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  • How I Saved My Dog from a Shed

    How I Saved My Dog from a Shed


    A small shed of white corrugated aluminum sits in a grassy yard. It is sits on concrete blocks, resulting in space underneath the shed. There is fencing blocking access to the space by larger animals.

    I may have saved Clara’s life when I finally fenced off a shed in my backyard.

    It’s one of those modular sheds, and set up on concrete blocks. Lots of people around here have them, and plenty of wild critters learn to hide or nest in the crawl space. Even the wrens take their fledglings there as a way station after they first leave the nest.

    Some dogs figure out how to crawl around under there.

    With my gang, Zani started it. She made the area under the shed her playground. She not only tracked critters under there, but she had a couple little dug-out snoozing areas. If I couldn’t find Zani in the yard, I knew where to look: a 12-inch space under a shed with bare nails poking down through the floor. I made plans to block the shed off with garden fencing. I just had to figure out how to do that and still be able to open the door.

    In the meantime, Clara watched Zani scooting around under the shed for a few days and decided that looked fun. But Zani was 19 pounds; Clara was 44. As her person, I told her she was Too Big, but she didn’t agree. When I wasn’t paying attention, she would sometimes dive under there, too.

    I’m so glad I took this one video. As you watch, notice that I didn’t say anything as I was looking under the side of the shed where the dust was poofing out. I didn’t want her trying to come that way, because she couldn’t get out on that side. There was only one place where she could exit, and she had to fling her body sideways to do it.

    You can hear the stress in my voice during the video. I was so worried that she’d get trapped or injured. And that was before the main terrifying event.

    The Winter Night I Thought I Would Lose Clara

    It was February, and we had had unusually cold weather coinciding with a heavy-for-us snow. The temperature was in the teens and there were 10–12 inches of snow on the ground.

    I took Clara out late one night, and she immediately disappeared somewhere in the yard. I had a sinking feeling as I suspected where she’d gone. I waded over to the shed. Yes, she was under there. In the freezing cold, in pitch dark. The path she needed to take to come out would not have been visible to her because of the snow cover. But I could hear her scrabbling around. The terrifying thoughts flooded in. The city was shut down; I couldn’t get help. If she got stuck or couldn’t find her way out, she could freeze to death. She wore a breakaway collar but could still get caught or trapped. It would take a forklift to raise the shed. But that would be horribly dangerous with her under there, and it would be the next day at the soonest. Would she survive the night? Could I throw hot water bottles and hand warmers under there? I was grasping at straws.

    The bottom of a wall of the white corrugated aluminum shed with snow up to the edge of it
    The snow coming up to the bottom edges of the shed

    Maybe we could dig her out that night? We’d have to clear a bunch of snow first if we were to dig a place for her to get out. Was the ground frozen? My neighbors are dog lovers; could I hit them up in this weather in the middle of the night? But Clara, of course, would be scared of them.

    The snow was up to the bottom of the shed, completely enclosing the space. I had rarely in my life felt such dread.

    All this was going through my head before I even knew whether she was in trouble.

    I carefully made my move. I dug out the snow in the normal exit area and turned on the light on my phone, pointing it straight down so it wouldn’t be in her eyes. I called her. She came out. My darling, my baby dog thrust herself happily out from under the shed.

    That’s when I promised myself I would enclose that space.

    Ex Pen to the Rescue

    For those who aren’t familiar, “ex pen” is short for the oddly named “exercise pen,” a length of hinged fencing panels that can be configured into an enclosure for dogs. It turned out to be the missing piece, the thing that allowed me to safely enclose the shed.

    I had planned for years to put garden fencing around the bottom of the shed. The spacing of the wire can allow access to squirrels, chipmunks, and rabbits, but not dogs. (Note: a determined digger could loosen or move this kind of fence. Luckily I haven’t had one of those for a while.)

    Wire garden fencing along a wall of a shed, blocking access to the crawl space for animals larger than squirrels and rabbits.
    The stakes of the fencing are 16 inches tall, with about 4 inches pounded into the ground

    But I couldn’t put the fence around the front of the shed, because it would block the door. And I couldn’t just skip the door area because then I would have a worse situation: an entrance to the crawlspace and no exit. I mulled this over for a while. A row of concrete blocks, maybe, filling in the gap under the front? Shorter fencing? My dad would have brought the fencing neatly around the corners and across the front to the edges of the door, then attached something to the bottom of the door that fit perfectly. I’m sure there are many handy people out there who would have figured out something elegant. But I like my solution. I pounded two pieces of 4-foot steel rebar into the ground near the ends of the garden fencing. I placed a length of ex pen around the front, overlapping the fence on the sides. I attached the ex pen to the rebar with carabiners. It’s easy to remove a carabiner and move the ex pen enough to open the shed door. And it looks tidier than a lot of my projects.

