Information below is some tips on how golden retrievers should be groomed and trimmed.
We tend to hear many stories of people taking their golden to a local grooming parlor. The response usually is, " They shaved or chopped the hair of my golden". Not very funny considering that it may take up to 9 months to fully grow back.
In general we like to see our golden's "Show Groomed" - This is the way we come to expect in appreciating their attributes.
There are a few specific areas that we look at when we consider the important areas to trim and clean up when we are grooming our golden. Neck, Ears, Paws, Chest and Tail. The information below may provide some additional insights for those who are learning to groom their golden retriever.
** Expert Tips on Grooming your Golden Retriever
Paws
Golden retrievers need their haircut on the bottom of their paws, as they have a tendency to grow ‘slippers’; overgrown fur from their toes that can cover the pads of their feet. The easiest way to trim this fur is to hold the pad of the paw facing up and hold the sheers parallel to the paw, cut close to the pad, being careful not to nick their sensitive pad; trim up by the toe nails and the back of the paw, to complete the ‘cat paw” look. This will usually need to be repeated once a month.
Ears
To groom your golden retriever’s ears, use the thinning sheers to neaten up the natural look. Start inside the ear; lift the ear and use the thinning sheers to remove some of the fur; hold your sheers parallel to your golden retriever face, do not cut all the hair, just thin it to make it look neater. For the edge of the ear, groom your golden retriever by using the thinning sheers to again thin out, not cut off, the natural fur line along the edge of the ear. If you have never seen your dog with its fur thinned, you may want to have a groomer do it properly the first time. Be sure to take pictures and use those as a guide to repeat the process yourself.
Chest
Sometimes, the fur on the chest gets a little thick or long. Some people choose to thin it a little, or trim it a little, for shows, this really isn't necessary for non show dogs. If you like the trimmed look, simply trim along the existing fur line. Use the thinning sheers to turn any tight curls into wispy feathering. If you feel the length is still too long, and you want to give your golden retriever an additional hair cut, use the regular sheers to trim not more than half an inch and stay within the normal line the fur grows in. Do not over cut; it will create a ‘hard’ look that is very unbecoming to a golden retriever.
Tail
Again, because they are to be kept ‘natural’, it is important when trimming your golden retriever, to stay within the natural hair line, you want to neaten and improve the look, not change it entirely. For the tail, hold it at the tip, and begin thinning by the base, gradually fanning out to keep the signature wispy fan tail. Hold the sheers at such an angle that it matches the natural growth; this method can also be used on the back of the legs if the fur looks a little heavy.
Blow Drying
Blow drying is a part of golden retriever grooming that isn't necessary but it may help your dog from becoming too cold and sick in the winter. Blow drying is also the only way to straighten a normally wavy coat of fur. If your golden retriever is intolerant of the blow dryer, you may need to use a grooming table and leash them to it; but as mild mannered as golden retrievers usually are, they should tolerate it pretty fairly as they age.
Grooming Tips for your Golden Retriever
** Edited Information provided by goldenretrievernews.com
