Siberian Huskies For Dummies Read online

  Feeding your puppy

  Although a Siberian does not reach maturity until about 18 months of age, I don’t recommend that he stay on puppy food for that length of time. Some Siberians show adverse reactions to the dairy products often added to puppy food. The most common problem associated with dairy products is loose stools — certainly not a pleasant thing to deal with when you are house- training your puppy! In addition, research has found a link between hip dysplasia and the higher levels of calcium found in many puppy foods; so gradually switch your dog to an adult food at around 6 months or so.

  If you decide that you need to make a major alteration in your Husky’s diet, do so gradually. An abrupt change can cause digestive upset. Replace part of the old diet with part of the new, gradually increasing the amount of new food over a period of about a week. It may take 6 weeks to 3 months to notice an improvement in coat or other conditions you’re trying to correct.

  Feeding your senior dog

  Dogs are old for a lot longer than they are puppies, and proper nutrition is, if anything, even more critical for the older dog than for a pup. Studies show that older dogs need about 80 percent of the calories that 1-year-old dogs do, and recent research indicates that senior dogs need about 50 percent more protein than do young adults. That’s right: 50 percent more protein. The experts used to think that lower protein would prevent certain kidney problems common in older dogs, but they have since found this not to be the case. Between 20 and 30 percent of all calories your older dog consumes should come from protein. Lower protein intake slows wound healing and lessens immune function.

  Increasing B-complex vitamins, vitamin E, and ester-C (a form of vitamin C), for older dogs is also a good idea. Add extra zinc, selenium, the omegas, and coenzyme Q10 as well. Always check with your vet before you give your dog any supplements.

  Chapter 12

  Grooming Your Dog

  In This Chapter

  Knowing good brushing and combing techniques

  Bathing your Husky

  Dealing with shedding

  Paying attention to your dog’s whole body

  Choosing a professional groomer

  Battling fleas and ticks

  Maintaining your Siberian in top condition is essential for his health and happiness; it’s not merely a cosmetic makeover. Too many people, however, view grooming as some dreaded chore, like cleaning the oven or defrosting the fridge. But it really isn’t. Grooming is your opportunity to spend quality time with your dog. And with today’s new grooming technology, it’s easier than ever.

  In this chapter, you find all the information you need on grooming — everything from brushing and bathing your dog to trimming his nails and brushing his teeth. And I also give you tips for finding a good professional groomer, who can be a great supplement to your own grooming.

  Brushing and Combing

  The Siberian Husky has a double coat of hair. Underneath is a woolly or downy undercoat, protected by a harsh outercoat (which actually grows through the undercoat). The rainproof outercoat protects the Siberian from brambles and thorns, and the undercoat serves as insulation.

  Very little dirt can penetrate this excellent protective device. This fact, combined with the Husky’s meticulous grooming habits, makes the Siberian an essentially self-cleaning machine. It’s not the dirt that causes the grooming challenge, however; it’s the hair.

  The key to happy grooming is to teach your Siberian to accept being brushed by standing quietly while it’s done. Wild dogs perform grooming sessions on each other frequently; it promotes social cohesion and reaffirms the hierarchy. It is a natural activity. When your Husky learns that he’s getting a lot of loving attention from you during the grooming session, he’ll look forward to it. It’s also a good time to check him for parasites, cuts, suspicious lumps, or other anomalies.

  Regular grooming (at least twice a week) helps remove loose hair and allows the dog’s skin to breathe. It removes dead, scaly skin and encourages the sebaceous glands to produce healthy oils.

  Some people tend to forget about grooming as the weather turns cold. This is a mistake. A well-groomed, unmatted coat is essential for keeping your Siberian snug when he’s outside during the colder months. Mats destroy the insulating properties of even the thickest coat.

  Your grooming routine should include flea inspection. Use a fine-toothed metal flea comb, and be prepared to leap into action if you see one! Keep a glass of hot water nearby and dip the flea-bearing comb in it; the fleas will drown.

  It’s best to use a grooming table, but if you don’t have one, the kitchen table will work fine. Put a non-slip mat on it for traction. You can also use a different table, perhaps in the basement or on the porch, if you’d rather not have your dog on your kitchen table. You may decide to groom your Siberian outdoors in pleasant weather. Let the neighbors wonder where all those unusual tufts of hair are coming from.

  Start off by misting your Husky lightly all around. This makes grooming easier, and helps keep the guard hairs from breaking off.

  Begin the actual grooming process with a wide-toothed comb, preferably one with rounded teeth. This will help break up mats, although you can buy a special de-matting tool for this purpose. Then proceed to brush the coat vigorously, following the natural hair stream (the way the hair grows). Do a small section of the coat at a time.

  If you encounter tangles, start at the outside of the tangle and gradually approach the hair closest to the skin. Don’t begin at the root end and start pulling. That’s not the best way to teach either of you to enjoy the grooming hour. Besides, you’d end up with a bald Siberian.

  Do not shave, strip, or clip your Husky close. It’s not necessary, and may even be detrimental. The undercoat insulates against the bitter cold, and the topcoat provides protection from harmful UV sunrays. And never clip your dog’s whiskers. They are sensory devices that your dog needs. Besides, whiskers add to a dog’s character.

