Some dog owners are lucky that their dogs require less grooming – just occasional bath and nail trimming will do. Many breeds with short hair need no daily attention. However, this is not the case with golden retriever dogs. Their long mane demands painstaking grooming to look good, but the shining coat is every bit worth the effort.
If you’re the proud owner of a golden retriever, you know that they require a lot of grooming to keep their coat looking shiny and healthy. This blog post will outline the steps you need to take to groom your golden retriever properly. We’ll discuss everything from brushing their coat to trimming their nails. By following these tips, you can keep your dog’s coat looking great!
Golden Retriever Grooming Tips: How to Groom a Golden Retriever
When grooming your Golden retriever, there are a few specific things you should pay attention to. Here are the top four golden retriever grooming tips to keep in mind.
- Golden Retriever dogs should be bathed at least once a month or more often if they get particularly dirty. Be sure to use a gentle dog shampoo that won’t irritate their skin.
- To keep your Goldie’s coat shiny and healthy, brush them regularly with a soft brush. This will help remove any dead hair and distribute the natural oils evenly.
- Trim their nails regularly to keep them from growing too long. If you’re not comfortable doing this yourself, take your dog to a groomer for a professional trim.
- Check their ears regularly for signs of infection or wax buildup, and clean them if necessary using a gentle ear cleaner.
4 Steps to Groom Golden Retriever Dog
There are four steps in coat care – bathing, combing, drying, and nail trimming.
1. Bathing
A bath is essential for a golden retriever at least once in two months. Again, this depends on the environment and activity of the dog. If living in clean surroundings, the bathing frequency can be lessened. However, if the golden is allowed outdoor and plays in dirt and dust, a bath every week is needed.
While bathing the dog, use a dog shampoo and not a baby shampoo or a dishwasher detergent. Baby shampoo is too mild, while the dishwasher detergent is too harsh. A dog shampoo has the right pH to cleanse the coat without harming it and keep it odor-free.
2. Combing
Golden retriever dogs have two coats – topcoat and undercoat. Both need proper grooming to stay clean and healthy. Weekly grooming is necessary but do it more frequently if your dog is active outdoors. The grooming gear consists of a slicker, a Greyhound comb, and an undercoat rake.
As golden retrievers shed their undercoat hair more and this remains in the topcoat, it is necessary to use a slicker to remove them. Slickers are also used to brush the topcoat. Use them with firm, uniform stokes. Take care not to put too much pressure to avoid brush burn.
A Greyhound comb is one of the Golden Retriever grooming tools that is used to remove shed and lose hair. It is also used to check the thoroughness of the brushing. If you can run the comb without getting caught, then the brushing done is proper.
An undercoat rake is for the layer of hair closest to the skin. This removes lost hair and thus avoids shedding. It is usually run from the hind leg to the front.
3. Drying
After bathing, the owner should dry the golden retriever dogs properly. Towel drying is not recommended for the grooming kit as it can mat the hair and make it difficult to groom later on.
The best way to dry a golden retriever is by using a high-velocity dog dryer. Point the dryer at their body and keep moving it while you blow-dry. This will quickly remove the water and make the dog coat shiny.
4. Nail Trimming
Nail trimming is required at least once a month. Both guillotine clippers and scissor-type nail clippers can be used to do this. However, much care has to be taken while clipping the nails to avoid damaging the quick. Quick is the highly sensitive flesh under the nail. This has tender blood vessels supplying blood to the area. Snipping this area results in extreme pain and profuse bleeding. To make the nail-trimming process trouble-free, wet the toenails to make them softer and more visible.
In case of snipping the quick accidentally, apply some astringent immediately to stop bleeding. Do not allow the dog to walk or run for an hour or so. There is no need to panic as the wound heals fast. However, exercise caution as the wound can open up if not fully healed.
Why should you not shave your golden retriever?
Most people think that shaving a golden retriever coat is the best way to keep them cool in the summertime, but this is not true. Shaving a golden retriever can lead to health problems for your dog. Here are just a few of the reasons why you should not shave your golden retriever.
Shaving a golden retriever can lead to sunburn.
When you shave a golden retriever, their coat is no longer able to protect them from the sun’s harmful rays. This can lead to serious sunburns and hot spots, which can be very painful for your dog and may even require medical attention.
Shaving a golden retriever can lead to skin problems.
Shaving a golden retriever’s coat can also lead to skin problems like dryness, itchiness, and even infection. These problems can be very uncomfortable for your dog and may require medication or treatment from a veterinarian.
Shaving a golden retriever can make them more susceptible to parasites.
Shaving a golden retriever’s coat can also make them more susceptible to parasites, such as fleas and ticks. These parasites can cause your dog much pain and discomfort and may even require medical treatment.
So, if you are thinking about shaving your golden retriever, think again! There are much better ways to keep your dog cool in the summertime, such as providing them with plenty of water and shade and using a cooling coat or vest.
Conclusion
Maintaining your golden retriever’s coat is an important part of ensuring they look and feel their best. Fortunately, it’s a pretty easy process if you follow the simple tips in this article. By keeping up with the maintenance work, you’ll help keep your dog healthy and looking sharp!
If you are thinking of getting a golden retriever puppy, please do your homework and learn how to groom a golden retriever so you can maintain its beautiful coat!
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