    Corner of the shed showing the ex pen attached to a piece of steel rebar with a carabiner. The ex pen overlaps the much shorter garden fencing at the bottom of the shed.
    View of the front of the shed with the ex pen in an arc that leaves space for the shed door to be opened.

    Some dogs will jump an ex pen. I’ve seen Zani jump out of a 4-foot pen from a standing start, and this one is 3 feet. But I knew Clara wouldn’t jump it, especially into such a small space, and I learned that Lewis is even less of a jumper than she was. Phew!

    Maybe She Would Have Been OK?

    Lewis, a white hound mix with brown ears and ticking, looks longingly under the shed from the outside of the ex pen.
    Lewis knows that bunnies hide under the shed at times

    As I think about it, a couple years after that panicked night, it occurs to me for the first time that the snow itself could have insulated the space enough for Clara to keep warm enough overnight. I think now, probably so. But the only reason she would have had to stay there was if she had been stuck, which was a deadly problem itself. There was no easy solution for that, even in the daytime, even if there had been no snow.

    Clara is gone now, but the fence and ex pen are fulfilling their function: preventing the next varmint dog from the siren song of the shed crawl space.

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    Copyright 2025 Eileen Anderson



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  • Do Huskies Shed? Everything You Need To Know

    Do Huskies Shed? Everything You Need To Know


    Huskies, often known as the “Siberian husky” because of its origin in Siberia are the most loved dog breeds. You can easily identify them because of their thick double-coated fur, pointed ears, bushy tails and their sociable and loyal nature.

    They are also playful and powerful, therefore a good choice for active dog owners especially those with kids. Just like any other dog breed, huskies too shed fur. This guide covers everything you would like to know about huskies shedding. Let’s dive in!

    Do Huskies Shed?

    do huskies shed

    So, you have got this beautiful friendly dog but one of the questions you would like to know is that “Do huskies shed?”

    But first, we need to understand what shedding is. Well, this is when animals lose dead or damaged fur to make room for new and healthy fur to grow.

    Back to our question, the answer is yes, just like other dogs, huskies do shed off their coat that protects them from the cold, also known as blowing their coat.

    The unique thing about these breeds is that they shed once or twice a year only compared to other breeds that do it throughout the year because of seasonal changes.

    It has been proven that most huskies will shed twice a year although some will only do it once a year, especially during spring as the weather gets warmer. It is therefore normal for the husky to shed, but it becomes a nightmare if your husky sheds off unusually.

    So, if you are thinking of getting this stunning steady dog breed, you need to know what causes these beautiful dogs to excessively shed their coat abnormally.

    Why Do Huskies Shed Too Much?

    Why Do Huskies Shed Too Much

    One thing you should be aware of before owning a husky is the fact that it is a thick double coated animal. This means that it has two layers of hair comprising an undercoat and a topcoat.

    The undercoat is made of a layer of fine soft hair used for insulation during winter when they regrow and used for cooling during summer when they blow off or shed off while the top coat is harsh, wiry, and waterproof and obviously, protects the body of the husky from harsh environment and water.

    For this reason, as the weather changes from hot to cold or the other way around expect the hair to fall off too much to fit the stipulated weather condition surrounding the husky.

    They either have to shed and grow thinner undercoats during summer seasons or grow thicker, denser overcoats during winter when the weather is cold.

    In other words, it is Mother Nature that determines when it is time for the husky to lose some hair or to grow it. But for some reason, the husky may shed off excessively which is frustrating and these could be the reasons why.

    Causes of Abnormal Excessive Shedding in Huskies

    Causes of Abnormal Excessive Shedding in Huskies

    So we are very aware that it is normal for huskies to shed to fit the seasonal change of their environment. However, abnormal shedding can take place.

    These are some of the reasons why there may be excessive abnormal shedding in huskies.

    1. Nutritional imbalance

    This is caused by feeding the dog an imbalanced diet especially when the food lacks protein which is essential for skin and hair growth.

    2. Certain diseases

    Some diseases may affect the husky’s skin and fur. Excessive hair loss in dogs could be an indicator of an underlying illness so you need to take it to the vet to find out the disease in time.

