start now!

Grooming helps to maintain their coat and keep it free from tangles or mats that can become irritating and painful. It’s also a great bonding experience, and you can stay on top of other issues like fleas, ticks, or medical problems affecting the skin or coat.

As long as you have the right tools, fully grooming your Husky’s coat shouldn’t take more than 10 or 20 minutes.

Photo of author

About The Author

Caitlin is the owner and lead writer for The Malamute Mom. She has over 10 years of experience with Alaskan Malamutes and Huskies. She is currently working on getting her PhD in materials science but continues to write for The Malamute Mom in her spare time.

Read More

Leave a comment