How to Groom A Golden Retriever: 12 Vet-Reviewed Tips & FAQ

Golden Retrievers are virtually the perfect family pet. They are loving, playful, and intelligent. They will typically get along with all family members, can usually be kept with other pets, and their aim in life is to please their humans. They’re also hardy, have endearing faces, and a stunning coat.

But that beautiful flowing coat comes at a cost. While they’re generally classified as moderate groomers, the length and color of the coat, as well as the breed’s propensity for regular shedding, means owners have their hands full maintaining the golden mane.

What’s more, the Retriever is somewhat prone to ear infections, irritable skin, and other skin conditions, which means poor grooming can lead to bigger problems than discomfort and a disheveled look.

Below, you can find 12 tips on how to groom your Golden, including a schedule and advice on whether the breed needs a regular haircut or not.

The 12 Tips on How to Groom a Golden Retriever

1. Start When They’re Young

Ideally, you should start grooming your dog or preparing them for it, as soon as you get them home as a puppy. Even if you adopt an older Golden, you should start as soon as possible.

The breed needs a lot of grooming and coat care, which means you can’t just leave it all for professional groomer visits.

2. Desensitize Your Golden Retriever

There will likely be some element of grooming that your dog dislikes, whether it’s being doused in water or having their coat pulled by a pin brush. If your Retriever has never been groomed before, they will be especially reluctant to endure the new experience, so you will need to start by desensitizing them to the process.

Start by touching and rubbing different areas of your dog’s body. Make sure they’re happy having you touch their tail and inside their ear, as well as inside their mouth. Then, get them used to the comb, toothbrush, and other items you’ll need. Provide treats to create some positive associations. with grooming.

When you do start grooming, take it slowly and make sure the first few sessions are short, painless, and culminate in a ton of treats.

3. Brush Regularly

Brushing your Golden Retriever benefits your dog, but it also benefits you, because it gets rid of loose hairs, and it allows you to control the shedding. It’s much easier to clean up a single pile of dog hair than it is to hoover the house every day.

Most of the year, two or three good brushes a week should suffice, but during the heavy shedding season, you will want to brush every day to keep on top of things and prevent matting.

4. Brush Teeth Every Day

Dental care is really important. Dogs can’t brush their own teeth, and dental treats can help with good oral hygiene but are not usually enough on their own. Use canine toothpaste and get in the habit of brushing your dog’s teeth every day. Human toothpaste can result in fluoride poisoning since pups don’t know to spit it out.

At the very least, they will need brushing three or four times a week but getting into a daily habit means you won’t forget. Handily, you don’t need to floss or give mouthwash to a dog.

5. Trim Nails When They Click on Hard Surfaces

Dogs also need help maintaining proper claw length. Long claws are not only painful for you if your dog jumps up, but they can also cause your dog pain. Get dog nail clippers and either trim nails every couple of months, when you notice they’ve gotten longer, or when you can hear your dog clicking on wooden floors.

How often your dog needs to have their claws trimmed will depend on the types of surfaces they regularly walk on. If they walk on tarmac or another abrasive surface, this will help file down the claws.

6. Bathe Every Couple of Months

Golden Retrievers can suffer from sensitive skin and other skin conditions, so while bathing is important, it is equally important that you don’t bathe too often as this can strip their natural oils. Depending on whether you have the type of retriever that likes to leap in puddles and swim in lakes or not, you might want to bathe them every couple of months, using a good-quality sensitive shampoo. If they have a knack for getting filthy and you need to bath more often consider using a conditioner to add some moisture back into their skin and coat.

If you are looking for the perfect, pet-friendly shampoo and conditioner combo, we highly recommend the products by Hepper. With a soothing oatmeal shampoo, free of soaps and other harsh chemicals, and a cucumber and aloe scented conditioner, your pet's skin and coat will be smooth, hydrated, and irritation-free. 

At Dogster, we’ve admired Hepper for many years, and decided to take a controlling ownership interest so that we could benefit from the outstanding products of this cool pet company!

