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When Do Golden Retrievers Start Shedding

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Coping With A Goldens Shedding

Golden retriever coat stages | Do golden retriever shed ?

Thereâs a long list of things Golden owners love about their dogs. But shedding isnât one of them. As you know, your breedâs distinctive fuzzy hair somehow finds its way onto every surface in your home, from couches to carpets to clothes.

Why do Goldens shed so much? The culprit is the breedâs thick double coat made up of a plush undercoat and a furry layer on top. Itâs that warm and fuzzy undercoat that causes the most mess. While a Golden Retriever sheds lightly throughout the year, as with every double-coated dog, he sheds his undercoat in large quantities twice a year.

How to keep shedding under control

Hereâs the good news: Some basic grooming and coat maintenance can help control shedding and reduce the amount of Golden Retriever fur that ends up on your carpeting and floating around your house.

If the degree of shedding your Golden Retriever experiences appears abnormal, or if he has signs of serious skin problems, consult your veterinarian. Medical conditions such as thyroid disease or skin allergies can cause excessive shedding. Otherwise, to keep the fur from flying, just practice good grooming and feed your Golden Retriever a nutrient-rich diet.

Shedding Due To Parasites

Fleas and ticks are the most common pests known to attack dogs. When they infest Golden Retrievers, they irritate their skin, causing inflammation. Goldens react to the irritation and discomfort by scratching, which leads to more shedding than usual.

It is crucial to take immediate action to eliminate fleas and ticks by identifying the issue and applying vet-approved treatments. Ticks should be removed carefully and thoroughly, and you will need to make sure that none of the bugs body has been left behind.

If using a dog-friendly pesticide, always perform a spot check to ensure your dog is not allergic. If you have several dogs, isolate the affected one for a while to avoid infesting the others. Make sure they are pest-free before reintroducing them to the pack.

Recommended Reading: How To Get Rid of Fleas on a Golden Retriever

Keep Chemicals Away From Your Pet

Another good tip to ensure that you reduce your pets shedding is to stick to using natural cleaning products in the home. Chemical detergents contain harmful and toxic ingredients that can result in irritation and allergies in your dog, such as excessive itching that could exacerbate its shedding.

Although you might not think your golden retriever is coming into contact with such chemicals, consider what laundry detergent you use for your dogs bedding as well as your floor cleaner.

Read Also: Classic Heritage Golden Retrievers Reviews

Do You Prefer A Puppy To An Older Dog

Dont think that Golden Retriever puppies or adults are equal in price. Younger Goldens tend to have a higher starting price. This holds true whether you adopt or get your dog through a breeder.

Golden Retrievers that are older tend to be less expensive than puppies in the beginning. They also tend to have a lower lifetime cost. The first year of ownership for your Golden Retriever puppy is going to cost you between $2100-3000. For the same period, an adult Golden will cost between $1500 to 2500.

Why the difference? Puppies need to be taught obedience, have regular vet visits and are given a lot of toys and pads for teething. For older Golden Retrievers, this is not an issue.

Do Golden Retrievers Coats Get Darker

Do Golden Retrievers Shed

Yes, golden retrievers coat color does get a bit darker as they grow old. Normally, golden retriever puppies are born with lighter coat color than their parents. At around 2 months of age, their coat color starts changing. Checking your pups ear tips color can give you an idea about how darker the coat will get.

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Why Do Golden Retrievers Shed

Golden retrievers are one of a few dog breeds that are equipped with a double coat, composed of a thick, downy undercoat and an oily, waterproof outer coat.

This amazing duality is what makes the golden retriever so resilient to different weather types and able to spend lots of time outdoors and in the water.

But, its a double-edged sword as the downy undercoat sheds hair often to allow new hair to grow in. The undercoat adapts to the weather and the temperature needs of your dog during the cold winter months, they will grow an extra thick undercoat, before shedding much of it during the spring.

