8 Tips on How to Manage Shiba Inu Shedding

There’s no doubt that Shiba Inu shed a lot. So, most of us wonder how to manage their Shiba Inus shedding during the coat-blowing season or the moderate shedding throughout the year. Stick around and learn how to manage the shedding mess by Shiba Inu.

Shiba Inu shedding can be a mess if you are not ready with the right tools to handle the fur mess. So, you should have the right tools to manage your Shiba Inu shedding when blowing the coat or during normal yearly shedding.

The two most important tools you’ll need during your Shiba Inu shedding season are a shedding brush and a vacuum cleaner.

Excess shedding or coat blowing happens twice a year, during spring and fall, thus the need for the tools above. These tools will help you manage fur around your home and keep your furniture free from tumbleweeds of fur.

How Much Do Shiba Inu Really Shed?

If you’re just new to this breed, then know that they shed quite a lot. Coat blowing is usually messy with shedding a lot of fur and happens during the spring and fall.

The reason Shiba Inu shed a lot is that they’re double-coat dogs. This means they have coarse outer fur and soft inner fur.

Coat blowing let’s go off the soft inner fur to prepare for the oncoming warmer climates. The two layers of fur can’t withstand the summer, hence the reason they shed.

The double coat in Shiba Inus is incredible and useful healthy-wise. It helps your canine friend keep their body cool in the summer and warm during the winter.

The undercoat, which is short and finer, plays the role of an insulator. So, it traps body heat when it’s cold and traps cool air when it’s hot, especially during the summer.

The outer fur or the guard hair is coarse and thicker. So, it acts as a form of protection from dirt, airborne diseases, and bugs. It also repels water and other dangerous elements.

So, both coats work in coordination to provide protection and regulate body heat. So, apart from brushing the coat, you should not trim it at any given point unless for treatment.

During the spring and fall, your Shiba Inu blows their coat to prepare for the oncoming seasons. Usually, it signifies the change in seasons and adjusting body demands. Coat blowing goes on for three weeks

Can I Prevent My Shiba Inu from Shedding?

No, you can’t prevent your Shiba Inu from shedding. Besides, you shouldn’t prevent them from shedding because it’s a natural body process.

Shedding helps your pooch friend maintain a healthy coat and put on the proper heat insulation and protection gear.

Therefore, shedding helps them adjust to weather changes. So, the only thing you can do is manage your Shibas shedding.

Managing your Shiba Inus shedding will prevent causing the mess in your house. Don’t buy the idea that shaving your Shiba Inus is the right thing to do.

Instead, shaving your Shiba Inu will pose a health risk and triggers skin allergic reactions. If you want to learn more about why you shouldn’t shave your Shiba Inu, read the following article; can you shave a Shiba Inu?

So, what tips control or manage Shiba Inu’s shedding? Let’s explore that below:

8 Tips on How to Manage Shiba Inu Shedding

• Brushing Their Coat Daily
• Bathing Your Shiba Inu More Often
• Drying Their Coat Using A Blow Dryer Before And After Bathing
  
• Having The Proper Tools
• Getting To Work During the Coat Blowing Season
• Vacuum Cleaning More Regularly
• Setting Up a Shiba Coat-Friendly Environment
• Nourish, Diet, And Hydrating

Brushing Their Coat Daily

Brush your Shiba coat once a day, twice a day during the coat-blowing season. Brushing is the best tip I always recommend to every other Shiba Inu owner.

When you do it more regularly, you help pluck more hair out, one at a time. So, this is the best way to catch the loose fur before it finds its way to your furniture.

Also, brushing your Shiba Inus coat every day prevents matting. Matting is a situation where the fur sticks together, creating large fur clots.

Matting can harbor bacteria, thus the reason you need to brush your canine friend’s coat regularly. Also, brushing them stimulates hair follicles, creating an even fur distribution.

Bathing Your Shiba Inu More Often

I’d recommend you bathe your Shiba Inu more often during the shedding season. During every bathing session, ensure you dry their skin to prevent bad body odor.

You can bathe your pooch friend once a week during the coal-blowing season. Note that excessive bathing washes away essential body oils.

So, don’t do excess of it. Also, ensure you brush the coat before and after bathing them. This helps pluck the loose hair.

Use proper shampoo when washing your canine, friend. Work the water and shampoo mix inside your Shibas undercoat using your hands.

Take precaution not to reach your Shibas eyes with the shampoo water mixture. You can wash their face using a washcloth.

Drying Their Coat Using Blow Dryer Before Brushing

After washing your canine, friend, it’s time to do the drying. So, blow off their skin after the bath to power dry it.

This also helps remove other loose furs on their skin and makes the brushing quicker and easier. It eases the entire grooming process.

