Husky Lab mixes or Labskies are a designer breed—a mix of the Siberian Husky and the Labrador Retriever—and they make great pets. But many wonder if Husky Lab mixes are hypoallergenic.
Husky Lab mixes are not hypoallergenic because, like all dogs, they shed. They have double coats as both parent breeds have double coats, meaning they’ll shed a lot. Dander, usually the allergen and not the fur, attaches to the fur. The more fur a Labsky sheds, the more dander it spreads.
If you’re considering adding a Husky Lab mix to the family, keep reading as I’ll discuss some things you need to know about this designer breed.
Husky Lab Mixes Shed More Than Other Dogs
Lucy Tan, a veterinarian at Laingsburg Animal Hospital in Laingsburg, MI, doesn’t believe in no-shedding or “hypoallergenic” dogs. All dogs shed—she says—but some less than others. Husky Lab mixes clearly belong to the group that sheds more; sheds a lot, in fact.
The Husky Lab mix sheds a lot owing to the traits inherited from its parent breeds. While both parent breeds are known shedders, the Siberian Husky side of the family takes it to another level as they grow a double coat that helps them stay protected from Siberia’s freezing climate.
A double coat consists of a top coat and a shorter, and usually denser, undercoat. Dogs with double coats tend to shed more as they lose the old coat they no longer need when the season changes.
Regular Grooming Is Necessary for Husky Lab Mixes
Anyone who decides to get a Labsky should be prepared for a lifetime of dealing with shedding. A Labsky will shed throughout the year—you’ll notice a lot of shedding, especially in the spring and fall.
If you’re lucky, your Labsky might not be a balance of the two breeds. It might shed more than the average Labrador but less than a pure Siberian Husky.
There’s not much you can do to minimize the shedding because this is a matter of genetics. All you can really do is manage it so that your home doesn’t become a dander dumpsite.
Here are a few things you can do to stay on top of your dog’s shedding situation:
- Groom your dog twice a week. Again, this won’t lessen the shedding, but it’ll manage how much dander your dog leaves around the house as you’ll be removing the fur that’s ready to fall off. Use an undercoat rake or any other de-shedding tool to remove the wayward fur effectively.
- Increase your dog’s grooming frequency from three to five times a week during the shedding season. The shedding season is when your Labsky will be shedding up a storm. You’ll have to keep up with the shedding by stepping up your grooming.
- Invest in a vacuum cleaner if you don’t already have one. Vacuum cleaners make your life easier when you own a Labsky. They make cleaning up after your super shedder a much more manageable and much less stressful task.
- Bathe your Labsky once a month or whenever it’s visibly dirty. Dirty, unkempt fur can become problematic and exacerbate the shedding.
People who don’t know any better might ask, why not just shave the Labsky to manage the shedding and be done with the problem? There’s a whole science behind why double-coated breeds shouldn’t be shaved.
Shaving a Labsky Is a Bad Idea
The topic of shaving Labradors and Labskies is a bit controversial in the pet-loving community. Some Labsky owners defend their right to shave their dogs, while many strongly condemn the practice.
While it’s tempting to shave your Labsky to manage its shedding, a solid case is made for why you shouldn’t. Shaving doesn’t make your Labsky “hypoallergenic.” On the contrary, here are some arguments against the practice of shaving Labskies and other shedder breeds:
– Shaving Changes the Quality of Your Labsky’s Fur
Shaving can cause irreversible changes to the quality of your Labsky’s coat. You can’t stop your dog’s shedding from shaving. It might lessen the amount of dander you have to clean up, but your dog will pay the price.
– Shaving Affects Your Labsky’s Ability To Keep Cool
Shaving disrupts your Labsky’s natural cooling system. A bed of muscles controls both coats’ hair follicles. Those muscles can move the hair follicles up and down. Also, the muscles enable air to pass through the coats and to the skin.
As previously mentioned, shaving changes the quality of your Labksy’s fur. When you shave both coats, the fur that grows back isn’t as effective at conveying air to help keep your Labsky cool. This could impact your dog’s life in profound ways. If you shave your Labsky, you’ll notice it gets more winded on walks because its cooling system has been interrupted.
– Shaving Your Labsky Predisposes It to Sunburn
Think of it this way, your dog’s fur is an extension of its skin. You Labksy’s fur contains melanin which helps to protect against UV rays. Shaving your dog decreases this layer of protection drastically and increases its exposure to harmful UV rays.
– Shaving Your Labsky Can Worsen Your Allergies
People who shave their Labskies rationalize the practice by saying shaving their dogs decreases dander. This logic is flawed because shaving a Labsky causes more dander to be airborne.
Okay, hear me out. Undercoats trap dander. Shaving your dog will only free more dander into the air.
Learn About Labskies First Before Adopting One
Deciding to take a pet into the home should be a decision arrived at after much research and consideration. Some people impulsively take in pets with close to no idea of what this entails. Having a dog is an immense responsibility.
Responsible would-be owners take the time to learn about what it takes to care for a Labsky. People can decide whether or not a Labsky is the best breed for them by doing proper research about the dog.
People With Allergies Should Avoid Breeds That Shed a Lot
Allergies can be exacerbated by pet dander. However, not all types of allergies contraindicate having a Labsky.
For example, people with skin allergies only react to certain substances and not pet dander. Before adopting a Labsky, vets recommend spending time with it to see if it triggers an allergic reaction.
Pet Dander Can Trigger Asthma Attacks
People living with asthma have to be more careful about taking pets into the home. However, people who develop the condition after having already adopted a pet find themselves faced with the painful reality that they may not be able to keep their furry loved one.
Most primary care physicians would advise their patients to rehome their pets after an asthma diagnosis. However, Tan, a seasoned veterinarian, asserts that veterinarians have a role to play in helping people live with their condition without having to say goodbye to their pets.
Tan is an advocate for finding ways to live with a pet, even when living with asthma. Here are some of her tips on how to manage the situation:
- Vacuum frequently. Vacuuming can control pet dander and hair inside the house. This task can be delegated to someone else in the household.
- Try shampoos and sprays that neutralize dander. Dander is made of tiny flakes from your dog’s skin. People tend to focus on the fur when it is the proteins in your pet’s saliva that get attached to the dander during self-grooming that actually trigger asthma attacks. Some products claim to be able to neutralize dander.
- Restrict your pet from the bedroom. Keeping certain spaces in the house dander-free is one way to co-exist with your condition and your pet.
People With a Busy Lifestyle Should Consider Another Pet
By now, you should already know that the maintenance of a Labsky entails much time and energy. That said, you might want to consider another breed if you have a hectic lifestyle that’ll prevent you from committing to spending time to meet your Labsky’s unique needs.
Conclusion
Pet dander is dead skin cells shed by your dog’s skin. All dogs have skin, which leads us to the logical conclusion that no dog is indeed hypoallergenic. Dander attaches to fur, so people got the idea that it’s the fur causing allergies.
However, most of the time, the fur is simply the conveyer of the dander. While Labskies shed a lot of furs, they aren’t more non-hypoallergenic than any other dog breed. However, the amount of dander they spread is higher because of the volume of fur they shed.