The 6 Best Dog Brushes For Akitas

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The Akita breed can be traced back to the 1600s, when it once guarded Japanese royalty. The Akita symbolizes protection, health, happiness, and a long life. To this day, Japanese parents are gifted a small statue of an Akita for protection when their child is born.

Because the Akita evolved to withstand the elements and hunt in cold weather, they sport a thick, medium-length, double coat. Therefore, grooming your Akita can be challenging and time consuming, but not difficult with the right tools.

Fortunately, we researched and tested a handful of dog brushes and combs to determine which ones work best for an Akita’s double coat.

Compare Best Dog Brush For Akita’s

OVERALL BEST 1. HappyDogz Magic Pro Deshedding Tool View on Amazon Read Review	RUNNER UP 2. Paws & Pals De-Shedding Tool View on Amazon Read Review	BEST FOR UNDERCOATS 3. Pet Republique Slicker Brush View on Chewy Read Review	BEST FOR DE-MATTING 4. Safari De-Matting Dog Comb View on Prf Read Review	BEST FOR FACE AND EARS 5. ConairPRO Soft Dog Slicker Brush View on Prf Read Review	BEST FOR DAILY USE 6. Hartz Groomer's Best Combo Dog Brush View on Prf Read Review
Lifestage Adult	Lifestage Adult	Lifestage Adult	Lifestage Adult	Lifestage Adult	Lifestage Adult
Material Plastic	Material Plastic	Material Plastic	Material Plastic	Material Plastic	Material Plastic

Coat Type

Akita’s have thick, medium-length, double coats that tend to be mat-free and tangle-free. The Akita’s undercoat is soft to the touch, but dense and reasonably short.

Akitas lose all their hair twice a year, which is called “blowing” or “shedding”. It can be quite shocking to see how much hair they lose during this process, but if not maintained, your Akita will look scruffy for about two months. These dogs do shed moderately, but they generally only “blow” their coats in the spring and fall months.

Brush Types For Akitas

De-matting Comb
There are several styles of de-matting combs for dogs but they are all designed to help you remove knots and tangles. These grooming tools have sharp blades that cut through the hair, removing matted areas of fur.

Slicker Brushes
Slicker brushes have fine, rounded wires that are close together on a flat surface. This type of brush works with all coat types to remove loose fur and help de-tangle.

Pin Brushes
A lot like the slicker brush, pin brushes are made to penetrate thicker and longer coat types. They can be made of plastic, rubber, metal or bamboo. Pin brushes look similar to brushes commonly used by people.

Shedding Rake
Do not be fooled by the name, this brush is really just a comb with small, harmless teeth. It is useful for almost every coat type to removing dead hair.

The 6 Best Dog Brush For Akita’s Reviewed

OVERALL BEST

1.

HappyDogz Magic Pro Deshedding Tool

View on Amazon

Product Info

• Lifestage: Adult
• Material: Plastic

Pros

• Reduce shedding by up to 95%
• Stainless steel shedding blades designed for medium to large or small to medium dogs with long and short hair
• Has an ergonomically designed handle to reduce hand fatigue
• Affordable

Cons

• Not specifically designed for a certain breed, size or coat type, so it may not work as well on dogs with specific grooming needs

It has a stainless steel shedding blades that reach deep beneath the topcoat to access the fuzzy undercoat, capturing loose hairs and stopping them from gathering into mats or shedding throughout the house.

The HappyDogz Magic Pro Deshedding Tool does a great job of reducing shed fur by up to 95% in just minutes and helps promote healthy blood flow. The deshedder brush has been tried, tested, and proven by numerous, dogs, cats, pet owners and professional pet groomers.

RUNNER UP

2.

Paws & Pals De-Shedding Tool

View on Amazon

Product Info

• Lifestage: Adult
• Material: Plastic

Pros

• Works great on all coat types
• Helps prevent mats, knots and tangles
• Reasonably priced

Cons

• Plastic feels cheap and flimsy
• Can take off too much hair

The Paws & Pals de-shedding and grooming brush features a sturdy stainless steel comb-like head gets the loose hairs from your Akita’s undercoat. This tool works great for getting out tangles and mats in your dogs hair. The rubber comfort grip handle is designed to fit easily in your hand for maximum control while using. It does have a release button for removing the metal head for cleaning purposes.