7. Have Everything Ready Before the Bath

When bath time beckons, have everything you’re going to need on hand and ready. The process needs to go as smoothly as possible, and, if yours is a retriever that hates bath time, if you have to disappear halfway through the bath, you will likely find your dog does the same.

8. Brush Before Bathing

Before you put your dog in the bath, give them a good brush. This will remove dead hairs and it will also get rid of dust and loose dirt while bringing stains and other dirt to the surface, making it easier to clean.

Avoid brushing the hair when it is wet as this can cause more damage. Once your pup is brushed, it’s bath time.

9. Check the Eyes and Ears

You do need to routinely check your dog for signs of injury, illness, or other complaints, and this includes checking around the eyes and even inside the ears. These areas are prone to dirt buildup and should be wiped out.

The ears can be a breeding ground for yeast and bacteria that cause ear infections. Using an ear cleaning solution every week or two can help prevent this.

10. Spot Clean Between Baths

You shouldn’t bathe your Golden Retriever with harsh indredietns too often, as it can cause dry skin and itchiness. If your pup gets dirty, use special dog cleaning wipes to get rid of dirt. These are easy to use, and you don’t even need to turn the taps on, let alone lather up your puppy.

Whether your dog needs a quick refresh or cleanup of a sensitive area, pet-safe wet wipes are a convenient and on-the-go option, since keeping your dog clean doesn't have to mean giving them a full bath. We like Hepper's Wash Wipes because they're specially formulated to be safe for dogs of all ages, sizes, and breeds. The hypoallergenic formula contains natural, moisturizing ingredients that effectively remove dirt without irritating your dog's skin.

At Dogster, we’ve admired Hepper for many years, and decided to take a controlling ownership interest so that we could benefit from the outstanding products of this cool pet company!

11. Trim Paw Hair

When trimming your dog’s claws, it is a good idea to give the hair that grows between the paws a quick trim. If this becomes too long, it prevents your dog from getting a good grip when walking and it can cause them to slip and slide on hard, polished surfaces. Long hair can also accumulate debris and cause discomfort or even an infection.

12. Don’t Use a Hot Hair Dryer

After a bath, let your dog run around for a few minutes, ideally indoors to prevent them from getting muddy again. This will help dry the coat. Use a towel to give a good dry, and, if necessary, use a hairdryer, but only if the hairdryer has a cold air setting. Hot air will cause dry, irritable skin, and in some cases can burn your dog.

You can get hairdryers designed for the specific purpose of canine grooming, and these are more sensitive with temperature than human hair dryers.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Do Golden Retrievers Need Haircuts?

Golden Retrievers do not need full haircuts, but they do benefit from regular trimming. The ears, between the paws, around the neck, and the tail are areas where the coat can grow out of control, and these are the areas you should concentrate on. Trim every few weeks.

Is It Okay to Shave a Golden Retriever?

We don't recommend shaving your Golden Retriever unless it is a medical requirement. After shaving the undercoat grows back a lot quicker than the guard hairs and it can take a long time to restore. You can trim regularly, and brushing will remove dead hairs.

What Is a Summer Cut?

A summer cut is essentially a slightly more intense trim. It concentrates on the areas where a Retriever’s coat gets long, as well as the sanitary areas, and removes the unnecessarily longer hairs that can cause your dog to get hot and bothered.

What Is a Sanitary Cut?

A sanitary cut means trimming the hairs around the genitalia and anus. It can help keep your dog clean and prevent infection by stopping pee and poop from getting caught in the coat. A professional groomer can safely perform a sanitary cut if you aren’t comfortable trimming hair in those areas.

Conclusion

The Golden Retriever makes a great pet because they are loving, affectionate, loyal, fun, and playful. But the breed does require a lot of exercise as well as mental stimulation, and that beautiful golden coat needs plenty of attention to keep it looking its best. Owners also need to brush their teeth, trim claws, and clean inside the ears and around the eyes regularly so that their Golden is fresh and comfortable.

Featured Image Credit: Frank11, Shuttetstock