Brush Your Golden Retrievers Teeth
In a 2018 study carried out in dog breeding facilities to estimate the prevalence of periodontal disease among 42 breeds , researchers found that of the 445 dogs, a whopping 86.3% had periodontal disease!
The previous fact should make one thing clear: dogs need regular dental care. However, an alarming number of owners dont do this for whatever reason. Ill admit, I was one of those owners for so many years! Its very important, needless to say.
According to PetMD, brushing at least two to three times a week is recommended for all dogs, including Golden Retrievers. Professional dental care should also be sought at least once a year, if possible. And if your dog looks like hes in pain while eating, get it checked up immediately.
Neglecting your Goldens dental care exposes them to the same dental problems that affect humans, such as gingivitis, periodontal disease, and gum recession. With a few minutes a week, you can prevent this unnecessary costs and pain.
Golden Retriever Grooming Cost At Home
If you plan to groom your Golden Retriever at home, youll need to invest in a pet grooming kit and different bath and body products such as shampoo, conditioners, etc.
Trimming and thinning shears usually cost around $30.
In addition, each shampooing and conditioning product will cost under $10. Therefore, it will be your one-time investment and reduces the cost of frequent groomers visit.
Meanwhile, grooming your Golden Retriever at home is much cheaper. Plus, it can reduce the professional grooming cost, but at the same time, it is not comparable to the professional services your dog receives at groomers.
Do Whiskers Need Trimming
Whiskers are found on your dogs cheeks, chin, muzzle and above the eyes. Whiskers are pretty essential to your dog as they help him navigate the world around him.
Whiskers are an important part of your dogs senses, helping your dog navigate in the dark, and they play an important role in hunting, retrieving, and any other activity.
Personally, I would not trim my Golden Retrievers whiskers. There really is no need to trim them. However, the choice is yours, and if you accidentally trim them, the good news is that they grow back.
To read more about dog whiskers, check out this article from PetMD.
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Tooth Brushing: Step By Step
You can introduce tooth brushing to your dog by first making the dog used to feeling your finger in his or her mouth. Once theyre comfortable with that, it will be easier to open the dogs mouth and introduce a toothbrush.
Follow these four steps to brush your Goldens teeth:
- Place a small amount of pet-safe toothpaste on a toothbrush designed for use with dogs.
- Lift the Goldens lip to expose the gums and teeth.
- Use gentle motions to brush the teeth and gum, just as you would with an infant.
- Ensure you reach the molars and premolars because they are most prone to cavities.
As long as you use toothpaste made specifically for dogs, your Golden can ingest it without running any risks. And if your dog is anything like mine, hell try to eat the toothpaste.
For most dogs, its not going to be easy in the beginning. So, dont forget to reward your Golden after the brushing. Rewarding them with a treat or a good girl/boy message will make brushing easier next time. Positive reinforcement is key!
Best Brush For Golden Retriever Shedding
Should you use a shedding tool like an undercoat rake, stripping knife, or shedding blade when your Golden Retriever is dropping a lot of fur during peak shedding season?
While some home groomers do like to use these tools to cope with seasonal shedding, many professional dog groomers who work with Goldens advise owners to use heavy-duty shedding devices only with extreme caution.
Regular use of your thinning shears, and especially your slicker brush, can do the job of a more powerful bladed tool. And you wont run the risk of damaging your Golden Retrievers beautiful coat. Here are some good brushes for shedding.
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Can You Shave A Golden Retriever
Technically, you can shave a golden retriever. You can very easily take a pair of electric clippers and shave your dog. In theory, it sounds like a quick and easy way to trim your dogs fur.
But the question is really should you shave a golden retriever. And the answer to that is very simple: no.
Golden retrievers have a very complex coat, with two separate layers of fur. Together, the two coats work as a heating and cooling system, water repellent, and sunscreen.
Therefore, removing too much of this could upset the balance that your dog has to go on.
Although it may seem like shaving in the summertime will help your pup stay cool, it can actually cause an unhealthy balance in their coat and open them up to exposure to the sun.
Overall, shaving your Golden at home isnt the best way to go about grooming. There are better ways you can keep your fur babys coat looking healthy and shiny, as well as helping him or her stay cool.
Should I Shave Or Clip My Golden Retriever
You should never shave your Golden Retrievers hair, not even during the summer months. Golden Retrievers have a double coat which work together to protect your pup in both the winter and the summer months. In the summer, the undercoat is shed if you were to then shave it even further this could leave the Retrievers skin unprotected and bare for sunburn. Even clipping is not advisable with your Golden Retriever as it can hinder the growth of the undercoat later in the year.
