Husky Shedding: Veterinary Insight & Top Owner Tips

Husky shedding is a problem that all Husky owners will face, but it doesn’t have to be a significant issue.

There’s no denying that Huskies shed a lot, but it will be much easier to deal with if you stay on top of grooming and do it correctly. Other things, such as feeding a high-quality diet and using de-shedding shampoo during bathing, can also be beneficial here.

In this guide, I’ll share my top tips for dealing with Husky shedding and what you can expect from your Husky regarding shedding if you’re new to the breed.

Let’s get into it.

The Husky Coat

Before we get into the specifics of Husky shedding, it’s important to know a little about the Husky coat and how it works, as this affects the type and amount of shedding that your Husky will do.

Huskies have a thick double coat, which means their coat is split into two layers.

The first layer is a short, dense, wooly undercoat that traps air against the skin, providing insulation. The neat thing about this is it can also trap cold air, which provides a cooling effect for your Husky in hot weather.

The second layer is a long guard coat that protects the skin and undercoat beneath. The primary function of this layer is to protect everything underneath from moisture and debris.

Both of these coats work in tandem to insulate your Husky and keep their coat clean; Huskies also self-groom, much like a cat, which helps them to keep their coats clean most of the time.

How Much Do Huskies Shed?

Huskies shed a lot, and a lot more than most other dog breeds.

Expect any furniture to get covered in hair right from the get-go, and you’ll also have to groom your Husky very often (more details on this shortly).

Year Round Shedding

Huskies shed moderately year-round, especially in warmer places.

Many people assume that Huskies only shed when they’re seasonally shedding, but this isn’t the case.

Seasonal Husky Shedding

As well as year-round shedding, Huskies will also shed much more intensely twice per year on average in a process known as blowing coat.

This seasonal shedding occurs before the summer in March/April time and after the summer in September/October, although the exact months can vary.

In Spring, coat blowing helps your Husky shed much of their thick undercoat to make it easier for them to withstand the warmer temperatures in the summer.

Similarly, in the fall, your Husky will blow their coat to prepare for the colder months, and you’ll see a change in the density of their undercoat.

Coat blowing can last anywhere from one week to several weeks.

Tips For Managing Husky Shedding

There isn’t much you can do to stop your Husky from shedding, as it’s a natural process and something that all healthy Huskies should be doing.

Instead of trying to stop them from shedding, it’s better to manage the shedding to make it less of a problem.

If your Husky is losing hair excessively, then something could be wrong, and you can find a troubleshooting guide for that here if you’re concerned.

Regular Grooming

Regularly grooming your Husky is the best advice I can give to any new Husky owners.

Grooming helps to remove dead hairs and target mats, meaning less shedding all over your house and more hairs removed during grooming that can be put straight into the garbage.

You should groom your Husky most days quickly with a regular grooming comb for maintenance, but this should only take a few minutes at most. Outside of that, I recommend grooming them properly once or twice weekly, following our article’s protocol.

This procedure involves several types of brushes, including an undercoat rake (see our top pick below), which is ideal for targeting the undercoat to reduce shedding.

When you start to implement regular grooming, you’ll notice a stark difference in the amount of shed hair around the home, and it will also benefit your Husky greatly by preventing any mats in their fur that can irritate them and even cause pain.

It’s also an ideal time to check for any ticks or fleas and any dry skin.

Professional Grooming

On the topic of grooming, having a professional groomer look after your Husky is a great idea as long as they have experience with double-coated breeds.

You don’t want your Husky to be bathed every time they’re groomed, and any reputable groomer will know never to shave your Husky, either.

Before you pay someone to groom your Husky, ask for their experience with double-coated breeds specifically.

Bathing

Bathing your Husky can be beneficial to help them with shedding, especially if you use a de-shedding shampoo like the one below.

However, you shouldn’t bathe a Husky often because it interferes with the natural function of the double coat. This may sound contradictory, but let me explain.

You only need to bathe your Husky when their coat is too dirty for them to clean themselves, which usually works out a few times per year. If you can time the bathing when they’re blowing coat, it can be beneficial to help them shed their undercoat, and you can use de-shedding shampoo to help with the process.

So, if your Husky hasn’t been bathed in a while, you can try bathing them during the coat-blowing season using a de-shedding shampoo to help speed up the shedding process.

Using the correct type of shampoo is crucial, and you can find our top picks here that are pH-neutral and soap-free.

Get Their Diet Right

Your Husky’s diet will play a pivotal role in their coat’s health, directly impacting how much they’ll shed.

It’s important to ensure their diet consists of a high-quality protein source and plenty of fatty acids and other vitamins and minerals. Most good quality dog food should consist of these ingredients, and I personally use Orijen grain-free.

This usually isn’t a problem, but if you feed your Husky a raw diet, there’s always a possibility that they are lacking certain nutrients.

You can also supplement with fish oils, which are super high in Omega-3s and directly contribute to coat health.

Use A Vacuum

Vacuums are invaluable with Huskies, especially those designed to pick up fur from fabric and other surfaces.

A good vacuum will help you stay on top of your Husky’s shedding and keep the surfaces in your house much cleaner. You can check out my recommendations for Husky vacuums here if you’re struggling with this issue.

You should never shave a Husky, and there are many reasons why this is a bad idea;

• Shaving exposes the skin to the sun and wind, which can lead to sunburn and windburn.
• Your Husky’s fur helps them to regulate their temperature (remember the insulation property of the undercoat?). Without it, they will quickly get too cold or too hot.
• Their coat might not grow back in the same way, which can lead to patches where the coat is a different length.

You should only shave your Husky if your veterinarian recommends it to deal with a health problem.

In Summary

Unless you have a Husky mix less prone to shedding, dealing with Husky shedding is part of owning these wonderful dogs.

As long as you stay on top of grooming and feed your Husky a high-quality, nutritionally complete diet, shedding shouldn’t be too much of a problem. If you decide to take your Husky for a professional groom, always ask if they have experience with Huskies, as they require special treatment due to their double coats.

I always recommend that Husky owners purchase a vacuum so you can quickly clean up the hair; a few minutes of vacuuming a day can make a big difference.