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
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 thick and longer coat types. They can be made of plastic, rubber, metal and 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 in removing dead hair.
The 6 Best Dog Brush For Akita’s Reviewed
HappyDogz Magic Pro Deshedding Tool
Product Info
- Lifestage: Adult
- Material: Plastic
- 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
- Not specifically designed for a certain breed, size or coat type, so it may not work as well on dogs with specific grooming needs
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.
Paws & Pals De-Shedding Tool
Product Info
- Lifestage: Adult
- Material: Plastic
- Works great on all coat types
- Helps prevent mats, knots and tangles
- Reasonably priced
- Plastic feels cheap and flimsy
- Can take off too much hair
Pet Republique Slicker Brush
Product Info
- Lifestage: Adult
- Material: Plastic
- Keeps shedding under control
- Retractable bristles
- Smooths and de-mats hair
- 30 day money back guarantee
- Bristles maybe too sharp for sensitive skin
- Bristles may bend easily
Safari De-Matting Dog Comb
Product Info
- Lifestage: Adult
- Material: Plastic
- Great for removing dead hair
- Adjustable for left or right hand
- Smooths and de-mats hair easily
- Reasonably priced
- Comb is long for medium hair length
- Handle could be softer
- Thumb rest can be awkward when brushing
ConairPRO Soft Dog Slicker Brush
Product Info
- Lifestage: Adult
- Material: Plastic
- Reinforced gentle tips
- Comfortable gel-grip handle design
- Great for less dense areas
- Reasonably priced
- Brush head on the small side
- Tends to pull on hair
- Not effective on thick haired areas
Hartz Groomer's Best Combo Dog Brush
Product Info
- Lifestage: Adult
- Material: Plastic
- 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
- Stainless steel side can come loose
- Bristle side maybe too soft for some coats
- Steel tips may hurt sensitive skin
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 and 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.
