This is a very protective dog.
Akitas come from Japan where they were mainly a royal guard dog. This dog breed can be fiercely loyal even though they are large, powerful, and dominant type dogs.
However, since they come from Japan, the Akita has grown a double coat to protect it from the cold weather that is in that country’s winter season. That means with a double coat, they will shed more than single-coat dogs.
Their shedding takes place during shedding season as well as almost every month of the year. With the double coat, you can expect to see a lot of fur on the floor.
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Do Akitas Shed a Lot?
Saying a lot is a bit of an understatement. They are rated as a 5 out of 5 shedders which means they leave a lot of hair around the home for you to clean up. They would be classified as heavy shedders.
With that classification comes the normal twice-a-year shedding seasons. But that is not the only time this dog breed will shed. You will find that Akitas will shed their fur almost every day of the year.
It won’t be as much as the Spring and Fall shedding seasons, but it may be enough to annoy you. Or ban them from your living room furniture and bed. This dog breed will leave lots of hair around when you are not looking.
How To Groom Akitas
Generally, a once-a-week brushing is all that it takes to keep their coats in fine shape. This is a low-maintenance type dog breed, but brushing is essential when you want to control those loose dog hairs.
Because these dogs shed so much, it is not out of the question to brush them on a daily basis. That way you can get those loose hairs before they fall on your nice clean floors and carpets.
To get at the loose fur on the undercoat, you will need a good de-shedding tool to help you. While you may not like to spend a lot of your day brushing your dog, this task is shorter than trying to clean up all the hair your Akita spread throughout your home.
The American Vs. The Japanese Akita
Yes, there are two versions of this dog breed. The Japanese version is a smaller dog, and it is bred more for companionship now than any other duty. They also can look like large foxes.
The American Akita is larger and is bred more for guard duty than anything else. Their heads can look more like bears than a dog.
However, despite these differences, they both shed the same and have the same double coat.
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Some Final Words
No matter which Akita version you get, you are going to see a lot of shedding throughout the year. But their companionship, loyalty, and protective nature make the work worth owning this dog breed.
You just have to live with the shedding if you want this great dog by your side all of the time.
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