    3. Skin parasite like flea and ticks

    Parasites which irritate the dog’s skin force them to over-scratch, ending up losing its beautiful coat abnormally.

    4. Skin allergies

    Skin allergies may cause rashes, itching, and other skin reactions affecting the hair. It also makes the dog over-scratch.

    5. Using the wrong shampoo

    Some shampoos sold on the market are not good for either the skin of the dog or the hair itself. It may irritate the skin forcing the dog to over-scratch or break the hair hence over-shedding.

    6. Stress at home

    Biologically, it has been proven that animals lose hair when they are stressed and this is very true with a husky. According to Mayo Clinic, stress possibly causes the body’s immune system to attack hair follicles where the hair is rooted thus causing hair loss.

    How to Stop Your Husky From Shedding

    It is good that every problem has a solution, and these are some of the solutions to excessive shedding in huskies.

    Vet visits: Regularly take your dog to the vet to check on its health especially when it feels irritated or it is over scratching to save both time and money.

    Feed the dog a balanced diet: When you go out shopping for dog food, make sure to shop for food rich in protein especially chicken or fish. This is good for the skin and fur.

    Introduce food supplements with Omega-3 oil: This has been proven to be very good for the skin of the dog. When the skin is fine, expect the dog to have good hair which will not abnormally break off.

    Avoid using the wrong shampoo: Use deshedding shampoo that contains natural ingredients and avoid the ones that will burn the skin and the hair of the dog. Not all shampoos are good.

    Don’t ever shave the hair from a dog: Instead, brush it regularly on a schedule. It is advisable to do this 2 to 3 times a week to reduce the dead skin on the dog.

    Much as you are advised to brush your dog, take into consideration the type of brush you are to use when brushing your dog. Use an undercoat rake and slicker brush which don’t damage the hair of the husky.

    Avoid over bathing: This is because it will risk drying the dog’s skin which will turn out not to be good for the hair conditioning of the dog.

    Exercise the dog: This will keep the dog in shape and remember when you are in shape; it makes your body system work normally, and also works well for the dog. So go have fun walking your dog.

    How to Maintain a Healthy Coat for Your Husky

    How to Maintain a Healthy Coat for Your Husky

    Much as you don’t want your husky shedding off abnormally, wouldn’t you want to see its coat healthy and shiny? Well, here is how to maintain the cool coat of our husky.

    a) Emphasize on protein diet

    Always look out for food rich in protein as a primary ingredient. It is advisable to feed them lamb and chicken since they are rich in protein and make the hair glow.

    b) Give the husky an Omega-rich diet and supplements

    This has been proven to reduce dry skin and general irritation making our husky soft and beautiful. Give the husky some seafood, especially fish.

    c) You are also advised to massage the coat with coconut oil

    According to Jessica Smith, coconut oil is one of the best remedies for nourishing dehydrated skin and hair as well as preventing skin infection making the husky’s coat glow.

    d) Bath, groom and brush your husky regularly

    Use organic shampoo with natural ingredients to preserve the beautiful dog coat.

    e) Pay attention to the environment in which your dog will stay or play

    Make sure it is always clean. Also, make sure that the place your dog stays or plays is not infested with a parasite that will make its body itch.

    f) Make sure to see the vet to check on the health of the dog to prevent diseases

    Sometimes it is good to do a medical checkup on the dog to find out the problem that could affect its health, in this way you will be able to maintain a beautiful coat on your husky.

    You may also like to read: Husky Lifespan – How Long Do Huskies Live

    Frequently Asked Question

    How long does a husky shed?

    It normally takes 2 to 3 weeks for huskies to shed. However, some huskies may shed quickly or longer depending on the climate. As soon as your dog sheds, you need to observe to make sure it’s okay

    When do huskies shed?

    Huskies shed twice a year and this normally occurs during spring as the weather is getting warmer, and again in fall to make way for the growth of new undercoats for the cold weather ahead.

    How much does a husky shed?

    Huskies can shed a lot but there are times when they can shed excessively. This could be because of several factors but mostly because of health concerns.

    Do huskies have hypoallergenic hair?

    Huskies are not hypoallergenic. They shed all year round so it is not good for people with allergies.

    Conclusion

    Having a husky as a pet is great because of its loyalty, strong with a lot of stamina, and playfulness. They enjoy outdoor activities but are also independent so be rest assured of personal space just when you need it from your husky.

    I hope this guide has given you a deeper understanding on huskies shedding and how to know abnormal shedding. You have also learned some tips on how to maintain a healthy coat for your husky.



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