Shaved Golden Retriever: Is It Actually Worth It?

Golden Retrievers are known to have a long and luscious coat which protects them from the winter.

However, if you live in a hot area, you may think that your doggy friend gets exceptionally hot during the winter time due to his thick and long coat and may even consider shaving it off for summer time.

But, is it actually beneficial for your furry friend and worth it?

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!

Let’s get started, shall we?

Getting to Know Your Golden Retriever: All About the Coat

Golden Retrievers are known to be furry.

But, do you really know what’s all that fur for and how it actually works to keep your dog’s body safe and protected?

Well, I’ll tell you everything you need to know about your Goldy’s fur in this section of the blog post. The thing is that Golden Retrievers are actually double trouble because they have a double coat!

And, your Goldy’s double coat is there to actually protect that little guy in every season.

Let’s look into it, shall we?

1.The Undercoat

The undercoat is basically the coat under your dog’s coat.

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

And, the undercoat has its advantages.

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

Moving on.

2.The Overcoat

The overcoat is the coat that you see and is the beautiful and luscious Golden colored fur you love to pet.

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

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

Should I Shave My Golden Retriever’s Fur?

As I mentioned in the previous section, 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.

The thing is that shaving your dog’s fur during the summer isn’t the best idea.

Removing Goldy’s beautiful coat will not make them! It’ll instead compromise his body’s protection. 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 in a way that dirt can be kept away from the skin and is easy to brush off.

So, basically, what I’m trying to convey is that shaving your Golden Retriever isn’t a good idea after all.

What Should I Do to Help My Dog Beat the Heat?

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 That Dog on a Regular Basis

You should make it a point to 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 is the Bonve Pet Brush, and the Self Cleaning Slicker 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.Keep the Nails Trimmed

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,long nails can compromise your dog’s paw-shape which can also result in a splay.

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

I’ve tried several nail clippers on my dog and I feel that Epica Nail Clipper 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 which looks like a fan when it’s extended.

The best possible way to achieve this look is to:

1. 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.

2. Next, you should work from the other end and form a fan-like shape toward the base.

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 the 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 Zymox Ear Cleanser or Top Performance ProEar

In Conclusion: A Shaved Golden Retriever

Shaving your Golden Retriever---even if you live in the hottest of places isn’t the best idea as your dog’s fur protect him from the weather, parasites, etc.

So, instead of shaving your dog, you should ensure that he’s groomed regularly.

Golden Retrievers have a double coat and, your Goldy’s double coat is there to actually protect that little guy in every season.

Do you have questions? If so, leave them in the comments, and we will get back to you as soon as we can.