Why and How to Groom Your Golden Retriever

Some breeds don’t require a lot of grooming. Others require more. If you have a short-haired animal, you will only need the occasional nail trim and bath when they get into something dirty. The grooming required for these dogs is minimal. Golden Retrievers, on the other hand, can take up a lot more time since they will need baths regularly to avoid smelling and to keep them looking great.

The proper coat grooming requires three basic steps of getting a bath, getting a brush and combing the hair out completely.

A Golden Retriever should be bathed at least every two months, although some owners bathe their dogs much more frequently if the dog is outside. If your dog is frequently inside, they might be able to go longer than 2 months between baths. Other dogs enjoy rolling around in the dirt every day and require frequent cleanings.

Always make sure you use a dog shampoo when bathing your dog. Other shampoos can dry out their skin or cause their hair to look dull. Commercial dog shampoo is almost always the best bet as they are designed with your dog’s needs in mind. They are manufactured specifically for a dog’s pH and have mild ingredients that will help to repel dirt. Baby shampoo, on the other hand, does not have the proper pH and can disturb their skin.

There are two layers on a Golden Retriever’s coat and both the top coat and the undercoat will need to be brushed completely to get the dog fully groomed.

The long, thick coat of a Golden Retriever is beautiful, but it can be a chore to brush. Nevertheless, you will need to groom your Golden at least one time every week. If your dog loves to play outside and get dirty, you will need to brush him more frequently to get the dirt out of their coat.

A slicker is a kind of brush that is used specifically for the top coat. It can remove the hair that has made its way to the surface of the coat. Golden Retrievers typically shed most of their undercoat and these hairs make their way to the top coat. Be careful not to brush too vigorously as you do not want to harm the skin of your dog. You want to remove any tangles that may be there.

The undercoat rake is another instrument you can use while grooming. You should use this to get down underneath the top coat. This coat keeps them warm in the winter and cooler in the summertime, protecting them from the sun. It can also protect them from the heavy brush and forestation that they love to play in.

The rake, finally, is the last tool you can use to remove the hair left over from shedding. If you start at the rear back leg, you can move slowly forward, lifting and pulling the hair away from the body.

Nails will need to be kept short for the Golden Retriever and there are two different types of nail clippers – guillotine clippers and scissors. Be careful not to cut the quick of the nail as this will cause a lot of bleeding and pain to the animal. The quick is the blood vessel located in their nail. For this reason, you don’t want to cut too much off.

With regular grooming, you will have the most beautiful Golden Retriever on the block!

         

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