BEST FOR UNDERCOATS

3.

Pet Republique Slicker Brush

View on Chewy

View on Amazon

Product Info

• Lifestage: Adult
• Material: Plastic

Pros

• Keeps shedding under control
• Retractable bristles
• Smooths and de-mats hair
• 30 day money back guarantee

Cons

• Bristles maybe too sharp for sensitive skin
• Bristles may bend easily

This slicker brush is made with fine wire bristles, and is great for removing mats, as well as getting the undercoat of your Akita under control. The long, flexible bristles of this brush will also remove dead skin and hair, then allows you to retract for easy cleaning. The ergonomic, rubber handle and heavy plastic material makes it very durable.

BEST FOR DE-MATTING

4.

Safari De-Matting Dog Comb

View on Chewy

View on Amazon

Product Info

• Lifestage: Adult
• Material: Plastic

Pros

• Great for removing dead hair
• Adjustable for left or right hand
• Smooths and de-mats hair easily
• Reasonably priced

Cons

• Comb is long for medium hair length
• Handle could be softer
• Thumb rest can be awkward when brushing

The SAFARI De-matting Comb removes mats and tangles and is great for removing dead hair from your Akita’s double coat. The stainless steel, serrated blades will comb out most tangles. This comb can be used on medium to long-haired dogs and the blades are designed to avoid contact your dogs skin. This combs handle can be use with either hand and has an ergonomic, rubber grip handle.

BEST FOR FACE AND EARS

5.

ConairPRO Soft Dog Slicker Brush

View on Chewy

View on Amazon

Product Info

• Lifestage: Adult
• Material: Plastic

Pros

• Reinforced gentle tips
• Comfortable gel-grip handle design
• Great for less dense areas
• Reasonably priced

Cons

• Brush head on the small side
• Tends to pull on hair
• Not effective on thick haired areas

The Conair Small Soft Slicker Brush safely and effectively penetrates your Akita’s coat to prevent tangles and mats. The tips are designed to be gentle and will not harm your dog and is great for the face and ear areas. The gel-grip handle offers maximum control and comfort with its soft, non-slip grip.

BEST FOR DAILY USE

6.

Hartz Groomer's Best Combo Dog Brush

View on Chewy

View on Amazon

Product Info

• Lifestage: Adult
• Material: Plastic

Pros

• Great for de-shedding, de-tangling and removing small mats
• Ideal for all types of coats
• Easy rubber-coated handle grip to hold onto
• Two brushes in one

Cons

• Stainless steel side can come loose
• Bristle side maybe too soft for some coats
• Steel tips may hurt sensitive skin

The Hartz Groomer’s Best Combo Brush is perfect for all dogs and coat types. One side has fine stainless steel tips that are great for de-tangling and removing mats but also for daily use when your Akita is not in shedding season. The reverse bristle side helps to distribute natural oils to keep your Akita’s under coat healthy and shiny. The handle is rubber coated with an ergonomic grip to make brushing simple.

Grooming Tips

If you don’t own the right grooming tools, you are going to struggle and possibly damage your Akita’s coat. We recommend owning at least one brush and a comb-type tool. Combs are great for removing dead hair from the undercoat.

During the ‘blowing’ stage, it is best to brush your Akita daily.  If you let the coat get out of hand during this stage, you will be waiting months for the sleek, smooth new coat to come through.

Akita’s only needs to be bathed when necessary due to a water proof double coat that naturally repels dirt. Besides that, Akita’s have been known to keep themselves clean. The Akita’s coat is daunting to dry after bathing and shampoo is difficult to rinse out because the coat is so thick.

Challenges

Twice a year, Akita’s “blow” their undercoats, which means they shed their undercoats completely. This shedding period, that can last up to three weeks from start to finish, is very excessive. This only occurs twice a year and the rest of the time, your Akita should be nearly shed-free.

The Akita is prone to eczema, an inflammation of the skin or dermatitis characterized by intense itching. The Akita is more susceptible to this skin condition during blowing or shedding but can be prevented by brushing his coat daily, during spring and fall.

Final Thoughts

The Akita is a handsome and clean breed that requires some maintenance, when it comes to his coat. With the proper tools, mentioned in this article and a little know how, your Akita will look great year round.