Bathing? and other small questions.

[Jleather]

Hey,

I'm currently trying to do all my research on the Siberian Husky as I'm planning to buy one in the summer of 2013 and want to be prepared because I've heard that they are a fun and rewarding breed but one that requires patience and most of all, knowledge of what you're doing! haha.

I've been reading about the internet and I've had some say to bathe the Siberian Husky regularly while others say do it seldom if ever. Is there a right answer to this?

This will sound like a strange question but are they a highly allergic dog, like, will people tend to be more allergic to this type of dog. It's my mother she is allergic to dogs, most of all the Labrador and dogs like that. Of course I won't be living with my mum when I own the Siberian but my mothers house is in the country and it would provide some great walks and it would be a shame to miss out on them, so basically the question is, do Siberian garner a more allergic reaction than some other dogs?

Introducing them to cats. I was hoping to introduce one or two of my families cats to him/her at a very young age, pretty much a few days after I get the Siberian. Just so that later in life it might be okay to own a cat with it. Is this okay, as I've read around the internet and some places say that this will help introduce a cat later in life, others say it will do nothing at all and the Siberian tendency to chase small things will always override it when it is older.

Thank you, these are just a couple of small questions I had. Thanks again!!

[Leyka&Diva]

i only bath mine when they need it which is rarely lol

my grandfather who has never been allegic to any dogs does get runny eyes and nose when he is near my girls but think thats because now a days hes rarely around dogs at all

as for cats ive never dont this but im sure some will have an answer for you on that one lol i know that some huskies do live in harmony with cats xx

[BingBlaze n Skyla]

Mine haven't had a bath in nearly a year they are pretty much self cleaning

I've heard they aren't as bad as other dogs when it comes to allergies but I wouldn't know for sure

Cats unless you own a cat before getting your husky I wouldn't get a cat after getting the husky tbh , their prey drive can be very high n even if they are used to cats they know , other cats are usually fair game

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[Cherrie-Nanook-Indy]

We rarely bath ours- they seem to clean themselves pretty well, as for cats we had 2 when our girl was a puppy and she knew not to chase them cats on the street however were fair game. When we got our boy he was 10 month old and he lived with 1 of our cats with no problems but again cats on the street he would have had. From my experience if they live with cats their fine - I wouldn't have left them together unattended tho (mine are crated when we are not home). I also have to add that although when in the house the dogs were fine with the cat if they saw our cat outside they seemed to forget it was ours and wanted to chase it. I have heard that siberians are hypoallergenic not sure how true this is tho. They do shed their coats a lot which seems to contradict that theory.

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[simhauu]

We used to give Ghost a bath once a month, lately he either goes for a swim outside or we just let the dirt fall off him. You'll see after some time that their fur is self-cleaning.

My bf and his mother became somewhat allergic to Ghost's fur, or they already were who knows. It occurred to me to try and take off the ticks and fleas collar off and since then bf doesn't have allergy showing up on his hands and I haven't heard that his mom's hands swell from stroking Ghost. Though she does wash her hands after playing with him.

[Mazz]

Bathing a Husky too often tends to dry out their fur and their skin, and strip the natural oils that help them shed dirt. Not a cat person, so can't help you on that one.

[jmscott]

Their fur doesnt hold dirt very well so they tend to stay clean. They are usually a low dander breed, although diet can affect that, but of course it will depend on what part of the dog people are allergic to.

[Kieferwolf]

Bathing yes we bathe ours but its mainly our boy we bathe, he is a rescue and he for some reason this sounds horrible but he doesn't cock his leg when he wees. And he is a lazy git for cleaning himself so he can get stinking

we tend to kill 3 birds with one stone and they all get a dog shampooing and chucked under the shower.

Our dogs also get a salt water dunking once a week, they come for a swim with me in sea does there coat good.

re the allergy side of things I never have any issues with our sibes bar the times the blow there coat. growing up my aunties had papillons and cats I couldn't go near them couldn't without sneezing my head off, running nose etc sibes I have no bother with.

[HuskyMom09]

Bathing- I rarely bathe my pets, only when they really need it or when they are near the end of blowing coat...so at most twice a year. However my show dogs get bathed frequently, right before the show and sometimes every day during depending on what their coats are doing and needing. You HAVE to use premium shampoos if you do this or you will burn the coat up (ruin/dry out/damage)

Allergies- I am HIGHLY allergic to Labs, something about the course hair and oils in their coats makes me break out like no other. However, not a single problem with my 11 nordic breeds. It would be something to try to introduce the allergic party to before getting one just to be sure it doesn't backfire.

Cats- Some do good with them, some don't. The only way to know for sure is to try to introduce the cat and dog with a lot of supervision. Siberians have high prey drive and small animals are food, or interesting toys that need to be de-stuffed...and some co-exist without issue with 'their' cat, strange cats and other small animals wandering into your yard may not fare as well though.

I suggest LOTS of research, ultimately only you can decide if a Siberian is right for your family and lifestyle or not- Some suggested reading, one of the best books I have ever received (as a gag gift no less) is Siberian Huskies For Dummies. Other great books I've enjoyed are Siberian Huskies: A New Owner's Guide by Kathleen Kanzler (founder of Inisfree Kennels) and The Essential Siberian Husky. Get out there meet owners and breeders too! And good luck finding your match