That time of year is upon us! That's right time to drop that winter coat and get ready for summer! Time to start getting out there and brushing dogs Remember a Siberian's coat not only keeps them warm in the winter but protects their delicate skin and keeps them cooler in the summer please don't shave your Siberian unless it is medically necessary!

This picture diagram is an excellent visual of how the coat actually functions-

Thanks for posting this! I've been having quite a few husky "experts" telling me to shave my dogs and I knew it was a bad idea but could never explain why.

Hi Lani,

is there any special technique you recommend for brushing? Is it always head to tail, switching it up tail to head....?

Thanks for your help and for posting those cool diagrams.

THANK YOU for posting this. I have argued, many times, with friends and family that you should not shave a siberian- keep them well brushed but don't shave them. I might have to share this if you don't mind.

Please feel free to share I'm glad people are finding it helpful

We had lots of people telling us to "Make sure to shave him since it's so hot". I really didn't want to because the coat is SO beautiful! Shaved huskies just don't look like huskies anymore.

I was happy when I found out that shaving them was actually worse for them. I now felt "OK" that I didn't have to! I have seen some shaved huskies down here though.

I've come across several people who have asked if we shaved ours during the summer months, typically people who don't know anything about huskies either. I explain to them how it's actually worse for them, and I learned that pretty young from my grandparents who bred/showed Newfoundlands. The same applies to them too.

But I have seen several shaved huskies, a girl I went to high school with shaves hers, and I just always internally sigh and feel bad for the pup. I luckily haven't come across anyone telling me that I should shave ours though. I'd probably get pretty grumpy.

Haha, I would get grumpy now, too!

Yup people keep asking if we are going to and now I am very thankful to have an answer to why we won't be!

I feel like you can tell who actually knows about the breed and who doesn't by if they shave or recommend shaving a husky.

Very true! I just realized you live in FL too, btw! Hehe.

Its also people's personality types. My father is certain he knows everything about everything and everyone, and he keeps telling me we'll have to shave him.

Needless to say, I will never be leaving him to be baby sat by my father, in case I come home to a shaved puppy...

I wish that people would join forums and do some research before getting a husky. This last weekend I took my husky to a car show and she was getting just as many looks as the cars were. Alot of people would tell me how pretty she was. There was alot of people that would call her a boy (that kind of gets on my nerves because I thought that the pink collar, harness, and leash would tell people that she is indeed a girl). There was alot of people who would argue with me about her breed being directly linked with a wolf. There was some people (with very young kids) I hoped I talked out of getting a wolf/husky hybrid. Then there was a few that was asking when I would get her shaved. They thought that they knew what they were talking about and was trying to make it look like I am a bad pet owner if I dont get her shaved. I tried to tell them that it was a bad idea as nice as I could but it was almost like talking to a brick wall. They would try to tell me that they owned huskies before. I feel sorry for those huskies.

GREAT INFO.

Thanks for sharing.. The rule I have heard is you DO NOT shave dogs with Fur. You can shave or cut dogs hair that have hair like poodles and the such.