There are lots of things to consider when you take on a new dog, and one of the things is its hygiene level and how easy it is to keep your dog clean and happy. If you are someone who likes to have your dog in the bed or on the couch with you, knowing whether it will smell nice or not is particularly important, so today, we’re going to look at whether Akitas smell and how much grooming and bathing you need to do in order to keep them clean and smelling sweet.
So, do Akitas smell? No, Akitas do not generally smell bad – and among dogs, they are considered one of the least smelly breeds. Even a damp Akita should not smell bad, so unless there is something wrong, your dog will usually avoid that “dog smell” that many people find so unpleasant.
We are going to look at whether Akitas smell and how often you need to wash them. Arming yourself with this knowledge in advance is a good idea because it lets you know how much time you need to put into caring for your dog. We are also going to cover whether Akitas make good house dogs, and how you can clear their ears to ensure they are happy and healthy pups! By the time you have finished, you’ll know everything there is to know about Akita hygiene and how to keep your Akita in top condition at all times.
Do Akitas Smell?
Akitas don’t smell bad, no. They are very clean dogs, and if you watch an Akita, you will often see that it grooms itself in the same way that a cat might. This removes debris and dust and mud from its fur coat and keeps it generally much cleaner than other dogs.
Most dogs do not wash, or only very minimally. They might lick at a paw or two, but they do not “bath” themselves, which is one of the reasons that they often smell unpleasant. The dirt and muck gradually build up to create a general odor that is not particularly appealing on the whole.
However, because Akitas have short coats, there is less hair for the dirt to get tangled up in, and they are also significantly better at removing what does get caught up in their fur. This minimizes the amount of work that you as an owner need to take on because the dog is doing a significant portion of it of its own volition.
You do have to groom an Akita regularly, however. They may not need frequent bathing, but that thick coat needs a good brushing quite often. Twice a year, an Akita’s coat will “blow” out, meaning that your dog will start malting in clumps. Increasing the frequency of brushing should help to reduce the amount of hair and avoid this period being too prolonged.
How Often Should Akitas Be Bathed?
Many vets recommend that you do not bathe your dog too often. Just as washing your hair can serve to make the grease build up faster and require you to wash it more and more often, bathing your dog very frequently can actually make it smell bad faster.
That is because the dogs have a protective layer of sebum against their skin, beneath the hair of their coats. When this layer is washed away, it must be reformed, and the more you wash it away, the faster the dog’s body will work to produce more.
Some people recommend a weekly bathe, but many find that you do not need to wash an Akita this often. It will depend on the activities that you do. If you do most of your exercise in muddy places, alongside rivers, or in forests, you might find that your dog needs washing much more frequently.
By contrast, if most of your time is spent hiking in dry, grassy fields or on the tarmac, your dog will probably stay cleaner, and may not need such regular washing.
In general, a bath every month should be sufficient for your Akita. If you are regularly in muddy or dirty places, or your dog is particularly fond of water, you might want to increase the frequency of the baths, but it is best to keep it to a minimum if you can. Too much washing can hurt your pet’s skin.
Make sure that you only use appropriate soaps. You should not be using human shampoo on a dog, but must buy a specific dog-friendly shampoo.
If your dog seems to need bathing more often than you are comfortable with, try brushing it very thoroughly in place of baths at times. This may help to keep its hygiene levels up and its coat free from grime.
Coupled with the Akita’s natural grooming instinct, brushing will often be sufficient to tidy it up after a long day out!
Is An Akita A Good House Dog?
An Akita is a great dog for an experienced owner, but they aren’t ideal for beginners. They are very smart dogs and they need a lot of mental stimulation. Training is important and will keep your dog from picking up too many bad habits – which it may be at risk of otherwise.
It is a good idea to set some routines about hygiene early on in your dog’s life, and teach it about bathing and being cleaned so that it gets the idea quickly. Reward your dog for good behavior in the tub and during brushing, and always make both experiences as pleasant as you can to encourage cooperation.
If your Akita is reluctant to be bathed or groomed, talk to a professional trainer about how to approach this and get them to accept it as part of life.
How To Clean An Akita’s Ears?
Like any dog, Akitas may sometimes need their ears cleaning. You should get your vet to show you the proper technique if possible, so you don’t hurt your dog while trying to help them.
Never use a Q tip on your dog’s ears. You should only ever use soft cotton balls or fabric for cleaning them. It’s a good idea to regularly check your dog’s ears for any signs of mites or infections, especially if your dog likes to swim and so often gets damp ears.
You can help your Akita to feel more comfortable with having its ears cleaned by regularly touching and handling its ears. Stroke them, ruffle them and see how your dog reacts. Reward it for good behavior. Next, buy a dog-specific ear cleanser and get ready to have a go!
To start with, get your dog into the bathroom, preferably with a second pair of hands. You will need a cleanser, cotton balls, and a fresh towel. Start by checking your dog’s ears over, and then gently smell them to see if there is an unpleasant scent that might indicate an infection. Problems need to be reported to your vet.
Start by gently wiping around the ear with a cotton ball, cleaning away any dirt there. Next, insert the tip of the cleanser bottle very gently into your dog’s ear, and give the bottle a small squeeze. Massage the base of your dog’s ear to help move the cleanser around inside.
When you are satisfied, use cotton balls to gently wipe away the excess, and clean up any dirt. Make a note of how the general cleanliness seems, and keep cleaning until the cotton balls are not getting dirty.
Give your dog a good reward (it may help to do this repeatedly throughout the cleaning process, depending on how your dog feels about ear cleaning) and repeat the process with the other ear. Finally, tidy up. You can wipe your dog’s ears with the towel to finish.
This should be done about once a month, as Akitas do not have floppy ears (which are more prone to infections) and so they don’t need cleaning too frequently.
So, the answer to “do Akitas smell” is a firm no, they do not. Like any dog, they do require bathing and brushing in order to maintain a good standard of hygiene, but they are not a smelly breed. Because they tend to clean and wash their own coats frequently, they are generally considered non-smelly dogs.
You are quite likely to see your Akita washing, especially after a meal. As long as you rub your dog down with a clean towel after a walk and brush it weekly, you will find it smells just fine!