Things to Remember While Grooming Your Golden Retriever

Grooming your Golden Retriever can be a cumbersome task. Not only that, it is also a continuous process. Happy are those who can hire a service to groom their dog. However, more often than not, most people have to do it themselves. Here are some ways in which you can groom your Golden Retriever easily. You need to follow a cycle of grooming, and it is advised that this cycle is repeated once or twice a week. Remember, you can’t slack off on your duty as a dog owner. You need to have a regular routine to groom your dog. The process should not take you more than a half hour at a time.

You can start with brushing your Golden Retriever to make sure that you reduce his shedding. This is important as they are a double coated breed of dogs. The double coat protects and insulates them throughout the year. During winter, the undercoat protects them, but they begin to shed it during warmer months. Hence, you will often notice a lot of fur being shed at this time. Regular brushing will take care of this problem a lot, especially if done with a quality bristle brush and an undercoat rake. It is most likely that your dog will love it as well, and love you for it. Most Goldens love the feel of a good brush and will often sit idle happily while you brush them. Remember to brush in one direction – downwards – and try to do it gently so as to not pull out any hair in the process.

Regular baths are a must, especially in warm weather conditions. You can give your Golden Retriever a wash as many times as you like, as it won’t damage the skin. Just make sure you use a shampoo of good quality. You may have a little problem getting your Golden Retriever to sit still if your dog doesn’t like taking baths. After a nice bath, it’s time for a nail inspection. Long nails should be clipped regularly as they can cause irritation to the dog, and a lot of grief to anyone who steps on them. Trimming the nails ensures that shape of your dog’s foot is intact, and there is no splaying. If you're lucky, you will see the nails clearly. Use a good pair of nail clippers, but try not to cut too closely. Keep some styptic powder close at hand in case you cut too close by accident. If you see any blood, use it immediately. This will help in stopping the bleeding fast. Try and make this a weekly exercise.

Whatever you do, while grooming your Golden retriever never shave it. Remember, as we mentioned earlier, the double coat of the golden retriever protects it in all kinds of weather. Groom only the tail, feet, and in and around the ears. You can trim back around the pads with an ordinary pair of grooming shears so that it is even with the pads. If you look after you dog properly, he will be clean and tidy, and look good.