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How Short Should Golden Retrievers’ Nails Be
A Golden Retrievers’ fur is not the only thing that needs to be groomed their nails are essential as well! If a Golden Retrievers’ nails are too long, it can affect how they walk, cut their paws, and cause many other health issues.
Golden Retrievers’ nails should be cut every two to four weeks and kept within 2 millimeters of the quick. The quick of the nail is the light, pink-colored skin on the underside of the nail where the new nail is formed. A good rule to follow is that your dog’s nails should not curl or touch the floor.
Beautiful Grooming Styles For Shaving A Golden Retriever
Before you head out and give your dog a new cut, I first think its best that you get the right training beforehand.
Theres nothing worse than leaving your dog looking like a rugged old mop head thats been used to clean a dirty bathroom the past 6 months.
To save you the problem and time, Ive put together a little guide that will help you with grooming your dog the right way.
Furthermore, Im sure youre also here to find out whether you can even shave a golden retriever in the first place right.
Theres a lot of hearsay around this topic and today Im here to set the record straight once and for all on whether you can shave this breed.
Everything To Know About How To Groom A Golden Retriever
Golden Retrievers have undeniably beautiful coats. Those long, glossy, golden locks make them stand out amongst other breeds.
But how do you keep that coat looking good? It isnt as hard as you might think. Grooming a Golden is a pretty straightforward process.
Well show you everything you need to know about how to groom and trim a Golden Retriever by yourself.
How To Use The Thinning Shears For Golden Retriever Dogs
In using the thinning shear, one has to be very careful.
To be very comfortable with the thinning shear, you must groom regularly with it.
Below are the best tips on how to use the thinning shears for dogs or during dog grooming.
Goldens Have Medium Length Double Coats Prone To Matting
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How To Keep Your Golden Retrievers Coat Shiny
Here are three tips for you if you want to keep your golden retrievers coat looking shiny and healthy:
Now before you run away thinking you need to give your dog fish oil, talk to your veterinarian first and get their opinion.
They can help you decide if its a good idea for them considering their overall health.
Plus, fish oil may already be in their food, so there may be no need to supplement with it.
To read more about the best food golden retrievers, check out these articles to learn about adult food and this article to learn about puppy food.
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Helps Maintain Physical Health
Having a professional wash, brush and trim a dogs coat can keep him looking and feeling great. A groomer can also identify and remove pests including fleas and ticks. Brushing teeth is another very beneficial grooming service it helps prevents tooth decay. A dogs nails should also be trimmed on a regular basis to prevent them from cracking and breaking. A broken nail can be very uncomfortable and even become infected. Many people are also uneasy trimming a pets nails and prefer to have a groomer do it. It is advisable to begin mobile dog grooming when your pet is young. This establishes a good maintenance routine. It also gets your pet accustomed to these activities early in life. He may rebel and be harder to control if he is not groomed for the first time until he is older.
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How To Brush A Golden Retriever
Regular brushing will keep your golden retrievers fur lustrous and smooth. Its also your chance to check the coat for fleas, ticks, and other parasites. For regular shedding periods, use a porcupine brush, working your way from the dogs head to the tail.
Avoid brushing sensitive areas, such as the face and ears. Next, use a slicker brush to reach the dense undercoat. Be extra-gentle, and dont try to brush away tangles or mats.
For intense seasonal shedding periods, you may need to additionally use an undercoat rake after the slicker brush to pull out any remaining hairs.
If you notice a mat, cut it off with scissors but only if your dog can stand still and the knot isnt too close to the skin. Otherwise, visit a professional groomer instead to avoid hurting your dog.
Lastly, give your dog a final all-over brushing with a fine-tooth comb or a detangling brush. You may spray the coat with detangling spray for dogs after the brushing session.
How Do I Keep My Golden Retrievers Hair Soft
Brushing is the best way to keep your Golden Retrievers hair nice and soft. This is because it removes all of the dead skin cells from their body and distributes the pups natural oils across all of its hair for that extra shine. This is why it is important that you dont over bathe your dog, as this can strip their coat of these natural oils leaving their hair dull.
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How To Trim A Golden Retriever
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Golden Retrievers are known for their long flowing coat, which requires regular maintenance to keep it looking tidy and beautiful. Regular brushing is mandatory, and trimming the coat occasionally will keep your Golden looking his best.