This is why shedding is so heavy during spring and fall: in spring, your golden is getting rid of their thick winter coat, and in fall getting rid of their lighter summer coat to make way for the cold winter coat growth.

As a general rule, the hotter the place you live, the more your golden retriever will shed as they need less hair to stay warm.

References And Further Reading:

Bukowski, J.A., Description and Physical Characteristics of Dogs, MSD Veterinary Manual

Goldens, Morningsage, 2001, Grooming Your Golden, The Golden Retriever Club of America

Nicholas, C.E., et al., 2011, Dog Allergen Levels in Homes with Hypoallergenic Compared with Nonhypoallergenic Dogs, American Journal of Rhinology and Allergy.

Read Also: At What Age Should You Start Training A Golden Retriever Puppy

What Should You Avoid Doing

Here are a couple of things youll definitely want to avoid doing. In fact, these can be damaging to your golden retriever, so theyre definitely best missed!

NEVER Shave Your Golden Retriever

You should never shave your golden retriever. It can permanently damage their fur, and cause them to have trouble insulating during the summer and winter months. Rarely do golden retrievers need to be shaven, but if they do, it should only be once its recommended by your vet.

Avoid Pills, Sprays, And Anything That Claims To Stop Your Pup Shedding

There are pills and sprays on the market that claim they can stop your golden retriever shedding so much. However, in most cases, this probably isnt true. And even if it is, you dont want it for your pup!

Shedding is natural and healthy for your golden retriever. If you try stopping it, its likely theyll suffer from health problems later down the line.

Instead of using pills and sprays, just accept that your golden retriever sheds a lot!

What You Can Do About Your Golden Retrievers Shedding

Golden Retriever Shedding: 14 Tips To Control It (And Keep Your House Clean)

Below are some options you have when dealing with your Golden Retrievers shedding.

Brush it with a de-shedding brush

One thing you can do is to take your Golden Retriever outside and to brush it using a de-shedding brush. By doing so you will be able to get it to get rid of its loose fur outside and not on your furniture and clothes. Generally, it will be necessary to brush it on a weekly basis.

Make sure that it is getting a good diet

It would also help to make sure that it is getting the right diet. You can do this by consulting with your vet about its diet, making sure no one else has been feeding it and you can look here to see what the experts recommend you feed your Golden Retriever.

Get rid of fleas

If fleas seem to be causing your Golden Retriever to scratch itself a lot it would help to talk to your vet about what you should do to get rid of the flees. There are oral treatments that they can recommend that can be very effective in getting rid of fleas. In addition, there are also sprays and combs that you can buy.

It would also help to eradicate fleas from your home by:

  • Washing the bedding with hot soapy water
  • Vacuuming the carpets and throwing the bad
  • Applying an environmental flee control
  • Applying a spray, pellet or non-toxic treatment for the yard
  • Continue to treat your Golden Retriever with a monthly preventative

Bathe it

Have a vacuum and lint roller ready

Take it to a vet

Also Check: Golden Retriever Ages

Do Golden Retrievers Shed When They Shouldnt

If your dog starts losing fur in big clumps, which leaves behind bald patches, then this could be a little more than just normal shedding.

This could be the result of a health problem.

Similarly, if your dog starts to shed more than normal, it is worth taking them for a checkup.

This could also be a sign of other issues.

What Age Do Golden Retrievers Get Their Full Coat

Most Golden Retriever puppies start growing feathers in their puppy coat t around 3 months of age. However, this may differ depending on your puppys bloodline such that if your puppys parents got their adult coats at a later stage, then so will he.

At about 3 months, your puppys coat will start transitioning to an adult coat. First, long hair will start growing on your puppys tail. The feathers will then spread to the puppys legs, tail, and stomach. This new hair will be of a slightly darker shade compared to the puppy fluff.

