Golden Retriever Grooming Tips & Styles

Golden Retrievers are some of the most beautiful and well-loved dogs in the whole world. These loyal, loving pets make great companions, but a Golden Retriever’s coat does require some grooming and maintenance.

Read on to have all your questions about Golden Retriever grooming answered.

Do Golden Retrievers Need Haircuts?

Golden Retrievers do require the occasional trim, but they do not require a full haircut or shave. Cutting the hair too short will damage the skin and hair and also completely ruin the look of your adorable dog.

The longer fur on your Golden Retriever’s tail feathers and long hairs around your dog’s ears and paws can be trimmed at home, or you can take your dog to professional groomers to trim the fur into a beautiful style.

How often do Golden Retrievers need a haircut?

You should not cut the hair of your Golden Retriever too often. If you have a show dog, you should trim the fur prior to competitions. If your dog is a pet and not competing in dog shows, you should only trim the coat when it becomes too long and hampers the dog’s movement or begins knotting.

Frequent brushing will reduce the need for fur trimming.

Golden Retriever haircut styles

It is important that you never shave your Golden Retriever, as this will remove the double coat and leave your dog exposed to temperature extremes. Below are some common Golden Retriever grooming cuts.

The Simple Doggy Haircut

• The Simple Doggy Haircut is the most common haircut style for Golden Retrievers. The aim of this style is to give the dog a full-bodied appearance. Here is how the style is achieved:
• Trim the long hair around the dog’s hocks.
• Trimming shears are used along the neck to the Golden Retriever’s ears to give the dog a smooth, natural appearance with balance and without hair sticking in all directions.
• The tail feathers are tapered towards the tip.

The Show Cut

This cut is similar to the Simple Doggy Haircut, but it leaves the fur longer to show off the dog’s coat. Ears and paws are neatly trimmed, but feathering remains along the edges of the dog. Overall, this is a very clean and sophisticated style that shows off the long, flowing fur of the dog.

The Summer Cut

During summer, this cut is great to keep your dog cool and get rid of any excess long hair. This cut will ensure a healthy coat and get rid of a thick coat that will cause your dog to overheat on hot summer days.

The hairs on the back, neck, stomach and legs are clipped short (but not shaved) using clippers and trimming scissors. The tail feathers are tapered towards the tip. Overall, this style will simply shorten your Golden Retriever’s hair without shaving the hair all the way to the skin.

How Do You Groom A Golden Retriever At Home?

Pet grooming can easily be done at home.

Brushing

Your canine companion is a heavy shedder and will require regular grooming to manage the loose and dead coat.

You need to brush your dog at least once a week to get rid of dead hairs and spread the natural oils throughout the fur.

Always make sure you are gentle when brushing your dog’s fur to prevent injuring the skin. A slicker brush is great for removing loose fur when your dog is shedding, while a pin brush works well on soft fur.

Bathing

Always make sure you use high-quality dog shampoo when bathing your Golden. Here are some easy steps to follow to bathe your dog:

• Brush your dog before bathtime to remove dead hair and tangles.
• Wet your dog, and then lather shampoo all over its body. Make sure to rub the shampoo onto the skin as well. You can make use of a washcloth or sponge. Don’t forget also to wash your Golden Retriever’s feet.
• Rinse off the shampoo with warm water, making sure no suds remain.
• Dry your Golden with a microfibre towel to prevent fur from breaking. You can also make use of a low-heat hair dryer to dry your pup’s fur.
• Finish off the bath with another brush to get rid of the hairs that were loosened from the bath. Only brush your beautiful Golden Retriever once it is completely dry.

Trimming

You should only trim your dog if the fur is overgrown and sticking out. The main areas for trimming are the neck, chest, ears and the dog’s feet.

Golden Retriever Additional Grooming Requirements

Nail clipping

Nails should be regularly trimmed if not worn down naturally.

Most dogs do not enjoy nail trimming, so you might want to get a professional groomer involved.

Never cut into the quick, as this will hurt your dog. If your dog has clear nails, make sure you are only trimming the nail part and not the pink part, which is the root of the nail. Make sure you are using a sharp pair of nail cutters.

Also, ensure your dog is comfortable with having its nails trimmed and will stand completely still; otherwise, you risk cutting the skin or the quick and hurting your dog.

Cleaning the eyes and the ears

Ear infections are very common in Golden Retrievers because of their floppy ears. You can prevent this from happening by keeping their ears clean.

Check for any dirt and debris inside the ear, and use damp cotton balls to wipe out the ears. You can dilute some vinegar in warm water for cleaning or purchase commercial ear-cleaning products.

You can wipe your dog’s eyes clean using a cotton ball and mineral oil. Do not get any oil in the dog’s eyes; simply wipe around the eye.

Brushing Teeth

Here are some easy steps to maintain your dog’s dental health.

• Place dog-safe toothpaste on a doggy toothbrush.
• Lift up your dog’s lips, and gently brush the teeth and gums without applying a lot of pressure.
• Ensure you get all the way to the back of the jaw where the molars are.

FAQs

When should you first groom a Golden Retriever?

You can gently brush your Golden Retriever puppy when it is a few weeks old, although it would be best to wait until the undercoat comes in. If your pup gets dirty, wipe it clean with a damp cloth.

You should only trim or cut your dog once it is a year old.

How often should I bathe my Golden Retriever?

It depends on how dirty your dog gets. In hot weather, you can bathe your dog twice a month, although once every three months will be sufficient if your dog does not get very dirty.

Do Golden Retrievers require professional grooming?

No. You can groom a Golden Retriever at home.

Should I shave my Golden Retriever for summer?

No. You should never shave your Golden Retriever. You can use an undercoat rake to get rid of its thick undercoat and provide it with a swimming pool or cool area in the home to keep cool during summer.

Final Thoughts on Golden Retriever Grooming

Regular grooming of your Golden Retriever will ensure you have a healthy dog. Grooming your Golden is easy if you stick to a schedule of regular brushing, bathing, nail trimming and cleaning of eyes and ears.