The Siberian Husky is a large and powerful dog. It has a very thick double coat and is not well accustomed to living in warm climates. It’s a bit too well insulated to be running around on a summer day in warm climates. This dog has low to moderate grooming needs, mostly attributable to being a heavy shedder.
Regular brushing and combing is one of the most important things you can do keep your pet happy and healthy.Brushing:
. Removes dirt and debris . Invigorates skin . Spreads oils to moisturize skin and keep a shiny coat . Prevents mats and tangles which are irritating painful and can harbor bacteria, fungus, other infection . Keeps your house cleaner especially during shedding seasons . Bonding, massaging, loving interaction . Early detection of fleas, ticks, eczema, infection and smells that may notify you of sickness It’s very important to brush a dog with a double coat. Mats can develop that harbor fungus and create infection. If the mats develop to the point that the dog needs shaving, it can create problems for the dog. Its seasonal growth cycle is disturbed. It will have problems regulating its temperature; it can get windburn or sunburn, and shaving severely alters the color and texture of the coat. Shaving also leaves its skin itchy and irritated because dead hair shafts remain behind.
Tools: Shedding Blade, Rake, Curry comb, Bristle Brush, Steel comb, spray conditioner.
Brush and comb down to the skin several times a week. Gloss it up with a curry comb. Use the rake to pull out undercoat. The shedding blade will come in handy during its heavy shed seasons.
Eyes: Check your husky’s eyes daily.
Debris is flushed to the corners of the eyes and daily wiping with a wet cloth or paper towel can prevent the build up of bacteria.
Ears: Check ears once a week.
Your dogs ears should be pink and healthy inside. If not, don’t do anything to them until you see a vet. Keeping your dogs’ ears clean minimizes odour, removes dirt, bacteria and mites trapped in wax. Never use a cotton swab on the inner ear.
Tools: cotton wool balls or soft cloth and ear solution.
There are solutions made specifically for dogs but substitutes include: hydrogen peroxide, alcohol, mineral oil, witch hazel, and tea tree oil. Place a few drops of ear solution in ear and rub and massage to loosen wax. Swab out with cotton wool balls or cloth.
Teeth: Regularly.
80% of 3 year old dogs have periodontal disease due to lack of brushing. Cavities and gum disease are painful for your dog; they diminish its pleasure and ability to eat. Bacteria that develops can infect the heart, kidney, liver and brain. Really bad breath is usually a sign of gum disease.
Tools: Toothbrush/finger cap/cloth, doggie toothpaste, tooth scraper.
Never use human toothpaste. It is not edible. Starting your husky off with this practice takes patience. Reward it constantly, no matter what its behavior to get it used to grooming. Start off by getting it used to its mouth being handled. Progress to touching the teeth with your finger. Get some meat-flavoured toothpaste and apply with your finger. Then introduce the brush. Clean a few teeth at a time and soon you will have a routine that takes just minutes. Brush in a circular motion and get under the gum line. If you don’t want to brush everyday, use a tooth scraper once or twice a month to get rid of the build up of plaque. It accumulates mostly on the outside of the teeth and on the back molars. This won’t be much fun for your or your dog though. Lots of bones and hard, crunchy foods can minimize plaque but not to a truly effective degree.
Nails: Every two weeks.
Nail care is very important for your Siberian Husky: it puts a lot of pressure on its feet. Nails that aren’t trimmed can splinter and infect the quick or grow and curl into the flesh. This can be painful for your dog to walk on. It will affect its gait, posture, and eventually it’s skeletal and ligament health. Nails should never touch the ground. When your dog is standing its nails should rest above the ground. If you hear clicking on the kitchen floor, clipping is overdue.
Tools: Doggie Nail Clippers (scissors, pliers, guillotine), Dremel or file, Styptic or Kwikstop.
Introducing your dog to nail clipping should start off by getting it used to its paws being handled. Stroke, touch and play with your dog’s paws whenever you are giving it affection. Getting it used to the Dremel is your best bet to avoid clipping altogether. Sit beside your dog and put your arm around its shoulders if you can so that you are clipping from underneath and at the right angle. Lift the paw and press on it to expose the claw. If it has a clear nail you should be able to see the quick: a dark bundle of nerves and blood vessels. Clip from underneath close to the quick but do not cut into it. If you do, your dog will soon let you know. Use Styptic pencil or Kwikstop to staunch the bleeding. Buff the ragged edge with a file or Dremel. If it has a dark nail, clip just under the curve of the nail and then you will be able to look inside and see the quick if you look close enough. Clip using tiny snips at a time. Don’t forget to check for dewclaws: an extra claw dogs may have farther up on the leg that works like a thumb. It is better to clip your dog’s nails frequently as this encourages the quick to recede farther away from the tip.
Paws: Check daily
It is very important to check your Siberian husky’s feet for foreign objects that may have wedged there, and to check the pads themselves for cuts, scrapes and infections. Keep foot pads trimmed of hair as painful mats can develop.
Hygienic trimming: 2 to 4 weeks.
Tools: Blunt-nosed scissors
Trimming under the tail and around the privates keeps your dog feeling better as well as keeping it and your house cleaner.
Expressing Glands: Every 2 to 4 weeks
This is a task normally done when you take your dog in for professional grooming. Your dog uses scent glands in the anus to mark its territory. These glands also excrete when your dog defecates. At times, they may get impacted. Signs of this include: increased doggie odour, excessive licking and chewing of the behind and worst of all, scooting (when your dog drags its bottom along the floor or carpet). There is no risk of overly expressing these glands so it’s best to get accustomed to doing it regularly as it will lessen dog odour.
Tools: Warm cloth
Lift the dog’s tail and hold the cloth against it’s behind. Place your fingers at 5 o’clock and 7 o’clock and press inward and squeeze to expel.
Bathing: As needed
Siberian Huskies do not need regular bathing. They have natural oils in their coat to moisturize their skin and keep them resistant to dirt and water. Stripping these oils with frequent bathing dries out the skin and destroys the texture of the pointer’s hair. A rubdown with a damp towel can remove dirt. With regular brushing, ear cleaning and gland expression, dog odour will remain minimal. Bathing a few times a year is usually adequate. Exceptions to this are when your dog manages to roll in something or during its shedding season. A bath can help to remove a large amount of shedding hair.
Tools: Non-slip mat, sprayer hose, dog shampoo, conditioner, leash, towels.
Choose a place where you can block escape routes and expect 1-3 water-spraying shakes. A leash tied to a higher point than your dog’s head will keep it standing and prevent it from escaping. This is highly recommended as it’s really difficult to hold a slippery dog. Never bathe your dog in standing water and never use human shampoo. If you choose to bathe your Siberian Husky outside, attach the hose to the tap of your kitchen sink for warm water. Grooming salons often offer self-service use of their well-equipped facilities. Wet your dog using your hand so as to massage and lift the hair to get to the undercoat. Avoid getting water into the eyes, nose and ears. Cotton wool can be stuffed into the ear canal to deter water. Massage lather down to undercoat. Rinse thoroughly as leftover shampoo can severely dry out and irritate your pet’s skin. Condition. Rinse and squeeze off excess water by running your hands along its body and pressing down gently. This dog needs to be dried thoroughly to avoid damp matting and hot spots. A grooming salon blower might be a better choice than a human one. Your blow-dryer does not have the force that dog grooming driers have and it gets hot quickly.