The adult hair then continues growing until it replaces the puppy fur as the dogs undercoat. This undercoat will then continue to thicken until the outer coat grows in. This transition period from puppy fluff to an adult coat takes about 18 months to complete.

Also Check: When Will Golden Retriever Stop Biting

Grooming Your Golden Retriever

Brush your dog regularly, and the job wont become overwhelming.

The American Kennel Club recommends brushing your Golden Retriever once or twice a week with a slicker brush while she isnt shedding.

Once she begins to shed, you may have to brush her daily.

Bathing your Golden Retriever occasionally will also help loosen dead hairs and keep dander to a minimum.

Just make sure you dry off your dog before you brush her.

Some hygiene-conscious dogs even enjoy being vacuumed.

Of course, you would need to check with your dog first because this could seriously traumatize a dog who doesnt dig it.

But if she enjoys it, why not vacuum your dog while doing your housework?

If you would like more information about how to groom your Golden Retriever, check out our article How To Groom A Golden Retriever.

Keep You Golden Retriever Hydrated

Do Golden Retrievers Shed? How Much? A Little? A Lot ...

Allowing your Golden Retriever to drink more water daily can help to reduce the volume of shedding! This is because when dogs are dehydrated, they shed more.

Giving your dog one ounce of water for every pound of bodyweight will improve his overall health and lessen the amount of hair that ends up all over your house.

You can get a dog water fountain such as the Petsafe Drinkwell from Amazon that entices your Retriever to drink and saves you from always freshening up his water. I particularly like this one as its a great size, has two tiers, and even comes with carbon filters to remove bad tastes and odors from the water.

Tip! In warm weather, give your Golden Retriever ice cubes to keep him hydrated. You can also treat your dog to frozen fruits such as raspberries or strawberries to quench his thirst. These make a healthy alternative to store-bought treats.

Also Check: How Fast Can Golden Retrievers Run

Recommended Reading: How Do You Trim A Golden Retriever At Home

Does Shaving A Golden Retriever Help With Shedding

Golden Retrievers have a double coat that works to protect the dog in Winter and Summer. Significantly shaving this coat is potentially harmful to your Golden as this leaves its skin exposed, making it more susceptible to getting sunburns, exposure to UV rays, excessive moisture, heat, and cold.

Shaving can also expose painful hotspots on your dog which are difficult to heal. Besides, excessive shaving of a Goldens coat will inhibit the regrowth of its undercoat during Winter, resulting in less insulation during the cooler months.

Shaving your Golden Retrievers undercoat will also affect your Goldens natural protection and the coat may never grow back to its initial state. Shaving your Golden Retriever may ruin its beautiful golden coat forever.

How To Stop Golden Retrievers Shedding

Humans and all mammals shed their hair. There are some things that you can do to help your pooch manage his shedding.

Brushing will probably do the job

Make sure to brush your dog with a slicker toothbrush every day. You can use this tool to get rid of any possible trapped hairs. The less your Golden Retriever sheds, the better. Brushing your Golden Retrievers coat will not only remove any dead hair but it will also eliminate all loose fur from the floor and furniture. You dont need to brush your hair every day if you find it tedious.

You can use a pin brush or a slicker brush to start, and then move in the same direction as the coat. This will remove all loose hair. Also, this is the time you should work out any mats or knots they have. Finish with an undercoat-rake to get rid of dead undercoat fur. This step is especially important in spring or autumn.

Goldens require only a few minutes of brushing every other week. However, they shed more in the spring and fall so brushing daily is a good idea to reduce the amount of shed hair.

Bathing is Recommended

Every six to eight weeks, bathe your Golden Retriever. Unless your dog gets very dirty, you should only bathe your pet once every six to eight weeks. Shampoos are often laden with chemicals that can dry out the coat of your dog. You can loosen hair by massaging it in the bath. You will also be washing away any dead hair that is still attached to the coat.

Take your Goldie swimming

Make sure he has a good diet.

