Gives Protection From Sore Spots
Sore spots usually appear on your dogs skin as moist, localized, reddish sores. Sore spots bring overwhelming discomfort to your dog, making it scratch, rub and lick the inflamed area. Sore spots in dogs are usually caused by parasites, allergies, injuries, or heavy friction.
The double coat of your golden retriever not only protects it against sunburns but also reduces friction in sensitive areas of the dogs body.
An example of this is how the long, soft coat under the legs of the golden retriever reduces friction when the dog is running through fields. The thick double layers of golden retrievers also help protect them from injuries, which may cause sore spots.
Entangled coats tend to trap pus, parasites, and moisture, creating an ideal environment for sore spots. Regularly grooming your golden retriever prevents the coat from entangling, keeping the skin well ventilated and clear of parasites.
Golden Retriever Swimmers Cut & Field Cut
Some golden retrievers have so thick hair that it doesnt dry fully between their splashes and swims in rivers and lakes if they like swimming. A Swimmers Cut is a great haircut for such goldens as it saves them from the hazards of not drying completely. This cut trims the coat short but it is not shaved completely. This will make sure the pup remains dry between swims and stays away from the smell and risks of skin problems.
A field clip is another amazing summer cut option for golden retrievers. It is one of the choices for owners who dont want a style clip. This is a short grooming style often given to dog breeds that work in fields so that they dont catch burrs in their fur. This hairstyle suits summer grooming for a golden retriever.
The groomer uses a #9 or #10 or even a shorter blade to remove most of the coat from the legs and body. A field clip can also be called a shave down and it can be customized for your dog to make it looking its best.
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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Wahl Professional Animal Motion Lithium
This is another Wahl product on the list for its wonderful features and effectiveness. The Wahl Professional Animal Motion lithium-Ion Cordless Clippers from Wahl comes with a long-lasting lithium-ion battery.
With stokes 5500/minute, these clippers offer consistent performance, making the trimming experience easy and enjoyable for both you and your pet. Like other clippers, it also has LED charging indicators to let you know its charging status. Youll find a blade with a five-in-one option that will allow you to trim not only your dogs hair but cat and horse hair as well.
This clipper is ideal for trimming the angular areas like ears, legs, and faces, and you can rest assured by the quality of the clippers blades and their edges as they are made in Germany.
This device is a bit higher in price as it has been made of top-quality materials and blades. However, if you buy it, youll get the best clippers for golden retriever. For the higher price, youll get noiseless operation, low heating, strong plastic body, and smoother grooming sessions.
Pros
Trimming The Back Of Your Legs
The hair on the back of your Golden front legs can get quite long and thick. You still want it to be feathery, but you can use thinning shears to thin it out.
Brush or comb your hair out of your legs and use thinning scissors to make a few cuts. Repeat the process until you have a look you want.
Thinning shears are great for beginners because they give a forgiving, blended look. If you want a more sculpted look, you can use regular grooming scissors to trim longer feathers. You still want to keep some feathers on your legs, but you can make it shorter and more sculpted.
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Golden Retrievers Have Double Coats
Golden Retrievers do have a double coat. A double coat is a type of fur consisting of two layers. A thick undercoat of short hairs that keep the dog warm and an outer jacket with longer hairs usually referred to as the guard coat. Both the undercoat and guard coat grow to different lengths and independently from one another.
Golden retrievers, unlike other breeds, do not shed their puppy fur. Instead, the puppy fur is pushed aside by the extensive mature hair growing in and ultimately becomes the undercoat. The undercoat tends to be shorter and grows faster than the guard coat. The golden retrievers double layer takes anywhere from three to six months to develop fully.
The thickness of your dogs double coat depends on its environment. Dogs that spend all their time indoors will have a thinner fur than those that spend most of their time outside. Double coated dogs like the Golden Retriever shed their undercoats twice a year, in the spring and during fall.
We recommend brushing it regularly with a good bristle brush. Brushing your golden retriever on a regular will not only make the dogs coat beautiful and healthy, but will also reduce the amount of hair the dog sheds throughout the house.
The double coat helps keep your golden retriever cool in hot weather and warm in cold weather. The fur also helps the dog swim and protect them from debris and dirt.
How Do I Make My Golden Retriever Fluffy
To grow a healthy, glowing coat, Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids are vital. Natural sources of these essential fatty acids include vegetable oils such as coconut oil or olive oil, and fish oil. To encourage a shinier coat, try adding a teaspoon of oil to your dogs food, or supplement with a bit of fish.
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Golden retrievers have a so-called double coat, so many people wonder can you shave a Golden retriever? For example during the summer, so the dog isnt too hot, or to make grooming a little bit easier.
Even though shaving your Golden retriever seems like a great idea, to be honest it is definitely not! Its the worst idea you can have!
Now, I know, you want only the best for your dog, so you dont want him or her to be hot in summer. However, you remember how I said that Golden retrievers have a double coat? Well, thats exactly what the double coat does.
Brushing Your Goldens Teeth
A 2018 study carried out in dog breeding facilities to estimate the prevalence of periodontal disease among 42 breeds 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 for whatever reason. Ill admit, I was one of those owners for so many years!
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.
Neglecting your Goldens dental care exposes them to the same dental problems that affect humans, including gingivitis, periodontal disease, and gum recession. With a few minutes a week, you can prevent this unnecessary costs and pain.
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Is It Okay To Trim A Golden Retrievers Coat
Giving your Golden a light trimming is just fine, but giving your Golden an all-over haircut is not recommended as you risk damaging the coat and doing more harm than good.
Golden Retrievers have a double-coat, each acting as a layer of protection from the elements.
The overcoat is water repellent and consists of long guard hairs protecting your dog from dirt, debris and UV rays.
