As a dog owner, one of the biggest challenges that you can face is dealing with pet hair. If you are considering purebred dogs, it is important to know everything about the breed that you are interested in, including shedding habits. In the case of the Akita, while it is an excellent pet, it sheds a lot. However, there are ways to manage shedding and lessen its impact on your home.
Understanding an Akita’s Coat
Akita’s have beautiful, thick double coats with spiraling cascading tails that are striking to look at. They come in different colors, including Black, Fawn, Red, White, Brown Brindle, Red Black overlay, Silver Black overlay, Brown Black overlay, Fawn Black overlay, Red Brindle, Silver Brindle, Black Red undercoat, Black Silver undercoat and White Red shading. Akita’s have easy-to-brush coats; however, they require heavy maintenance to keep up with the shedding, no matter the season.
How often do Akitas Shed?
Prepare for daily shedding if you are a potential owner of an Akita. Although Akita’s have easy-to-brush coats, they shed profusely and will leave a few strands of hair on your furniture or work clothes. Besides, they also experience bulk shed in the spring and fall months due to the changing seasons. During this period, you need to groom your Akita frequently and heavily.
Seasonal Blowout: What Does it Mean?
A seasonal blowout is an excessive shedding period that lasts for roughly two to four weeks as a dog adapts to the new undercoat growth. This is typical of double-coated breeds like the Akita, and it usually occurs when seasons change, primarily in the spring and fall months. During this time, hair follicles go into a telogen phase, resulting in bulk shedding at one time for a few weeks.
Other Double-Coated Breeds
Several popular breeds have double coats like the Akita, and they come in different shapes and sizes. Some of these double-coated breeds barely shed, such as the Shih Tzu and Miniature Schnauzer.
Can you prevent shedding with an Akita?
There is no way to prevent shedding with an Akita. The best way to deal with shedding is by reducing its impact with a few tactics. For people who suffer from allergies or dislike cleaning up bulk shedding, they should consider other breeds that shed less.
Factors that Affect Shedding
Different factors contribute to how much an Akita sheds, and you can control shedding progressively throughout the year by incorporating various tactics:
• Brushing: Brush your Akita’s coat daily, especially during seasonal shed periods. Brushing regularly will help keep your Akita looking fresh and reduces shedding in the house.
• Anticipate Seasons: It helps to anticipate the spring and fall bulk shedding season and prepare your home to battle the balls of fluff.
• Proper Diet: A protein-rich, nutritious diet helps reduce shedding and creates a more lustrous and silkier coat, giving your Akita the proper oils to keep its skin healthy and a shiny coat.
• Use Furniture Covers: Keep your furniture and valuables covered, and your closets and laundry baskets closed to protect your belongings from shedding. You can buy furniture covers to suit your style from virtually any online shop.
• Use the correct tools: With the correct grooming tools, you can manage your Akita’s shedding. Some of these tools are designed to improve the coat’s overall look and feel, while others are designed specifically to combat shed.
• Control Parasites and Allergies: Parasites and allergies can lead to hair loss, which results in increased shedding around the house. Proper pet care, a well-balanced diet and having a healthy environment will help your Akita stay free of these issues.
• Offer a Fatty Acid Supplement: A fatty acid supplement helps improve your Akita’s overall skin and coat health, creating proper oils that keep the skin shiny and healthy.
• Clean Often: It may be some extra work to get your Akita’s shedding under control, but it is worth it. Maintaining and cleaning your home regularly, rolling the couch and vacuuming daily can reduce shed lingering around your belongings.
Grooming your Akita
Grooming an Akita is relatively simple. They have very straight, thick coats that are easy to comb and tend to resist mats and tangles. You need specific tools to groom your Akita, and they include brushes, deshedding tools and a brushing glove.
In conclusion, owning an Akita, like other double-coated breeds, requires significant effort to manage shedding. While the seasonal blowout may be a challenging time, grooming them regularly, feeding them a nutritious diet and cleaning often can go a long way towards reducing shedding and keeping your home looking great.