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Paws Omega 369 Soft Chewable

These easy to server soft chews gives your golden retriever gives your dog not only all the omega fatty acid. Not only for a healthy coat, but skin joints and much more. My dog loves them and its easy to dispense, less word than pouring a liquid into the food. Also not is wasted if the dog doesnt decide to eat all his food.

Recommended Reading: What Age Do Golden Retrievers Calm Down

How To Reduce Golden Retriever Shedding

HOW MUCH DO GOLDEN RETRIEVERS REALLY SHED?! | CLEANING ROUTINE

Having a Golden Retriever is a rewarding experience. It does, however, have a disadvantage. Your dog sheds all year long, regardless of the season! There is no way to eliminate shedding, but you can do things to minimize and control it.

Thats why Ive assembled a list of easy-to-implement strategies for reducing and controlling your Goldens shedding. If you jumped straight to this section, heres my TL DR answer on how to reduce Golden Retriever shedding

To reduce Golden Retriever shedding, brush daily, and use a de-shedding tool twice per week, especially during the shedding seasons. Feed a diet that targets a healthy coat with Omega fatty acids. Ensure your dog is always hydrated, bathe him 2-3 times a year, and control fleas and parasites.

Learn More onGolden Retriever Shedding Solutions Here

Here are my in-depth solutions:

Don’t Miss: Golden Retriever Puppy Biting

Do Golden Retrievers Shed If So How Much And How Often

Golden Retrievers are an absolute joy to have around and share your life with, but if theres one thing about them that should come with a warning, its their shedding.

With such beautiful glossy coats, youd be forgiven for thinking their hair is easy to manage before you find it all over your furniture and clothes!

Summing Up Golden Retriever Shedding

Golden Retrievers certainly shed pretty heavily, and given the length of their coats, the fur they shed can cause quite a mess.

But if you employ the tips and advice presented above you can keep your Goldens shedding under control and ensure that your home doesnt become a giant furball.

Have you figured out any other ways to control your Golden Retrievers shedding problem? Tell us all about it in the comments below.

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Tip #: After You Brush Them Rub Them Down

This is something I recently started doing and its been amazing for keeping fur out of the house.

After you brush your dog, there will likely be lots of loose fur stuck to their coat.

When I would take Oliver inside, he would shake himself and I would watch all of this loose fur float into the air.

So now, after I brush him, I rub him down with my hands in the same direction the fur lies and I get lots of extra fur the brush didnt get off of him.

Thankfully, this fur now ends up in the yard instead of the house.

Can I Use A Furminator On My Golden Retriever

Do Golden Retrievers Shed? Yes

A Furminator is a particular brand of de-shedding tool and is very popular with owners of golden retrievers as it allows you to brush and remove the dead hair from your dogs undercoat while simultaneously thinning it out.

Its best to use the FURminator once per week on your golden retriever, and you should see results quickly. As well as reduced shedding, it will also reduce the opportunity for matts and painful tangles.

It isnt necessarily a wonder cure for shedding, however, and should still be used in conjunction with daily brushing.

You should also be careful when using such a tool on your golden retriever as its very sharp. Make sure to always use the FURminator in the direction of hair growth and dont use it more than once or twice a week, as it can be abrasive on your dogs skin.

Heres a video of a full Furminator treatment in action:

Read Also: Are Golden Retrievers Easy To Potty Train

What Dogs Do Not Shed

Although there are no dog breeds that do not shed any hair at all, there are breeds that shed minimal amounts of fur and can be tolerated by people who suffer from dog allergies. These dogs are referred to as non-shedding or hypoallergenic dogs.

Hypoallergenic dog breeds are increasingly becoming popular as dog allergies are common. Examples of these non-shedding breeds include the Tibetan Terrier, Maltese Terrier, Brussels Griffon, Shih Tzu, Portuguese Water Dog, Chinese Crested, Labradoodle, and the Basenji, just to mention a few.

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