Mason the Akita/German Shepherd is a great dog. He’s loyal, protective, and he has a distinct personality. His coat is long, fluffy, and majestic. There’s just one problem–he sheds!

Three days ago, I mentioned to my husband that I felt like I was vacuuming up even more fur than normal. He took Mason outside and gave him a thorough brushing.

Tonight, I came home, took one look at Mason, and knew. I could see the uneven patches of half-shed fur piling up on him, and the living room looked like it had snowed. Oh no–it’s shedding season!

My husband (bless him) has had Mason since he was a wee pup. Sometimes I wonder if he even notices that everything we own is covered in Mason fluff. (It’s covered in a hair or two year-round, of course, but if I’m not careful, it really ramps up at certain times of the year.)

The first year Mason lived in my house, I learned that brushing didn’t work. I could brush until the cows came home, but I would always remove more fur the longer I brushed. I wondered how my husband lived with this. I wondered how Mason survived the Florida heat like this. Then, I found a shimmer of hope.

The only way I’ve found to remove Mason’s shedding undercoat is a fur rake. Because I grew up with labs and pitbulls, I had no clue these even existed. They’re used for medium- to long-haired dogs and they reach into the undercoat to remove the built-up half-shed fur. (Like these from Chewy.com. If you use my link and purchase one, I’ll make a commission at no additional cost to you.)

When a dog like Mason sheds, it doesn’t all fall off (like it does with Belle). The outer coat falls off, but the undercoat gets trapped between the skin and the outer coat. This causes the never-ending brushing cycle, as well as mats and itchy, irritated skin. The only way to get the half-shed fur out is with a fur rake. It reaches past the outer coat to catch and remove the undercoat.

I brushed and raked Mason for about 30 minutes tonight, and I think I could build a new Mason with the amount of fur I removed. He was so happy that he even let me brush his tail (this normally causes some strife). I’m sure he feels cooler and lighter. He’s been nudging me for more loving ever since.

Of course, I also had to brush Belle, because she was jealous of the love and attention Mason received. That was a much shorter job (she’s a pitbull/hound mix).

The floor was a mess by the time we were done, but a quick sweep and a slightly-less-quick vacuuming of the couches later, the house looked decent once more, for the time being.

And so it begins.

Happy shedding season, everyone! May your dogs love their brush, and may the fur stay out of your nose!