The Golden Retriever requires weekly care and grooming. Grooming consists of not only brushing out the coat and bathing but also giving attention to the eyes, teeth, ears, feet and nails. A regular routine also ensures that any potential health problems are identified as quickly as possible, especially important in puppies and older Golden Retriever dogs.
The Golden Mane
Their needs differ depending on the the age. Puppies do not need heavy brushing, but getting them use to the brush is very important at this stage. Puppies will lose their puppy fur (light, fluffier version of an undercoat). Adult Goldens do lose their winter fur(a thick undercoat) in the summer, so you may notice extra fur bunnies around and will needs to upgrade your brushing frequency and house cleaning (Yay). Once they have grown their adult coat, you need to get a brush specifically for the undercoat. Once a week, brush head to tail going with the hair growth. The back end, hips and chest tend to take more work. Going in the opposite direction of the hair growth proves ultra successful and cuts the brushing time in half. Doing this, you may be able to get 2 weeks out of a brushing session. If I am going to bathe my dog, I brush them before hand, which makes the drying process easier. This brush looks mean, but its not. It is quite effective.
BathingWith regular brushing, your dogs skin is stimulated and produces a healthy amount of oils to keep their hair and skin clean. Some people are against bathing their dogs (depending on the breed) because they say it causes skin problems, by drying it out. This is true. They suggest bathing once a year (full out suds and bubbles bathing). But inevitably, there is dander, which is an allergen and really is a disgrace to that beautiful golden coat. So what to do? Well, its obvious that once a year is not going to work for those of us who love our dogs and like to get close. I dont believe that it is healthy to bath once a month, though in puppyhood, i inevitably did so for the first 4 months (out necessity or just plain fun!). Twice a year (winter and summer to freshen up) and the occasional emergency bath ( due to mud puddle mania or skunk surprise) seems to work without any problems. Generally, for a muddy dog, a rinse should suffice. The beauty of the Golden Retrievers coat is that when they dry, the sand will fall off, and they look beautiful and smell like they should. No need to mess with the PH balance due to our obsession with clean.
They are dogs after all. What do we expect them to smell like?
Summer Bathing RitualI find that i bathed my dogs more in the summer because of the opportunity the heat presented to play with the water. The do love water. As well, there was no hesitation on my part, due to an accelerated drying time. It usually takes 3 days for a Goldens coat to fully dry. Whether it is just for the fun of it, or because they had a swim in the river or lake sometimes a rinse is all it takes. When you do use shampoo(in 1 or your 2 annual tune ups) make sure that it is the canine kind or baby shampoo(a must!especially for the face) and rinse thoroughly.
Towel dry as best you can. I usually use 3 towels, one for the dog,one for the floor and one for me. Focus on the thicker areas and dont forget armpits and other areas that arent fully exposed to the breeze.
Blow drying is a huge advantage to those who have the patience to teach it. Best started in puppyhood, begin by slowly introducing it is 5 to 10 sec sessions, just using my fingers to run through the hair. Never force them or you can kiss this idea goodbye. Always reward them with a treat when they can endure it for a short session or two. Eventually, they will come to enjoy it and you will be forever greatful.
Doggy Dental Hygiene I will go into this further in another post but at this time I leave you with this great new product. The Chew it yourself toothbrush! Great idea! but i will continue to brush manually and properly inspect for myself. Saves me $$$ too!
Clean Ears Often!I will address this later as well. It is suggest to do weekly, though depeding on the season and physical activites, it can vary. Typically, I find during summer or when they have been heated up from exercise, the wax mets and builds up faster.
Nail Trimming is important for both you and your dog. To avoid scratches on floors or pulls in clothing, etc, as well as for your dogs balance and alignment. Its best to start early and ensure you understand the proper technique, though even an experienced dog owner can make the mistake and cause bleeding. Taking a look at your dogs nails you will notice within the nail there is a dark area, known as The Kwik. It contains nerves and supplies blood to the area. The kwik can curve with the dogs nails but eventually will shorten with consistent nail care. It is easiest to identify the kwik on clean nails.
It is suggested to cut the nails at a 45 degree angle and each toe may differ. I find the middle two to be similar and grow quickly, while the outer toes have a somewhat different shape. And dont forget the dew claw (located a few inches up the inner ankle). Depending on the type of clippers (scissor type or ejectable blade) you will find the best way for you. I prefer the scissor type, where the pressure is even from both top and bottom. With the ejectable blade type, it is important to clip from the top down. Syptic powder is used to stop bleeding, as cutting into the kwik can be messy. Wet a cotton swap and dip into the powder and hold against the cut.
If all goes well and if you have the time, why not try this?
..we can dream..