Ensure you start these practices early enough in life. When they’re adults, they might not resonate well with the noise around from a blow dryer.

Have The Proper Tools

Here you may be asking yourself, which are the proper tools to tackle Shiba Inu shedding? Relax! I got you!

Having the right tools for the job makes everything else easier. So, you must identify the suitable tools that do the job in a DIY manner.

I always use key tools to manage Shiba Inu shedding: de-shedding tools, appropriate shedding brushes, animal fur vacuum cleaner, shampoo, and gloves.

Now that you have the proper tools, when do you get to use them? Let’s see the next point.

Getting To Work During the Coat Blowing Season

Be ready to get to work during the coat-blowing season. This is the time to get proactive because your Shiba will lose a lot of fur that needs your management.

So, the more you take off through management practices, the less you’ll have to clean up later. Start by doubling the grooming frequency.

Be sure to have the right shedding brush that suits your canine friend’s fur length. Brushing helps loosen the undercoat and spreads essential oils evenly over your Shibas coat.

From my experience, most Shibas are good with slicker brushes. However, you can also use de-shedding tools.

If your Shiba Inu has long hair, stick to sicker brushed. You can also schedule an extra bath to help with the loose hair. The warm water loosens the undercoat fur.

Remember to brush before and after the bath. Serous shedding occurs after the bath. So, you may want to take out your heavy-duty vacuum cleaner.

Vacuum Cleaning More Regularly

Vacuum cleaning is the key to managing fur around your home and furniture. So, ensure you have a decent vacuum cleaner.

A good vacuum cleaner puts serious effort into cleaning. You’ll mostly need your vacuum cleaner when your Shiba is blowing the coat.

It’s not a must to own a vacuum cleaner. However, it comes in handy when ‘defurring’ your home and makes the practice much easier.

I always prefer having one high-quality canister vacuum for heavy-duty cleaning, another stick vac for quick pick-ups, and one for light touch-ups.

Setting Up a Shiba Coat-Friendly Environment

Now that you have to share your home with your canine friend, there are a few give and takes you’ll have to embrace.

First thing is to have a furniture cover that’s easy to clean. Also, instead of having that full-grain leather sofa you always love, you may want to opt for a cream color sofa that you can easily dust off and clean.

Another tip is to opt for solid floors instead of wall-to-wall carpeting. In short, look for smooth fabric materials that are easy to clean.

You can also have furniture covers over your coaches, especially during the shedding. Ensure your clothes and linens are in the closet all the time.

Nourish, Diet, And Hydrating

The last thing you want to ensure is a good nourishing diet for your canine friend. Feeding your Shiba Inu the proper diet will prevent or reduce gradual shedding.

So, ensure you feed them with essential oil and the proper diet. Another thing to check on is hydrating your canine friend. Always provide them with water after meals.

Frequently Asked Questions

When Do Shiba Inus Shed Their Puppy Coats?

Shiba Inus shed their puppy coats when they’re 4 or 5 months of age. So, generally, it happens between 3 and 6 months.

On the other hand, your Shibas adult coat takes some time to grow and may go up to 9 months of age.

Not all Shiba Inus grow thick outer coat. However, most have it as it protects their skin from dirt and allergies.

When Is Shiba Inu Shedding Season?

Shiba Inus shed all year round. However, they blow their coats twice a year. So, towards the end of spring, your Shiba Inu will shed to keep their bodies cool during the summer.

Also, towards the end of fall, your Shiba Inus will shed and prepare for the growth of a winter coat.

So, massive shedding happens towards the end of spring and fall.

What Age Does Shiba Inu Start Shedding?

Shiba Inus start shedding from nine months of age. However, some Shiba Inus start to shed from the second year after birth.

Shedding takes three weeks from the starting period before it comes to an end. This is the coat blowing. Note that Shiba Inus sheds throughout the year.

Do Shibas Shed as Much as Huskies?

No. Shiba Inus don’t shed as much as Huskies. Huskies tend to shed more than Shibas, and their fur is slightly longer and thicker.

Although Shiba Inu shedding might compare with Huskies, they still don’t shed as much as Huskies.

Conclusion On How to Manage Shiba Inu Shedding

Shiba Inu shedding can be a mess, especially if you’re not ready with the right tools. However, having the proper brush and a vacuum cleaner can help during your Shibas shedding period.

Ensure the proper tools during the spring and fall to manage the shedding. Also, dedicate enough time to brushing your canine friend.

You should brush their coat at least twice a day. That way, you’ll be sure to keep your home and furniture free from tumbleweeds of fur.

Also, select a suitable mat when brushing your Shiba Inu coat. Don’t brush your canine friend’s coat on a wood floor, as it can be tricky to clean.

Instead, find the best mats for shedding dogs. Let your Shiba settle on the matt as you brush their coats to remove loose fur.