Important Golden Retriever Grooming Tasks

golden-retrieverBe prepared to spend up to a half hour daily during shedding season for Golden Retriever grooming sessions. For feathery-coated Golden Retrievers, it can take a half hour daily just to prevent the matting to which the dog is prone. Both types of Golden Retriever, the smooth-coated and the feathery-coated, will shed and are prone to matting and hot spots.

Hot spots are an irritated skin condition for which you must regularly check your dog’s skin. Since Golden Retriever grooming is so important to your dog’s health and comfort, you have to start grooming puppies with Golden Retriever grooming supplies. This way, you can introduce and familiarize the puppy with the Golden Retriever grooming supplies.

It takes thirty minutes to thoroughly brush your Golden Retriever. You can control the amount of hair that is shed in your home with regular Golden Retriever grooming. A smooth-coated Golden Retriever needs one thorough grooming session a week. A feathery-coated Golden Retriever may need daily grooming depending on the amount of matting that is present.

Once a mat starts, it will irritate the dog and eventually become painful as it pulls more hair into itself as the mat grows in size. A mat can cause skin irritations if it is not removed. In addition, fleas will migrate to mat spots. The places, where most matting occurs, are behind the ears, rear, tail and at feathery spots. Mats can happen overnight to some dogs with feathering. If matting is occurring regularly, you will have to brush the area frequently or trim the hair regularly.

If you can, carefully loosen and untangle smaller mats with a metal comb with widely set tines. Using a hair detangling formula or oil on the mat may make detangling easier. If you cannot use a comb on the dog or the mat is large, you will have to cut the mats out. Avoid the use of scissors when you have to cut a mat out because there is a chance for injury, particularly if trying to fix a mat that is agitating your dog. Use a mat breaker, a tool specifically made to remove mats easily and safely.

Regular brushing is a part of correct Golden Retriever grooming. You can choose two main brushes for your Golden Retriever grooming supplies needs.

The slicker brush is versatile. The wide head and short bristles, set wide, are useful for shedding and regular brushing of smooth and feathered coats. The pin brush has longer pins, set wide, is useful for brushing feathered portions. The pin brush will reduce shedding as well. Regular brushing will remove any particles and dirt from the coat.

Brush your dog thoroughly before a bath or wetting the coat. Tangles tighten with water. A vegetable oil or detangle solution can help to detangle tangles. Avoid too much bathing or using detergent based shampoo because of undercoat fall out or skin irritation. Brush dirt from the underside and legs for spot cleaning and wet as necessary.

Use a flea comb to detangle mats and check the skin for hot spots or other irritated spots. Clip the nails when necessary. Check and clean the nails and ears once a week. Include all these Golden Retriever grooming tasks in your Golden Retriever grooming plan to maintain your dog’s health.

Regular Golden Retrievers grooming can be a good family event that will make your dog look and feel good.