Shaved Golden Retriever!? The What, How and Why!

Shaved Golden Retriever!? The What, How, and Why!

Do you feel that your Golden Retriever gets really hot in the summer because of its thick coat!?

Looked up shaved Golden Retrievers?

Well, today I’ll talk about shaving your Golden Retriever, we’ll go into great detail about your dog’s fur, its uses, and finally, we’ll answer the big question: Should you shave your Golden Retriever? If not, what should you do!?

So, are you ready!?

Let’s go!

Let’s Know More About Goldy!

Have you ever wondered why your dog is so…furry?

Well, I’ll tell you all about your doggy’s fur!

Golden Retrievers are actually double trouble because they have a double coat! You must be thinking, why does your dog have a double coat?

Let’s get into it…

So, Goldy’s double coat is there to actually protect that little guy in every season. Let’s talk about the two coats, shall we?

1. The Undercoat

So, the undercoat is basically a coat under your dog’s coat. Yes, it’s Coat-ception!

This is also called the ‘down hair,’ which consists of wool hair that is wavy and curly. It also helps maintain a layer of dry air on the skin, which repels water and provides thermal insulation to your doggy!

And, obviously, the undercoat has its advantages…

The undercoat grows in winter to protect your doggy from the cold, snowy weather. And it sheds when the weather becomes warmer.

2. The Overcoat

Yes, you guessed it right! The overcoat is the coat that you see!

This is also called the guard layer and consists of long, coarse, straight hair shafts protruding via the undercoat.

This layer also has pigmentation and gloss, which basically means your doggy’s beautiful fur.

To Shave or To Not Shave?

As I mentioned before, your dog’s overcoat is meant to protect him in all weather conditions. So, let’s talk about shaving off your dog’s beautiful coat…

Don’t!

Well, I’ll tell you why I say that…

Removing Goldy’s beautiful coat will not make them! It’ll instead compromise his body’s protection. How? Well…

Let’s talk about your dog’s cooling mechanism, shall we?

Dogs basically sweat via the pads of their feet, and the rest of the heat is released through panting.

So, this means that removing fluffy’s shiny coat won’t make him cooler, but it’ll expose your doggy’s skin to the sun and heat. This will make it more difficult for him to cool down.

And since Goldens were actually bred to retrieve waterfowl, your dog’s coat doubles up as a water-repellant! If that wasn’t enough, your dog’s coat is also designed so that dirt can be kept away from the skin and is easy to brush off.

So, basically, I’m trying to say that shaving your Golden Retriever isn’t a good idea after all…

…So What Should I do Instead?

All you need to do is to follow some basic steps to groom your Golden Retriever, and you’ll be good to go!

So, let’s start with the 4 basic steps to groom your doggy friend!

1. Brush, brush, brush!

Regularly brush your doggy friend with a good quality bristle brush. You can also use an undercoat rake if the need arises!

My top picks for a good brush are the Hertzko Self-Cleaning Slicker Brush, and the Maxpower Planet Pet Grooming Brush works wonders for my dog!

And regular brushing will also reduce that annoying shedding, so no dog hairs all over your clothes!

And as a bonus, you also get to spend more time loving your little doggy!

2. Manicure and Pedicure!?

No, you don’t need to paint your dog’s nails, but what you should be doing is trimming them!

Long nails can be really uncomfortable, your little friend. And they may even interfere with his ability to walk properly!

Also, errr…long nails can compromise your dog’s paw shape, resulting in a splayed foot.

So, you should trim your dog’s nails about every week or two. But you need to be very careful!

Here’s a video tutorial:

I’ve tried several nail clippers on my dog, and I feel that gonicc Dog & Cat Pets Nail Clippers and Trimmers is the best for my dog.

3. Tails

Let’s talk about the wagging little tail, shall we?

Of course! Your dog’s tail needs to be groomed as well!

In fact, you should groom it in a way that looks like a fan when it’s extended.

The best possible way to achieve this look is to:
a.Twist the end of your dog’s tail and put your thumb on the end of your dog’s tailbone, and trim the area which is near your thumb.

b.Next, you should work from the other end and form a fan-like shape toward the base.
Here’s a video tutorial:

4. Fuzzy Little Ears

Yes, your doggy does need some grooming on his ears!

Both inside and outside!

A general rule of thumb is that the hair on the inside should be thin, while the hair covering the outside ear and the edges should be neat.

Did you know that Golden Retrievers are very likely to have ear infections!? So, while you’re at it, make sure to keep your dog’s ears clean! I’d advise you to use a good cleaning solution, like Virbac EPIOTIC Advanced Ear Cleanser or Pet MD – Dog Ear Cleaner Wipes.

What Should I Take Away From This?

So, you now you know some of the following things about your doggy!

● Golden Retrievers have double coats, and they protect them against all weather conditions
● Shaving your Golden isn’t a good idea, in fact, you can risk your dog’s skin, and they could also get skin cancer!
● Grooming is all your doggy friend actually needs! Just trim here and trim there, and you’re good to go!

I hope that you enjoyed this blog post and that I helped you with your shaved Golden Retriever. If you still have any questions, leave a comment below, and I’ll help you as soon as I can!