In this article, were going to find out how to trim a Golden Retriever. If youre Golden is looking a little shaggy, youre not alone! Many of us who regularly take our Goldens to the groomer, are having to take things into our own hands. Myself included.
So before you reach for the clippers and give your Golden a drastic haircut, just stop and read this first!
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Golden Retriever Grooming: Simple Tips To Make It Easy
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When we decided to add our Golden Retriever to our family, we knew he would shed more than other dog breeds. However, I didn’t realize just how much he would shed until I was knee high in hair. Then, through tons of trial and error, I figured out the trick to make Golden Retriever grooming easy and prevent the worst of the shedding.
- Having a bathing schedule is necessary, and YES you can over bathe!
- Brushing regularly is essential to coat health.
- Proper grooming techniques should be practices from head to toes!
- Robot vacuums are the best thing since sliced bread.
- You and your dog don’t need to be on opposite sides of the war against fur!
Whether you already have a Golden Retriever or consider adding one to your home, you need to know about grooming. Knowing proper bathing and grooming techniques will make a big difference in the amount of hair in your house and increase the comfort of your dog.
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Should I Cut My Goldens Fur
Because Golden Retrievers have a double coat, you should never cut or shave a Goldens fur. The outer layer of their double coat helps them regulate their body temperature. This outer layer also helps protect your pup from sun damage and insect bites. If the outer layer of hair is cut or removed, it will make it harder for your dog to stay cool in the warmer months and make them more susceptible to sunburn and insect bites.
Regularly brushing your Golden is all you need to do to help your dog stay cool when the weather starts to heat up, as it allows for better air circulation.
Grooming Tutorial Blow Drying: Questions And Answers With Joanne Lastoka
Mikes Question:
Ok Joanne, whats the proper method of drying a dog from the skin out? My guys are doing lots of swimming this week, its hot, humid, and now starting to rain again. I dont want hot spots, but do want to exercise my dogs in the water. Last time I dried a dog I did it wrong and had feather mats big time.
Answer:
It is hard work Mike, even with a good cool forced air dog dryer or livestock dryer, thats why most groomers, both at vet clinics and in private businesses dont dry the dogs totally. They stop at damp dry and crate him/her to air dry before sending the dog home. Drying the dogcompletely is really important, both to prevent the dog from getting hot spots , and in case of a show dog, you dont want the dog laying on damp coat & pressing his coat into the waffle design of a crate, or creating unsightly cowlicks here and there!
Often if the owner feels beneath the hair, close to the skin the dog will still be damp. Ill describe drying the dog in stages. Dogs that have never been dried with a forced air dryer before should be allowed to get used to the sound & feel of the drying SLOWLY and with great care and patience by the owner/handler. See Puppies below, instructions can be modified for older dogs as well! Your lap is the best place to dry a very young puppy, and a grooming table with arm is the choice for a dog of 3 to 4 months of age and up.
Working with an older puppy or Adult:
Drying Instructions for BodyCoat
Feathering:
The Tail:
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How To Cut Your Golden Retrievers’ Nails
You cannot use regular, human nail clippers on your Golden Retriever. Instead, you must use dog nail clippers. Dog nail clippers are specially designed for dogs’ thick, round nails.
A well-trained and willing dog will make the best manicure client. For example, I taught my dogs how to shake when they were young. Not only does this look adorable, but it makes them comfortable with having their feet touched.
When it comes time to cut their nails, I ask them to shake and hold their paw while I cut their nails. I also talk to them and give them rewards when we are finished. Rewarding them ensures they will let me cut their nails again in the future.
Be careful not to cut the quick of your dog’s nails as this will be extremely painful and cause bleeding. You can identify your dog’s quick by looking at the underside of their nail. You should see a pink line at the root of the nail this is the quick. Do not cut your dog’s nails shorter than 2 millimeters away from this line.
Some people believe that cutting the quick will stop new nail growth. This is not true. Your dog’s nails will continue to grow even if you cut the quick. The only thing that will happen after cutting the quick is bleeding and a lot of pain for your dog.
How To Cut Golden Retriever Claws
Cutting a golden retrievers nails doesnt take much time or experience, but it isnt foolproof. Always use sharp dog nail clippers and make your dog accustomed to the tool before trimming its nails.
Wait until your dog is relaxed and take its paw in your hand, pressing gently. The tricky part with trimming a golden retrievers nails is that they are black, so you cant see the quick.
Make small snips and check the cross-section of the cut nail after every snip. You know youre approaching the quick when the middle of the nail becomes darker.
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