  Technically, whiskers are known as vibrissae — because they vibrate as a warning when they come in contact with something solid.

  You may trim the extra hair from between the toes if it gets unsightly, a common occurrence with the heavily-furred Siberian.

  When you are through combing, you can finish the job by using a long- bristled brush. The bristles must be quite long, otherwise they won’t reach through the dense coat of the Siberian. If mats go unattended, they not only get bigger but tend to tighten up next to the skin, where they cause all kinds of trouble. So don’t skip this important step.

  Some people have good luck removing loose hair by using a pin brush. Be careful, though. Some kinds are too scratchy — rub the brush against your own arm first to test.

  For most of the coat, brush vigorously forward, then brush back, especially along the flanks. This back brushing is necessary to de-mat the thick undercoat. Be especially attentive to the armpits and rump of the dog, where mats often hide. Most of the time, you’ll need to brush with the direction of the coat at the rear end; it just works better. Then comb the dog again; you’ll be surprised at how much hair you rake up.

  Be sure to groom the whole Husky — including the belly and underneath the tail!

  If your dog is tremendously matted, you may decide to take him to a professional groomer. When he’s properly de-matted and clean, you can take over further grooming sessions yourself. Be sure you exercise and let your Siberian out before going to the groomer, and don’t feed him immediately beforehand. Don’t bathe the dog right before he goes to the groomer, either; that will just make his mats worse.

  A poor coat is often the first sign of illness or other problems. If you know you’re doing a good grooming job, your dog’s poor coat could be an indication of a nutritional deficiency, heartworm, roundworm, hookworms, underactive thyroid, kidney problems, or even cancer. Check with your veterinarian.

  Cleaning up is an important part of the entire grooming process. If you’re grooming inside, vacuum up the loose Husky
hair immediately afterwards; otherwise you’ll have the stuff all over the house. Use a disinfectant (preferably with bleach) to clean the grooming implements.

  Bathing

  Siberians are fastidiously clean dogs. They do not actually need a bath more than three or four times a year, unless they get into something horrible.

  Still, if you’re like me, you may want to bathe your dog more frequently, just on principle. I use a mild, unmedicated shampoo. Most of the time, I use an inexpensive kind made for people, but there are some very nice texturizing shampoos in the pet market designed particularly for double-coated dogs. These texturizing shampoos keep the coat clean but don’t allow it to get too soft.

  Some people say that because the pH value of canine and human skin differs (our skin being a little on the acidic side and dog skin on the basic side), you should not use a human shampoo on dogs. But this is simply not true. For one thing, canine skin has a wide range of pH values; for another, no one has shown that using a human shampoo based on average human pH values does any harm to a dog.

  Shampooing improves both the coat and skin, and helps keep parasites and hot spots at bay without resorting to chemical treatments. An aloe shampoo is especially soothing.

  A good shampoo does not strip the oils from a dog’s coat any more than a good shampoo strips the oils from people’s hair. If you’re worried about a dry coat, add a conditioner.

  There are even no-tear and hypoallergenic shampoos designed especially for dogs. A drop of mineral oil in the eyes and some petroleum jelly around the eyes helps keep soap out, too.

  When you bathe your dog, the most important step is to rinse, rinse, rinse. You should spend at least twice as long rinsing as washing. Soap residue can cause hotspots on the dog’s skin.

  In a pinch, you can use a dry shampoo for dogs. Dry shampoos are powderlike substances that help remove excess oils from the coat. They don’t work as well as the regular kind, but hey, your dog isn’t going to tell anybody.

  Most dogs hate getting a bath. Even those who will joyfully run into the iciest pond or stream, cower or go rigid at the very sight of a tub. Still, nearly all dogs can be trained to put up with it. You can bathe your Husky outdoors in the summer if you like, but I use a bathtub during all seasons of the year. You can get special long, flexible attachments to make showering your pet easier. A raised dog-bathing tub is also nice.

  Make sure the water is a warm, at a comfortable temperature. When you apply the shampoo, begin in the neck area. This way you’re making a natural flea barrier, so the little stinkers don’t climb up on the dog’s head.

  If your dog refuses to stand up during bathing, and you can’t get human assistance, various devices are on the market that loop around the dog’s body to prevent his sitting down.

  Provide a rubber bathmat for your dog to help prevent his slipping in the tub. Even the feel of a slick tub can make him nervous.

  The first thing your Siberian will do upon emerging from the tub is to shake. To save yourself and your house from getting drenched, grab the dog firmly by the head and hang on. A dog shake begins at the front, and if you can stop it there, he’ll quit — at least long enough for you to throw a towel over him.

  Dry your dog thoroughly, especially if it’s cold outside. You can use a handheld dryer (set on low), or a special dog dryer manufactured just for that purpose. All this will take some time. Give yourself an hour to bathe, rinse, and dry your Siberian. If the weather is not cold or wet, you may want to send your dog outdoors to dry.