The undercoat is soft, fluffy, and dense, and acts as a layer of insulation to keep your pup warm in the winter. The undercoat is what sheds heavily twice a year, and in the summer your Golden will be left with a much lighter and less dense undercoat that will help keep him cool.
Shave Golden Retriever: Why Its A Bad Idea
When deciding whether to shave your dog, you must determine whether your dog has a single coat or a double coat. Double-coated dog breeds have two layers of fur. The top layer consists of hard guard hairs, while the bottom layer has a thick layer of fur known as the undercoat. The undercoat has a layer of fine hair close to the dogs skin to keep it warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
;When spring arrives, they will go through the shedding period, where most of the undercoat will be released so that a lighter summer coat can come to its place.
Golden Retrievers, German Shepherds, Labradors, Pomeranians, Chows, and Huskies are common double-coated breeds. Most herding dog breeds are double-coated as well. If you decide to shave it, you can permanently damage the fur of a double-coated dog. Shaving them doesnt keep them cool during the summer.;
You should only consider shaving double-coated dogs if they have a skin condition or mating in extreme cases. Here are the main reasons why a double-coated dog should not be shaved.
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Wahl Professional Dog Grooming Clippers
When it comes to the brands in the clippers world, Wahl is a great competitor that offers a variety of quality products. But, in terms of manufacturing golden retriever-type clippers, Wahl is somewhat ahead of Andis.
Wahls Professional Dog Grooming Clippers are one of the best and most exceptional quality dog hair clippers. The device comes with an extremely strong motor that can provide your stroke up to 6000/minute, making it ideal for your golden retrievers hair.
Among other quality features, these dog clippers for golden retriever have rechargeable batteries that last about 45 minutes. Also, youll find a charging LED indicator, letting you know the device is ready to use.
Its aluminum ceramics-made blades are very sharp in order to provide the best clipping experience. In addition, the clipper is lightweight in design, so you wont get tired even if your trimming session runs a little long. The small frame also makes it easy to trim areas around the ears and toes.
Pros
Can You Shave A Golden Retriever Double Coat
A double coat is the type of coat that consists of two layers. If a dog has a double coat that means that they have a dense undercoat of short hairs, its kind of woolly in texture.
On the other hand, we have guard hairs, which are all the long hairs on a dog. The undercoat of a dog is under these long hairs.
The double coat is there keep your Golden retriever cool in the sun and provide warmth in the cold. So, by shaving a Golden retriever you are removing that protective outer coat, and doing more harm than good.
Besides Golden retriever dogs that also have a double coat are German Shepherds,;Labrador;Retrievers, Australian Shepherds, and Siberian Huskies. These are just a few examples.
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Is Shaving Golden Retrievers Really Necessary
No. Shaving your Golden retriever is not necessary. We do not recommend it. Shaving down a golden retriever may cause more problems. For example;
Instead of shaving your dogs coat, we recommend regular grooming. This can be done by brushing and removing loose and dead hair from your dogs fur. Frequent brushing also helps avoid mats and tangles.
Should You Have Your Dog Professionally Groomed
If your dog really dislikes it when you whip out the shampoo bottle or scissors, and you just cant seem to make them calm during the grooming process, youll probably consider getting them groomed by a professional.;
Since professionals have more experience with this, they will be able to help an overly-anxious or aggressive dog feel calmer.
Sometimes they will have to sedate your pet , and thats certainly something you cant do at home so its best left to a professional who can also deal with things you might not be able to stomach, such as cleaning muddy fur or removing ticks and fleas from your dogs fur.;
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Brush That Dog On A Regular Basis
You should make it a point to regularly brush your doggy friend with a good quality bristle brush.
You can also use an undercoat rake if the need arises!
My top picks for a good brush is the Bonve Pet Brush, and the Self Cleaning Slicker Brush;works wonders for my dog!
And regular brushing will also reduce that annoying shedding, so no dog hairs all over your clothes!
And as a bonus, you also get to spend more time loving your little doggy!
How Do I Clean Golden Retriever Ears
Golden retriever ears;are floppy and furry, making them prone to a buildup of wax or dirt. Goldens also love water, another potential risk factor for ear irritation and infections. Look at your;goldens;ears during your;weekly grooming sessions;and look for redness, debris or excessive wax. Check out our article;How to Clean Your Dog’s Ears 101;for step-by-step instructions on this important part of;golden retriever grooming.
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What About Professional Grooming
Many people take their goldens to get professionally groomed every few months.
It typically costs about $50 and they take care of all of the tasks listed above.
However, be sure to get a recommendation from another golden retriever owner as Ive heard many horror stories of groomers cutting too much off of goldens and calling it a puppy cut, athletic cut or a swimmer cut.
Cleaning Your Golden Retrievers Teeth
Not everyone realizes it, but dogs can experience many of the same dental problems that affect humans, such as tartar buildup, gum disease, and cavities.
If your pooch contracts gum disease, bacteria may enter their bloodstream, leading to additional health problems.
Experts suggest that you clean your Golden Retrievers teeth about two or three times every week for optimum dental hygiene and some even suggest daily.
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How To Groom Your Golden Retrievers Coat In Seven Easy Steps
Now that you know the tools and products you need to groom your golden retriever, lets look at how to groom his or her coat in the best way.;
Find A Photo To Use As A Guide
Remember when everyone would take a picture of Jennifer Anistons hair to their stylist and ask for The Rachel haircut? And nobodys left the salon looking just like Rachel? Thats because haircuts and styles have to work with the hair you have. Doggies are no different!
Search the web and find a picture of a golden retriever cut. This will serve as a guide for you, but also, because its a golden retriever, you know the style will be functional with your own golden.
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