Big Bertha wants to tell everyone that you shouldn’t shave a Husky in the summer!

It’s summer once again and the brutal Texas heat is back with a vengeance. If this is your first time experiencing a Texas summer, your first instinct might be to shave your dog down to give them some relief from the heat. They must be burning up with that thick fur coat, right?

As much as we treat our pets as if they were people, it’s important to remember that dogs are not humans! Their bodies are designed to regulate heat differently. Dogs with double coats, such as Huskies or Golden Retrievers, will shed their thick undercoat when temperatures rise. The top layer of fur protects your dog’s skin from sunburn. Shaving their fur in the summertime leaves their skin vulnerable to the sun’s harmful rays.

To help rid your dog of their undercoat during shedding season, there are tons of options for grooming brushes available for purchase. If you’d prefer to leave things to the pros, your groomer would be more than happy to keep your pup feeling cool and clean!

Brushing a double coated dog takes time, but it’s pretty easy! We tested it out with Big Bertha and this is the result of an hour of brushing!

In addition to regular brushing, you can take measures to keep your furry pup comfortable during the summer. Keeping your dog inside and out of the sun as much as possible is key, as is providing them with plenty of clean, cold water. On an especially hot day when even the air conditioning can’t keep up with the thermometer, your pup will appreciate a nice dip in a kiddie pool filled with ice water!

No matter your pup’s heat tolerance, never, ever, ever leave your dog in a hot car.

Also, don’t shave your cat! Cats are even better at regulating their heat than dogs and on top of that, they really, really hate it.