Grooming your double-coated dog: a seasonal guide

Double-coated breeds — Huskies, Golden Retrievers, German Shepherds — have a dense undercoat under a longer guard coat, and shedding season means both layers are in flux at once. The most common grooming mistake is reaching for clippers.

Why shaving usually backfires

The guard coat actually helps regulate temperature and protects skin from sun exposure. Shaving it off doesn't reliably grow back the same way, and can leave a dog more vulnerable to sunburn and overheating — the opposite of the intended effect.

De-shedding, not de-coating

A proper undercoat rake or de-shedding tool, used regularly through shedding season, removes the loose undercoat without touching the protective guard coat. It's more work than a single shave, but it's the version that actually works.

A realistic seasonal rhythm

Twice-weekly brushing outside of shedding season, ramping up to daily during the two heaviest shedding windows (typically spring and fall) — bathing before a big de-shedding session also loosens the undercoat and makes the whole process faster.