Many of you
have seen the beautiful thick double coat of the Siberian Husky and
immediately think they are a Northern dog only and can not survive
in tropical climates. We would like to stop this fallacy right now!
Siberian Huskies CAN and DO live in hot climates such as Florida.
Their double coat insulates and protects them from BOTH heat and
cold. They are not "outside" dogs and need as much indoor
comfort as any other breed.
While
we are on the subject of heat PLEASE do not leave your Siberian, or
any dog for that matter, in the car with the windows rolled up. Just
like any human, dogs are subject to dehydration and HEAT DOES KILL
so please leave on the air conditioning or take your dog with you
when you get out of the car. A car can go from 60 to over a hundred
degrees in a matter of minutes on a hot day. Dogs can get heat stroke
in 80 degree weather if it is humid enough!
Anyway, back
to the Siberian's gorgeous coat! This double coat consists of guard
hairs and a downy undercoat. The Siberian will shed this undercoat
twice a year (no matter where they live). When they "blow their coat"
the undercoat will come out in clumps. Heck, if you are the crafty
type you can spin this into yarn and knit yourself a Siberian sweater
or do what some of our volunteers have done and make some great Sibe-down
pillows! Or you can always just let it blow into the wind, many wild
animals like birds, rabbits and squirrels have been seen using it
to line their nests to ward off predators. If you are not a Siberian
owner, the pictures below show you what you can expect.
