It takes a fair bit to amaze me these days, but it happened.
To the point, I brushed my daughter’s Siberian husky (which shares my abode) yesterday, and I am certain I have never seen so much hair come off one animal. It just seemed bottomless.
Of course it’s August, and she is a breed meant for polar regions, but wow, just wow.
I was reminded of sharks and their endless rows of teeth. There seemed to be a never-ending supply of this black dog’s white undercoat.
When huskies shed, it is called “blowing their undercoat.” If I were a teacher, I would give that student an A for descriptive language.
And I thought what was coming off in bales was not really an undercoat. It seemed like a middle coat, just the first coat under her topcoat, before you get to another dense bottom layer.
Research proved me wrong, alleging they only have two layers of coat. I suspect this dog may be a mutant of sorts.
In any case, I removed another entire dog worth of hair before she got bored and walked away. I had only brushed one side.
My next chore was grabbing the marvelous mini-vac and chasing tufts scattered throughout the house.
My research site explained huskies “blow” their undercoat twice a year and it takes three to five weeks. That’s if you are brushing them regularly. It smacks of sweeping the Sahara.
I fear you can scarcely finish removing one “blow” before the second fur hurricane begins. And one bullet point painfully noted that Siberian huskies do shed more than their husky counterparts. Of course.
I am determined to get that old coat out so the poor creature can manage the warm days ahead.
Fortunately, our house has lots of tile floors and doesn’t get much sun, so it’s as husky-friendly as it gets in these parts.
Now we just need three or four more dogs to keep her busy enough to tire her out.
Hairless Chihuahuas, perhaps?
Jean Gillette is a freelance writer who goes nowhere without a sticky roller. Contact her at [email protected].
