Public Service Announcement: DON'T SHAVE YOUR HUSKIES!

Just about this time every year, people start asking my mom why she doesn't shave me in the spring and summer when the weather turns warm. Since many other breeds like Labs, Golden Retreivers, Poodles and Irish Setters can have their hair trimmed or shaved and usualy have their fur shorter in the summer, people think it would be a good idea to shave Huskies since our fur is so thick. So my mom and I put together some reasons not to shave your Husky (these go for Alaskan Malamutes too):

Reasons Not to Shave Your Huskies!!!

• The Siberian Husky should never be clipped / shaved except in medical emergencies. Yes, there are "professional" groomers out there who will tell you to shave your Husky. They will even do it without asking your consent! There are vets who will tell you to shave your Husky. These vets are uninformed about the breed.
  
• Dogs do not sweat like humans. Their cooling process is done via panting from the mouth, sweating at the paws and cooling the blood in their ears. Shaving the dog does nothing to keep the dog cool. It just makes the human feel better when looking at the coated dog.
  
• The Siberian Husky has little to no pigmentation in its skin. If you shave the Husky, you expose it to the sun without protection. Now you have a dog that can come up with a variety of skin problems including skin cancer.
  
• Fur acts as a protection against insects and parasites. You remove that protection the dog is exposed to even more insect problems than he would have had if he had been allowed to keep is protective coat.
  
• Furthermore, if you clip or shave a Husky it will eventually ruin the coat and disturb the proper shedding process.
  
• Shaving/clipping makes Huskies more susceptible to skin allergies, sun burn and parasite infestation. The treatments for these problems can then lead to more serious conditions.
  
• The husky “color-coat” also known as the top coat works as the reflective barrier. Shaving this coat exposes the undercoat and when the two coats grow they no longer “blend” properly to allow the maximum protection necessary or maintain the look in which the husky is known for.

I hope that this will prevent people from shaving their poor Husky's beautiful, protective coat, and I hope it will also educate people so that they won't go telling Husky owners to shave their dogs!

Ways to Keep Your Husky Cool In the Heat

• For dogs that like to wade, lie or play in water, a plastic kiddie pool is AWESOME!
  
• If your Huskies like to play in water, let them run through the sprinkler with the kids!
  
• Make a "sand box" in your yard where your Huskies are allowed to dig. Many Huskies will dig ditches and lay in them to keep cool.
  
• ALWAYS make sure that your Husky has plenty of fresh, cool water!
  
• NEVER leave your Husky out in the heat for long periods of time without checking on them and giving them the option to come in and cool off!
  
• A cooling mat - my mom got me a cooling mat from dog.com last summer and I love it! You get it wet in the bath tub, wring it out, and then put it in the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes. Then put it in your dog's crate and they can lay on a nice icy cold mat!