  Dealing with Shedding

  “Wait a minute! I thought Huskies didn’t shed!” I can hear you saying it. I know, that’s what they told me, too. And they don’t. At least not in Siberia, which is cold and dry. They merely “blow their coats” twice a year. But if you don’t live in Siberia, you may be in for a little shock. In most of the United States, with its rapid climate changes, the Husky may shed his coat all year long — by the bushel. Just think, all that stuff that looks like a mixture of dandelion seeds and tumbleweed used to be on your Siberian.

  Shedding is a natural phenomenon. Hair growth progresses through a three-phase cycle. During the first phase, the anagen phase, the hair grow actively. When it has reached its genetically predetermined length, it stops growing. This is the second, or catagen, phase. In the third, or telegen, phase, the new hair grows in, and the old hair falls out. Dogs perspire only through their paw pads; so getting rid of that extra hair in the spring is an absolute necessity to prevent heat stress.

  If you live in the north and keep your Husky outside most of the time, he will probably revert to his ancestral pattern and shed only twice a year, in spring and fall. This whole-coat shedding is called blowing the coat and may take from three to six weeks, from start to finish. The hair comes out in clumps — sometimes big clumps. And it seems to get worse in periods of dry heat.

  Besides the normal seasonal shed, Siberians may lose hair due to other factors, like stress, illness, or whelping. Dogs who have a change in lifestyle may likewise shed. Some people think that central heating and artificial lighting also play a role in shedding. Keep a close watch on your Husky to determine whether the shed is normal or a sign of something possibly more serious.

  Even in a climate where the male sheds only once, the female will shed twice, owing to estrus (the female’s time of heat). The female shed will usually occur in the spring and fall.

  Huskies also go through something awful known as the big shed. The big shed occurs when your cute little puppy is maturing. Over the period of a few weeks all the fine puppy hair is shed and replaced by the coarser hair of the adult dog. Expect this happy event to occur between 10 and 14 months. And brace yourself.

  Because shedding is natural, you can’t do much to stop it. Make sure your pet is receiving sufficient quantities of B vitamins, as well as unsaturated fatty acids. These can reduce shed due to stress or whelping.

  A product called Mrs. Allen’s Shed-Stop, a natural liquid dietary supplement with sunflower oil, vitamins, antioxidants and all sorts of trendy stuff, may also help.

  Paying Attention to Your Husky’s Entire Body

  One of the reasons that regular grooming is so important is that it gives you the opportunity to check out every aspect of your Husky’s body. You can give him a once-over to be sure that everything’s in order. And if there is a problem, you’re more likely to detect it sooner if you groom your dog regularly.

  Feet

  Check the pads of your dog’s feet frequently for mats between the toes, gravel, and sores. Lawn chemicals and snow-melting chemicals can both cause burns on your Husky’s feet. A dog’s pads can also be the target of a fungal infection similar to athlete’s foot. Weed seeds can penetrate the tender skin between the pads. Any excessive licking of paws could be sign of trouble.

  Nails

  Trim your Husky’s nails at least once every other week. If you wait too long, the nails and the quick (depicted in Figure 12-1) will both overgrow. You’ll have to trim off a little bit of nail each day, and the quick will gradually recede.

  Figure 12-1: When you trim your Husky’s nails, avoid the quick.

  Overgrown nails can lead to serious foot problems. Yet the nails should not be so short as to be scarcely visible. Dogs need their nails to gain traction on the ground when they run. Nails of the correct the length should not quite touch the floor when the dog is standing.

  If your Husky gets lots of exercise on pavement, he may keep his nails short naturally. Otherwise, the task falls upon you. After all, the dog isn’t going to volunteer. If you can hear your Husky’s nails clicking on the floor, it’s time to trim. If you’re in doubt about your nail-trimming skills, ask your groomer or veterinarian to show you how to do it correctly.

  My favorite tool for nail trimming is not a set of clippers but a variable-speed Dremel tool. When your dog becomes desensitized to the noise, you can do a quicker, cleaner, neater job with almost no chance of getting the quick. All my dogs
love it. Even if you happen to hit the quick, the Dremel tool cauterizes it automatically.

  Don’t forget to trim the dewclaws, if your Siberian has them.

  If you prefer to use hand clippers, get the guillotine kind with replaceable blades. Clip from the back and bottom, at a slight angle, and be careful not to cut the quick. Squeeze the clipper quickly so as not to risk splitting the nail. If you do cut into the quick by mistake, use styptic powder, flour, or cornstarch to stanch the bleeding.

  Teeth

  Dental care is a must for dogs. Because they have 42 teeth, cleaning them can be an imposing job. Regular cleaning of teeth and gums will help your Husky avoid tartar buildup. Feeding your dog hard kibble and bones specially made for teeth-cleaning are helpful, but these products can’t remove plaque from your Husky’s teeth by themselves. Plaque buildup in dogs can result in periodontal disease, just as it can in humans. And periodontal disease not only leads to tooth loss but can release dangerous bacteria into the bloodstream. Some of these bacteria can lodge in the heart. The message is clear: Brush your dog’s teeth!

  Use a toothpaste designed for canines, preferably every day, but at least once a week. Dog toothpaste comes in a variety of flavors, commonly beef and chicken.