Labrador Retrievers have short coats and straight hair. Based on these two characteristics, you’d think that Labradors require minimal grooming, right? Well, like most working dogs, Labradors also feature a double coat, which safeguards them against all kinds of weather conditions, but also means that they shed a lot.
On top of dealing with the hair debris of these high-shedding pups, you’ll also need to keep the dog’s nails short, maintain the dog’s teeth, and clean the dog’s ears from time to time.
Think you’re up to the challenge? Read on as we explain all you need to know about grooming a Labrador.
The question of whether to get your dog professionally trimmed is a question that often gets asked by owners of short-haired dogs. Is it really worthwhile paying for a professional groomer when you could trim your Labrador Retriever yourself?
However, you should not cut or trim your Lab’s coat yourself, nor should you get it professionally cut. Labradors do not need haircuts as, like all double-coated dogs, their hair naturally grows and sheds depending on the weather. Giving them a haircut could upset the natural growth of their hair cycle and make it impossible for your dog to warm or cool itself.
To reiterate, Labradors don’t need to be professionally groomed! Their natural shedding process effectively cuts their hair for them. However, you will still need to groom them at home regularly to keep their shedding under control. Generally, you’ll only need to brush your Labrador once per week to remove any loose hairs.
However, Labradors also go through two ‘moulting’ (shedding) seasons yearly. These typically fall at some point during the spring and some point during the autumn. During these two periods, a Lab’s coat will shed excessively to grow in their respective winter and summer coats.
During the moulting seasons, you may find yourself brushing the dog’s coat more regularly to control the amount of dead hair building up on your carpet. Many dog owners even find themselves brushing their Labrador’s coats daily!
Since you don’t need to worry about taking your Labrador Retriever to get professionally groomed and that they naturally shed, it doesn’t mean you can totally neglect their grooming needs! You still need to remove their loose and dead hair from their coat at least once a week, both for their wellbeing and also to keep your home clean!
Although Labradors take pretty well to water, you should still prepare them for a bath to ensure the experience is as comfortable as possible for them. One of the main things that owners do is to drip a small amount of mineral oil into their Labrador’s eyes to minimise shampoo irritation.
Another thing that’s commonly done is to carefully place cotton balls into the Labrador’s ears to prevent an excessive amount of water from getting in. Trapped water can often lead to ear irritation and infection, so it’s important to avoid pouring a lot of water in.
Once in the bath, rinse your Labrador’s entire body using warm water. Ensure that the water is at an agreeable temperature, as hot water can irritate a Labrador’s skin. Once soaked, start to lather dog shampoo into your dog’s skin. Make sure to gently massage the shampoo through both layers of the dog’s fur. Use a washcloth to clean the dog’s face, avoiding the eyes!
Wash out the shampoo and do the same with dog conditioner, if you wish. Afterwards, rinse out the coat as much as possible. Upon rinsing, make sure you’re getting all of the lathered soap out of the dog’s thick coat. It’s normal for the rinsing part to take longer than the lathering.
Once rinsed, allow your dog to shake and dry them using a towel.
Brush your dog’s body outside if possible, particularly during shedding season, as it saves you having to hoover the hair up afterwards. Otherwise, choose an area of your house that’s easy to sweep, as this step can get messy!
A standard dog brush should do for most of the year. However, during shedding season, you may want to use a wire slicker brush to remove the maximum amount of loose hair. Use a bristle brush to finish up, which should get all remaining stubborn hairs.
While brushing, always brush in the straight direction of your Lab’s coat.
Besides bathing and brushing your Labrador regularly, there are also several additional grooming requirements you’ll need to commit to, ensuring their wellbeing.
A Lab’s teeth need regular brushing, which can be done using either a dog toothbrush or a finger brush. You should brush the dog’s teeth just as you would your own, except using dog toothpaste instead of toothpaste designed for humans. Make sure you get their back molars and check for any signs of plaque build-up or gum irritation.
Just like humans, Labradors need their teeth brushed daily.
To clip your Lab’s nails, all you need is simple dog nail clippers and trim them to below the paw.
Generally, it really depends on the terrain that your Lab walks on. If they often go over hard surfaces, your Labrador’s nails may naturally remain short. However, it’s important to check on their nails monthly and trim them as necessary.
Labrador’s ears are very floppy and often get dirty due to this. If you notice a build-up of dirt inside their ears, you should clean them using cotton balls and a dog-friendly cleaning solution. Be careful not to insert anything into their ear canal, as this could cause serious damage.
Dirty ears can lead to infection if not taken care of quickly. For this reason, we’d recommend checking your Labrador’s ears weekly for debris build-up.
You should get your Lab pup in the habit of being brushed as soon as they start to shed. Brushing them throughout puppyhood will get them used to the sensation and even grow to like it.
You should aim to give your Labrador a thorough wash once every month. They do not require weekly cleaning as they have natural oils in their coats that will keep them clean and smelling good.
Labradors should not be professionally groomed as they have short coats, so they don’t have a lot of hair to be styled.
No, you should not shave your Labrador for summer. These pups shed their hair naturally when it gets hot, and shaving their coat could upset the natural cycle of their shedding process.
A Labrador’s coat may not matt or get dirty too easily, but it still needs a lot of grooming attention. However, they still aren’t exactly high maintenance. For most of the year, all you have to do is gently brush their coats while also keeping an eye on and maintaining their nails, teeth, and ears.
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