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Exploding Siberian


SnoFyre
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Hi Peoples, I'm new to all this and would be grateful for any help/advice you have.

My rescue Sibe is having her first show at confirmation in 2 weeks (OMG I am sooooooo nervous)and she started to drop her coat at the end of January, OK,no problem I think.

She has continually dropped her coat since then & no amount of brushing seems to affect it. For the first 2 weeks it was just loose single hairs, lots of them, coming out and when she went for a drive in the car with me, it was like one of those little ornaments you get in a gift store, that you give to Aunt Ethel because you know she will expect a gift from your travels & the little snow scene is cute and easy to pack in your travel bag, but I digress.

This last week & 1/2 her coat has started to come out in clumps & I am to scared to wash her again in case I end up with a bald Siberian Husky. I'm sure that would be a disqualification in the show ring. :(

What do I do????? :laugh::rofl::party: How can I stop this mass explosion of fur from happening or at least stem the tide so I can breath when I drive the car.

Misty has dropped her coat before and even with all the coat that she has dropped, she still has lots more still there. :eek:

It doesn't even look like she has lost anything. Should I wash her again to loosen more??Should I just keep brushing till my arm drops off????? Will this be finished in time for the Hillsborough show????? \

OMG I have a Siberian Husky with tassels !!!!!

Please help, any advice you have regarding my exploding bitch would be appreciated.

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sorry I can't help-but I sympathise-my retriever/newfiex girl is doing the same thing!!! Hair absolutely everywhere and coming out in clumps-I don't ever remember my other dogs being so bad. I just brush and brush and brush and brush, and my sunroom still looks like a black snowstorm!!

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I can sympathise with you here...a shedding sibe is never fun to prepare for a show!

You have a couple of options here, you can try your best to get rid of as much loose hair as possible, and end up with a possible naked sibe, or you can try to make the best of a bad situation and hope no one notices *lol*

Personally when my sibes start shedding, and i mean the oh my god what happened to the dog kind of shedding, not just loose hairs, i just resign and try to get it all out as quickly as possible. The quicker you get it all out, the quicker it will all grow back in.

To get it out, a number of baths in very very warm water will help loosen all the hair, and allow you to brush or blow it out. After the bath, if you can get your hands on a dog dryer, put on a face mask and get ready to blow!!! This is the easiest way to get out all the hair...but a touch messy...reccomended for out side only!!!

If you manage to get the majority of loose hair out and dog is looking decidedly naked, you can turn to some tricks of the trade, volumising shampoos, fluff out etc...they should get you through the show...

Now you could try to just control the shedding with brushing, but truth be told, your going to have to wash the dog, the make sure it's clean, so i would just go with option A. If you do decide to not try and get all the hair out, bathe in cold water, and just brush as much as possible...not a good look go in dragging tufts...

Welcome to showing Siberians, the coat can drive you nuts...and don't presume just because it's winter they will keep coat and drop in the summer...never works out that easily *lol*

Yell out if you have any more questions..

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Just wondering if you show people use a rake to strip out the loose stuff. I use one on Rusky but she is a Mal and doesn't show. After a good rake rather than a brush she looks good, it doesn't make bald patches.

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My Max did exactly the same thing - I was positive I was going to end up with a Mr Bigglesworth (Dr Evils cat!)

After 6 weeks of it - and I mean HUGE dense clumps coming out - I took her to a professional groomers and they literally blew the excess out with the highest power blower they had - didn't stop it totally but it was never as bad again and has only recently totally faded to normal - 3 months on.

It's worth a try though - it made a world of diffence though!!

Good luck! :eek:

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Oh the joys of the shedding sibe's!!!! :eek:

Just when I think my two have finally shed their undercoat, more seems to appear from no where. Drives me insane, but I am sure a lot of birds have some very comfy nests at the moment! :(

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Thanks for the suggestions Silverhaze, I think I will go with option A and try the very warm bath/mask/blowdry option. On the upside.............it will look like it has snowed in my backyard :eek:

I had a Sammy many years ago that I didn't show but even his coat didn't drop like Misty's does.

Is it true that Bitches tend to drop more excessively than dogs?

I am currently brushing Mist out everyday for at least 1/2 hr somtimes more (she hates it)

How do you get dogs to like Grooming? I look at other dogs at the shows & they just love it !!!

Let me explain a little, Misty came into my care xmas day 2003 when she was a year old. She was severly beaten,malnourished,had been tied continuously on one metre lead and would cower and run away if any man came near her.

I don't think she had ever seen water,let alone been bathed or groomed. Didn't even have basic obedience (sit, wait etc) and is one of the most independant breeds there is. (So I was to learn).

A year on she has put on weight (but is so active and fussy with her food that it is hard to keep it there) Goes for walks (and is nearly obediant LOL) Regularly runs with our local AFL team at training (Got over the fear of men through constant exposure and lots of hugs) ...............but grooming & bathing are an alien concept.

Oh well, I guess I just have to get ready to get soaked once again :(

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yep my boy is blowing atm he started what seems like ages ago but i think im over the worst!! altho there are still a few tufts lingering - just a Q when bathing to pull it out - do u actually bath like fill the bath with him in it? or just a warm shower!!! which is what ive been doing

didnt help that he had to have stitches about 3 weeks ago so no bathing or much brushing :eek:

Mav doesnt really appreciate bathing but knows its gonna happen so gets it over with asap!! and as fo brushing i found out that he seems to know the difference between show grooming and just a quick comb as he farts around for just a quick comb something chronic but will sit for 45 mins to be dried!!!

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Guest Tracey and Dakota

Hi mischiefwolf

Welcome to the wonderful life of living, breathing and eating husky hair! Mine does not drop her coat in one hit, she moults 24/7.

SliverHaze is 100% correct. You need to wash that Husky. She will not get bald patches from this. I use Lavander Wool Wash on mine (recommendation from my breeder) and it does wonders.

Buy yourself a rake, it is the best item on this earth for a husky. You should brush your husky everyday and be nice, wash her face and ears with warm face cloth.

Another good solution before showing. Do you have a local mobile dog wash? Most dog washes now have this hair drying thing that sucks all the loose hair out of your dog and it is really good. I treat Dakota every now and then to this, especially when the hair is getting me down :eek:

Good luck

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I read the thread title and thought it might have been about a fat dog. :eek:

Can't help you on the hair issue. Unless you want to try an old horse owners trick for getting hair out of rugs, saddle blankets etc.

Soak dog overnight in a bucket of water with a big dash of vinegar. :(

Edited by poodlefan
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  • 2 weeks later...

Thanks to everyone that replied, I took Silverhaze's advice & just gave her multpile warm washes the week before her show and it seemed to settle her coat down , (just a few loose hairs still coming out) I don't know about the soak in vinegar though poodlefan :D should I use white or brown LOL

Washed, fluffed & puffed we set off for our first show decidedly nervous and wondering what the heck I was doing :D Thank goodness Misty knew because I forgot to stack her :( but she still managed to win her class. ;)

Not to shabby for a timid little rescue Sibe.

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Fantasic result Mischiefwolf!!! :D :D

I'd use white vinegar... would have a bit of a bleaching effect too - great for enhancing white markings. Not sure the judge would appreciate your exhibit smelling like a potato scallop though. ;)

Edited by poodlefan
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