Do Huskies Shed? Are Huskies hyopallergenic?

Huskies are lovable, high-energy goof balls. They are very friendly with people and dogs, have amazing eye and coat colors and rarely show aggression.

Before you decide to add a Husky to your family however, make sure that you have realistic expectations about the grooming involved. Because even though your Husky’s coat is straight and won’t tangle … he sure will shed a lot.

How bad do Huskies shed?

They shed. Badly. If you have never experiences a Husky during season change before, it will not only blow his coat – but also your mind.

But let’s start at the beginning.

Double Coats & Shedding

In dogs there are two general types of coat: A double and a single coat.

Single Coats

Single coated dogs are dogs such as Pitbulls, Poodles and Poodle mixes, Yorhsire Terrier or Shih Tzus. Single coats can be both short or long.

The key feature of single coats is that they consist of a “single” type of hair. This could be compared to our human hair. The hair does not or rarely shed.

Double Coats

Most dog breeds and mixes have a double coat. This is what we traditionally consider a “fur”: There are the long so-called guard hairs and additionally a thick and wooly undercoat. While the guard hairs do not or rarely fall out, the dog sheds the undercoat. It gets blows in abundance about twice a year before a big season chance. However, outside of this season change there can and will still be some level of consistent shedding.

As you probably already guessed, Huskies have a double coat. This is necessary so that they are insulated and keep warm in the cold climates where they were originally bred. While their coat looks adorable, is soft and snuggly – it will also fall out. A lot.

Why do Husky shed so much?

Huskies were bred to live and work outdoors in very cold climates. In order to stay warm and well, they needed a thick double coat with a very dense undercoat.

Over centuries of using and racing sled dogs, mushers selected only the most suitable dogs to join their breeding stock. Of course, this also meant selecting dogs that were guaranteed to not get too cold.

We must not forget that the Husky we keep as a pet these days is genetically still the Husky bred to run for hundreds of miles through snow and ice. He is adapted well to very cold temperatures. And that means that he will grow and shed undercoat – a lot.

How do you stop a Husky from shedding?

Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do to completely stop your Husky from shedding. Taking care of your dog’s undercoat is going to be a constant task throughout your dog’s life.

In order to manage the shedding well however, you can:

Invest into a professional-grade grooming blow-dryer. This will help remove a ton of undercoat by simply “blowing it out”.
Brush your Husky very frequently. It is much better to brush him every day for a few minutes than to brush him once a month for an hour. Keeping up with grooming will drastically reduce the amount of hair around your house.
Invest into a good vacuum and vacuum daily. While not fun, this will be a constant task for all Husky owners.

Are Huskies hypoallergenic?

Huskies are not at all hypoallergenic. In fact, they are probably one of the worst breeds you could decide for if you are an allergy sufferer.

The amount of hair a Husky sheds will inevitably lead to severe symptoms in everyone with dog allergies. While some dogs have hypoallergenic qualities (like many Doodles), the Husky is not one of them!

No amount of bathing or brushing can turn a Husky into a hypoallergenic breed. Do not get a Husky if you have suffered from allergies in the past.

Professional Groomers

Many Husky owners decide to take their dogs to a professional groomer on a set schedule.

Especially if you have never groomed a Husky before or if you have a busy schedule, this is an excellent choice. Groomers are able to remove a lot of dead undercoat. This will drastically cut down on the hair you find around the home.

Ideally you should introduce your Husky to the groomer early in his life. The younger a puppy is, the easier he accepts grooming as “just a part of life”. You can take a puppy as young as 3 months to a groomer and have him brushed and bathed there.

If you adopted an adult Husky, you can still get him used to going to a groomer as well. Once your dog is used to it, set up regular appointments. Most Huskies have to be groomed about every 1-2 months.

Should you shave your Husky?

In most cases it is possible to manage the Husky’s shedding without shaving him. Brushing weekly (or even daily during a season change) will go a long way towards reducing shedding.

Huskies may need to be shaved because of medical conditions. If you Husky recently had a surgery, the vet likely shaved the surgical side. This fur grows back quickly and without problems.

Shaving your Husky down to the skin in the summer can make him prone to sunburn and should be avoided. Huskies also tend to play very rough with other dogs and might get skin injuries if they do not have a protective coat.

The Bottom Line

As fun and friendly as Huskies are, you need to be aware of their grooming needs before committing to one. Constant shedding and weekly brushing is going to be a part of your life if you acquire a Husky puppy. Not all owners are up for this and many are surprised by the sheer amount of hair their Husky is losing regularly.

Setting up monthly appointments with a groomer can help owners to manage the shedding. Weekly brushing will also help to reduce the stray hair in the home.

Huskies are absolutely not hypoallergenic and should not be adopted by allergy sufferers.